While research on alternatives to growth at the level of the economy as a whole isudaccumulating, few studies have related the criticism of growth to the business level. Thisudpaper starts to address this gap by investigating mechanisms of growth for small and mediumudsized enterprises (SMEs), presenting a case study that applies Q methodology and interviewsudwith owner-managers of both growing and non-growing SMEs in Austria. Some mechanismsudstimulating growth are identified across SMEs including contributing to innovativeness andudmotivation of employees. Others are only of relevance for some SMEs: competition, financialudstability and a desire for market power. The owner-managers of non-growing SMEs holdudvalues and pursue goals that free them from mechanisms of growth or prevent them fromudbeing triggered. Moreover, they exhibit a strong identification with their SME, operate inudniche markets and strive for financial independence. This illustrates that a growth imperativeudis neither inevitable nor are growth mechanisms always operative, but depend upon structuresudand institutions.
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