ABSTRACT
This book has been primarily concerned with economic aspects of small business activity in advanced economies, notably the United Kingdom. Its main purpose has been to describe, analyse and understand such activity at a general level, to stand back and look at the overall picture. As a result of all the work that has been done on new and small firms, over the past few decades, much more is now known about the factors behind small firm formation, survival and growth, the economic role of small firms, their financing and the effects of policy intervention. However it is appropriate to ask how far this material is relevant for the individual who is thinking of setting up in business, or who is already established in business and thinking about the next move, or about how to run his or her business more effectively.
