New Technology-based Firms in the 1990s: 6 (New Technology-based Firms in the New Millennium) - Tapa dura

Karol I. Pelc
...The book covers a very broad scope of managerial problems typical for small, new technology-based firms and their networking experiences. Empirical material refers to surveys, statistics and examples from several countries: Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, UK and US. This breadth is one major advantage of the book. ...It may serve as useful and interesting reading for SME managers and technology leaders. It will be especially helpful to those who consider the possibility of business networking or plan to enter into technologically oriented joint ventures.
R&D Management

The selected papers in this volume bear witness to a maturing of High Technology Small Firms (HTSF) research. In the past, HTSF research has produced some solid findings, but also several paradoxes: shedding more light on the unintended and paradoxical effects of technology developments regarding HTSFs is now one of the aims of research in this field, and an observed change in the focus of the research agenda is reflected in this book.

Although many of the topics have also been covered in earlier volumes, a gradual shift from descriptive case or survey studies to more explanatory studies, with an objective of understanding the processes that drive HTSF development, now becomes apparent. Researchers from different backgrounds increasingly strive to apply and integrate theoretical traditions that focus on the individual firm, regional and wider environmental levels. As a result of this shift, topics such as financing, internationalisation or firm development are viewed more from a perspective of networking and cooperation, or of development and growth.

The understanding of how to promote cooperation and networking will probably remain on the HTSF research agenda for some years to come; the development and growth processes of HTSFs, within the context of clusters and networks, will also be high on the agenda in the next decade.