Title
A field guide for gazelle hunters: Small, old firms are unlikely to become high-growth firms
Date Issued
01 June 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Karlsson J.
Waseda Business School
Publisher(s)
Elsevier Inc.
Abstract
We map the distribution of High-Growth Firms (HGFs, or “gazelles”) across the dimensions of firm size and firm age using contour plots, where firm size and growth are measured in terms of employees. The analysis is based on Swedish total population data for the period 1990–2016, covering approximately 11, 000, 000 firm-year observations. The results show that the majority of HGFs are small, which partly follows the high representation of small firms in the population. Yet when considering the proportions of HGFs across firm ages and sizes, a distinct feature emerges in that the territory of small, old firms appears to be almost completely deserted—despite their large overall numbers—where firms in this category have the (by far) lowest chances of becoming HGFs.
Volume
17
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Negocios, Administración
Economía
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85119374445
Source
Journal of Business Venturing Insights
ISSN of the container
23526734
Sponsor(s)
The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government ( NRF-2018S1A3A2075175 ).
This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government ( NRF-2018S1A3A2075175 ). Karlsson gratefully acknowledges funding from the Centre of Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus