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Death is not a success: reflections on business exit

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journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 19:17 authored by Alex Coad
This article is a critical evaluation of claims that business exits should not be seen as failures, on the grounds that may constitute voluntary liquidation, or because they are learning opportunities. This can be seen as further evidence of bias affecting entrepreneurship research, where failures are repackaged as successes. This article reiterates that the majority of business exits are unsuccessful. Drawing on ideas from the organisational life course, it is suggested that business ‘death’ is a suitable term for describing business closure. Even cases of voluntary ‘harvest liquidation’ such as retirement can be meaningfully described as business deaths.

Funding

Brighton Fuse 2 (Brighton University lead); G1311; AHRC-ARTS & HUMANITIES RESEARCH COUNCIL; AH/L504026/1

Workforce skills and Innovation; G0736; ESRC-ECONOMIC & SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL; ES/F008427/1

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

International Small Business Journal

ISSN

0266-2426

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Issue

7

Volume

32

Page range

721-732

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2014-12-15

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-03-22

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-08-11

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