This book contributes to the emerging research on the growth process of firms, with a focus on the expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A comprehensive approach to the issue of small firm growth draws upon empirical findings of the characteristics and economic importance of high-growth enterprises and the extant base of theoretical approaches to the growth of firms, with an emphasis on the literature of firm boundaries (scope and size). Consequently, this research adopts a deductive approach to building the conceptual framework of SME growth by integrating the resource-based view of the firm and transaction cost theory. This integrative theoretical framework was tested by using the multi-case study method to conclude with a proposal of the model of the growth process of SMEs. The model explains the choices of high-growth entrepreneurs regarding contractual arrangements, portfolio development, sources of new products, and associated governance in the expansion process. Consistent with the heterogeneity of SME expansion, the research reveals three equifinal patterns of these choices instead of only one path. This book is valuable for bridging separate and divergent streams of the literature on firms' growth, namely, entrepreneurship, microeconomics, and strategic management literature related to firm boundary decisions.

SMEs are significant job creators and drivers of innovation and competition in most economic sectors. Furthermore, the traditional constraints of small and medium enterprises, such as geographic operations, are now being dissolved by technological developments. This means that there are new opportunities for SMEs, and their fundamental principles are being redefined: the aims, competencies, strategy, management, practice, and scope of these businesses are changing, with wide-ranging implications. This is the first part of a two volume work that incorporates scientific chapters on SME business theory and practice. Authors provide a balanced perspective of the present and future of SMEs across all business disciplines, including management, strategy, marketing, economics, and finance. While Volume II explores external issues such as contextual forces, the effects of the financial crisis, and macro-economic effects, this first volume focuses on the individual SME and internal issues such as innovation, quality, and digitization.

Business intelligence (BI) has evolved over several years as organizations have extended their online transaction processing (OLTP) capabilities and applications to support their routine operations. With online analytical processing (OLAP), organizations have also established the capability to extract internal and external data from a variety of sources to specifically obtain intelligence about non-routine and often less-structured arrangements. BI therefore refers to applications and technologies that are used to gather, provide access to, and analyze data and information about the operations of an organization. It has the capability of providing comprehensive insight into the more volatile factors affecting the business and its operations, thereby facilitating enhanced decision-making quality and contributing to the creation of business value. Larger and more sophisticated organizations have long been exploiting these capabilities. Business Intelligence for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) guides SMEs in replicating this experience to provide an agile roadmap toward business sustainability. The book points out that successful BI implementations have generated significant increases in revenue and cost savings, however, the failure rates are also very high. More importantly, it emphasizes that a full range of BI capabilities is not the exclusive purview of large organizations. It shows how SMEs make extensive use of BI techniques to develop the kind of agility endowing them with the organizational capability to sense and respond to opportunities and threats in an increasingly dynamic business environment. It points to the way to a market environment in which smaller organizations could have a larger role. In particular, the book explains that by establishing the agility to leverage internal and external data and information assets, SMEs can enhance their competitiveness by having a comprehensive understanding of the key to an agile roadmap for business sustainability.

Is Your Marketing as Simple, Effective, and Affordable as Duct Tape?

Let's face it, as a small business owner, you are really in the business of marketing. The problem for most small business owners is that they suffer from "marketing idea of the week" syndrome instead of implementing a systematic approach to the problem of small business marketing.

In "Duct Tape Marketing," renowned Small Business Marketing guru John Jantsch shows you how to develop and execute a marketing plan that will give your business the life and longevity you knew you could have when you made that decision to go out on your own.

"CAREFUL Duct tape is a serious tool... it sticks where you put it. So are the ideas in this book. If you're ready to make a commitment and are willing to make something happen, John's book is a great place to start." ―Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow

"For all those who wonder why John Jantsch has become the leading advisor and coach to small businesses everywhere, Duct Tape Marketing is the answer. I have never read a business book that is as packed with hands-on, actionable information as this one. There are takeaways in every paragraph, and the success of John's blog is living proof that they work. Duct Tape Marketing should be required reading for anyone who is building a business, or thinking about it." ―Bo Burlingham, editor-at-large, Inc. magazine, and author of Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead of Big

"Duct Tape Marketing is a worthy addition to the growing library of how-to books on small business marketing"―"concise, clear, practical, and packed with great ideas to boost your bottom line." ― Bob Bly, author of The White Paper Handbook

"With the world suffering from depleted reserves of trust, a business that sells plenty of it every day tends to create the most value. The great thing about trust as a product feature is that it delivers exceptional returns. With this book, John Jantsch has zeroed in on exactly what small businesses need to sell every day, every hour." ―Ben McConnell, co-author of Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force

"John Jantsch has provided small businesses with the perfect perspective for maximizing all marketing activities - offline and on. Jantsch has the plan to help you thrive in the world of business today. Read it, all your competitors will." ―John Battelle, cofounding editor or Wired and author of The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture

"Duct Tape Marketing is a great read for anyone in business. It has fresh ideas laid out in a practical and useable way. I highly recommend this book for growing any business." ―Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI and Co-author of the New York Times bestseller, Masters of Networking

Between cases of study, theoretical panorama and practical reflections, this book gives brand leaders the means to defend their brand in a changing environment, where new technologies and manipulation techniques have rendered old defense schemes obsolete. Rather than suggesting a reflection from the point of view of the crisis, the authors deal with the question under another, broader theme: conflict.

This book provides an extensive overview of family business-related topics such as context and uniqueness, lifecycle and ownership configurations, conflict management, corporate governance, succession challenges, internationalization, innovation, and socioemotional wealth. Each chapter features clear learning objectives, key concepts and terminology, and dedicated case studies to demonstrate the main messages. The book not only considers the day-to-day dynamics in family businesses, but also places substantial emphasis on the entrepreneurial skills needed for these businesses to survive and thrive, today and tomorrow. In addition, it elaborates and discusses a number of best practice examples, which offer valuable guidance not only for scholars, but also for students who wish to study these challenges.

HOW A BOOKSELLER INSPIRED A NATION The diary of a publicist-turned bookseller who left Florence to open a tiny bookshop on a Tuscan hill. 'Like Chocolat meets Penelope Fitzgerald's The Bookshop, set in the Tuscan hills... A celebration of writing, words and people: delightful' Mail on Sunday 'Who doesn't want to open up a bookshop in a gorgeous part of Italy? Just add a cosy armchair and a lazy, cold winter's day (each chapter comes with a useful list of books sold)' Stylist, Christmas gift guide for book lovers 'A work of significant beauty... Inspiring about the continuing life of books, and about the ways in which our lives can change and our dreams can come true, if only we insist on believing in changes and dreams' Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours 'Romano, I'd like to open a bookshop where I live.' 'Right. How many people are we talking about?' 'A hundred and eighty.' 'Right, so if a hundred and eighty thousand people live there, then . . .' 'No, not hundred and eighty thousand, Romano. Just a hundred and eighty.' 'Alba . . . Have you lost your mind?' Conversation between Alba Donati and Romano Montroni, founder of Italy's largest bookselling chain Alba used to live a hectic life, working as a book publicist in Florence - a life that made her happy and led her to meet prominent international authors. And yet, she always felt like she was a woman on the run. And so one day she decides to stop running and go back to Lucignana, the small village on the Tuscan hills where she was born, to open a tiny bookshop. With a total of only 180 residents, Alba's enterprise in Lucignana seems doomed from day one but it surprisingly sparks the enthusiasm of many across Tuscany - and beyond. After surviving a fire and the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, the 'Bookshop on the Hill' soon becomes a refuge and beacon for an ever-growing community of people: readers who come to visit from afar, safe in the knowledge that Alba will be able to find the perfect book for them. A tale of resilience and entrepreneurship and a celebration of booksellers everywhere: the real (and often unsung) heroes of the publishing world.

What is the role of culture in the innovation dynamic of small firms within the context of their territorial environments? How do shared values, beliefs and practices underpin the knowledge production process that leads to innovation? In what way do symbolic aspects of social life shape European SMEs' innovation processes? This volume gives an extensive insight into the complex links between culture and innovation in one of the key agents of economic life: SMEs and micro firms. The chapters employ different analytical and methodological strategies in regions of Europe to identify dimensions of culture, especially values, norms, skills and institutions, and to scrutinize which specific components of culture are relevant to firm innovation and to the more general dynamics of regional innovation. The original research presented shows how small firms learn, interact, compete and collaborate with other key agents of the innovation system. Taken as a whole, the volume points the way towards a more comprehensive framework for understanding the nature of innovation in SMEs and micro firms. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of European Planning Studies.

Reduce Hiring Risks and Predict Success New Mindset. In The Best Team Wins, author Adam Robinson gives you a proven, straightforward, and effective method for hiring new employees. He teaches you how to rethink the process of finding, assessing, and hiring the right people. New Methods. Robinson, a recruiting professional with over twenty years experience, shows you how to; Use a Data-Driven Job Profile to Assess Candidate Risk; Build a Candidate Scorecard; Rate the Candidate's Core Competencies; Ask the Right Questions to Dig Deeper in Interviews; Craft an Offer the Candidate Can't Refuse; Better Results. By following Robinson's in-depth process, you can eliminate guesswork and focus on building a team that will bring value to your company's culture and bottom line.

"Once again, Bragg has turned his discerning eye and formidable talents on a topic and the results are outstanding. Both those new to the business and the long-established entrepreneur will benefit greatly when he joins forces with E. James Burton to produce this outstanding work."
--Mary S. Schaeffer, Editorial Director "Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow"

"I use the tips and practices found in this book] all through the year. They are clear, direct, and efficient-which, in turn, improves our company and our bottom line. I recommend this book] to anyone wanting to improve their own bottom line."
--D. R. Drum, CIO, CSO Engineering/Accounting, Dragon Moon Productions

"Eminently accessible, this book is a must-read for the entrepreneur, both new and established alike. Organizationally, the work flows smoothly and logically in a way that is valuable for the start-up as well as the veteran needing a refresher on specific aspects of the small business accounting/financing picture. I found particularly useful the rich resourcefulness that Messrs Burton and Bragg brought to the table in compiling the essential checklists for every conceivable corner of the entrepreneur's financial realm from fraud prevention to financing options. As a small business owner myself, I was well pleased with the real-world guidance and instant 'useability' this book offers."
--David Struthers, JDFacilitator/Trial Lawyer

"This book is essential for any small business owner, manager, or accountant's business tool kit. This easy-to-read book distills complex subject matter into meaningful and understandable information and is a great refresher course for those deeply involved in the accounting and financial matters of a small business. The book contains many examples that can be used immediately in daily operations to improve the quality of information for better decision making. The book provides those involved in small business the framework to manage what they measure."
--Jim Bologa, CFODaticon, Inc.

A new, revised edition of the classic guide for entrepreneurs

For more than a decade, The Entrepreneur and Small Business Problem Solver has been the go-to resource for budding entrepreneurs and small business owners alike. Now in its Third Edition, this classic has been revised and updated to meet the needs of the modern reader in today's fast-paced business environment. Covering everything from getting a start-up loan to introducing a new product, this comprehensive guide shows you how to deal with the common problems every small business faces--without hiring expensive outside help.

This handy guide is packed with the kind of essential, down-to-earth advice everyone running a small business needs--whether you need help with your business plan or collecting a small debt. This new Third Edition features new information on tax law changes, technological advances, and changes in government services, and includes an entirely new chapter on Internet marketing and e-commerce. Focused on practicality, the book also features downloadable, chapter-ending worksheets that will help you retain what you learned and implement it correctly. A truly unique source for sound business guidance, The Entrepreneur and Small Business Problem Solver, Third Edition is an invaluable reference that every business owner needs.

Inside, you'll find world-class guidance on these topics and more: How and where to find start-up capital Insuring your business Extending credit and collecting debts Financial record-keeping Carrying out marketing research Pricing products and services Marketing and advertising your business Doing business and marketing online Recruiting and managing employees Protecting yourbusiness and avoiding rip-offs

A cliché it may be but we are living in ever more turbulent times. Business decision-making has become more challenging and unpredictable than ever: we experience unforeseen and often cataclysmic changes in consumer demand, both at home and in export markets; customers continue to demand more, more quickly and for less; new laws and regulations abound; competitors steal loyal customers; and, increasingly, a call centre has replaced the advice that once could be found from a Small Business Adviser.

This book provides all the information that a Small Business owner, director or manager will need in every facet of growing the business in a practical, easy to use format

Starting a new business takes a lot of energy and organization. The failure rate is alarmingly high and the task can look herculean at the outset. This new textbook provides a simple guide to help plan a successful new business, taking entrepreneurs and students through the steps required to avoid pitfalls and get a business going. Unlike most entrepreneurship textbooks, the author avoids dwelling on theories in favour of providing effective and practical guidance on how to start and manage a profitable business, with a focus on new ventures operating in high-growth, innovative sectors. Written by an expert with experience in academia and business consulting, this concise textbook will be valuable reading for students of entrepreneurship, new ventures and small business. The practical focus of the book means that it will be useful both for students in the classroom and for entrepreneurs wanting to start a new business.