Catherine Needham is Reader in Public Policy and Public Management at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. She has written extensively on social care.Kerry Allen is a lecturer at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. Her research interests include participatory research and the design and delivery of social care services.Kelly Hall is a Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Birmingham. Her research interests include health and social care social enterprises and micro-enterprises.

"A well-researched contribution by leading experts in this subject. Essential reading for policy professionals, providers of social care and the growing social and micro-enterprise community." Alex Murdock, Professor Emeritus, London South Bank University

• Introduction: what size is ‘just right’ for a care provider?;Why study size?;Enterprise and care;Methods for co-productive research;What it means to be micro;Micro-enterprises: better outcomes at a lower cost;Enacting personalisation on a micro scale;Micro innovation: what, how and who?;How micro-enterprise performs;Sustainability: are micro-enterprises built to last?;Conclusion: scaling down?;Appendix 1: Site one interview schedule;Appendix 2: Adapted ASCOT tool;Appendix 3: Developing the innovation theme codes.

Catherine Needham is Reader in Public Policy and Public Management at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. She has written extensively on social care.Kerry Allen is a lecturer at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. Her research interests include participatory research and the design and delivery of social care services.Kelly Hall is a Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Birmingham. Her research interests include health and social care social enterprises and micro-enterprises.

"A well-researched contribution by leading experts in this subject. Essential reading for policy professionals, providers of social care and the growing social and micro-enterprise community." Alex Murdock, Professor Emeritus, London South Bank University

• Introduction: what size is ‘just right’ for a care provider?;Why study size?;Enterprise and care;Methods for co-productive research;What it means to be micro;Micro-enterprises: better outcomes at a lower cost;Enacting personalisation on a micro scale;Micro innovation: what, how and who?;How micro-enterprise performs;Sustainability: are micro-enterprises built to last?;Conclusion: scaling down?;Appendix 1: Site one interview schedule;Appendix 2: Adapted ASCOT tool;Appendix 3: Developing the innovation theme codes.

Catherine Needham is Reader in Public Policy and Public Management at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. She has written extensively on social care.Kerry Allen is a lecturer at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. Her research interests include participatory research and the design and delivery of social care services.Kelly Hall is a Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Birmingham. Her research interests include health and social care social enterprises and micro-enterprises.

"A well-researched contribution by leading experts in this subject. Essential reading for policy professionals, providers of social care and the growing social and micro-enterprise community." Alex Murdock, Professor Emeritus, London South Bank University

• Introduction: what size is ‘just right’ for a care provider?;Why study size?;Enterprise and care;Methods for co-productive research;What it means to be micro;Micro-enterprises: better outcomes at a lower cost;Enacting personalisation on a micro scale;Micro innovation: what, how and who?;How micro-enterprise performs;Sustainability: are micro-enterprises built to last?;Conclusion: scaling down?;Appendix 1: Site one interview schedule;Appendix 2: Adapted ASCOT tool;Appendix 3: Developing the innovation theme codes.