Small Business Growth: Intention, Ability, and Opportunity

Abstract

The article reviews the literature associated with small business growth, intentions, abilities and opportunities with a view to identifying a schema or framework that would assist with the identification of pro-growth small businesses. In addition, it reports the findings of a study that researched businesses located in the municipality of Maribyrnong situated in the west of Melbourne City, Victoria in Australia. The key focus of the study was to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of factors and characteristics that contribute to a pro-growth small business orientation. Growth in relation to small businesses represents a complex matter and is multidimensional in scope and character. It embraces a convergence of owner-manager ambitions, intentions and competencies, internal organizational factors and region specific resources. A key distinguishing feature of a pro-growth small business is a balanced alignment of the owner-manager's intention, the abilities of business and the opportunity environment. The intention is formed, drawing from the owner-manager's personal and demographic variables and internal value system. The range of ability and opportunity variables confirms the literature findings.