In this paper we investigate the relative importance of firm and market effects on the profitability of a sample of independent, unquoted U.K. firms over the period 1991--1993. Specifically, we attempt to isolate the effects of internal governance, given that the typical firm is closely held in...

This paper examines the role of interest rates and securities within the context of the small firm - bank lending relationship and questions whether banks alter their lending conditions on the basis of specific firm characteristics and the nature of the borrowing undertaken. The results suggest...

A matched sample methodology was utilized to detect ownership and management differences between first generation and multi-generation independent unquoted family companies in the UK. Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in first generation and multi-generation companies were generally drawn from the...

The article describes some evaluation findings from a longitudinal study of young people receiving business start-up assistance, through the Prince's Trust (with financial support from the Government). Unusually for evaluations of self-employment schemes, it focuses not solely on issues of...

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, there has been increased focus on access to finance for small firms. Research from before the crisis suggested that it was harder for innovative firms to access finance. Yet no research has considered the differential effect of the crisis on innovative...

Support for small businesses is often delivered separately for urban and rural areas, based on the idea that the barriers to business growth differ geographically. Yet firms in rural and urban areas will also differ in their characteristics, and these may be more important influences on firm...

An attempt has been made to examine some aspects of transaction structure of the small business sector in Japanese manufacturing. It has been found that there are some interesting findings in the industrial organization of the sector; (1) In the transactions of intermediate goods with...

Uses survey data to examine the nature of bank lending decisions at the local branch and regional office level. In doing so considers which firm and loan characteristics explicitly affect the nature of the lending contract. The results show the smallest firms, whose lending decisions are made at...