The author examined the written business plans of 380 students who completed courses in entrepreneurship and small business management over an 11-year period. An analysis categorized the plans into five generic competitive strategy types, and the results found that 58% chose a traditional, focused differentiation approach. A large portion (28%)…

With middle-income jobs in decline, entrepreneurship offers an increasingly promising pathway out of poverty; but few low-income New Yorkers are currently taking this route to economic self-sufficiency. This report provides the most comprehensive examination of low-income entrepreneurship in New York. The report documents current self-employment…

There are a wide variety of e-government information and services that small business owners and managers can utilize. However, in spite of all of the service incentives and initiatives to promote e-government, research studies have shown that this information is not widely accessed. Studies that explore the utilization of e-government information…

In 2004, the New York City Department of Small Business Services and representatives from the New York City Workforce Development Funders Group joined together to form the Workforce Innovation Fund (WIF) with the goal of sharing expertise and learning and providing an avenue to merge resources to support common goals. WIF's first project was the…

You probably think instant messaging (IM) as something teenagers do to chat up friends online, whether across the street or across the world. But IM has some buttoned-down business benefits, as well as some risks you may not be aware of. Unlike e-mail, in which you fire off messages to recipients who read them when they next check their in-box,…

Case studies demonstrate four capital packaging approaches: a comprehensive statewide enterprise program for Pennsylvania; a county-based industrial development fund in Chautauqua County, New York; an employee buyout in Saratoga Springs, New York; and establishment of a small venture capital company in the Kentucky Highlands with Office of…

A needs assessment of New York State small apparel and textile manufacturers suggested possible roles for extension education, such as newsletters providing information on market trends, government assistance, and new technology; a telephone hotline system; specialized media programs; and liaison between industry and state and local governments.…

In Tompkins County, New York, the Business Innovation Center (BIC) uses "intellectual capital" to help local entrepreneurs succeed. Founded by faculty from Cornell University and community members, BIC helps successful scientists start up businesses and uses the combined expertise of area businesspeople and college faculty to solve the…

The rising number of individuals returning to communities from prison and jail represents one of the defining issues of time. Individuals reentering society face myriad challenges, not the least of which is securing viable employment; in addition, each individual has a unique set of experiences, needs and resources. This project stems from the…

This study identifies the characteristics of both successful small businesses and their entrepreneurial owners in a 14-county area of the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA). Of the 100 survey respondents representing successful small businesses, 50% had been in business for less than 14 years; 38% were in manufacturing; 48% employed more…

This directory offers an inventory of educational opportunities available to beginning entrepreneurs and small business owners in New York. Drawing from a fall 1986 survey of secondary and postsecondary educational institutions in the state, the directory presents data provided by 112 institutions concerning more than 140 programs on content…

The Employer Specific Skills Training Program helps build the superior work force called for by the National Alliance of Business and other significant employer, union, government, and educational groups. Through a combination of state and federal funds, the New York State Department of Education has crafted a flexible and responsible program.…

Federal funding for children's health insurance may significantly reduce the problem of uninsured children in New York and subsequently improve child outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of two program models in educating parents about available sources of health insurance and in increasing enrollment of uninsured children into…

The 23 articles in this theme issue focus on various aspects of library services to business in an information economy: "Serving Business in an Information Economy" (C. Bain); "New York's Resurging Economy and State Economic Development Information" (R. G. Paolino); "Department of Economic Development Library: Services to…

This collection contains descriptions of model entrepreneurship education programs submitted by 10 states. The first section deals with the Colorado Network of Small Business Programs and the Colorado Entrepreneurship Education Infusion Project. Described next is a model teacher education program in entrepreneurship education that was implemented…