Written for all those with an interest in the factors associated with the performance of small firms.It represents a mixture of the results of new empirical studies and a comprehensive review of the state of the art on various key issues. The book looks at new empirical research covering topics including: * the relationship of corporate size and age to incidence of failure * the value of prediction models of failure * lessons from official receiver reports * factors associated with failure in the construction sector * owner personality and performance * organisation life cycles * market structure, especially franchising and buyer-seller relationships * an international study of influences on the performance of small and medium enterprises * the instrumentation sector - factors determining success * the adequacy of the banking sector at meeting firms' needs.