"The anthology "Small Businesses, Big Ideas: Global Case Studies in Strategy, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship" introduces students to small businesses on four continents to help them understand the challenges inherent in running small businesses, as well as the strategies that lead to success.
The book features an overview of each region along with an assessment of the small business landscape. Case study chapters open with an original introduction that helps students focus their reading. These chapters also include maps of the target region to contextualize the material and underscore the impact of geography.
Students learn that small businesses account for the greatest part of the gross domestic product in most countries. They study general management, sustainable development, international expansion, stewardship issues, marketing, and the role of cultural issues all with an emphasis on small businesses rather than major corporations. This knowledge prepares students for their own careers in small businesses.
"Small Businesses, Big Ideas" is an excellent supplement for both undergraduate and graduate level courses in strategic management. It can also be used in classes in entrepreneurial studies, global management, and marketing.
Holly J. Hitzemann, M.B.A., is a successful entrepreneur and the founder of three firms including the stock photo company Great American Stock, which sold products and services in 64 countries. Ms. Hitzemann's background spans the physical sciences, international business and financing, environmental science, and small business management. Currently she teaches marketing, management, finance, and business sustainability at the University of New Mexico and is in the early launch phase of her new organization, the For My Earth Project, which will create and sell books celebrating the achievements of children engaged in restoring, preserving, or protecting their environments.""