Examining the role of the public sector in small-business debt-capital formation, this book describes current approaches, conceptually and pragmatically, and evaluates their advantages and disadvantages from a variety of perspectives. It also suggests a model for improving our approach to small business capital formation in the United States.Financing small business creation and expansion has always been difficult. Private debt capital providers tend to avoid small business because the latter are preceived to be too risky. Yet because of the importance of small businesses to national economic growth, stability, and innovation, ensuring that these businesses can obtain and effectively use appropriate levels of debt capital is vital to national well-being. How, and to what extent, should the public sector intervene in the debt capital markets to ensure that sufficient capital flows to small businesses? This book is an attempt to answer that question.
Small businesses have increasingly been recognized as a source of innovation, and one way in which the Federal government encourages such innovation is through the Small Business Innovation Research program. SBIR sets aside 2.5 percent of federal agencies' R&D budgets for R&D grants to small business. Although the program's budget was nearly $1.2 billion in 1998, SBIR has been subject to relatively little outside review. As part of the STEP's ongoing project on Government-Industry Partnerships, the Board convened policymakers, academic researchers, and representatives from small business to discuss the program's history and rationale, review existing research, and identify areas for further research and program improvements. Table of Contents Front Matter I. Preface II. Introduction III. Proceedings Panel I: History and Current Legislative Perspective on the SBIR Program Panel II: Research Perspectives on the SBIR Panel III: Case Studies Luncheon Address Panel IV: Program Challenges?Operational Views Panel V: Improving Assessment and Selection Panel VI: Observations and Policy Issues: Agency Perspectives Conclusion A. ?Public Venture Capital?: Rationales and Evaluation B. The Small Business Innovation Research Program and NSF SBIR Commercialization Results C. Participants List D. Bibliography
In 1992, Congress for the first time explicitly directed the federal agencies making SBIR grants to use commercial potential as a criterion for granting SBIR awards. In response, the Department of Defense developed the SBIR Fast Track initiative, which provides expedited decision-making for SBIR awards to companies that have commitments from outside vendors. To verify the effectiveness of this initiative, the DoD asked the STEP Board to assess the operation of Fast Track. This volume of original field research includes case studies comparing Fast Track and non-Fast Track firms, a large survey of SBIR awardees, and statistical analyses of the impact of regular SBIR and Fast Track awards. Collectively, the commissioned papers and the findings and recommendations represent a significant contribution to our understanding of the SBIR program. Table of Contents Front Matter I. Preface II. Introduction III. Recommendations and Findings IV. Papers: Fast Track: Is It Speeding Commercialization of Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research Projects? An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research rogram in New England: Fast Track Compared with Non-Fast Track Projects Patterns of Firm Participation in the Small Business Innovation Research Program in Southwestern and Mountain States Does the Small Business Innovation Research Program Foster Entrepeneurial Behavior? Evidence from Indiana An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Fast Track Program in the Southeastern States Evaluation of the Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Fast Track Initiative: A Balanced Approach Role of the Department of Defense in Building Biotech Expertise Estimates of the Social Returns to Small Business Innovation Research Projects Statistical Analysis of the National Academy of Sciences Survey of SBIR Awardees: Analyzing the Influence of the Fast Track Program Evaluating the Small Business Innovation Research Program: A Literature Review Annex A. Research Team Biographies Annex B. Participants Annex C. Case Study Template Annex D. Description of Department of Defense SBIR Fast Track Program Annex E. Bibliography
This book introduces the world of small business and details its diverse management aspects. It also presents the most current concerns of small business today, including the expanding world of electronic commerce.
Cheap and easy ideas for starting a small business 101 Small Business Ideas for Under $5,000 offers practical, real-world advice for turning ideas and skills into a successful small business. The book presents great ideas for simple small businesses that readers can undertake either full-time or in their spare time and covers all the issues readers need to know -startup costs, legal issues, accounting, taxes, and everything else. Once readers decide what business is right for them, the authors provide sensible business plans for making it happen. They show wannabe entrepreneurs how to get started, find funding, and build a sales and marketing program. Legal, zoning, and insurance requirements are provided for each business idea, as well as advice on expanding the business-and the profits. Future business owners who don't know where to start will find everything they need here.
For most small businesses, attracting new customers is a never-ending cycle of frustration and confusion. "Simple Small Business Marketing: 77 Free and Low Cost Ways Proven To Attract New Customers" gives small businesses the marketing strategies they need to put a never ending flow of new customers into their sales pipeline. If you don't want to spend a small fortune on marketing your small business, this book was written exactly for someone like you.What's Inside the Book?- 77 innovative ways to market your small business and increase sales using low cost marketing strategies.- Secret and 'Stealth' marketing strategies for finding new customers.- How to make powerful offers to instantly attract new customers to your business.- How to sway even the most skeptical prospect into buying your product or service.- Innovative ways to get other businesses to market your products at no cost to you.- A practically no cost way to make all your employees happy, while getting them to sell more.- The biggest marketing mistake that small businesses are making that's costing them thousands-of-dollars, and how to fix this mistake.- The little known secret top online retailers are using to increase their profits on the Internet and how you can do the same.- The most important marketing element to attracting more new customers than you'll ever need.- How you can "give something away" to generate large numbers of leads.- How to increase sales by 10%, 25%...or 50% more by asking a simple question.- These 3 little words that will change how you market your small business and attract new customers.- How to get your suppliers to market your small business.- The most important element in any advertisement which when included, will force your prospects to read your advertisements.- Why putting your telephone number in any advertisement is costing you new customers.Plus 3 Bonus Sections: - Marketing Mistakes That Kill Business Profits.- Powerful Strategies Guaranteed To Grow Any Business.- How to Quickly & Profitably Grow Any Business With Little Or No Additional Money Or Risk.
Do you want your business to grow and be successful? The answer is YES. According to small business trends 9 out of 10 businesses fail during the first year. The purpose of this book is to make your company successful despite the current trend. You will learn business survival tips such as customer acquisition strategies, successful operation methods, and much more.
The practical guide to learning the essentials of starting your own business in just one week Thinking about starting a business? Then Learn Small Business Startup in 7 Days is the book for you. Guiding you through the key aspects of getting a new business up and running, from a self assessment about whether you are really prepared, through to finance, marketing, and legal issues, highly sought-after small business commentator Heather Smith covers it all. Carefully explaining everything you need to know to efficiently and effectively start a business, the book comprehensively covers the basics in 7 chapters, one for every day it will take you to get ready to leave the rat race and live your small business dream. Covers everything you need to know to start and prosper as a small business ownerHelps you gauge whether running a small business is right for youOffers expert advice from a highly-respected small-business specialist While running a small business allows you to turn your passion into your livelihood, it is also often very demanding on your time, your cash reserves, and your sanity. With this book in hand, you have everything you need to lay a solid foundation for small business success.
Plan, launch, and run your small business with confidence with the MICROSOFT SMALL BUSINESS KIT. This one-stop resource offers expert advice for entrepreneurs—spanning everything from building a business plan and finding financing to managing daily operations, customer relations, marketing, e-commerce, and more. You’ll discover how to work smarter using the right software tools—such as Microsoft Office 2003 Small Business Edition and Microsoft Small Business Server 2003—to effectively manage your data and communications. And you get a wealth of job aids, templates, demos, evaluation software, content for vertical markets such as retail, and other resources on the CD. Key Book Benefits: Whether you’re planning a start-up or managing an established business, get the expert advice and tools you need to work smarter and get more done Shows you how to manage documents and data using Microsoft Office and other technologies CD includes job aids, templates, demos, evaluation software, in-depth content for vertical markets, and other reference materials CD-romskiva ingår
