Output
1) Background Research Paper
The research survey is conducted to support the main activity, which is the three-day workshop. The output of the survey is the Background Research Paper. The main objective of the background research survey is to share strategies and policies for providing information access and affordable digital machines, as well as marketing technologies, for MSMEs, and to assess the readiness level of digital technology adoption among manufacturing MSMEs. The research activities utilize online surveys (questionnaire distribution). The Background Research Paper will be made starting from 1 September 2025 and it is expected to be finished on 28 November 2025. The minimum number of pages of the background research paper is 25 pages, excluding annexes. The background research paper will not be published for the APEC publication. The Background Research Paper, together with the Project Summary Report, will be prepared by the contractor. The structure of the Background Research Paper is as follows:
I Background II Objectives III Methods
IV Findings and Discussion
V. Conclusion
Developing a questionnaire for an online survey to investigate the readiness level of the adoption of the latest digital manufacturing and marketing technologies by manufacturing MSMEs across APEC economies. The respondents of this questionnaire are the representatives of each APEC economy that has an interest or is an expert in manufacturing and marketing technological transformation for MSMEs. The representatives from the selected eleven economies (China, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Peru, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam) are expected to fill in the questionnaire. There are two representatives of each economy to fill in the questionnaires. It is expected that the respondents of the online survey are the participants of the three-day workshop, since the background research survey is conducted to support the three-day workshop.
A questionnaire for an online survey will be developed starting from 01 September 2025, and it will be circulated to APEC member economies through the APEC Secretariat by 10 September 2025. The results of the questionnaire will be collected by 10 November 2025. The online survey will be circulated via the General Information Circular (GIC) together with the information on the three-day workshop agenda.
The respondents of this questionnaire are the representatives of each APEC economy that has an interest or is an expert in manufacturing and marketing technological transformation for MSMEs. The representatives from the invited economies (China, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Peru, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam) are expected to fill in the questionnaire. Those economies are chosen as those economies are mostly classified as developing economies, and those economies will be invited to the three-day workshop event that will be conducted on 01 December 2025. The two representatives of each economy are expected to be respondents to fill in the questionnaires. The expected minimum number of respondents for this online survey is 16.
There are 5 pillars or dimensions in the questionnaire: 1) Organization and Management, 2) Human Resources and Culture, 3) Products and Services, 4) Technology, and 5) Operations. The type of questions in the survey is in the form of open questions and multiple-choice questions. The open questions will ask about several aspects:
1. The strategies from the government of each economy to bridge MSMEs and startups to increase the productivity of MSMEs
2. The determining factors of MSMEs in each economy when selecting the suppliers of technologies
3. The strategies in each economy provide information access to the latest digital machines and marketing technologies, in which such technologies are produced by startups or other stakeholders, such as research institutes or universities, and are appropriate for manufacturing MSMEs. And the platform/s used to support MSMEs in obtaining the latest digital technologies.
4. The experiences and strategies in providing affordable digital machines and marketing technologies that are appropriate for manufacturing MSMEs produced by startups or other stakeholders, such as research institutes or universities, and are appropriate for manufacturing MSMEs.
5. Concerning cyber securities and strategies of each economy to protect MSMEs from cyber crimes when using digital technologies.
6. Strategies of each economy to increase the contribution and the participation of female owners of MSMEs in adopting digital technologies.
Meanwhile, the multiple choices will ask about 5 pillars or dimensions of the digital technology readiness level, which are 1) Organization and Management, 2) Human Resources and Culture, 3) Products and Services, 4) Technology, and 5) Operations. The other purpose of this survey is to know which challenges of manufacturing MSMEs need to be addressed based on priority.
The tasks of the contractor are coordinating with PO in preparing the questions of the questionnaire, creating the google forms or other forms for online survey platform, communicating to APEC secretariat to know the process and the progress of the circulation of the online survey, collecting the filled questionnaires, cleaning the collected data, preparing descriptive statistics and matrix table, analyzing the data, coordinating with PO in preparing and finalizing the Background Research Paper, reporting the Background Research Paper to PO and APEC secretariat.
2) 3-Day Workshop
The workshop will be held in person, located in Bali, Indonesia, from 03 - 05 November 2025.
The purposes of the workshop are: 1. Sharing best practices of the implemented strategies and policies across APEC regions to accommodate the needs of digital manufacturing and marketing technologies for MSMEs, including to bridge manufacturing MSMEs and startups 2. Sharing best practices the implementation of AI-based technologies for manufacturing and digital marketing that are appropriate for MSMEs. 3. Sharing and discussing the needs of AI regulation, cybersecurity, and copyright laws that are appropriate for MSMEs.
The targeted audience is government officers from the invited APEC member economies who are relevant to the topic of the workshop, and practitioners from startup companies and manufacturing MSMEs. The expected minimum numbers of participants are 22 persons from 11 APEC member economies, which are China, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Peru, Russia, Thailand, and Viet Nam (@ 2 participants).
The invitation for participants of the workshop will follow the General Information Circular (GIC) standard and will be distributed together with the online survey. The invitation letter will be circulated not more than 10 September 2025 by coordinating with the APEC Secretariat, and the name list of participants from each invited economy will be collected by 10 November 2025 through an official email account.
The representative of the contractor will be the host (master of ceremonies) during the workshop. The representative of the contractor communicates with the speakers' and moderators' candidates to make sure that all invited speakers, moderators, and participants are available and attend the workshop. The contractor will choose a hotel and communicate with the hotel for the accommodation of experts and participants (accommodation preparation), including preparation for snacks and lunch during the workshop. The contractor makes sure that the accommodation and venue for the workshop are ready, including supporting systems (sound system, tables, chairs, Wi-Fi, and recording system). The contractor also prepares booklet, prepares and distributes the letter of invitation for speakers and participants (communication with APEC secretariat), records the workshop activities including photos, collects the name list of attendees (participants and experts who attend the workshop), prepares the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) as participants, collects CVs and presentation file of the speakers and CVs of the moderator, recaps the key learning of the workshop at the final session, prepares and submits and collects Post-workshop Evaluation, takes photos during the workshop, prepares and submits the report/notes of the workshop.
The rough agenda of each day is as follows:
1) On the first day, the workshop will share best practices strategies to accommodate the needs of digital manufacturing and marketing technologies for MSMEs, including bridging the manufacturing MSMEs and startups. The 1st speaker (speaker A) will share and discuss strategies to bridge startups and MSMEs to provide digital technologies for MSMEs. The 2nd speaker (Speaker B) will share and discuss strategies to provide access to the latest manufacturing and marketing technologies for MSMEs. The 3rd speaker (speaker C) will share and discuss the strategies to support MSMEs in obtaining affordable digital technologies. The number of experts on the first day is 4 experts (3 speakers: A, B, C, and 1 moderator: X). Each speaker will deliver the workshop materials within 40 minutes. The discussion (Q&A) session will take around 2 hours. The total hours of the workshop on the 1st day are 4 to 5 hours.
2) On the second day, the invited speakers will share and discuss the latest digital technologies for manufacturing and digital marketing. The 1st speaker (speaker D) will share and discuss the AI literacy building for MSMEs. The 2nd speaker (speaker E) will share and discuss the implementation of the latest digital technologies, such as AI-based machines, industrial Internet of Things, and online control systems that are appropriate for MSMEs. The 3rd speaker (speaker F) will share and discuss the strategies to increase the participation of female owners of MSMEs in adopting digital technologies. Each speaker will deliver the workshop materials within 40 minutes. On the second day, the number of experts who will present is 4 experts (3 speakers: D, E, F, and moderator: Y). The discussion (Q&A) session will take around 2 hours. The total hours of the workshop on the 2nd day are 4 to 5 hours.
On the third day or the last day, the invited speakers will share and discuss the regulations or policies that influence the effectiveness of digital technological use for MSMEs. The 1st speaker (speaker G) will share and discuss the AI use regulations or policies that are appropriate for MSMEs. The 2nd speaker (speaker H) will share and discuss the regulations or policies regarding cybersecurity for MSMEs. The 3rd speaker (speaker I) will share and discuss the regulations or policies related to copyrights that are appropriate for MSMEs. Each speaker will deliver the workshop materials within 40 minutes. On the last day, the number of experts who will present is 4 experts (3 speakers: G, H, I, and moderator: Z). The discussion (Q&A) session will take around 1 hour. After the Q&A session, there is the Final Session to recap the key learning or key takeaways and discuss amongst participants about what they gained most from the event and how they can apply new information, knowledge, resources, or learning gained from the workshop in their roles. The Final Session will take around 90 minutes, followed by conducting the Post-workshop Evaluation for around 30 minutes and a closing speech by the PO or an official representative. The total hours of the workshop on the third day are around 5 hours. All the results of the Post-workshop Evaluation will be included in the mandatory Project Summary Report. The workshop will be audio and video recorded. Subject to the APEC Project Event Recording Policy, based on the Guidebook on APEC Projects, Appendix N. The main purpose of audio recording is to support the PO in preparing a full event report by notetaking activities during a three-day workshop. The recording will not be disseminated to the public. The participants will be informed that the workshop will be recorded and circulated via the GIC. All recordings will be edited and endorsed by forum members before being disseminated.
The main purpose of video recording is to support capacity building for manufacturing MSMEs and relevant Indonesian ministries as policymakers. The video will be edited before it is disseminated to filter confidential information or data presented or discussed during the Workshop.
The speakers should notify the PO or Committee before the workshop if they consider having confidential data or information that cannot be disseminated outside the workshop.
3) Project Summary Report
The Project Summary Report will have 50 minimum pages, excluding annexes, where the structure is as follows:
I Introduction
1.1 Overview
1.2 Project Objectives
1.3 Structure of the Report
II Background Research Highlights III Overview of Workshop
3.1 Workshop Introduction
3.2 Opening Remarks
3.3 The 1st Day Discussion Highlights
3.4 The 2nd Day Discussion Highlights
3.5 The 3rd Discussion Highlights
3.5 Open forum / Q&A Highlights
3.6 Closing Remarks
5. Policy Recommendations
4. ANNEX
The Project Summary Report will be made by the contractor from 08 December 2025 until 31 December 2025 and submitted to the APEC Secretariat by 16 January 2026.
The contractor prepares and finalizes the monitoring report and the Project Summary Report, and submits these to the APEC Secretariat.
Outcome
1) In the short term, the outcomes of the workshop are increasing knowledge and awareness of manufacturing MSMEs and startups and motivating them to adopt the latest digital technologies that are relevant to them. For policymakers, this project will enhance their knowledge and provide strategies and policy alternatives to accommodate the technological needs of manufacturing MSMEs. The skills of policy analysts, such as identifying the problem and finding alternative policy recommendations, are needed for policymakers to create more effective policies. In the mid-term, since their knowledge of updated digital technologies increased, the number of manufacturing MSMEs and startups that adopt the latest digital technologies also increased. For policymakers, the skills to formulate more effective policies and strategies to develop marketing for MSMEs will be improved.
In the long term, the contribution of manufacturing MSMEs and startups to the economic growth (GDP growth) of each economy increases, leading to increased social welfare.
2) The experts and participants of the three-day workshop will share and discuss experiences of strategies and policies in accommodating the technological needs of MSMEs for MSME development using the latest digital manufacturing and marketing technologies, such as AI. Therefore, another outcome of this project is increasing knowledge and awareness of the role of each stakeholder (government, universities and research institutions, big industries, society and media, and MSMEs and startup companies) in accommodating the updated technological needs of MSMEs and startups, especially AI-based digital manufacturing and marketing technologies.
3) The prospect of collaboration between stakeholders within an APEC economy or across APEC member economies will increase. The collaboration can be in a form of Business to Business or Government to Business or Government to Government collaboration. The stakeholders consists of manufacturing MSMEs and startups, governments, research institutions and universities, society and media, and big industries.
Beneficiaries
The Primary Beneficiaries:
1. The mid-senior level of government officers who work in the area of public policy makers that related to MSMEs development in manufacturing sector such as Ministry of Industry and Ministry of MSMEs, especially for those whose direct responsibility in stipulating short-term, mid-term and long-term planning of MSMEs development. They will obtain the alternative strategies or policies in accommodating the technological needs for manufacturing MSMEs to develop their business.
2. The owners of MSMEs and startups in manufacturing sectors with the mid-high level of capability of using digital technology will benefit for this projects. They will obtain the knowledge of technological trends and experiences of applying digital manufacturing and marketing technologies that are appropriate for manufacturing MSMEs. They will also obtain knowledge of how to use AI in their business process, production, and marketing.
3. The researchers in universities and research institutes whose interests in technology adoption for MSMEs development with expertise in digital economics and business strategic management will benefit from this projects to obtain the insights of best practices technology adoption for MSMEs development in other APEC member economies.
The researchers with technology information, machines, or electronics expertise also benefit from this project to know the updated digital technologies that used for MSMEs in other APEC member economies.
The Secondary Beneficiaries:
1. The government officials from other ministries of agencies that indirectly correlated with the development of MSMEs in manufacturing sector such as Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Technology Information and Digitalization, and Ministry of Employment are benefit from this project to gain the insights of the updated digital technology development that need to be adjusted by manpower skills, infrastructures and budgeting.
2. The beneficiaries could also include Chambers of Commerce and equivalent regarding production, industry, agriculture, etc. Beneficiaries could also include Association of Engineers and Economists. 
