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The importance of women as a largely untapped pool of entrepreneurs has been widely recognised by economic development agencies. However, despite a number of initiatives designed to stimulate female self‐employment, relatively few women are starting in business. Research has shown that the experience of business ownership for women is very different than for men. While early studies of female entrepreneurship suggested that the start up period posed particular constraints for women, it was assumed that these barriers were resolved once trading commenced. The use of more sophisticated methodologies and sampling strategies has revealed profound gender differences in both women’s experiences of business ownership and the performance of women owned firms. Some of the key research findings which have emerged from gender based studies of business ownership are outlined, and the implications of these findings for training and advisory services dealing with the small business sector are examined.

This paper is concerned with the retrospective perceptions of alumni towards the general provision of entrepreneurship education in higher education institutions (HEIs). Whilst many HEIs provide some form of enterprise training for their student population, relatively few have considered extending this provision to their alumni community. In addition to exploring retrospective perceptions, the research sought to ascertain the current level of entrepreneurial behaviour and the future entrepreneurial ambitions of alumni, and attempted to determine the demand for post‐qualification entrepreneurship training among HEI alumni. The results are encouraging, in that they demonstrate a keen interest amongst alumni in entrepreneurial activities. The main constraints to setting up in business were perceived to be the generation of a viable idea and the lack of both finance and experience. Respondents believed that HEIs should provide a more practical grounding for graduates, specifically citing financial management and business communications skills as key elements missing from the undergraduate curriculum. There was a consensus that HEIs have an important role to play in providing alumni with both formal post‐qualification training and social support networks to encourage entrepreneurial activity.

Describes the state of the UK tomato sector which is facing falling real price levels and low profitability in a situation of general overcapacity in the EC tomato industry and where imports into the UK market are a substantial percentage of total consumption. Evaluates the Working Party for Salads′ improved short‐term marketing intelligence system during its first year of operation.

Describes the changes which have taken place in the UK strawberry market in recent years and presents an outline of the opportunities for British producers identified by the Soft Fruit Working Party. New opportunities have been largely met by imports which have grown substantially in volume in recent years. Examines the reasons for the limited exploitation by British producers of these opportunities and analyses changing attitudes to production and marketing by British strawberry growers.

The dynamics and performance of female‐owned companies in the United Kingdom are focused on. Women can be differentiated by behavioural and motivational factors in their desire to start up in business, although these groupings are fluid and women are capable of changing into different modes of entrepreneur. The personal ambitions of women and their domestic arrangements largely determine the ways in which their enterprises evolve. The performance of the businesses is then explored from the perspective of individual qualitative and quantitative criteria of success. Initial success was not judged in terms of conventional economic criteria of profitability and advance orders. Regardless of business age, differences do appear between current and future success criteria.

Portfolio entrepreneurship can be an important small business growth strategy, particularly in sectors where economies of scale can be achieved at a relatively low level. This paper reports results of a survey examining the role of farms in the creation of new businesses in rural areas. Three groups of farmers were identified, based on their relative engagement in additional business ownership activities: monoactive farmers; structural diversifiers; and portfolio business owners. Distinctive group differences were apparent in their personal, farm business and managerial characteristics and in their perceptions of business opportunities and constraints. The paper concludes that younger and better trained farmers, in particular, use multiple business ownership as a lateral growth strategy. Finally, the paper suggests that additional business activities are best viewed as a continuum from the diversification of existing assets to the ownership of a portfolio of businesses.

Research investigating female self‐employment has often highlighted gender‐based differences in the performance of women‐owned firms. Some studies have linked the under‐performance of women‐owned firms to the lower levels of capitalisation used at business inception, associating this with disadvantages accrued in waged work and occupational segregation more generally. Drawing on this association, there has been a tendency to treat self‐employed women as an undifferentiated group, failing to recognise heterogeneity therein. Considers the impact of the possession of professional qualifications on self‐employment and to what degree they might have the potential to mobilise substantial business capital. The discussion explores the influence of gender in the work and career experiences of women and whether the advantages accrued from professional status might challenge gender disadvantage within self‐employment. Results are presented from an exploratory study of male‐owned and female‐owned accountants in independent practice, which suggest that gender disadvantage persists, even within the context of professional practice.

Market trends have offered an incentive to retailers to differentiate product assortments by region, whilst new developments in purchasing technology have enabled retail buyers to fragment orders by region and even by store and to tranship between regions. Reports on an initiative to take advantage of recent developments and to facilitate the access of small, regionally‐based suppliers to retail food multiples through a series of Meet the Buyer events. Presents preliminary results of a survey of 123 small suppliers and 28 retail buyers who have participated in these events.