Volume 1 Cedric - revised luca Final - RUIG-GIAN

Research methodologyThe research team has undertaken a detailed survey of a sample of inter-ethnic jointenterprises which have been judged successful according to a set of conventional economicand financial performance criteria. An interview approach based on standardquestionnaires was used with the aim of better seizing the characteristics of jointenterprises. The regional Enterprise Support Agency 92 (ESA) in regions where suchenterprises exist conducted interviews with local firms which agreed to participate in theproject, asking relevant questions regarding the nature of their firm, its business operationfaced with the security crisis and suggestions for the improvement of SME-conducivepolicies. This primary data was analyzed in combination with the study of the broadereconomic situation and current governmental policies in order to identify the policylessons to be obtained from the experience of governmental and non-governmentalprogrammes in favour of SMEs.The primary data used in the following study was collected in 2002, that is in theimmediate aftermath of the inter-ethnic crisis that Macedonia faced in 2001. The analysisof the data, as well as a desk research on the SME sector and its environment in thecountry, were implemented in 2004/2005. This gap between the collection and the analysisof the data, may pose the methodological difficulty of discussing 2002 findings in therecent Macedonian context. However, the analysis of the interaction between inter-ethnicSMEs operation and inter-ethnic conflict is still arguably pertinent, to an understanding ofthis interaction in the Macedonia context and beyond.92 ESAs are self-financing organizations who sell their services to SMEs, local and national authorities, as well asinternational donors.111