Principal Topic
High growth firms have shown to be an important factor for creating jobs in the economy at large. It has therefore been an increasing interest in this phenomenon from media, politics and academia. In spite of a large research effort, the knowledge about this phenomenon is still limited because there are few common results regarding the factors of importance for the creation of high growth firms. Some researcher claim that the entrepreneurs’ characteristics and the firms network and microenvironment are important whereas other claim that institutions in society in large are the most important factors. The purpose of this study is to deeper investigate the characteristics of high growth firms and to explore the factors that can explain the development of those firms. As earlier studies about high growth firms in Sweden has shown a strong connection between growth and internationalization, the firms international development will be highlighted.
Method
In an earlier study seven different types of firms were identified based on secondary data. In this second study, deep case studies will be conducted to get a deeper understanding of why these firms grow. Here the elite of the elite of the different types, super growers, will be further investigated. Super growers achieve higher growth in sales, organic employment and total employment than other groups in absolute and relative terms. Super growers were over-represented in young and growing industries, such as the business system industry. Three Swedish companies in that industry are chosen as case companies. Historical and a real time information will be collected. Secondary data and personal interviews will be used. The different cases will be confronted with each other and different theoretical approaches will be confronted with the cases in order to generate new knowledge about high growth firms.
Implications
This research intends to have implication for academia, practitioners and policy makers. For academia this explorative research intends to identify which factors that are important to understand the phenomenon of high growth firms. Practitioners and policymakers can learn from these findings and if the intention is to create high growth and job creation, concentrate on actions that will favor that development.