Growing a Business

All growth involves change. All successful businesses, from start-ups to multinational conglomerates, go through periods of rapid transformation. Change never ends: what worked last year won't necessarily work next year, which means having to fix things that are not yet broken. Start-ups may pay too little attention to the company structure. Larger firms must contend with different divisions evolving at varying speeds. The biggest multinationals may be weighed down by bureaucracy, willing but not able to change. Every aspect of a business, large or small, can be affected: human resources, marketing, finance, organisational design, performance management and much more.

This revised and updated Guide to Managing Growth draws on new case studies and the latest academic research to explore different aspects of growth, and outline strategies and tactics that will help firms recognize and overcome the hidden dangers of expansion.