Abstract :
This paper seeks to stimulate debate on the agendas, methodologies and methods used in
the field of small business and entrepreneurship. The paper raises questions regarding the
research agendas pursued and provides some pointers for the direction of future research.
Integral to this is the argument that there is a need to reflect on the condition of smallbusiness
research and to raise the quality of research by employing robust research methods.
This may involve questioning the role of small firms and entrepreneurship in society
rather than merely advocating them and the policy measures taken when supporting
and/or developing the small business sector. The dominance of specific viewpoints, the
methodologies used in small business studies, and the consequences of these in relation to
the development of a coherent scientific field of small business studies are also discussed.
Examples of research activity are discussed to illustrate these themes. Overall, the paper
argues that entrepreneurship and small business is a lucrative area for research. However, if
the field of inquiry is to flourish, it needs to be approached from a more critical perspective,
instead of merely accepting normative, or even strongly ideologically driven, standpoints now
dominant in so many studies. This has implications for research agendas, methodologies and
ultimately research methods training.
