Abstract
The conventional image of the small business owner is that of a highly independent individual, taking risks and 'doing it tough' with limited assistance from others. However, research conducted in the United Kingdom and Australia with high performance small firms suggest that this is not so. A multivariate data analysis of the relationship between business management practice and sales growth performance identified the importance of partnering. This refers to the process of working in partnership with people who affect the business. Partnering involves creating and maintaining partnerships with everyone who affects your business. Working in partnership involves the creative talents and energies of everyone who can affect your business. The effect is that everyone, from staff through to supplier and customers, works together for mutual gain. These findings suggest that the owner of a small business needs to view himself or herself less as a lonely, isolated battler and more as someone who can gain from partnering. A willingness to seek strategic alliances can prove a valuable source of potential growth for small firms.
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