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This text examines a range of interrelated forces and factors affecting small firms themselves, and the public and private organizations and intermediaries that try to assist their growth and development in the global context. Specifically, the book should assist analysts and policy-makers to reach consensus on: the forces that drive the globalization process and how SMEs and governments should respond in terms of their innovation strategies; how small firms should be looked at when addressing their innovation needs - individually, or as part of wider networks and clusters - and how these approaches should best be combined; the methodologies that can be used to identify SME needs, particularly for external links, and the optimum forms of assistance and delivery mechanisms to address the needs identified; and the additional factors and policies in a wider setting of the economy and government policy in general, such as the financial environment, that influence the effectiveness of more direct forms of assistance and mediation, thus enhancing innovation performance.