With the digital age, the drivers of productivity and competitiveness have shifted from efficiency and quality to innovation and entrepreneurship. With increasingly shorter product life cycles and a constantly evolving business climate, robust promotion and management of innovation have become indispensable for sustained productivity enhancement. However, pursuing innovation can be challenging without clear guidance and standards, especially for SMEs.

To disseminate knowledge on the ISO standards on innovation, the APO held a virtual Workshop on Development of New Innovation Standards for SMEs, 13–15 October, in partnership with the Vietnam National Productivity Institute. The event included sessions on innovation management guidelines, a walkthrough of the ISO 56000 series, innovation and productivity in SMEs, and good practices of innovation management in SMEs.

Thirty-six participants representing government agencies, private sectors, academia and National Productivity Organizations attended the workshop.