This book is intended to provide information and resources that entrepreneurs can use to navigate the challenging waters of managing and growing an emerging company. The book begins with a survey of emerging company growth models based on theoretical and empirical research that has been conducted over the course of the last several decades. The research is then used as the foundation to chart a hypothetical path for the evolution of an emerging growth company, realizing that there is no universal solution and that each entrepreneur must confront and overcome her or his unique set of problems. Subsequent chapters deal with managing growth and change and knowledge-intensive firms, as well as with steps that need to be taken when a company gets into financial trouble or is otherwise embroiled in a crisis situation. The last chapter discusses how companies can manage their reputation, which is an important subject given that there is growing evidence that a substantial percentage of a company's value in the eyes of investors and consumers is tied to its reputation.
