Industry, business and entrepreneurship
The global economy is shaped by the decisions, behaviours and strategies of businesses responding to digital transformation, climate change, geopolitical shifts, and the emergence of new technologies. The OECD maps these trends, providing firm-level and sectoral evidence to inform policies for enhancing productivity, innovation, value chain resilience and industrial decarbonisation, including through strategic industrial policy.
Policy area
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Policy issues
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Fighting corruption and promoting integrity in both the private and public sectors are critical to fostering an environment of trust and accountability, and conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic development.Learn more
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Well-designed competition law, effective enforcement and competition-based economic reform promote consumer welfare and economic growth while making markets more flexible and innovative. The OECD actively encourages governments to tackle anti-competitive practices and fosters market-oriented reform throughout the world.Learn more
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Corporate governance guides how a company is directed and its relationships with its shareholders and stakeholders. With the right structure and systems in place, good corporate governance enables companies to create an environment of trust, transparency and accountability, which promotes long-term patient capital and supports economic growth and financial stability. OECD work on corporate governance is guided by the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance, the global standard in this area.Learn more
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About 70% of international trade involves global value chains (GVCs), as services, raw materials, parts, and components cross borders – often numerous times. A strong trend has emerged towards the international dispersion of value chain activities such as design, production, marketing, distribution, etc. This emergence of GVCs and increased interest in their sustainability and resilience requires analysing supply chains as a whole and developing policies around them.Learn more
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Industrial policy refers to government assistance to businesses to boost or reshape specific economic activities, especially to firms or types of firms based on their activity, technology, location, size or age. Governments use industrial policies to address important economic, social and environmental challenges that markets cannot address on their own, such as to accelerate the green transition, or improve the robustness of value chains for critical products and services.Learn more
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Sectors such as semiconductors, steel, renewable energy, and automotives form the cornerstone of modern economies, each with unique structural and functional characteristics that necessitate specific analysis. Conducting sector-specific analysis provides an in depth understanding of these strategic industries and facilitates the formulation of informed policy assessments and recommendations.Learn more
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Responsible business conduct (RBC) sets out an expectation that all businesses – regardless of their legal status, size, ownership or sector – avoid and address negative impacts of their operations, while contributing to sustainable development in the countries where they operate.Learn more
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Empowering SMEs and entrepreneurs is crucial to sustainable and inclusive growth. They fuel innovation and competition, sustain competitiveness in global markets and value chains, provide a main source of employment, champion inclusion and represent the lifeblood of local economies and communities. They are also pivotal in the transition of economies to a digital and sustainable future. The OECD works with countries and regions to develop policies that strengthen the resilience of SMEs and entrepreneurs and unlock their potential in a changing global landscape.Learn more
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Businesses are the engine of the economy – they shape our planet, the way we work, produce, consume and live. The OECD works with the private sector and governments sharing data, analysis, recommendations and global standards to help implement policies that create more sustainable, green and inclusive businesses across supply chains. The goal is to encourage long-term value creation for all, inclusive societies and sustainable natural resources. Businesses of all sizes can become powerful drivers for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Learn more
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Tourism is an important driver of economic prosperity, jobs, income and wellbeing in OECD countries and beyond. Awareness of the sector’s role as an economic and social force has been elevated at the highest levels, following the near complete shutdown of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, rapid and unbalanced tourism development also brings challenges for people, places and businesses. We analyse policies and structural changes impacting the development of tourism and provide policy makers with policy solutions, data, expertise and good practices to set tourism on a path to a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive future.Learn more
Programmes
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Local skills systems connect local employers, workers, government, social and economic partners, universities and training providers to support growth, innovation and better jobs. We support building stronger skills systems where local employers find the talent they seek and individuals have access to life-long learning opportunities.Learn more
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The social economy pioneers new business models, provides essential services, contributes to job creation and a fairer, green and digital transition, engages youth and builds communities. National, regional and local governments can use this toolkit to implement the OECD Recommendation on the Social and Solidarity Economy and Social Innovation.Learn more
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Local policy makers and practitioners benefit from meeting with their peers on what works and why. We provide a forum to facilitate peer-learning and capacity building around local employment and economic development.Learn more
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Local employment systems offer efficient matching of employers and workers at the local level. In our work, we review how employment systems can be best geared to local needs through active labour market policies sensitive to local needs and their integration with other local services.Learn more
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We offer best practice on how to create more and better quality jobs through effective policy implementation and local initiatives.Learn more
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Enhancing regional dialogue, competitiveness and improving the business climate.Learn more
Related publications
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25 October 2024