This paper reports research on business advisers' advice to small firms in the context of the UK attempt to target small business advice, through personal business advisers (PBAs), to growth firms. The study employed qualitative methods to elicit heuristics (‘rules of thumb’) that reflect business advisers' experience. The study corroborated the interview findings with a self-administered questionnaire to 175 personal business advisers employed in UK Business Links. The research reveals heuristics that advisers Use in an attempt to assess the management capability within the small firm. Advisers' responses emphasized control within the business, signalled by, for example, visible tidiness. The paper develops a systems model of small business management incorporating owner-manager objectives, strategies (including growth) and control (including profitability). Finally, the paper considers the implications for government policies aimed towards support for growth-oriented small firms.
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