Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship in Hong Kong

A practical guide for executives and a comprehensive resource for management courses, based on hands-on, problem-solving experiences in successful Hong Kong companies.

Small and medium companies are the prime engine for economic growth in Hong Kong and to a large extent, in southern China. So-called “SMEs” account for 95 percent of companies in Hong Kong and employ about two-thirds of the workforce. The managers and entrepreneurs behind these companies contribute to all aspects of Hong Kong’s development. Yet it is interesting to note that the management of small businesses is significantly different from that of multinational companies. Management experiences vary widely on account of the different skills, resources and environmental pressures that SMEs face. There is no doubt that the various facets of SME management warrant deeper study.

The University of Hong Kong’s Asia Case Research Centre (ACRC)—with the backing of the Trade and Industry Department of the Hong Kong Government—has undertaken the development of a series of case studies to showcase the challenges facing small businesses and entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, and some innovative approaches they adopted. The case studies are topically diverse, and span a range of managerial functions and sectors.

This casebook is an anthology of 28 cases from the series. The cases are written with a strong management perspective to offer a practical and interesting look at how successful entrepreneur-managers in Hong Kong systematically generate innovations in the shape of successful new products, services, processes and technologies when faced with various organizational and environmental challenges. They constitute a comprehensive self-contained course of study; each case can also be considered on its own.

Ali Farhoomand is the Director of the Asia Case Research Centre (ACRC) and a professor of business in the Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong.

“This is a much needed book that draws rich examples from numerous industries to showcase the critical importance of SMEs in shaping and steering Hong Kong’s economy. Through a series of ‘Best Practice’ cases, it provides a comprehensive, yet accessible study of the managerial challenges facing SMEs and the factors leading to their success.” —Y. C. Richard Wong, Professor of Economics and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, The University of Hong Kong