This book is the first to seriously consider quality issues in smaller firms, based upon well-conducted research and careful theorizing. Subjects covered include:
* the relevance of formal quality standards such as BS 5750 to small firms
* definitions and implementations of 'quality' in a business context, from formal standards to Total Quality Management
* interviews with a selected sample of over 150 owner-managers
* detailed case studies of small firms
* analysis of self-generated quality strategies
* the variety of formal methods of quality control.


Intellectual property protection is increasingly becoming a central issue for businesses. This book provides a wealth of original research on intellectual property management in small and medium sized enterprises, while also addressing the context of innovation and knowledge management.