Lean and Mean : Why Large Corporations Will Continue to Dominate the Global Economy

Is big business on the way out? Are small firms better at generating new jobs and spurring technological innovation? This myth-shattering book contends that long-term economic growth and technological innovation lie ultimately where they always have: with the largest, most resourceful global companies. But while the biggest businesses still create the lion's share of jobs, these jobs are changing. A rise in part-time and temporary jobs is making the "permanent" workforce an endangered species. Instead of romanticizing the small firm, Harrison argues, government, business, and labor policymakers must confront more significant issues, such as encouraging innovative management behavior--without adding to underemployment and working poverty--and regulating businesses whose organizational boundaries are increasingly fuzzy. This edition features a new foreword by Robert Kuttner and a new chapter that incorporates current research and addresses critical policy questions.