The encouragement of the birth and growth of high technology small firms is a major goal of both national and regional government planning agencies. However, while there is broad agreement on the increasing value of this type of small firm to future industrial expansion beyond the year 2000, there is little hard evidence on which to base measures to encourage the rate of new firm formation and subsequent growth. This book aids policy prescription by providing a detailed study of regional variations in the management of innovation in high technology small firms. The empirical research considers all the major management factors that are inputs to the innovation process through a time-series study of innovation in British and American high technology small firms. In conclusion, results of this study form the basis of a radical new policy approach to the promotion of growth in high technology small firms.

RAYMOND OAKEY has been a lecturer at the Department of Business Organization, Heriot-Watt University since 1985.

ROY ROTHWELL is Senior Research Fellow of the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex.

SARAH COOPER is a research associate at the Department of Business Organization at Heriot-Watt University.