The State Of Small Business

Published in 1998. This text is designed as not only a summary of a number of years of reflections by many different researchers, but also a guide for future research and for continuing development of a theory of small business and its environment; a theory that will apply to small businesses everywhere and that will help them become what they hope to be in the 21st century.

From the colonial era to the present day, small businesses have been an integral part of American life. First published in 1991 and now thoroughly updated, this study explores the central but ever-changing role played by small enterprises in the nation's economic, political and cultural development.

This study was conceived to respond to the need for a benchmark report on the state of the northern Ontario economy. The first two chapters provide the economic base of the report and describe changes in the industrial structure of the northern Ontario labour force and the state of northern business. Information is included on employment distribution by industry, changes in employment over 1989-93, employment by gender, the importance of the resource sectors, number of businesses and their sectoral distribution & growth, sectoral distribution of businesses by size, and employment & average earnings by business size. The next three chapters are largely based on data collected from a 1997 survey of 229 northern Ontario businesses. These surveys provide information on northern entrepreneurs, sources of financing, the relationship between small businesses and financial institutions, utilization of government agencies and programs, demographic sub-groups of business owners (women, Aboriginals, Francophones), trading outside the local market, extent of market research and perceived competition, use of technology, employee training, organizational strategies, and growth rates. The final chapter contains an overview of the recent economic picture and a framework for assessing the state of small business & entrepreneurship in the north, with reference to factors identified as important to business formation and growth.

Think big, buy small. Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own start-up seem too risky? There is a radical third path open to you: You can buy a small business and run it as CEO. Purchasing a small company offers significant financial rewards—as well as personal and professional fulfillment. Leading a firm means you can be your own boss, put your executive skills to work, fashion a company environment that meets your own needs, and profit directly from your success. But finding the right business to buy and closing the deal isn't always easy. In the HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business, Harvard Business School professors Richard Ruback and Royce Yudkoff help you: Determine if this path is right for you Raise capital for your acquisition Find and evaluate the right prospects Avoid the pitfalls that could derail your search Understand why a "dull" business might be the best investment Negotiate a potential deal with the seller Avoid deals that fall through at the last minute

Black & white print. Principles of Management is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the introductory course on management. This is a traditional approach to management using the leading, planning, organizing, and controlling approach. Management is a broad business discipline, and the Principles of Management course covers many management areas such as human resource management and strategic management, as well as behavioral areas such as motivation. No one individual can be an expert in all areas of management, so an additional benefit of this text is that specialists in a variety of areas have authored individual chapters.

Want to start the small business of your dreams? Want to breathe new life into the one you already have? Small Business For Dummies, 3rd Edition provides authoritative guidance on every aspect of starting and growing your business, from financing and budgeting to marketing, management and beyond. This completely practical, no-nonsense guide gives you expert advice on everything from generating ideas and locating start-up money to hiring the right people, balancing the books, and planning for growth. You’ll get plenty of help in ramping up your management skills, developing a marketing strategy, keeping your customers loyal, and much more. You’ll also find out to use the latest technology to improve your business’s performance at every level. Discover how to: Make sure that small-business ownership is for you Find your niche and time your start-up Turn your ideas into plans Determine your start-up costs Obtain financing with the best possible terms Decide whether or not to incorporate Make sense of financial statements Navigate legal and tax issues Buy an existing business Set up a home-based business Publicize your business and market your wares Keep your customers coming back for more Track cash flow, costs and profits Keep your business in business and growing You have the energy, drive, passion, and smarts to make your small business a huge success. Small Business For Dummies, 3rd Edition, provides the rest.