Managing to survive

the long version

This book provides a fascinating account of a hitherto unexplored world. Its insights stem from the author's unique position as an insider, with years of experience working in the industry, who has stepped outside it to analyse its dynamics and relate it to its context. The study combines a detailed portrait of a distinctive sector with analysis which uses the case study to address wider debates. These include the regulation of the workplace, the role of management in handling uncertainty and the place of gender and ethnicity at work. The case itself is based on a year-long study of three firms in the West Midlands, UK, but the author also has drawn on his experience as a manager and consultant in the sector to provide an in-depth account of how small firms actually work.