ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book deals with the economic and social mystery of the entities that underpin communities. It provides an overview of the prevalence and value of small firms to economies around the world; continues with a focus on the motivations for business ownership; and discusses the lifecycles of small firms. The book considers each tribe in detail alongside a discussion of the research relevant to the issues they confront. It builds on the founding work of Scott Holmes and Druhba Gupta, who took the factor map model developed by Holmes to build a behavioural approach to understanding small firms. The book argues that taxonomy through a case-based approach to deepen the understanding of the issues identified within each tribe and how it impacts on their capacity to achieve business goals and aspirations.
