ABSTRACT
The vast increase in interest in the small enterprise in Britain since the early 1970s among politicians, civil servants, the mass media and the general public has been accompanied by an equally substantial increase in related research activities. Yet the findings of this research have failed to make much impact. Politicians and others continue repeating the same myths about small businesses or, at best, misrepresent the findings of one or two research projects; for example, on the job-generation potential of new small businesses. But, overall, it is the sheer lack of awareness and understanding of this research which stands out.
