Entrepreneurship and knowledge management in small service-sector firms

The purpose of the paper is to examine the performance of small UK service-sector firms during a period of poor economic conditions in relation to entrepreneurial behaviour and knowledge management. A mail survey of small rural hotels was undertaken. Hotels achieving higher sales growth exhibited an entrepreneurial orientation and have created effective knowledge management systems. The practical implications of the study are that service firms seeking to survive in turbulent times should focus upon adopting entrepreneurial solutions and the creation of effective knowledge management systems. The originality of this study is in providing empirical evidence of the advantages of small UK service-sector firms during the current economic downturn adopting an entrepreneurial orientation in order to sustain business performance. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.