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This thesis is concerned with the topic of the strategic management of technology as a source of competitive advantage in small high tech firms. The main objectives of this thesis were: to examine the corporate and technology strategy formulation processes within small high tech firms; to identify any change in these processes as the business and its core technologies mature; and to explore the role of the technical entrepreneur in initiating a strategic orientation within such firms. Empirical research proceeded in two phases. Phase One involved a postal survey based upon 519 small high tech firms located in UK science parks. 30 respondent firms were selected for Phase Two of empirical research, where in-depth company interviews were employed to investigate further the phenomena under scrutiny. Successful small high tech firms exhibit a strategic transformation over their life cycle. More formalised strategic management processes are implemented within such firms to support the organisation's evolution from an inward-looking orientation at inception focusing upon technological possibilities generated through R&D efforts, towards an outward orientation as core technologies mature, emphasising the need more closely to identify market opportunities in order to guide R&D activity. This research has confirmed that the professional orientation of company directors will determine whether technological considerations are subsumed within strategic planning processes, or whether they implicitly drive business activities. The required strategic reorientation of the business is unlikely to be achieved where management skills remain focused within narrow technical spheres and thus technological considerations dominate the strategy formulation process throughout each life cycle stage. Ultimately, the key determinant of success in the small high tech firm will be the ability of the technical entrepreneur to initiate a strategic orientation within the firm; this will require that he adapts philosphically and managerially as the firm grows, as core technologies mature and as marketing imperatives become the predominant force within the firm's chosen industry.

This study was concerned with the structure, functions and development, especially the performance, of some rural small firms associated with the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas (C?SIRA) of England. Forty firms were used as the main basis of analysis. For some aspects of the investigation, however, data from another 54 firms, obtained indirectly through nine CoSIRA Organisers, were also used. For performance-analysis, the 40 firms were firstly ranked according to their growth and profitability rates which were calculated from their financial data. Then each of the variables hypothesised to be related to performance was tested to ascertain its relationship with performance, using the Spearman's Rank Correlation technique. The analysis indicated that each of the four factors - the principal, the firm itself, its management, and the environment - had a bearing upon the performance of the firm. Within the first factor, the owner-manager's background and attitudes were found to be most important; in the second, the firm's size, age and scope of activities were also found to be correlated with performance; with respect to the third, it was revealed that firms which practised some forms of systems in planning, control and costing performed better than those which did not and, finally with respect to the fourth factor, it was found that some of the services provided by CoSIRA, especially credit finance, were facilitative to the firm's performance. Another significant facet of the firms highlighted by the study was their multifarious roles. These, meeting economic, psychological, sociological and political needs, were considered to be most useful to man and his society. Finally, the study has added light to the structural characteristics of the sampled firms, including various aspects of their development, orientation and organisation, as well as their various structural strengths and weakness.

This thesis investigates small employment growth businesses and their use of accountancy support in the Northern region of England. Two separate and independent surveys of accountants and small business in the region are used to explore this issue. The thesis also uses three robust measures of growth. The thesis finds that small firms that experience fast employment growth are more likely to use government sponsored support rather than the support provided by accountants or other sources. This is a surprising finding, particularly as accountancy support is often identified as being the most common source of support for small firms. The thesis then goes onto to investigate if this is due to a demand side failure. The thesis finds little evidence of this. It also finds that the supply of accountancy services is constrained and accountants adopt a reactive rather than proactive approach to their clients. The implication of these findings is that there is evidence to suggest that there is a supply-side failure in the provision of accountancy services to fast growth businesses. This suggests that publicly funded provision of support to small firms who have experienced employment growth is important. It also suggests that accountancy practitioners may have to re-orientate their support they offer to such clients.