What is an SME?  How do they impact on you?  Can you do without them?

Rosie Harrison here describes how Small and Medium Enterprises are the fastest growing business sector of most of the world's economies.  In the UK alone they account for almost 50 per cent of business turnover, over 90 per cent of companies employing ten or more personnel, employ 12 million people, and produce 40 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Confederation of British Industry warns that SMEs are in danger of drowning under the weight of work involved in complying with governmental legislation. 

Maybe a better option would be to encourage a philosophy of self-regulation and goal setting in order to identify and manage high impact risks.

This is the first of several articles that Rosie will be contributing to the Business section of Nurturing Potential.