Small business and entrepreneurship in the knowledge economy : a comparison of Australia and Sweden
Parker, Rachel L. (2006) Small business and entrepreneurship in the knowledge economy : a comparison of Australia and Sweden. New Political Economy, 11(2), pp. 201-226.
Explanations of cross-national variations in the level of small business and entrepreneurial activity have typically not distinguished between different industry sectors and have tended to focus on general framework conditions affecting small business including macroeconomic variables and regulatory and cultural factors. However, sectoral patterns of small business and entrepreneurial activity also vary cross-nationally and require further explanation. This paper develops a framework for analysis of the conditions of small firms in knowledge intensive sectors that takes into account the stock of knowledge and competence in the economy, the capacity to generate and commercialise new ideas and the strength of regional systems of innovation. An analysis of the Australian and Swedish context shows that macroeconomic, regulatory and cultural factors explain a general bias in the Australian economy towards small business and entrepreneurship. However, the paper draws attention to the very different pattern that emerges with respect to small business and entrepreneurial activity in knowledge sectors. The stock of knowledge and competence, capacity to generate and commercialise ideas and strength of regional innovation systems seems to explain Sweden’s superior performance in small business and entrepreneurial activity in knowledge intensive activities.
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|Item Type:||Journal Article|
|Keywords:||Rachel Parker, entrepreneurship, knowledge economy, innovation, small business management|
|Subjects:||Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > COMMERCE MANAGEMENT TOURISM AND SERVICES (150000) > BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (150300)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > ECONOMICS (140000) > APPLIED ECONOMICS (140200) > Economic Development and Growth (140202)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > COMMERCE MANAGEMENT TOURISM AND SERVICES (150000) > BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (150300) > Small Business Management (150314)
|Divisions:||Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > QUT Business School|
|Copyright Owner:||Copyright 2006 Taylor & Francis|
|Copyright Statement:||First published in New Political Economy 11(2):pp. 201-226.|
|Deposited On:||27 Apr 2007|
|Last Modified:||29 Feb 2012 13:22|
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