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In this empirical study we investigated which company characteristics and which characteristics of population demography and firm location discriminate strongly and weakly growing firms in the Flemish part of Belgium. At the same time we examined whether existing governmental growth incentives actually are positively related to firm growth. Further, differences in growth between provinces and between industries in Flanders were analysed. Stepwise logistic regression was applied to growth categories identifying the 25% strongest and the 25% weakest growing companies on the investment level (growth in value added and total assets) and on the employment level (growth in the number of employees). The results show that a healthy financial situation is positively related to employment growth and especially investment growth. Governmental efforts to strengthen growth also seem to exhibit a positive relationship with either investment or employment growth. The height of the social security contributions--often indicated as the culprit for the weak international competitive position of Belgian firms--on the other hand seems to be negatively correlated with both growth measures. Further, we found evidence for significant correlations between demographic characteristics of the population as well as firm location and firm growth. Industry wise, the low growth performance of "wholesale trade, retail trade, hotels, restaurants and pubs, repair" (NACE division 6) and "other processing industries" (NACE division 4) became evident. Regionally, the figures show growth to be significantly weaker for firms situated around the central axis Antwerp-Brussels. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Contents: 1. Introduction: Rigour and relevance in European entrepreneurship research / Eddy Laveren, Robert Blackburn, Ulla Hytti and Hans Landström -- Part I: Rigour and relevance of entrepreneurship research -- 2. Relevance of entrepreneurship research / Johan Wiklund -- 3. The rigour - relevance debate: strategies to avoid creating an ivory tower in entrepreneurship research / Hans Landström -- 4. Introducing three academic conversations: critical entrepreneurship studies, entrepreneurship as practice and a radical processual approach to entrepreneurship / Piritta Parkkari and Karen Verduijn -- 5. Women and family firms: a state of the art literature review / Annalisa Sentuti, Francesca Maria Cesaroni and Serena Cubico -- Part II: Entrepreneurial mindset and intrapreneurial orientation -- 6. Toward a comprehensive measure of entrepreneurial mindset / Kelly G. Shaver and Immanuel Commarmond -- 7. Technology intrapreneurs - intrapreneurial orientation and potential of it students / Christine Blanka, David Rückel, Stefan Koch and Norbert Kailer -- Part III: Entrepreneurial behavior, resources and outcomes -- 8. Human capital, external relations, and early firm performance of technology-based start-ups / Hanna Rydehell, Anders Isaksson and Hans Löfsten -- 9. Disembeddedness, prior industry knowledge and opportunity creation processes / Caroline Wigren, Karin Hellerstedt, Maria Aggestam, Anna Stevenson and Ethel Brundin -- 10. "Dear crowd, let me tell you a story." The influence of emotions, authenticity and sense of community on entrepreneur's ability to acquire funds via crowdfunding / Amélie Wuillaume, Amélie Jacquemin and Frank Janssen -- 11. Freelancing and the struggle for work-time control / John Kitching and Marfuga Iskandarova -- Index.