This book examines entrepreneurship and small business in Russia and key countries of Eastern Europe, showing how far small businesses have developed, and discusses how far 'market reforms' and a market mentality have been taken up by ordinary people in the real everyday economy. For each of the countries examined - Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Estonia - the book reviews the progress of market reforms within the wider context of social and economic transformation, surveys the development of entrepreneurship and small firms so far, and assesses the role of government in the process, and the strengths and weaknesses of the small business sector.

Practical and proven masterclasses for simple and effective small business marketing This straightforward, practical book cuts through the morass of marketing theory to reveal the practical steps that small businesses can take to achieve phenomenal marketing results. Presenting fifteen comprehensive masterclasses, marketing expert Dee Blick presents easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement strategies to increase sales, prevent marketing mistakes, and build the foundations of a customer-driven brand. These fifteen comprehensive masterclasses can be implemented immediately, and cover such topics as marketing plans, copywriting, social media marketing, and public relations. * Written by successful author and marketing guru who has worked with small businesses for twenty-seven years * Includes practical, effective marketing strategies for every small business * Appropriate for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and practicing marketing managers When it comes to marketing a small business, success means getting a big impact from a small investment. The 15 Essential Marketing Masterclasses for Your Small Business gives entrepreneurs and small business owners proven strategies for effective, profitable marketing.

With the global economy in a precarious position, nurturing new entrepreneurial high-technology firms is likely to comprise a key component of any policy to encourage economic growth, both in developed and developing countries. Recent high-technology ventures - such as retailing in the music industry - have shown how entrepreneurs can radically change, or even replace, the structure of existing industries. High-Technology Entrepreneurship introduces and analyzes all the major aspects of high-technology small-firm formation and growth. Locational and functional aspects of the process, as well as how contexts for development may vary between developed and developing economies are also discussed. Other key topics that are addressed include: how high technology firms originate in theory and practice entrepreneurship theory incubators, science parks and clustering entrepreneurial strategy and finance. Students taking Master's-level courses in entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, academic enterprise and industrial development will find this an essential textbook for completing their studies.

With the global economy in a precarious position, nurturing new entrepreneurial high-technology firms is likely to comprise a key component of any policy to encourage economic growth, both in developed and developing countries. Recent high-technology ventures - such as retailing in the music industry - have shown how entrepreneurs can radically change, or even replace, the structure of existing industries. High-Technology Entrepreneurship introduces and analyzes all the major aspects of high-technology small-firm formation and growth. Locational and functional aspects of the process, as well as how contexts for development may vary between developed and developing economies are also discussed. Other key topics that are addressed include: how high technology firms originate in theory and practice entrepreneurship theory incubators, science parks and clustering entrepreneurial strategy and finance. Students taking Master's-level courses in entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, academic enterprise and industrial development will find this an essential textbook for completing their studies.

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.

This book addresses the lack of academic and practical research into corporate venturing by examining the role of this activity as both a form of large firm-small firm collaboration and as an alternative source of equity finance for small firms. These issues are explored through surveys of independent fund managers, coporate executives and technology-based firm directors.

Much research in entrepreneurship presents results as if they are universally and timelessly valid. Entrepreneurship in Context takes the opposite tack -- it studies entrepreneurship as a context bound phenomenon. For entrepreneurship, the importance of context goes beyond gaining understanding and avoiding mistakes. The reciprocal influence exercised by the entrepreneurial venture and its corresponding context is at the very heart of the entrepreneur as an agent of change. The book addresses context in a narrow sense, i.e. a person's life situation and local, situational characteristics. It also deals with wider contexts such as social, industry, cultural, ethnic, sustainability-related, institutional, and historical contexts. The book studies the interconnectedness of all these various sub-contexts. It zooms in on the actions that entrepreneurs take to involve, engage, and influence their context and shows the changing and dynamic nature of context. It provides lessons for entrepreneurs about which contextual elements should be prioritized, engaged and sought out.

Entrepreneurial Behaviour: Unveiling the Cognitive and Emotional Aspects of Entrepreneurship provides a range of scholarly explorations of how decisions permeate the success of entrepreneurial ventures throughout their life cycle. This bridges the gaps in current research on entrepreneurship and innovative behaviours with decision making and negotiation. The success, longevity, and survival of SMEs are deeply linked to the effectiveness of individual decision-making processes, and established firms need to develop an entrepreneurial decision-making processes to maintain competitive advantages in a continuously changing and increasingly turbulent environment. The book leads off with the core themes of the series and incorporates new perspectives around entrepreneurial emotions, passion and trust. Previous research has not studied in sufficient detail the negotiation processes in entrepreneurship. This edited work explores these negotiation processes in depth, while also providing a discussion forum for scholars interested in researching and understanding how decisions permeate the life of entrepreneurial ventures during their life cycle.

Who will lead your organization into the future? Have you created the systems to properly implement required succession transitions? Have you put the financial tools in place to fund the transition? Do you want a plan that connects with your personal and company core values? When do you include timely planning related to strategy and talent issues? What are the appropriate communication strategies for sharing your plan? What legal issues need consideration related to the strategy, financial, and people aspects of succession? So, what is preventing you from starting this effort tomorrow? Small and family businesses are the bedrock of all businesses. More people are employed by small and family-owned businesses than by all multinational companies combined. Yet the research on small and family businesses is bleak: fewer than one-third of small business owners in the United States can afford to retire. Only 40% of small businesses have a workable disaster plan in case of the sudden death or disability of the owner, and only 42% of small businesses in the United States have a succession plan. Fewer than 11% of family-owned businesses make it to the third generation beyond the founder. Lack of succession planning is the second most common reason for small business failure. Many organizations often wonder where to start and what to do. Succession Planning for Small and Family Businesses: Navigating Successful Transitions presents a comprehensive approach to guiding such efforts. Small and family-owned businesses rarely employ first-rate, well-qualified talent in human resources. More typically, business owners must be jacks-of-all-trades and serve as their own accountants, lawyers, business consultants, marketing experts, and HR wizards. Unfortunately, that does not always work well when business owners embark on planning for retirement or business exits. To help business owners avert problems, this book advises on some of the management, tax and financial, legal, and psychological issues that should be considered when planning retirement or other exits from the business. This comprehensive approach is unique when compared to the books, articles, and other literature that currently exist on the market. This book takes on a bold and integrated approach. Relevant research combined with the rich experiences of the authors connects this thorough, evidence-based approach to action-based approaches for the reader.

* Provides a 'one stop shop' of key theoretical perspectives on entrepreneurship, opportunity recognition and business modelling, alongside practical examples and exercises. * Essential reading for undergraduate students studying Entrepreneurship globally, as well as those studying for MBAs or Executive Education degrees. * Current textbooks pay little attention to the concept of opportunity recognition, which is the crux of this book * This is unique in its explanation of how the key concepts are related and how they can be applied practically.

This open access book presents a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of knowledge on the state of crowdfunding research and practice. It considers crowdfunding models and their different manifestations across a variety of geographies and sectors, and explores the perspectives of fundraisers, backers, platforms, and regulators. Gathering insights from a wide range of influential researchers in the field, the book balances concepts, theory, and case studies. Going beyond previous research on crowdfunding, the contributors also investigate issues of community, sustainability, education, and ethics. A vital resource for anyone researching crowdfunding, this book offers readers a deep understanding of the characteristics, business models, user-relations, and behavioural patterns of crowdfunding.

Drawing on empirical case-study research carried out in the Bangalore software industry, this book explores the role of network relationships in the internationalization of small knowledge-intensive firms. Using a conceptual framework, it looks at a range of key themes. These include: networks knowledge technology. Highlighting the propensity of small knowledge-intensive firms to develop and leverage network relationships and thereby, the resourcefulness with which entrepreneurial firms can (and do) internationalize, this book is essential reading for academics and students with an interest in the intersection between international business and entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the agriculture and food sector in Africa, which is projected to exceed a trillion dollars by 2030. This book is the first practical primer to equip and support entrepreneurs in Africa through the process of starting and growing successful and resilient agriculture and food businesses that will transform the continent. Through the use of case studies and practical guidance, the book reveals how entrepreneurs can leverage technology and innovation to leapfrog and adapt to climate change, ensuring that Africa can feed itself and even the world. The book will: Inspire aspiring entrepreneurs to start and grow resilient and successful businesses in the agriculture and food landscapes. Equip aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs with practical knowledge, skills, and tools to navigate the complex agriculture and food ecosystems and develop and grow high-impact and profitable businesses. Enable aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs to develop scalable business models, attract and retain talent, leverage innovation and technology, raise financing, build strong brands, shape their ecosystem, and infuse resilience into every aspect of their operations. The book is for aspiring and emerging agribusiness entrepreneurs across Africa and agribusiness students globally. It will also inspire policymakers, researchers, development partners, and investors to create an enabling and supportive environment for African entrepreneurs to thrive.

Any business wanting to reach new customers should be embracing public relations to spread their key messages. If you don't, your competitors will. This Authority Guide shows you how to grab the headlines (for all the right reasons), reach huge audiences and grow your business by accessing the media to tell your story.

Industrialisation has brought great benefits to humankind but now, after 200 years of fossil fuel use, land clearance and pollution, the planet's boundaries are being stretched to their limits. Going beyond these confines would have severe consequences for humankind. To prevent this from happening, government, corporate and community initiatives must focus on reducing the environmental impact of approximately 400 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), given that they produce approximately 70% of the world's pollution, 60% of carbon emissions and have a significant impact on land. To date, research shows that SMEs have been environmental laggards and more needs to be understood to improve sustainability in the SME sector. Broadening the researcher's methodological focus, beyond traditional singular approaches, improves knowledge generation and better informs policy and practice. This book paves the way by showing the reader that a mixed method research design is able to provide a deep, diverse and holistic understanding of sustainability and SMEs. Importantly, the book also provides an in-depth mapping of mixed method sustainability and SME research at a regional level. As this book is about environmental sustainability framed in a business context, it will be of interest to researchers, academics, students and those in industry who are enquiring about the environmental sustainability of SMEs.

Geared toward the unique challenges faced by self-employed businesswomen--and updated for the social media-driven, post-financial crisis world--The Girl's Guide to Starting Your Own Business offers solutions and advice for handling a range of issues, including how to write a business plan, how to secure funding, and how to hire (and fire) employees. Caitlin Friedman and Kimberly Yorio share practical information drawn from their own extensive experience in the public relations, marketing, and consulting fields. Their concise and engaging advice is explained through entertaining tips, lists, and quizzes that speak directly to women who are dreaming of starting, or have already started, their own businesses.

So you've got the drive to start a business. You might even have the Big Idea all mapped out. But then you realise that you've got no money to take it to the next stage. Back to the day job? No way. That's where "Freesourcing" comes in. Believe it or not, you don't need money to start a business. There's an entire industry out there waiting to help you take your idea and make it happen... for free. All you need to know is where to find the help and how to get your hands on it.

"Freesourcing" is the definitive guide to free business start up resources, showing you exactly where to go and who to talk to when you're starting a business on a shoestring. Freesourcers don't just think outside the box - they find out where they can get the box for free too. You'll find information on free: PremisesMoneyComputersTravelOnline resourcesStationeryAdvice and supportLegal helpBankingNetworking opportunitiesMarketing and PRStock

No cash? No problem. So what are you waiting for?

Jon Gillespie Brown brings his extensive mentoring experience to bear in this new handbook for would-be entrepreneurs. So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur? contains a series of mentoring sessions, each carefully thought out to make you consider and plan your life based on your passions, ambitions and ultimate visions. By actively taking part in each of the exercises, you give yourself the best chance of succeeding as an entrepreneur, or the sufficient clarity to decide what other career options are best suited to you.

Explore your real goals, hidden talents, passions, assets and core skills. The simple self-discovery tools in the book will make it easy for you to analyse this information and take the next steps towards your entrepreneurial dreams with total confidence.

PRAISE FOR SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR
'Read this book if you plan to be an entrepreneur, find out what it's really like before you make the leap ' Doug Richard, entrepreneur, business investor and former member of the Dragons' Den TV programme

'Before I invest in a business at an early stage I want to know the founders knew what they were getting into. I would suggest they check out if they measure up to the demands of the ups and downs required to be a successful entrepreneur by reading this book first.' Richard Farleigh, Author Taming the Lion: 100 Secret Strategies for Investing and former member of the Dragons' Den

'The key to entrepreneurial success is understanding what type of entrepreneur you are, and then doing business in a way that is true to yourself, and above all, one that brings you personal happiness and fulfilment. This book will help you decide whether a life of an entrepreneur is for you.' Rachel Elnaugh, entrepreneur, business speaker and former member of the Dragons' Den

'Very few people truly consider the hard work, disappointment, frustration and crushing lows that every Entrepreneur experiences along the journey. Jon's book is a must read for anybody ready to take the leap ' Richard Parkes Cordock, author of Millionaire Upgrade and creator of Millionaire MBA Business Mentoring Programme

'The only form of safe employment is self-employment. I recommend anyone considering the entrepreneurial path to read this book.' Geoff Burch, International Speaker and author of Go It Alone: The Streetwise Secrets of Self-Employment

tobeanentrepreneur.com

Political and financial upheaval is not a new phenomenon - from the tulip bulb bubble in the Netherlands in the seventeenth century to Black Monday in 1987, businesses throughout history have worked to adapt and cope. However, today's climate is even more fraught with crises, raising the levels of concern for business, society, and governments. It especially poses a challenge for small businesses, who have to learn to cope with this increasingly turbulent environment, dealing with the difficulties and taking advantage of the new opportunities that turbulence can provide. Understanding how resilience capabilities can be developed to promote sustainable business is imperative. This book provides a new paradigm for conceptualizing resilience capabilities and advances current understanding both theoretically and practically in real-world business settings. Examining the processes of resilience during different phases of crisis reveals why businesses either fail, or outperform their counterparts during times of turbulence. Based on in-depth empirical research, researchers and advanced students in small business, strategic management and risk management will find this an invaluable guide to organizational resilience.

First published in 1997, the authors of the present volume provide brand new insights and empirical findings in the field of entrepreneurship and small business research. The writers have highlighted three different key themes: entrepreneurship; start-ups and growth and internationalisation. The priority of most countries is growth, competitiveness and employment. In this context, the relevance of promoting the creation of new enterprises and understanding the very nature and development of newly created and existing SMEs is becoming more important today. The role of entrepreneurship and SMEs for economic and social development, welfare and well-being is going to be emphasised more than ever before. The same holds for research in these fascinating fields. This book gives an idea of the state of the art for the time being with its increasing conceptual, methodological and empirical complexity and diversity.

In our increasingly digitized and fast-paced world, human relationships are often strained--sales relationships even more so. Today's buyers are better informed, more sophisticated, and more transactional. As a result, sales professionals must navigate new challenges as they seek to develop meaningful relationships with these sometimes elusive buyers.
In "Human To Human Selling," sales strategist Adrian Davis details how sales professionals and the people who manage them can increase sales performance while developing strategic relationships with their customers. Bringing sales professionals out of the Industrial Age adversarial model of sales into the "Age of Business Reformation," "Human To Human Selling" presents a step-by-step process for building symbiotic relationships with buyers--connections that are both mutually rewarding and emotionally fulfilling and lead to the "right-fit" customer. "Human To Human Selling"
-Provides a fresh perspective on sales and customer relationship management
-Bridges the gap between sales techniques and corporate strategy, enabling salespeople to sell higher
-Provides practical techniques for strategic selling
The results will speak for themselves: sales professionals that are a strategic asset to their buyers as well as their employers.

First published in 1997, this volume examines why small-scale enterprises have performed so well in Indonesia, given that the country's labour force is expected to expand and urbanise rapidly between 1995 and 2025. It also considers what future contribution small-scale enterprises could make. Peter van Diermen explores the industrial organisation of family businesses, local development in a global context and family businesses in Jakarta in considering the unexpected success of small-scale enterprises and the future contributions they could make.

Small Firms as Innovators: From Innovation to Sustainable Growth provides a rich empirical analysis of innovation in the context of small business. The book first introduces the general innovation patterns present in small firms. It then progresses to demonstrate how these firms create and strengthen their innovation capacity, how they transform this capacity into real-world innovations and how these innovations are exploited for creating superior competitiveness that can be transforemed into sustainable growth. To conclude, this book offers both theoretical and empirical insights for measuring and managing innovation performance in small firms.

Does Information Technology matter? This book argues that even as Information Technology hardware, software, data and associated processes are becoming more of a commodity, it has never been more important to manage Information Technology as a strategic asset. However, managing Information Technology as a strategic asset is notoriously difficult, as is studying the impact of Information Technology on firm performance. This book sets out to identify, explain and critically evaluate current research in this area. A unique feature of this book is the use of economic theory to explain management theory and its consequences in professional practice. Beginning with a thorough introduction to Schumpeterian economic theory, the authors re-cast the pre-eminent theory in strategic management research (the Resource Based View) in the light of a Schumpeterian analysis and identify Dynamic Capabilities as an extension of, but also a radical departure from, RBV. The role of Information Technology as an endogenous technology is discussed and it is argued that how we define Information Technology determines not only how we study it but also how we use it and benefit from it. The book is aimed primarily at the academic research market, but should also be of some interest to managers. It is useful more specifically for all those studying business, Information Technology, strategy, management and innovation.