Hidden champions are highly successful small and medium-sized companies that are global leaders in terms of market share in their respective niches. Presenting the outcomes of an in-depth, multinational study on hidden champions in Central, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Russia, China, Mongolia and Turkey, this book provides essential insights into the critical drivers of success, market leadership positions, competitive advantage, and core lessons learned on the road to business prosperity. It also addresses development needs in connection with management, financing and the regulatory environment, which can in turn be used to create recommendations for various stakeholders (e.g. governments, financial institutions, management development institutions) in order to support hidden champions in their further growth and business success.

Global business icon Richard Branson has written many books, but none have been more popular than his first memoir, 1998’s Losing My Virginity. Now he’s finally publishing his second volume of memoirs, covering all of his fascinating ups and downs of the past two decades.

In the two decades since Richard Branson wrote Losing My Virginity, his life and company have changed significantly. Now he brings his life story up to date, including all the successes and failures. He also shares his personal, intimate thoughts on five decades as the world’s ultimate entrepreneur, and his shift to focusing more and more on public service. See how Branson created hundreds of different companies, going from a houseboat to his own private island. Join him as he juggles working life with raising his children, sustaining his marriage, and creating a unique company culture. Discover how he created a new life on Necker Island, while continuing to grow the Virgin brand into all corners of the world. Get the real story behind his encounters with everyone from Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch to Nelson Mandela and Beyoncé.

Go behind the scenes as Sir Richard Branson creates the world’s first commercial spaceline, Virgin Galactic, and handles the biggest crisis he has ever faced. Get under the skin of world record attempts on land, sea and air, and see how the original business hippy adapted to becoming a doting ‘grand-dude’ to his three grandchildren, Eva-Deia, Etta and Artie. This is the true account of how the Virgin Founder reinvented himself and his brand for the 21st C entury, while continuing to push boundaries, break rules and reach for the stars in more ways than one. This is the story of the man behind the beard, the business, the bravado and the brand. Find out how the ultimate entrepreneur did it for the first time - all over again.

This book presents a study of cooperatives as a two-layer entrepreneurial model, and analyzes cooperative enterprises. Above all, it explores how inducements (from the firm) and contributions (from its members, in their respective roles) are aligned, and seeks to answer the question of what this means for managing each cooperative as a firm as well as a group. The book is divided into three parts, the first of which begins with an analysis of specific aspects of cooperative enterprises, with a focus on the added value of cooperation, the weighing of interests, and a behavioral perspective on the imminent communities and their goals. In a structured approach, the book examines the various facets of relationships in cooperatives on a transactional, financial and control level. Further, a case study on the Dutch cooperative Rabobank illustrates what happens when members fail. In turn, part two concentrates on integrating the lessons learned with the existing economic literature on cooperatives, so as to contribute to a theory of cooperative management. Finally, the book links the theoretical approach to practice: in the third part, it reports on the outcomes of using a computerized simulation game to show members of cooperatives how to manage their business and the cooperative business at the same time, enabling them to understand and actively practice two-level entrepreneurship.

This book analyzes various business exit strategies for both family-owned businesses as well as other businesses, both in the United States and throughout the world. Approximately 80% to 90% of all businesses in the world are family-owned. The book discusses, among other things, 12 common mistakes in attempting to sell a business to third parties, methods of marketing the business, negotiation of key sale terms, negotiating employment and consulting agreements, avoiding traps in sale agreements, creating a professional advisory team, and alternatives to a sale to an unrelated third party, such as ESOPs, leverage recapitalizations, selling to other family members or key employees, and going public transactions.

This new edition of the market-leading textbook by Paul Burns offers an unrivalled holistic introduction to the field of entrepreneurship and valuable guidance for budding entrepreneurs looking to launch their own small business. Drawing on his decades of academic and entrepreneurial experience, the author takes you on a journey through the business life-cycle, from the early stages of start-up, through progressive growth, to the confident strides of a mature business. Combining cutting-edge theory with fresh global examples and lessons from real-life business practice, this accessible and explorative textbook will encourage you to develop the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the challenges faced by today's entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship and Small Business will help you to: - Learn what makes entrepreneurs tick with brand new Get into the Mindset video interviews and an exploration of entrepreneuial character traits - Seamlessly incorporate multimedia content into your learning with the new Digital Links platform accessed via your smart device - Understand how worldwide events can impact small businesses through incisive analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic - Grasp how entrepreneurship differs around the globe, with over 100 Case Insights and new examples from a diverse range of countries and industries - Ensure your understanding of the entrepreneurial landscape is up-to-date, with new chapters on recruiting and managing people, and on lean methodologies and business model frameworks. This is the ideal textbook for students taking undergraduate and postgraduate Entrepreneurship or Small Business Management courses, as well as for MBA students.

The intent of this book is to help anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit and the goal of starting a new business. The aim is to help entrepreneurs avoid as many obstacles to success as possible, so they can achieve their goals more rapidly. This book cannot prevent all the obstacles people will encounter as they begin their new businesses, but if they can avoid just one mistake and leverage at least one of the thoughts or ideas presented in this book, their chances of success will be greatly increased.

Build an iconic shopping experience that your customers love-and a work environment that your employees love being a part of-using this blueprint from Trader Joe's visionary founder, Joe Coulombe. Infuse your organization with a distinct personality and culture that draws customers in a way that simply competing on price cannot. Joe Coulombe founded what would become Trader Joe's in the late 1960s and helped shape it into the beloved, quirky food chain it is today. Realizing early on that he could not compete and win by playing the same game his bigger competitors were playing, he decided to build a store for educated people of somewhat modest means. He brought in unusual products from around the world and promoted them in the Fearless Flyer, providing customers with background on how they were sourced and their nutritional value. He also gave the stores a tiki theme to reinforce the exotic trader ship concept with employees wearing Hawaiian shirts. In this way, Joe laid down a blueprint for other business owners to follow to build their own unique shopping experience that customers love, and a work environment that employees love being a part of. In Becoming Trader Joe, Joe shares the lessons he learned by challenging the status quo and rethinking the way a business operates. He shows readers of all types: How moving from a pure analytical approach to a more creative, problem-solving approach can drive innovation. How finding an affluent niche of passionate customers can be a better strategy than competing on price and volume. How questioning all aspects of the way you do business leads to powerful results. How to build a business around your values and identity.

Europe needs more innovative companies that grow quickly and end up big. This book examines SME growth, innovation and success, to suggest that fast growing firms could offer a major contribution to the recovery of a European economy. The contributors examine 11 case studies from Italian firms, breaking the book up into three parts: context, actors and strategy. The topics discussed include entrepreneurship and technological clusters, innovative start-ups and growth factors, and family firms as the incubators of new ventures. Students and scholars of entrepreneurship and other related disciplines will find this book to be of interest. It will also be of use to practitioners in the field, working with and alongside SMEs. Contributors include: S. Albertini, G. Antonelli, B. Balboni, A. Berni, S. Bonesso, G. Bortoluzzi, M. Brumana, D. Campagnolo, L. Cassia, A. Comacchio, S. Consiglio, F. Crisci, C.E. De Marco, C. Dossena, V. Finotto, A. Francesconi, D. Gamba, D. Giacomini, M. Gianecchini, P. Gubitta, M.P. Iacono, F. Izzo, G. Lauto, G. Magnani, M. Martine, B. Masiello, P.A.M. Mazzurana, T. Minola, C. Muzzi, A. Onetti, A. Piccaluga, A. Pisoni, D. Pittino, P. Pressiani, T. Pucci, M. Talaia, A. Tognazzo, A. Tracogna, F. Visintin, L. Zanni, A. Zucchella

An estimated one billion individuals in both developed and developing nations can be defined as necessity entrepreneurs; individuals who have no other viable option for licit income than to start a small, income generating activity. However, the emphasis on providing business and leadership training to necessity entrepreneurs is only just gaining traction. This book provides the first-known global analysis dedicated exclusively to organizations from both the public and private sectors that are specifically involved with microenterprise education for necessity entrepreneurs. This companion volume to Necessity Entrepreneurs puts at the forefront the few organizations engaged in training necessity entrepreneurs - highlighting the efforts currently being made by policymakers, non-profit founders, and for-profit institutions individually (and independently) to try and find ways to educate and empower necessity entrepreneurs. The authors provide a pragmatic synopsis and evaluate the efficacy of institutions involved in training entrepreneurs in developing nations all over the world. Featuring case studies from Harvard, BYU, and the largest organizations around the globe, this important work will be a vital read not only for scholars and researchers, but policymakers and NGO officials. Contributors include: J. Brewer, S. Brown, J. Brownlow, C. Casey, G. Davis, J.S. Demple, G. Enrigue, J. Fairbourne, S.W. Gibson, G. Gonzalez, M. Haas, M. Hernandez, R. Heyn, B. Klinger, A. Khwaja, A. Maxfield, N. Myrrha, A. Nikiforou, J. Oldroyd, J. Pino, J. Roberts, R. Shankar, P. Vogel, P. Webb, L. Zhang

Project Leadership and Entrepreneurship Building Innovative Teams has been significantly updated to include important new developments in the field of project management (PMBOK 5ed and APM BoK 6ed). This book includes chapters on: project leadership traits, styles, skills, power, motivation, delegation and empowerment; entrepreneurship traits, innovative problem solving, spotting and exploiting beneficial opportunities; leading project participants, client organization structures, project organizations, stakeholders and networking; and leading project teams, team roles, team development, team building. The text uses plenty of exercises and case studies to explain the leadership techniques in a project environment. Lecturer's chapter presentation guide and PowerPoint slides are available from the publisher's website.

Alain Fayolle has brought together an impressive collection of contributions from many of the very best scholars in entrepreneurship. In bringing them together, this engaging book not only offers a very thoughtful reflection on past and present work in entrepreneurship but also insightful, new and fresh perspectives for its future study. This book is a must read for anyone who is serious about entrepreneurship, its research and the future of the field. An exciting, fresh and very timely addition - thank you.' - Sarah L. Jack, Lancaster University Management School (LUMS), UKThis indispensable Handbook offers a fresh look at entrepreneurship research, addressing what we already know, and what we still need to know, in the field. Over the course of 17 chapters, a collaboration of 24 highly regarded researchers, experts in their fields, provide an insightful new perspective on the future of the study of entrepreneurship. They show that there is a need to redesign research in the field - enacting entrepreneurship out of the box - and to consider the history of entrepreneurship whilst developing the future course for research. They also underline the importance of developing research at the crossroads of different fields and the need to explore new domains and/or revisit existing ones from differing perspectives. Finally, they express a desire for more continuity in research, developing knowledge around key concepts and insightful domains. Contributors: B.S. Anderson, L. Begin, G. Cacciotti, J.G. Covin, P. Desbrieres, S. Dolmans, S. Dubard Barbosa, A. Fayolle, W.B. Gartner, J. Hayton, C. Henry, B. Honig, B. Johannisson, H. Landstroem, S. Marlow, B. Martin, G. McElwee, S. Mian, H. Neergaard, S. Read, K.G. Shaver, R. Smith, P. Somerville, M. Wright

The Social Enterprise Zoo employs the metaphor of the zoo to gain a more comprehensive understanding of social enterprise: the diversity of its forms; the various ways it is organized in different socio-political environments; how different forms of enterprise behave, interact, and thrive; and what lessons can be drawn for the future development and study of organizations that seek to balance social or environmental impact with economic success. After setting the stage with a thorough introduction, top scholars explore the different ways that social enterprises can be classified, nurtured, and understood. The book not only details the legal forms utilized in social enterprise and the social entrepreneurs involved in them, but it also addresses the reasons for the success or failure of these activities and looks at the ecologies in which they operate. The ?zookeepers,? such as governments and the regulatory regimes they establish, are compared and the important roles they play are examined. The volume concludes with a look at the future of social enterprise, providing suggestions for further research and implications for policy and practice. This innovative and accessible book is recommended for students, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and managers of social purpose organizations. Contributors: F.O. Andersson, D. Brakman-Reiser, C.V. Brewer, F. Calo, J.A. Kerlin, J.D. Lecy, W. Longhofer, T. Monroe-White, E.A.M. Searing, J.-I. Soh, S. Teasdale, J.E. Tyler III, D.R. Young, S. Zook

Addressing the need for further theorisation and operationalisation of social entrepreneurship in India, this edited collection provides a critical and deeper understanding of the social entrepreneurial ecosystem. Covering topics such as entrepreneurial intentions, empathy, impact investment and standardised social measures, the contributors explore the potential of social entrepreneurship and sustainable business models in an Indian context. Offering empirical cases and presenting a realistic perspective of the social entrepreneurship landscape in India, this collection will undoubtedly be of value to those interested in creating a social and sustainable impact in business and society.

This book offers a dynamic perspective on regional entrepreneurship, knowledge, innovation and economic growth, with a particular focus on the role that history and culture play. The authors provide comprehensive empirical analyses offering unique insights into the spatial patterns of long-term differences of regional self-employment, new business formation, cultures of entrepreneurship, innovation activities, and development. Policy implications from the analyses and a discussion of important avenues for future research complete this unique book combining history, culture, and entrepreneurship. This is a superb book with an original, historical take on entrepreneurship and regional development. It is a landmark study on Germany showing that regional levels of entrepreneurship are persistent and resilient, despite many disruptive shocks. Ron Boschma, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, and Stavanger University, Norway This book presents the distilled wisdom of two leading authorities on the link between entrepreneurship and economic prosperity at a regional level. Although its prime empirical focus is on Germany there are clear lessons for scholars and policy-makers in all high-income countries. David J Storey, University of Sussex, UK

Dyson has become a byword for great design, brilliant invention and global success. Now, James Dyson, the entrepreneur who made it all happen, tells his remarkable and inspirational story in Invention: A Life of Learning through Failure. 'By continually challenging ourselves, investing in the future and experimenting, we can continue to make the future. We must never stop. Never, for one second become comfortable.' James Dyson In this spirited autobiography, James Dyson interweaves his own life story with a wider exploration of the importance of invention. On the way, the reader encounters challenging and inspirational characters, radical inventions, adventurous engineering, cultural fads, political gamesmanship, legal battles and much else besides. Invention: A Life of Learning through Failure is a 21st century call to arms: creative invention through the research, design and manufacture of technologies and products empowers not only employees and employers, but the economy at large, while the very acts of imagining, shaping and making things enriches our lives. James Dyson sees people as producers as well as consumers, the inventing and making of things part of a natural instinct. Invention is a lifelong commitment. It has been James Dyson's life.

This study of entrepreneurship in Europe is a greatly expanded and updated version, in English, of the author's thesis published in Dutch in 1996. Its analysis focuses on "bottlenecks" and cross-border problems confronting European entrepreneurs in the areas of income tax, corporate income tax, and value-added tax. Four countries are chosen as representative of all the tax systems existing within the EC: The Netherlands, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The author spares no detail in his examination, explaining such important elements and distinctions as the following: how the entrepreneur is viewed under the varying tax regimes and in the different countries; entrepreneurship and the professions; incentives; sources of income; partnerships; companies and shareholders; calculation of taxable profit; justification for a separate corporate income tax; taxation of foundations and societies; and the possibility of fiscal unity among Member States for VAT purposes.