ABSTRACT
The book explores how, to what extent and with what consequences the international crisis of 2007-2008 and the recession which followed have affected European SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in both the well established market economies of the old member countries and in the post-transformation new member countries, and what can be done at the institutional and political level to uphold them.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|89 pages
The global economic crisis and its impact on SMEs
chapter 2|30 pages
The EU crisis seen from the bottom
The perspective of vulnerable economies on Eurozone troubles
part II|91 pages
SMEs' vulnerability and resilience
chapter 6|19 pages
Access to finance, access to markets, excess of bureaucracy
The three problems of SME development
part III|96 pages
SMEs and local development
chapter 9|21 pages
Industrial districts facing the financial crisis
Network structure, variety, risk sharing and resilience
chapter 10|18 pages
Economic structure, reaction to the crisis and entrepreneurs' expectations in a mature regional economy
The case of Lombardy
chapter 12|28 pages
Federal grants for local development to stop economic decline?
Lessons from Germany
