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Why Should the Varieties Literature Grant Smaller Firms More Attention? An Introduction

In: Change in SMEs

Author

Listed:
  • Katharina Bluhm
  • Rudi Schmidt

Abstract

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are still a disregarded species in social science. This may be explained by the ‘long shadow’ of Fordism, which raised the expectation that large vertically integrated conglomerates would eliminate the SME sector, especially in manufacturing. In contrast to large firms, SMEs have little power to shape the institutional and market environment. The lack of scholarly interest might also be caused by the cultural distance to the patriarchal-authoritarian leadership style that used to be widespread in family firms, as well as by the difficult access for academic researchers to this type of enterprise. The latter has partly to do with the limited available time of small management staffs in SMEs, and partly with owner desires to control the information flow going outside the firm.

Suggested Citation

  • Katharina Bluhm & Rudi Schmidt, 2008. "Why Should the Varieties Literature Grant Smaller Firms More Attention? An Introduction," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Katharina Bluhm & Rudi Schmidt (ed.), Change in SMEs, chapter 1, pages 1-14, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-22778-1_1
    DOI: 10.1057/9780230227781_1
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    Cited by:

    1. Manuel Fernández-Esquinas & Madelon van Oostrom & Hugo Pinto, 2017. "Key issues on innovation, culture and institutions: implications for SMEs and micro firms," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(11), pages 1897-1907, November.

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