Small and Midsized Businesses Expect Robust Recovery

Business confidence and the economic outlook have improved dramatically for small and medium-sized enterprises in the past year, according to a new survey by the Association of Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Management Accountants.

The joint ACCA and IMA survey polled SMEs about the 12 months leading up to mid-2014. The report, titled “Back in the Game,” found that a range of business challenges, particularly those relating to cash flow, have eased for SMEs in the second review period, with SMEs in the Middle East and Western Europe leading the way. In addition, capacity building across regions has resumed in earnest, led by the Americas and the Middle East. Despite widespread improvement, the report noted mounting business challenges for SMEs in some regions, including Central and Eastern Europe and South Asia