Ensuring a sustainable management in the field of SMEs is an essential condition of the market economy and is the premise of an efficient and successful collaboration between the public and the private environment. The continuation of the structural reforms meant to support the mechanisms of the competitive economy represents an essential condition of the Romanian state in its social-economic development efforts. Considering the role of the SME sector in ensuring a favorable climate for the national economic progress, this paper addresses a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the small business sector in Romania, aiming to identify the main challenges that the Romanian state faced during the period 2008-2017. This analysis aimed to establish the main weaknesses and strengths that Romania has demonstrated during the period analyzed in order to outline a set of recommendations that the Romanian state should follow in implementing its policies in the SME sector, in order to be ensure sustainable and prospective economic development management.