Purpose: To show that the inability to adapt to a series of crises caused by business development is one of the principal causes of failure for all organisations and that one of the primary components in small business success must be the managerial competence of the principal actors, inevitably...

The majority of existing studies of small business failure tend to focus upon either the symptoms arising from problems within the firm or upon the reasons cited for failure. Comparatively little analysis of the root cause has been undertaken. Failure and success are usually defined in rational...

Purpose – This paper critically reviews the role and function of the corporate board and finds that boards of directors that have a leadership role in corporate strategic planning go beyond merely caring for shareholder interests and take a proactive role in the success of the business. They...

This paper takes a critical examination of the process and management of innovation and the attainment of competitive advantage in the emerging enterprise. The ingredients for the successful management of innovation are explored using two case illustrations of companies that have attained...

This paper first considers the role and characteristics of the small firm and its collective, the small business sector. A brief examination of the small firm discourse and research agenda is provided. The following section undertakes a critical examination of the small firm management context....

Purpose – To show that the inability to adapt to a series of crises caused by business development is one of the principal causes of failure for all organisations and that one of the primary components in small business success must be the managerial competence of the principal actors,...

The case study is presented of a small enterprise operating in the furniture industry in the East Midlands. To preserve business confidentiality the name of the company has been changed and sensitive financial information has been omitted at the company's request. The case study is designed to...