Finding ways of creating job opportunities is a commonly discussed topic among policy makers, especially in the context of the struggling world economy. Studies have shown that small firms, in particular young high-growth firms greatly contribute to job creation (Barba 2014; Birch, 1987; Lawless, 2014). However, research show that there is a gap between the view scholars in the field of entrepreneurship has of measures of firm growth and how practitioners perceive the same (Achtenhagen et al., 2010). Connecting scholars understanding and view of growth to that of practitioners will be important to drive growth. Studies on firm growth do exist, however empirical studies on the changes during growth remain sparse. The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the internal activities and processes that occur in a firm during growth. By investigating a firm on a micro-level, this study will contribute to the understanding of which activities take place in a firm when it goes from being small and entrepreneurial to become a well-established player. This thesis main contribution to research is the adding of empirical depth and understanding of the processes and activities taking place when a firm grows.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative rod, aerobic, non-fermenting, oxidase positive, pigment producing, and nutritionally versatile bacterium. Infections by P. aeruginosa are the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, given virulence factor production that suppresses antibiotic therapy and promotes persistent infection. This research is the first comprehensive report of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway for all phases of growth in minimal and rich media coupled with the evaluation of virulence factor production of P. aeruginosa in comparison to four other bacterial species (Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Burkholderia cepacia, and Escherichia coli wild-type strains). Cellular growth and passing genetic information to the next generation depend on the synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, the precursors of DNA and RNA. The pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway is essential and found in most organisms, with the exception of a few parasites that depend upon the pyrimidine salvage pathway for growth. Both the pyrimidine biosynthetic and salvage enzymes are targets for chemotherapeutic agents. In our laboratory, research on pyrimidine auxotrophic mutants showed the role of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway and its intermediates on P. aeruginosa metabolism and impaired virulence factors production. The present research shows that pyrimidine enzymes are active in all phases of growth, including the production of two forms of ATCase in the late log phase in P. aeruginosa. This finding may be explained by the displacement of the inactive PyrC' by the active PyrC or PyrC2 to form a new and larger pyrBC encoded ATCase. Pseudomonas aeruginosa wild-type appears to produce by far the most virulence factors, haemolysin, iron chelation, rhamnolipid, adherence, and three types of motility (swimming, swarming, and twitching) investigated in this study, when compared to the other four wild-type strains. Growth analysis was carried out as typically done in minimal medium but also in rich medium to simulate conditions in the blood and lung tissues of humans as P. aeruginosa infections develop.

The purpose of this study is to examine what internal barriers arise and how these have been managed during different stages of growth in Swedish high-growth firms. The study’s model of analysis is based on Barth’s (2004) framework of barriers and Greiner’s (1972) model of five phases of growth. Through nine semi-structured interviews with senior managers, the study examines internal tangible and intangible barriers experienced by Swedish high-growth firms. The study’s findings indicate that the companies, initially characterized by a lack of structure, need formal systems due to their rapid growth. The introduction of the systems creates new barriers, making competent leadership a crucial requirement. Barriers related to planning and strategy decrease in later phases of growth, indicating that these must be overcome for successful growth. Overall, the study suggests that internal barriers differ in the respective growth phases and thus emphasizes the importance of adaptive management. / Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka vilka interna barriärer som uppstår och hur dessa har hanterats under olika tillväxtfaser i svenska high-growth firms. Studiens analysmodell bygger på Barths (2004) framework of barriers och Greiners (1972) model of five phases of growth. Genom nio semistrukturerade intervjuer med högt uppsatta chefer undersöker studien interna tangibla och intangibla barriärer som svenska tillväxtbolag har upplevt. Studiens resultat visar att företagen, som från början kännetecknades av brist på struktur, behöver formella system på grund av sin snabba tillväxt. Införandet av systemen skapar nya barriärer, vilka gör kompetent ledarskap till ett avgörande krav. Barriärer relaterade till planering och strategi minskar i senare tillväxtfaser, vilket indikerar att dessa måste hanteras för fortsatt tillväxt. Sammantaget tyder studien på att interna barriärer skiljer sig åt i respektive tillväxtfas och betonar därmed vikten av följsam styrning.