Entrepreneurship and management
A book entitled "The business platform: Entrepreneurship and management in the early stages of a firm's development" has recently been published by the European Association for the Transfer of Technologies, Innovation and Industrial Information (TII). The publication, through the presentation of three case studies, identifies a total of eight different factors which contribute to the success and growth of new technology based start-ups. These eight elements form the cornerstones of what is described in the publication as the business platform. The book is written by is Dr Magnus Klofsten of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Linköping in Sweden, one of the few universities in Europe to offer courses on entrepreneurship. It is particularly timely in the light of the recent Commission debate on how to foster innovation and technology-based start-ups. A major part of the publication is dedicated to case studies of company start-ups and an analysis of how each performed. The publication is also designed as a self-test aid for entrepreneurs or business support professionals seeking to evaluate a company's progress in the early years of development.