Employment, the Small Firm and the Labour Market

Few would deny that the "enterprise culture" drive in the 1980s gained its impetus from the perceived role of small firms in creating employment. This volume provides a rigorous examination of key issues relating to employment in small businesses. These include analysis of the true extent of job creation provided by small firms, the relative "quality" of jobs in small firms, the growth of self-employment during the 1980s and the way in which the small firm interacts with its local labour markets. These issued are examined in an international context, with comparative examples given from the United States, the UK and Europe. The research presented in these essays provides little support for many of the tenets of public policy towards small firms which focused on employment creation during the 1980s. It suggests instead that many government policies such as taxation may in fact have had the reverse effect to that intended. This volume will be relevant to current economic developments. It should be of particular interest to students of small business studies, economics, employment studies and public policy.