TY  - JOUR
AB  - Based on an empirical investigation of the development of a group
of manufacturing SMEs comparing the characteristics and strategies of
firms achieving high growth between 1979‐90 with the weaker performing
companies. Shows that high growth can be achieved by firms with a
variety of size, sector and age characteristics; such firms are
distinguished more by the strategies and actions of managers than by
their profile characteristics. The clearest differences between fast
growth firms and other firms are with respect to their approach to
product and market development. While high growth firms were above
average investors they were not production‐led; instead they were
characterized by an ability to make changes in production to complement
an active market development strategy. To grow successfully over ten
years, firms also needed to develop their internal organizational
structure in ways that enabled the leader of the firm to delegate
responsibility for operational tasks to become more focused on strategic
level functions. Job generation was particularly concentrated in the
high growth firms which also demonstrated an ability to increase labour
productivity at the same time as they were increasing employment.
VL  - 1
IS  - 3
SN  - 1355-2554
DO  - 10.1108/13552559510100657
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/13552559510100657
AU  - Smallbone David
AU  - Leig Roger
AU  - North David
PY  - 1995
Y1  - 1995/01/01
TI  - The characteristics and strategies of high growth SMEs
T2  - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research
PB  - MCB UP Ltd
SP  - 44
EP  - 62
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -