The High Growth in New Metal-Based Manufacturing and Business Service Firms in Finland

This study examined the effects of the factors involved in the start-up situation and the first seven years' development on the subsequent high growth of firms. The criterion of success used in this study was high growth in business during the first seven years. The subjects were Finnish metal products manufacturing firms and business service firms established in 1990. The results indicated, firstly, that it is the internal networks of firms that bring about competitive advantage, innovations and efficiency. In these entrepreneurial team-driven firms a group of people participate in the strategic management of the firm. It was also found that co-operation between firms and changes in external personal networks contributed to a high rate of growth. The empirical results showed that new firms had equal chances for growth irrespective of their locality. On the other hand, growth was affected by changes in a new firm's competitive situation and by changes in strategic factors. The results also clearly indicated that high growth firms were characterised by rising productivity of labour at the same time as they were generating new jobs.