Review by Chris Bilton, Centre for Cultural Policy Studies, University of Warwick
(Demos, 2001, ISBN 1-84180-045-7 £9.95 [£12.79 inc. p&p]*)
This book highlights the role of micro-enterprises and entrepreneurs in a new economy based on ideas and knowledge. Most arts professionals could claim to have a stake in this economy, but the book?s real interest is more narrow and exclusive, focusing on high-tech, digital and media businesses. In order to build a sustainable knowledge economy, the authors argue that we need to address the problem of the ?missing middle? ? the lack of mature, medium-sized British firms positioned between successful micro-enterprise start-ups and global multimedia conglomerates.
This gap in turn reflects the government?s failure to build an effective infrastructure to support growing knowledge businesses. Support needs to become more flexible and customised, through a mix of deregulation, education and training, new sources of finance and departmental restructuring.
Perhaps in a bid to impress national policy makers, the book ?talks up? the economic potential of knowledge entrepreneurship on the back of somewhat sketchy evidence. The assumption that business growth is desirable ignores the recent, painful lessons learned by dot.com entrepreneurs and the rich diversity of their goals ? bigger may not mean better. The focus on national government policy leaves relatively little space for regional and local interventions ? an important omission in relation to network building and ?clustering?. Finally, the slippery nature of ?knowledge? itself is glossed over. The book?s narrow focus on one set of businesses, and on the economic dimension of knowledge as a straightforward commodity, inevitably leaves a lot out.
The familiar Demos mix of anecdotes, lists of ?key characteristics? and brevity makes this an accessible and informative bluffer?s guide to the knowledge economy. Whether you buy the underlying arguments will probably depend on whether you share the authors? faith in economic progress and the effectiveness of national government.
* SAM?s Books is a specialist supplier of books for arts professionals. For further information and invoicing, contact: SAM?s Books, Chaldon Court, Church Lane, Chaldon, Caterham, CR3 5AL, t/f: 01883 345011 e: books@sam-arts.demon.co.uk w: http://www.sam-arts.demon.co.uk