Abstract
This study investigates the development of the firm-size distribution in the Netherlands using various measures. Data are used for the period 1978 through 1989 covering practically the entire Dutch private sector. The results show a general tendency towards smaller firm sizes in manufacturing industries until 1986, but indicate an opposite development after that year. This tendency towards larger firm sizes after 1986 is also encountered for non-manufacturing industries.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acs, Z. J. and D. B.Audretsch, 1989a, ‘Editors' Introduction’,Small Business Economics 1, 1–5.
Acs, Z. J. and D. B.Audretsch, 1989b, ‘Entrepreneurial Strategy and the Presence of Small Firms’,Small Business Economics 1, 193–213.
Acs, Z. J. and D. B.Audretsch, 1990,The Economics of Small Firms: A European Challenge, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 1–22.
Amsterdamse Investeringsbank NV, 1990, 1980–1990.Verzelfstandigingen in Nederland, Amsterdam.
Brock, W. A. and D. S.Evans, 1989, ‘Small Business Economics’,Small Business Economics 1, 7–20.
Carlsson, B., 1989, ‘The Evolution of Manufacturing Technology and Its Impact on Industrial Structure: An International Study’,Small Business Economics 1, 21–37.
Ijiri, Y. and H. A.Simon, 1977,Skew Distributions and the Sizes of Business Firms, Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company.
Sato, Y., 1989, ‘Small Business in Japan: A Historical Perspective’,Small Business Economics 1, 121–128.
Schwalbach, J., 1989, ‘Small Business in German Manufacturing’,Small Business Economics 1, 129–136.
Sleuwaegen, L. and H.Yamawaki, 1988, ‘The Formation of the European Common Market and Changes in Market Structure and Performance’,European Economic Review 32, 1451–1475.
White, L. J., 1982, ‘The Determinants of the Relative Importance of Small Business’,The Review of Economics and Statistics 64, 42–49.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study is part of a research program carried out at the Centre for Advanced Small Business Economics (CASBEC) of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. The authors are grateful to Jan van Dalen, Aad Kleijweg, Jeroen Potjes and Wim Verhoeven for helpful comments and Herman van Schaik for elaborating the original data files. The authors acknowledge a research grant from the “Stichting KMO-fonds”.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Carree, M., Thurik, R. Recent developments in the Dutch firm-size distribution. Small Bus Econ 3, 261–268 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01840608
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01840608