ABSTRACT
Running a small business is often held up as the pinnacle of self-expression; independence from the boss (or ‘the system’) is an attractive motivator of entrepreneurial behaviour, and there’s no doubt that the community of smalland medium-sized enterprises collectively has the power, flexibility, innovatory spirit and potential to fill many market niches. Yet that community can be very conservative, strangely held back by peer pressures while at the same time largely lacking avenues of communication between players.
