New Firms, Jobs and Public Policy

The paper will examine some of the implications of the general shift in the economy from large establishments to smaller, allegedly more flexible enterprises. It will draw on the findings of a large survey currently being undertaken of all new firms established in 1984 and 1987 in West Lothian, Central Scotland. This area has suffered particularly badly from the closure of large manufacturing plants and, in the absence of alternative employment opportunities, many of the individuals affected have sought to start their own businesses.