Growing a Business

Rupert Merson teaches new venture development and managing growth at London Business School. Formerly a partner of BDO he now runs his own consultancy advising firms on how to manage growth. His has written several books on management, including Rules are Not Enough.
Rupert Merson is the Adjunct Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School, where he teaches a range of courses around entrepreneurship and business development. In 2015 he won prizes as best teacher both at LBS and at INSEAD. Formerly a partner at BDO, he now runs his own consultancy advising firms on how to manage growth. He is also the author of Rules Are Not Enough.

Business growth is a clear goal for ambitious entrepreneurs and leaders. It's often a short hand for business - and wider economic - success. But it's not without its pitfalls and challenges, and planning for, and managing, a growing business needs careful thought.
Take, for example, the start-up facing for the first time the need to balance flexibility with more structure. Or a larger business tackling a range of divisions evolving at different speeds. Or an inspirational owner-founder confronting the need to step back and let others take the business forward.
These are the kinds of challenges that Growing a Business tackles head-on. Drawing on a wide range of models and research, and using case studies from across the business world, it offers practical advice and guidance on a whole range of topics, including:
- the different types and stages of growth;
- predicting the problems presented by growth;
- identifying growth triggers - and barriers;
- the implications of growth: financially, culturally and for the people involved in the business.

Growing a Business is required reading for owners and managers looking to understand and foster growth in their businesses.

An Economist Book, published in association with the Economist.

Everything you need to know about the challenges and opportunities of growing a business