Business Book of the Week – Understanding the Small Business Sector – Storey


I’d like to draw your attention to a blog by Julian Thompson who is the director of projects at the Royal Society for the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (the RSA). Julian has worked as a social researcher for 10 years. Specialising in qualitative methods, he has undertaken major participatory research programmes and strategic futures work for government, voluntary sector and private sector organisations.

In a blog entitled “Entrepreneurs in the valley of death” which was published today, he begins:

“Having rather excited myself with the entrepreneurial potential of Gen Y in yesterday’s blog, I was subsequently given the research equivalent of a cold shower, courtesy of some fascinating data and insights provided by Prof David Storey of Sussex University.

In an event at the RSA hosted by Prof Jay Mitra of Essex Business School, Storey laid bare the sobering facts surrounding the survival rates of new businesses.

These are important lessons for those looking to run or invest in small businesses,and some of them go against the dominant myths of entrepreneurship. So I thought I’d share.

The rest of the blog can be read here: http://www.rsablogs.org.uk/2011/emboldened/entrepreneurs-valley-death/

David Storey, OBE, is Professor at the Department of Business Management and Economics at University of Sussex, UK. His book, “Understanding the Small Business Sector“, although it was published in 1994, is currently said to be the most highly cited work on Entrepreneurship or Small Business.

Storey’s talk will I hope soon be available as a podcast via the RSA – when I discover that it is there I shall pop a link to it here. In the meantime, perhaps you’d better get hold of a copy of his book anyway.

Incidentally, if anyone reading this and visiting the RSA website is interested in applying for Fellowship of this quite extraordinary 21st century think-tank, let me know and I will be happy to explain more.

Best wishes
Graham.
Graham Wilson – 07785 222380
PS My free ebook, “The Senior Executive’s Emergency Job Hunt“, is available to download now.


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