Search results for "Stunted growth"

Unleashing Growth Potential in ‘Stunted’ SMEs: Insights from Simulator Experiments

2006

The literature recognises the phenomenon of 'dwarf' or 'stunted' small and micro firms (in Italian nanismo aziendale) and that they might represent potential lost opportunities for owners and the local economy. This paper describes the development of a simple 'insight' model to simulate the behaviour of such firms. The model replicates the basic no-growth, cyclical behaviour attributed to them and shows how changes in targets and attitudes towards asset management can change that behaviour to one of stable growth. In this simple form, the model does link behaviours to system structure and could support individual entrepreneurs in understanding the reasons for dwarfism in their firm and the …

Fostering Entrepreneurs’ Capabilities to Outline Sustainable Strategies in ‘Stunted’ SMEs through Modelling and Simulation: a Dynamic Resource Based …

The literature recognises the phenomenon of ‘dwarf’ or ‘stunted’ small and micro firms (in Italian nanismo aziendale) and that they might represent potential lost opportunities for owners and the local economy. Based on a field survey conducted by Bianchi et al. (2003) and the analysis previously developed by the authors of this paper in sketching a simple ‘insight’ model to simulate the behaviour of such firms (Bianchi & Winch, 2005), this work aims to show further research developments in the effort to better understand the business dwarfism phenomenon. A system dynamics model replicating the basic no-growth, cyclical behaviour attributed to “stunted” SMEs is firstly analysed. Alterna…

'Stunted Growth' in small firms: How to turn them Round and Unleash their potential

Management Simulator as an Instrument to Aid Turning “Stunted Growth” Round in Family Businesses

2008

This paper is the fourth in a series which has described the role and construction of simulation models and a ‘Management Flight Simulator’ that could aid the entrepreneur-owners of so-called ‘dwarf’ or ‘stunted growth’ small firms to break out from the constraints holding them back. While the research presented to date has highlighted the issues in such companies, and has suggested that in many situations relatively simple changes only might be needed to unleash the growth potential of such firms, effecting such changes is not likely to be that “simple” in real life. It has to be possible for affected owner-entrepreneurs to understand a number of factors: that there is a problem (or opport…