Entrepreneurial finance is a discipline that studies financial resource mobilization, resource allocation, risk moderation, optimization in financial contracting, value creation, and value monetization within the context of entrepreneurship. However, without proper strategic consideration the discipline is incomplete. This book examines how the activity of entrepreneurial finance can be enhanced via a concentration on value creation and through improved strategic decision-making. The most unique feature of the book is its focus on value creation. For entrepreneurs, value creation is not a one-off activity, but rather a continuous cycle of incremental improvements across a wide range of business activities. Entrepreneurial value creation is described in four comprehensive stages: value creation, value measurement, value enhancement, and value realization, referred to as the C-MER model. This book focuses on what creates value rather than merely presenting value creation in a straight accounting framework. At the same time, deliberate and tactical planning and implementation ensure that the firm does not ignore the components necessary for it to survive and flourish.Vigorous strategic deliberations maximize the entrepreneurial firm's chances of making the right business decisions for the future, enable the firm to manage its available financial and non-financial resources in the most optimal manner, ensure that the necessary capital is secured to progress the development of the firm to its desired development level, and build value. While financial considerations are important, the field of strategic entrepreneurial finance represents a fusion of three disciplines: strategic management, financial management, and entrepreneurship. This orientation represents a natural evolution of scholarship to combine specific domains and paradigms of naturally connected business disciplines and reflects the need to simultaneously examine business topics from different perspectives which may better encapsulate actual entrepreneurial practices.

Exploring the scope, breadth and depth of innovation in small firms, the authors of this book employ a rich array of survey data to analyze the operating characteristics of dynamic small-firm populations. They investigate the strategies and activities that small firms pursue at different stages in their lifecycles and in different competitive environments, as well as which business skills are associated with survival, innovation, growth and high performance. John Baldwin and Guy Gellatly find that the strategic decisions young firms make play a critical role in determining their odds for survival and growth. New small firms survive by developing a core set of business skills - skills related inter alia to management, human resources, marketing and financing. Advanced innovation capabilities related to R&D and technology set high-performance firms apart from other businesses. Industry-level differences in product lifecycle, production activity, competitive intensity and the science base all influence the nature of small-firm innovation. Unique features of this volume include: * comprehensive strategic profiles representative of small-firm populations * information from business surveys and administrative data sources for a better understanding of how strategies and activities relate to firm performance * an exploration of how small-firm strategies and activities vary across a diverse range of operating environments - from manufacturing to services to science-based environments. Researchers and students interested in small firms and entrepreneurship will benefit from the wealth of new data that investigates relationships between business strategies, innovation and performance. Those interested in industrial organization, innovation and firm turnover will appreciate the new data on how small-firm strategies vary in different competitive environments and at different stages of the entry and exit process.

Real Estate Marketing is specifically designed to educate real estate students with the art and science of the real estate marketing profession. The ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate level classes in business school and professional / continuing education programs in Real Estate, this book will also be of interest to professional real estate entrepreneurs looking to boost their knowledge and improve their marketing techniques. The book is divided into five major parts. Part 1 focuses on introducing students to fundamental concepts of marketing as a business philosophy and strategy. Concepts discussed include strategic analysis, target marketing, and the four elements of the marketing mix: property planning, site selection, pricing of properties, and promotion of properties. Part 2 focuses on personal selling in real estate. Students will learn the exact process and steps involved in representing real estate buyers and sellers. Part 3 focuses on negotiations in real estate. How do effective real estate professionals use negotiation approaches such as collaboration, competition, accommodation, and compromise as a direct function of the situation and personalities involved in either buying or selling real estate properties? Part 4 focuses on human resource management issues such as recruiting and training real estate agents, issues related to performance evaluation, motivation, and compensation, as well as issues related to leadership. Finally, Part 5 focuses on legal and ethical issues in the real estate industry. Students will learn how to address difficult situations and legal/ethical dilemmas by understanding and applying a variety of legal/ethical tests. Students will also become intimately familiar with the industry's code of ethics.

Small and medium enterprises (SME) have attracted increasing interest in the last few years, and industrialization is no longer seen as a linear way of development. This book analyzes how SME clusters emerge in a developing economy. Using India as a case study, it addresses one central question: If growth has largely failed to be inclusive so far, and if employing a work force in increasing returns activities through a different trajectory of industrialization is largely dependent upon industrial clusters of small and medium sized firms, then what are the structural infirmities and asymmetries that need to be taken into account in the context of framing policies related to industrial clusters? The book identifies the structural infirmities in industrial clusters in India, which could be typical to any of the developing countries and sharply in contrast to European success stories. Blending theory and empirical material, it provides a middle ground between the two extremes of a uniform policy assuming 'one size fits all', and a specific policy based on individual cases. The book redraws the broad contours where space and production processes mutually constitute each other, giving rise to outcomes somewhat generic to underdevelopment. It is of interest to academics working in the fields of economics, business administration/ management and development economics.

'Kind, realistic and genuinely helpful' Observer 'Bravo on the publication of this witty, wise guide to solo working' Alice Lascelles 'Filled to the brim with advice . . . Such a brilliant book' Emma Gannon Whether by choice or circumstance, as a freelancer or a company employee working from home, more of us are becoming solo workers than ever before. But once you've made the leap, how to do you actually work well in isolation? And how can you thrive while working alone? Picking up where the freelancer bibles stop, Solo addresses what we gain but also miss when we shift from the structure of an office environment to the solitary confines of our homes or studios. Blending the latest research in psychology, economics and social science with guided self-examination and more than ten years of freelance experience, Rebecca Seal shows you how to stay resilient, productive and focused in a company of one. Practical and inspiring, she also explores the idea of meaningful work and helps you define your own success.

Your own in-house legal advisor at a fraction of the cost Written in plain-English for business people without any legal training, Law For Small Business For Dummies covers everything you need to be aware of regarding the law when you're starting and running your own business. Cutting through the jargon that can make even the pros scratch their heads, this book quickly gets you up-to-speed on the key areas of business law, including contracts, websites, intellectual property, data protection and partnership agreements. Plus, you'll find out how small business law applies to advertising and marketing, confidentiality agreements, the sale and supply of goods (including e-commerce), negligence and product liability. There were 526,000 new businesses registered in the UK in 2013 and, at some point, all of them will be faced with legal risks that could make the difference between success and failure. One claim could wipe out a fledgling business' profits, and hit even big businesses harder than they could ever imagine. If you're the owner of a new business and need to get a handle on the ins and outs of small business law and don't have the budget to employ an in-house legal advisor this trusted, approachable guide is your answer. * Covers the laws surrounding the most common risks small businesses face * Addresses how to deal with legal issues before a potentially costly dispute arises * Provides access to handy sample contract templates on Dummies.com * Serves as your own in-house legal advisor at a fraction of the cost If you're an existing business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur thinking about starting your own business, Law For Small Business For Dummies gives you answers to questions you didn't even know to ask!

In Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Clusters, Panos Piperopoulos provides a comprehensive introduction to what entrepreneurship is all about, how and why entrepreneurs innovate and how innovation systems operate. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) constitute the backbone of most economies, so the author examines their characteristics and the crucial role played by the owners and entrepreneurs who innovate to ensure the survival and continued growth of their firms. He also includes the particular phenomena that arise where the entrepreneurs are either female or from ethnic groups, or where the context is that of a developing region or country. The importance of co-operative strategic alliances and networks between firms is discussed, along with how these strengthen SMEs' competitiveness. The concept of open innovation has been proposed as a new paradigm for the management of innovation and the author presents a hypothetical model for enhancing the competitiveness and performance of SMEs by properly utilizing employees' creative potential, emotional intelligence, tacit knowledge and innovative ideas. The contemporary model of business clusters, involving partnerships with competitors, agents, universities, research centres and local, regional and national governments is discussed. The ways, means and methods through which SMEs' competitiveness and innovation can be enhanced within business clusters is illustrated by cases that identify four types of SMEs, that behave differently and play different roles in the networks and clusters of which they form a part, but all of whose performance and competitiveness is a function of their position and role in the wider scheme of things.

This volume presents a collection of different views and perspectives, featuring both theoretical and empirical contributions, to provide deep insight into the role of innovation and of non-technological innovation (NTI) in contemporary business. It illustrates how NTI encourages organizational development as well as competitive advantage. Chapters display a variety of research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, including case studies, best practices, surveys, novel approaches to interpretations, concepts and theories. Together they contribute to a significant extension of the existing knowledge on non-technological innovations and their role in organizations. This volume highlights the effects of marketing and organizational innovation strategies on companies' innovation and overall performance, while demonstrating that the effects of NTI may vary depending on the phase of the innovation process, and how it differs within small, medium and large enterprises from manufacturing and service industries. It explores the bidirectional relationship between technological innovation (TI) and NTI, and considers the competences needed to implement NTI. The book is written for scholars and academic professionals from a wide variety of disciplines addressing issues of organizational change and innovation, new management techniques and strategies, and the sustainable growth of organizations. It may also be an interesting source of knowledge for graduate and postgraduate students in management.

A comprehensive guide to building and maintaining a sustainable, profitable, and enjoyable business as a freelance editor. According to LinkedIn, more than twenty thousand people in the United States list themselves as freelance editors. But many who have the requisite skills to be excellent editors lack the entrepreneurial skills needed to run a thriving, fulfilling business. The few resources available to freelance editors, new and established, are typically limited in scope and lack the strategic thinking needed to make a business flourish. The Freelance Editor's Handbook provides a complete guide to setting up and running a prosperous freelancing business, from finding clients to increasing productivity, from deciding how to price services to achieving work/life balance, and from paying taxes to saving for retirement. Unlike most other books on freelance editing, this book is founded on a business-success mindset: The goal isn't simply to eke out a living through freelancing. Rather, the goal is to establish a thriving, rewarding business that allows editors to achieve their career goals, earn a comfortable living, and still have time for family, friends, and personal pursuits. Author Suzy Bills identifies multiple strategies and methods that freelancers can apply, drawing on current research in entrepreneurship, psychology, and well-being. This book is the ultimate resource for editors at all levels: students just starting out, in-house staff looking to transition, and experienced freelancers who want to make their businesses more profitable and enjoyable.

Use What You Know and the Profits Will Flow Whether you're a graphic designer, an accounting expert, or an advertising guru, your special skills are in high demand. Let the experts at Entrepreneur show you how to capitalize on your talents and help others achieve their business goals. With new and revised chapters, consulting and coaching expert Terry Rice presents his tested, repeatable framework to building a consulting business, developing a client base, and creating a steady stream of referrals-and so much more. Dive in and learn how to: Craft a business name and build abrand that stands out Find the right niche in your industry that fits your business model Set the right price for your services and prove you deserve it Set up your business with minimal startup investment Ask for referrals, the right way and at the right time Hire team members that support you and your business No matter what your area of expertise, this hands-on guide will tell you everything you need to know to start your own successful consulting business.

With must-have updates, a new edition of the bestselling method that shows how anyone can turn their one simple idea into millions - without lifting a finger! Stephen Key is an award-winning inventor who has licensed more than 20 product ideas. In 2011, he shared the secrets to his success in the bestselling book One Simple Idea. Since that time, many changes have occurred in the entrepreneurial world. One Simple Idea, Revised and Expanded Edition has been revised and updated to reflect current trends and practices in the industry. In addition to teaching readers how to turn their ideas into marketable products that companies will want to license, Key expands upon his cutting-edge product development, sales, and negotiation strategies, making note of the new opportunities and technologies available to creative people today. The book also features real-life success stories from people who have used the author's strategies.

Drawing on the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a frame of reference, this new edition of Female Entrepreneurship - Women's Entrepreneurship - continues to challenge contemporary assumptions regarding who or what is an entrepreneur. It draws upon relevant literature and research to enable research-led teaching delivery and provides students with a comprehensive understanding of women's entrepreneurship and a solid foundation from which they can pursue further studies. Informative but concise, Women's Entrepreneurship covers key concepts, issues, themes and approaches and provides useful suggested topics for debate. Updates include a revised chapter on Emerging Technologies and Women's Entrepreneurship, which explores digital entrepreneurship and cyberfeminism. Contextualisation of Women's Entrepreneurship acknowledges the broader contextual influences on women's entrepreneurship. Finally, two new chapters have been added looking at The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Women's Entrepreneurship Policy. International case studies explore the socio-economic context for women's entrepreneurship in regional, national and international economies. Pedagogy to aid learning is incorporated throughout, including learning outcomes, boxes to highlight key research insights and best practice as well as discussion points and activities. This book is important supplementary reading on entrepreneurship, small business management and women's and gender studies courses - it will prove particularly useful to women moving towards starting their own business as well as postgraduate students researching the topic for the first time.

Create the business you want without sacrificing the lifestyle you deserve

The majority of new entrepreneurs (and even those with a little more experience) are finding themselves trapped, controlled, and consumed by their own businesses. They are struggling just to keep their businesses running, let alone actually growing their companies and experiencing the success they anticipated.

"Conquer the Chaos" speaks to you as a small business owner by making sense of the overwhelming demands on your business and providing a twenty-first century recipe for success with sanity. With engaging stories, quotes, and examples, "Conquer the Chaos" leads you through the six strategies you can incorporate to bring order to your business today. Find the money, time, and freedom in entrepreneurship that inspired you in the first placeSuccessfully juggle customers, prospects, management of employees, marketing, sales, accounting, and moreGet from just surviving to growing your company and experiencing success

"Conquer the Chaos" gives you the no-nonsense, ready-to-go guide that gets your business exactly where you want it to be.

There is more to setting up a successful business than just a good idea. Creating a Business examines concisely all the relevant aspects: the excitement and satisfaction that business entails, the challenges that face the entrepreneur, the risks that lie in wait.

The textbook is organized around a practical example: a company setting out to launch a new line of clothing. Aspects of setting up a business, including management, marketing, legislation, and financial management are examined.

Including pedagogical features, such as end-of-chapter questions and illustrations, Creating a Business will interest students of small business and entrepreneurship.

Examines regulatory and other strategies for improving chemical risk management in small enterprises in the European Union. This book considers what supports are necessary to secure the implementation of these strategies and is particularly concerned with the role of chemical product supply as envisaged by REACH.

Teaches managers and leaders to cut through the static and hone their focusing skills In the current digital age, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to stay focused. Smartphones, tablets, smart watches, and other devices constantly vie for our attention. In both business and life, we are constantly bombarded with tweets, likes, mentions, and a constant stream of information. The inability to pay attention impacts learning, parenting, prioritizing, and leading. Not surprisingly, attention spans have gotten shorter. Already being pulled in a dozen directions every minute, managers and business leaders often struggle to address important issues and focus on everything that needs attention. Noise: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus teaches managers and leaders how to help themselves and others sharpen their focusing skills. In this follow-up to his first book Brief--the proven, step-by-step approach to clear, concise, and effective communication--author Joseph McCormack helps readers cut through the static and devote their attention to what is important. This engaging, informative book will help you: Apply effective, real-world techniques to hone your focus and reduce interference Learn the lessons taught to organizations such as Harley-Davidson, BMO Harris Bank, MasterCard, and the US Army Understand how modern technology can actually strengthen your focus if used correctly Avoid becoming a casualty of "weapons of mass distraction" Noise: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus is a valuable resource for leaders and managers seeking to develop laser-sharp focus and apply it to everything you do.

A close-up examination of several important consultation models and of the structure, dynamics, and operation of family businesses in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ireland, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States This book is designed to fill an important gap in the family business literature. Florence W. Kaslow, Ph. D., Editor, an internationally respected authority in both family psychology and family business consultation, presents a disciplined look at how family businesses are structured, the ebb and flow of their dynamics, and the ways they operate in thirteen diverse countries spanning four continents. Top family business consultants working in those countries share their methods of helping clients increase earnings and fulfill the missions of their companies. The contributors examine essential aspects of the world of family business today, including family offices, globalization, and the management of a family's wealth. Tables and figures, plus a helpful glossary, make complex and unfamiliar information easy to understand. As the world's economies interface and intertwine with the evolution of international markets and globalization, the Handbook of Family Business and Family Business Consultation provides the essential broad knowledge that family business consultants need in today's business climate. It provides a capsule history of the premiere organization dedicated to helping family businesses, the Family Firm Institute (FFI), and then examines issues essential to anyone involved in, or consulting to, family businesses, including: the importance of family businesses to the economic well-being of countries worldwide family officeswhat they are and why they're important the significance of differentiating between the family business and the business of being a family for everyone involved in these overlapping relationships the multiple and diverse roles that family business consultants play in different kinds of businesses and in different countries the roles of non-family employees in family businesses gender issues that affect family businesses sibling rivalry and other issues of family conflict the trend toward globalization in various family businessesand the implications of this trend in terms of family wealth dispersion, international understanding, competitiveness, and other emerging phenomena With expert commentary from family business consultants in such a wide variety of countries, the Handbook of Family Business and Family Business Consultation is an essential read for family business consultants, family business owners, and Family Business Forum staff and member families, as well as professors and students in MBA programs and family business courses.

A close-up examination of several important consultation models and of the structure, dynamics, and operation of family businesses in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ireland, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United StatesThis book is designed to fill an important gap in the family business literature. Florence W. Kaslow, Ph. D., Editor, an internationally respected authority in both family psychology and family business consultation, presents a disciplined look at how family businesses are structured, the ebb and flow of their dynamics, and the ways they operate in thirteen diverse countries spanning four continents. Top family business consultants working in those countries share their methods of helping clients increase earnings and fulfill the missions of their companies. The contributors examine essential aspects of the world of family business today, including family offices, globalization, and the management of a family's wealth. Tables and figures, plus a helpful glossary, make complex and unfamiliar information easy to understand.As the world's economies interface and intertwine with the evolution of international markets and globalization, the Handbook of Family Business and Family Business Consultation provides the essential broad knowledge that family business consultants need in today's business climate. It provides a capsule history of the premiere organization dedicated to helping family businesses, the Family Firm Institute (FFI), and then examines issues essential to anyone involved in, or consulting to, family businesses, including: the importance of family businesses to the economic well-being of countries worldwide family offices--what they are and why they're important the significance of differentiating between the family business and the business of being a family for everyone involved in these overlapping relationships the multiple and diverse roles that family business consultants play in different kinds of businesses and in different countries the roles of non-family employees in family businesses gender issues that affect family businesses sibling rivalry and other issues of family conflict the trend toward globalization in various family businesses--and the implications of this trend in terms of family wealth dispersion, international understanding, competitiveness, and other emerging phenomenaWith expert commentary from family business consultants in such a wide variety of countries, the Handbook of Family Business and Family Business Consultation is an essential read for family business consultants, family business owners, and Family Business Forum staff and member families, as well as professors and students in MBA programs and family business courses.

SMEs create employment, wealth and a potential for future growth. In Palestine they can also mean survival and freedom. In Palestine they are not a choice but a necessity for sustainable development. But by their nature SMEs are vulnerable in a business environment characterized by uncertainty. To give the managers of SMEs in Palestine a realistic chance of success they need training to enable them to meet the challenge of running their enterprises effectively. Drawing on original research undertaken within Palestine this book explores how the challenge is being met (and considers how it might be even more successfully met) by enabling and empowering the owners and managers of these pioneering businesses.

Property asset management requires both day-to-day oversight of rental properties and an ability to maximize the potential of the portfolio through forward thinking and practical planning. Successful property managers must be flexible and proactive whilst maintaining a robust knowledge of technical, financial and legal aspects of the leasing system. Property Asset Management is a practical guide to the key principles of successful property management, perfect for both student and practitioner alike. In this book, Douglas Scarrett and Jan Wilcox demonstrate how to successfully manage properties for the varying needs of clients ranging from individual property owners to large international commercial ventures. As well as the basic theory, Property Asset Management discusses the process of active management, the strategic objectives, performance measurement, and the key financial and operational information needed for high quality and comprehensive reporting to clients. This fourth edition has new chapters on corporate real estate and financial management, and has been extensively rewritten to incorporate recent developments in property management. Software screenshots are used to illustrate salient points and readers are provided with a thorough overview of the latest legal aspects of land ownership and tenancy arrangements. With everything you need for successful property asset management, this book both caters for the needs of RICS accredited and business courses and serves as a handy guide for everyday practice.

Enterprise Planning and Development outlines the options and risks involved in setting up a business. It shows how to avoid this failure by focusing on the planning stage and building on this framework as the business develops.
The book contains all the underpinning factual information required to prepare a successful Business Plan for presentation to a bank manager, or an alternative potential source of finance, or for use in an NVQ portfolio. It is in line with the major syllabuses for Business Start-Up, and can be used as a course book for anyone completing a formal NVQ level 3 and 4 qualification in this area, with tips on NVQ structure and assessment.
Enterprise Planning and Development shows how to make the most of business growth and also how to deal with the different types of problems that are encountered along the way. All businesses pass through several stages of growth and it occurs for a number of reasons, such as change in the commercial market, increased customer demand for services or product and higher numbers of customers.
The book is structured to follow a logical sequence of questions that makes it readily accessible: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? What resources are needed to get there? What sales and marketing policies do we need to develop? It examines the personnel and staffing implications, the efficiency of the current financial management process and the owner's own abilities to make it all happen
* New topical material on innovation, intellectual property and exit strategies
* Includes current issues of entrepreneurship such as the relevance of family support, entrepreneurial characteristics, enterprise cultures inorganisations.
* Practical and relevant start-up text that provides the necessary follow-on development material.

'This is exactly the kind of book, and collection of essays that we need.' - From the Foreword by R. Edward Freeman Ideas like corporate social responsibility (CSR) and stakeholder value creation are becoming second nature to businesses across the globe. Addressing the weakness of current CSR research, this Research Handbook provides a unique perspective on small business social responsibility in both the developed and developing world. Bringing together leading international experts, and including a foreword by R. Edward Freeman, this Research Handbook defines and contextualizes CSR in small businesses across the globe. It explores issues surrounding supply chains, responsible finance, and social enterprise, offering both practitioner insights and succinct case studies to go beyond the usual Western perspective and enable a globally relevant understanding of small business social responsibility. This Research Handbook will be an invaluable tool for researchers and educators, as well as for students of business and CSR, social enterprise, development and management. Contributors: A. Al Faruq, C. Ball, M. Beckmann, E. Benjamin, R.K. Blundel, G. Buchenrieder, D. Dore, R.E. Freeman, J.G. Frynas, R. Gapp, M. Gulati, M. Handley-Schachler, B. Hatipoglu, N. Hermes, P. Hind, D. Holt, S. Jeppesen, R. Lensink, D. Littlewood, P. Lund-Thomsen, F. Lyon, E. Maduekwe, A. Meesters, J.N. Muthuri, J. Navare, I. Patsch, M. Punt, S. Sahasranamam, R. Sanwal, A. Schaefer, A. Smit, V. Soundararajan, L.J. Spence, H. Stewart, S. Suresh, A.N. Tran, D. Vazquez-Brust, A.I. Wahga, A. Zeyen