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Approaching rural firm growth: a literature review

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  • Maria Tunberg

Abstract

Purpose - – This review investigates the extent and content of research into rural firm growth, and identifies and describes various approaches to studying firm growth. Design/methodology/approach - – The paper is guided by the systematic literature review framework which, combined with a qualitative assessment, ensures a rigorous review. An initial set of 200 peer reviewed articles was included in the review. During the quality assessment stage this set was reduced to 50 articles which were analysed in depth. Findings - – Three approaches to firm growth are identified and explored, focusing on the output, process and context of firm growth. The results further indicate increasing interest in rural firm growth and identify six themes constituting the research field. Originality/value - – Firm growth is advocated as a solution to development challenges, especially in rural settings. However, the firm growth literature is dominated by outcome-based research, often focused on technology-based businesses in dynamic urban regions, whose results are not easily transferable to rural contexts. This review contributes by mapping the current state of knowledge in the field, by articulating and discussing taken-for-granted assumptions with regard to firm growth and by identifying three approaches to firm growth, of which the context approach is the least common but which may prove valuable to further increase in the understanding of rural firm growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Tunberg, 2014. "Approaching rural firm growth: a literature review," Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 8(4), pages 261-286, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:jecpps:v:8:y:2014:i:4:p:261-286
    DOI: 10.1108/JEC-11-2013-0039
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jean-Luc Arregle & Francesco Chirico & Liena Kano & Sumit K. Kundu & Antonio Majocchi & William S. Schulze, 2021. "Family firm internationalization: Past research and an agenda for the future," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(6), pages 1159-1198, August.
    2. Maria Tunberg & Alistair R. Anderson, 2020. "Growing a small firm; experiences and managing difficult processes," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1445-1463, December.
    3. Backman, Mikaela & Palmberg, Johanna, 2015. "Contextualizing small family firms: How does the urban–rural context affect firm employment growth?," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 247-258.
    4. Massimo Baù & Francesco Chirico & Daniel Pittino & Mikaela Backman & Johan Klaesson, 2019. "Roots to Grow: Family Firms and Local Embeddedness in Rural and Urban Contexts," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(2), pages 360-385, March.
    5. Gregory Shumbambiri & Dr Judith Mwenje, 2023. "Family Business Literature Overview: Towards Achieving Family Business Growth," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(5), pages 942-951, May.
    6. Alistair R. Anderson & Johan Gaddefors, 2016. "Entrepreneurship as a community phenomenon; reconnecting meanings and place," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 28(4), pages 504-518.

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