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The Swedish Co‐op have taken a positive attitude to the problem of small shops with their Narkop group, which has converted their existing shops into modern and relatively efficient retail units. The project should not be seen solely in economic terms but as a recognition on the part of the Swedish Co‐op that efficiently organised and serviced small shops are an integral feature of the retail system in both economic and social terms. The Co‐op has realised that retailing, after all, fulfils a social as well as an economic function in modern society.

This paper is part of on‐going research examining the growth of small and medium‐sized enterprises through franchising. It reports the findings of an exploratory investigation that examines why franchising is selected less frequently as a growth strategy in some industrial sectors than it is in others. The applicability of the main theories used to explain the decision to franchise are tested through a study which focuses on the UK construction industry, a sector containing relatively few franchised operations. It reveals that the high human capital requirement of this industry (as proxied by average wages) may make it unsuitable for franchising. Interviews with franchisors operating in the construction industry indicate that, although few operational difficulties are encountered, the franchisors had experienced severe difficulties in recruiting suitable franchisees, possibly reflecting the high human capital requirement of the sector. It is concluded that further research is needed to compare these findings with those from industry sectors in which the level of franchise representation is high, to determine whether some industries are, in fact, more suited to franchising than others.

This study aims to develop an entrepreneurial business model capable of addressing and preventing the exploitation and inequality that traditionally have resulted from entrepreneurship, particularly in emerging economies.

The research uses systems thinking, the first law of cybernetics, and the principles of harmony to formulate a systemic solution to the problem, which it exemplifies via six purposefully selected short cases drawn from diverse industry sectors and economies.

This paper demonstrates how the conventional model of entrepreneurship, often associated with colonial exploitation and resultant inequalities, can be transformed into a triple bottom line model—harmonious entrepreneurship – that integrates the traditional economic, eco-, humane, and social approaches and creates a synergy where profit, planet, and people are in harmony. The model challenges the profit maximisation/shareholder value doctrine of business success.

Only six cases are presented here, and there is a need for further research in different political-economic contexts and industry sectors. Also, the way entrepreneurship is taught needs to change so that it addresses the sustainability challenge in general and the problem of inequality in particular.

There needs to be a change in the entrepreneurial mindset and the way entrepreneurship is taught and potential entrepreneurs are trained if entrepreneurship is to address the sustainability challenge in general and the problem of inequality in particular.

This is a novel approach to the study of entrepreneurship and its impact on inequality that shows how it can ameliorate and/or prevent inequality, particularly in emerging economies, by adopting a more holistic approach to business success and supplanting “having and needing” with “being and caring”.

In an era of change and uncertainty, there is a need for employees who are both resourceful and flexible. The creation of such competencies in graduates is the objective of the UK Training Agency′s recent Enterprise Initiative in Higher Education. This Initiative is reviewed and the outcomes of one project, the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme, which exposes undergraduates, of any discipline, to a period of action learning in a small firm, is explored. In total, the experiences and attitudes of 75 students are examined, together with the views of their employees. The study concludes that, as described in the programme, action learning can help develop the requisite competencies in students, at the same time developing their understanding of business and management. However, to be fully effective, it needs to be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum.

Though the authors propose the use of an integrative approach ‐ blending the process model and the contingency approach ‐ to build and advance small firm marketing theory, they do not describe the research methodology issues in detail. Thus, this paper reviews the relevant literature on research methodology for small firm marketing and suggests the adoption of a contextual stepwise approach ‐ adopting a co‐ordinated programme of research adjusted in accordance with the situational factors ‐ to examine small firm marketing in more depth. The article outlines a three‐stage contextual stepwise approach to the study of small firm marketing in Hong Kong which is resulting in the addition of new knowledge on the subject and the formulation of a tentative new model of small firm marketing in a non‐western context.

In America, as in other societies where volume‐trading and out‐of‐town retailing are established features of the distributive system, the problems of the small retail unit have been evident for some time. Since 1939, the number of grocery outlets in America has been reduced from 427,500 to 198,130 in 1974. In recent years, however, evidence has emerged which suggests that the small retail unit is beginning to play an important part, once more, in the American retail system. Convenience stores (defined as small, compact, self‐service stores with an annual turnover of up to $250,000) increased in number from 5,000 in 1965 to 22,700 in 1974. Over the same period, their share of the total U.S. turnover in groceries increased from 1.1 to 4.1 per cent and it has been estimated that they are likely to double this achievement by the turn of the century. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to examine the nature of this development and to determine whether the phenomenon has implications for Britain.

Previous research by Siu and Kirby has argued that the broad Western marketing principles are not necessarily fully applicable to, and suitable for, the Chinese socio‐cultural context. To examine this assertion, provides a comprehensive examination of the marketing practices of 18 Chinese small firms in the UK. In so doing, compares the findings with a similar study of 158 Chinese small firms in Hong Kong. The results suggest that the marketing practices of Chinese small firms in the UK are different from their counterparts in Hong Kong. The findings thus lend support to the notion that socio‐cultural values and macro‐economic structure are equally important in determining a firm’s marketing behaviour. Thus, care should be taken before assuming that marketing, as practised in Western situations, is equally applicable across all contexts.

Woolco opened a superstore at Cwmbran in South Wales last October. The store is 9,290 sq metres in size and adds yet another major unit to an area which already contains a Carrefour at Caerphilly and an Asda at Rogerstone (Newport). The authors are involved in a programme of research which is attempting to monitor the impact on consumer behaviour and retail structure of this particular Woolco. Their findings on the consumer aspect were reported in RDM March/April 1975; this article outlines the attitudes of retailers outside the town's central area to the opening of the superstore.

It is a long time now since the major grocery groups — with the possible exception of the Co‐ops — have thought of villages as likely locations. Equally, small shops themselves have found the going difficult for reasons which are too obvious to outline. But the decline of the village shop is not only damaging to the retail structure; it leads to serious social deprivation, particularly for the old and those without private transport, and it can also result in a lack of social focus in the community. Recently the Development Commission, together with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, held a one‐day seminar to discuss possible means of support for the village shop. This is a report of that seminar.

Franchising has shown considerable growth in recent years and in advanced economies, such as the USA and the UK, and currently accounts for approximately one‐third of all retail sales. It would seem, therefore, that franchising and retailing represent a fruitful partnership, though there has been little research as to why this should be. In this article the authors seek to address this situation by considering those characteristics that make retailing particularly suitable for franchising, through an examination of the UK context. Given the changing nature of the retail industry and the advent, in particular, of e‐commerce, consideration is given to the future for retail development through franchising.