Focussing on the relatively few small firms which grew rapidly, this book, originally published in 1993 uses face-to-face interviews as well as published records to identify and analyse the managerial factors most closely associated with successful small firms. The volume concentrates on the following key managerial issues:

1. In what respects do the managerial backgrounds and aspirations of the founders of fast-growth small firms differ from those of non-fast-growth small firms?
2. How is the process of growth managed? What incentives, remuneration packages and communication systems are instituted?
3. How do these characteristics and experiences differ in fast-growth small firms from both the traditional small firm and large-firm sector?
4. To what extent is it possible to explain the relative economic performance of small firms in terms of differences in their ownership, organizational and management structures.