Dec 30, 2009
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the second, revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Small Business (EOSB-2). Like the first edition, this encyclopedia is published in recognition of a growing trend toward entrepreneurship and small business development in North America. Countless studies indicate that small business enterprises continue to be a vital component of economic growth, and both academic research and anecdotal evidence suggest that entrepreneurial ventures have increased in size, number, and importance in recent years.
EOSB-2 serves as a one-stop source for valuable and in-depth information on a wide range of topics of interest to small business owners, including:
The 480 entries held over from the previous edition have been revised and updated to reflect changing practices and emerging trends in the business world. In addition, EOSB-2 features 120 new essays on a variety of topics suggested by our distinguished panel of advisors. These entries expand the Encyclopedia's coverage of electronic commerce, Internet security, and other issues that have arisen to challenge small business owners, such as:
As in the first edition, special emphasis is given to how these issues—many of which affect businesses of all sizes and in all industries—impact small businesses, from new entrepreneurial ventures to well-established family businesses to rapidly growing enterprises poised for expansion into new markets and emerging industries.
Finally, EOSB-2 is written so that it is accessible and relevant to entrepreneurs and small business owners from a variety of backgrounds. Whether the Encyclopedia's user is a budding entrepreneur looking for sources of venture capital, an established business owner interested in pursuing Internet commerce, a veteran free-lancer hoping to expand her client base, or a retiring business owner looking to pass his business on to the next generation, EOSB-2 contains a great deal of information to help guide their efforts.
USER'S GUIDE
EOSB-2 has been designed for ease of use. The 600 essays are arranged alphabetically by topic in two volumes, with Volume 1 covering essays beginning with A–I and Volume 2 containing essays J–Z. Special features that can be found within individual essays include the following:
The second, revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Small Business also includes a Master Index, which can be found at the back of Volume 2. This index contains alphabetical references to the following, as mentioned in EOSB-2 essays: important terms in accounting, finance, human resources, marketing, operations management, organizational development, and other areas of interest to small business owners; names of institutions, organizations, associations, government agencies, and relevant legislation; and "see also" references. Each index term is followed by volume and page numbers, which easily direct the user to main topics as well as to all secondary reference terms as mentioned above.
ADVISORY BOARD
The editors would like to thank the following individuals for their advice and suggestions in generating the topic list for EOSB-2: Galen Avery, Librarian, Spengler Nathanson PLL, Toledo, Ohio; Arthur Cheroske, Business Librarian, San Francisco Public Library; Linda Fritschel, Business Librarian, Minneapolis Public Library; Dr. Marilyn M. Helms, Professor and Sesquicentennial Endowed Chair, Division of Business and Technology, Dalton State College, Dalton, Georgia; and Dietmar U. Wagner, Business Librarian, Ann Arbor Public Library.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
The editors would like to express their sincere appreciation to contributing writers Dr. Marilyn M. Helms, Amy Lucas, Matthew M. Totsky, and Karen Troshynski-Thomas.
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
We welcome any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the Encyclopedia of Small Business. Please contact:
Editor
Encyclopedia of Small Business
The Gale Group
27500 Drake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48331-3535
Toll-free Phone: 800-347-GALE
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