Publications

This major business survey shows that almost 80% of small firms that adopted advanced digital tools reported better production efficiency.

African tech hubs play an important role in building fledgling entrepreneurial ecosystems and helping start-ups, but they struggle to earn revenue and become financially sustainable. This second edition has expanded its coverage, adding insights from East African hubs. The report, based on...

Online marketplaces are the dominant form of e-commerce for consumer goods in developed countries. They are also prominent across Africa, offering great potential to serve a new generation of consumers and open opportunities for small entrepreneurs. But little is known about these marketplaces in...

This report helps small businesses comply with trade rules when selling goods through e-commerce to the European Union and the United States.

Rwandan exporters face onerous standards imposed by private clients in addition to government requirements, an ITC survey reveals. Fair Trade certificates demanded by clients in the European Union, especially for coffee and tea, are bringing costs and delays that seriously hinder Rwandan exporters,...

A blueprint for small and medium-sized enterprises Advanced economies have developed highly competitive and innovative e-commerce services, making it simple for small enterprises to set up online stores, transport their goods and receive payments. Although entrepreneurs in developing countries...

This report encourages artificial intelligence (AI) literacy for small businesses and trade institutions, especially in developing countries, through the lens of publishing. It shows that AI tools empower everyone in the workplace to be publishers – and that leaders can navigate the promises and...

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa can tackle e-commerce barriers such as formalization, e-payments and delivery by joining forces through collaborative business models. This paper examines the pros and cons of three models – associations, consortiums and cooperatives – and...

This joint ITC-Alibaba publication reviews the context of e-commerce development in China and identifies what is needed for foreign firms to enter the market. China's cross-border e-commerce has been growing rapidly in recent years. This development has brought new and innovative ways to access...

More than a third of Tanzanian companies have fully or partially resolved trade obstacles in the last six years. Government-led initiatives and regulatory reforms have helped ease exporters’ difficulties.

Upgrading quality infrastructure and enforcing quality compliance are key to Pakistan’s export development. A survey of almost 1,200 companies on non-tariff measures found that more than half of Pakistani exporters face regulatory or procedural trade-related obstacles. The report recommends...

Streamlining government procedures, improving transport maintenance and IT infrastructure, and better dissemination of trade-related information are cited as keys to improving Kenya’s export performance, in a new ITC country study on non-tariff measures. Two-thirds of companies surveyed in...