ABSTRACT
‘Small business’ is not a homogenous concept and cannot be treated as such. In many countries, small business is all business, whereas in others the small business sector is distinct from large firms. Given the ambition of this book to give an overview of small firms, their operational environments and their management in a cross-cultural context, the choice of aspects and perspectives become critical. The external perspective dominates in the first part of the book, where small firms are seen in their respective contexts characterized by political systems, economic sectors and competence levels. The role of governments and public administration differ widely between regions and countries in respect of industry support. While insufficient access to risk capital, hindering bureaucracy, bribery and corruption and inefficient legal and infrastructure systems form part of the business reality for many small firms in many countries, the corresponding situations for small business in Europe, North America and Japan are both different and more supportive. It is inevitable that the conditions for efficient management depend crucially on the influence of different factors prevailing in different parts of the world.
