Abstract
DAVID SMALIBONE IS A SENIOR LECTURER IN the school of Geography and planning at Middlsex Polytechnic, Engalnad,with urrentresearch interest in enterprise agaencies, new business and adjusttment processes in nature small frims. this paer aims to ccontribute to knowlede of the charctersitics nd problems of new firms through a lngtudiinal study of a group ofo new business helped tostart by a loca lenterpriise eagency, a unique British organisatiion which provides free or low-cost advice andsupport to young firm and which are themselves funded by laarge local business and local authorities. The characteristics of survving andfaled businesses are described, together wiith theproblems faced in the itnitial trading periodl. the role of external agencies n provding continued support aftr start upsi also discussed breifly. Apart from contributing to a more informed assesment of the recent grwth in the number of new business and self-employed, the paer outlines smeimplcation of the findings for improving the qualty of new business starts.
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