Entrepreneurship, Small Business and Public Policy: Evolution and Revolution

1. Why Does Policy Matter to Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses? 1.1 Introduction 1.2 What are entrepreneurship and small business policies? 1.3 Why is small businesses policy important? 1.4 What are small businesses? 1.5 Definitions in practice: small firms as policy objects 1.6 Contexts for small business policy 1.7 Summary of key points 1.8 Discussion questions and further reading 2. The Case for Policy 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The institutional case - the enabling environment 2.3 The macroeconomic case 2.4 The entrepreneurial case 2.5 Market failures 2.6 Summary of key points 2.7 Discussion questions and further reading 3. Constraints on Policy 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Is there a valid macroeconomic case? 3.3 Do significant market failures occur? 3.4 Is there a demonstrable need? 3.5 Can needs and gaps be met effectively? 3.6 Clientalism and bureaucracy 3.7 Will we ever know if policies are effective? 3.8 Possibilities for targeting 3.9 Summary of key points 3.10 Discussion questions and further reading 4. Policy Institutions and Meta-institutions 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Lessons from business history 4.3 Meta-institutions, and institutional 'toolkits' 4.4 Institutions and 'business enabling environment' 4.5 Summary of key points 4.6 Discussion questions and further reading 5. Entrepreneurship and Small Business Policy in the USA 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The USA context for policy 5.3 'Exceptionalism' as the leading entrepreneurial economy? 5.4 Small business policies and the SBA 5.5 Assessment of the SBA 5.6 Summary of key points 5.7 Discussion questions and further reading 6. Britain: Evolution of Policy in the 'Earliest Industrial Nation' 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Institutions and firms in the 'earliest industrial nation' 6.3 The origins of small business policy 6.4 Modern business and entrepreneurship policy 6.5 Advice services 6.6 Summary of key points 6.7 Discussion questions and further reading 7. East and Southeast Asian 'Exceptionalism': Japan and South Korea 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Underpinnings of East and Southeast Asian success 7.3. East and Southeast Asian 'exceptionalism' 7.4 Entrepreneurship and SME policy in Japan 7.5 Entrepreneurship and SME policy in S. Korea 7.6 Summary of key points 7.7 Discussion questions and further reading 8. China 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Chinese economic developments 8.3 The role of SMEs in modern china 8.4 Chinese SME policy 8.5 Summary of key points 8.6 Discussion questions and further reading 9. Developing and Transition Economies 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Changing views of development policy 9.3 Policy challenges in developing countries 9.4 Policy challenges in transition economies 9.5 Policy and capacity building 9.6 Summary of key points 9.7 Discussion questions and further reading 10. Evolution and Revolution: New Opportunities, Old Dangers 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Evolution 10.3 Revolution? 10.4 Summary of key points 10.5 Discussion questions and further reading

Robert J. Bennett is Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Cambridge, UK