TY - JOUR
T1 - Targeted support for high growth firms
T2 - theoretical constraints, unintended consequences and future policy challenges
AU - Brown, Ross Crawford
AU - Mawson, Suzanne
N1 - The authors wish to thank Scottish Enterprise and the OECD for funding the research reported in this paper.
PY - 2016/8/15
Y1 - 2016/8/15
N2 - High growth firms are now a major focus within enterprise policy. This paper provides a theoretically informed analysis of the rationale and effectiveness of targeted public sector support designed to support these firms. Drawing on empirical research undertaken in the UK, this paper challenges the appropriateness of the theoretical assumptions embodied in these state-backed support instruments. It outlines the nature of these programmes and provides a critique of some of their inherent weaknesses, revealing that the assumptions underpinning these programmes are often flawed. The paper examines the limitations of their selection procedures, the thematic nature of support and exit dynamics. It found that offering early stage firms intensive levels of resources may have important unintended consequences previously overlooked by policy makers. The paper offers some suggestions for how policy instruments could be better attuned to the needs of these growth-oriented firms.
AB - High growth firms are now a major focus within enterprise policy. This paper provides a theoretically informed analysis of the rationale and effectiveness of targeted public sector support designed to support these firms. Drawing on empirical research undertaken in the UK, this paper challenges the appropriateness of the theoretical assumptions embodied in these state-backed support instruments. It outlines the nature of these programmes and provides a critique of some of their inherent weaknesses, revealing that the assumptions underpinning these programmes are often flawed. The paper examines the limitations of their selection procedures, the thematic nature of support and exit dynamics. It found that offering early stage firms intensive levels of resources may have important unintended consequences previously overlooked by policy makers. The paper offers some suggestions for how policy instruments could be better attuned to the needs of these growth-oriented firms.
KW - Entrepreneurship
KW - High Growth Firms
KW - Incubation
KW - Accelerators
UR - http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/business/rbf/workingpapers/RBF15_006.pdf
U2 - 10.1177/0263774X15614680
DO - 10.1177/0263774X15614680
M3 - Article
SN - 0263-774X
VL - 34
SP - 816
EP - 836
JO - Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy
JF - Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy
IS - 5
ER -