The Gap Between Large and Small Companies Is Growing. Why? (2024)

Summary.

The idea that traditional large companies can’t innovate, and that smaller digital companies will render many of them extinct, is everywhere. But is this disruption is accelerating with the momentum of digital revolution? Researchers wanted to see whether large established corporations are being increasingly displaced by new technologies, or whether they’re actually leveraging digital and other new technologies to innovate and grow. Contrary to the popular notion, they find waning evidence for the idea that large companies do not innovate and that their business will soon be disrupted by small firms. large companies are thriving, investing in innovation and intangible assets at an increasing pace, while the investment and growth opportunity set of small companies is shrinking, with their nimbleness and grit is increasingly under pressure.

Research and news headlines are replete with the idea that traditional large companies can’t innovate, and that smaller digital companies will render many larger ones extinct. While we’ve seen numerous startups of the last thirty years not only disrupt businesses but become the megacorporations of today, we wondered whether this disruption is accelerating with the momentum of digital revolution. In particular, we wanted to see whether large established corporations are being increasingly displaced by new technologies, or whether they’re actually leveraging digital and other new technologies to innovate and grow.

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  • Vijay Govindarajan is the Coxe Distinguished Professor at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, an executive fellow at Harvard Business School, and faculty partner at the Silicon Valley incubator Mach 49. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His latest book is Fusion Strategy: How Real-Time Data and AI Will Power the Industrial Future . His Harvard Business Review articles “Engineering Reverse Innovations” and “Stop the Innovation Wars” won McKinsey Awards for best article published in HBR. His HBR articles “How GE Is Disrupting Itself” and “The CEO’s Role in Business Model Reinvention” are HBR all-time top-50 bestsellers. Follow him on LinkedIn.

  • Baruch Lev isthe Philip Bardes Professor of Accounting and Finance, Stern School of Business, New York University. He has written six books, including his recent The End of Accounting and The Path Forward for Investors and Managers(2016), and published over 100 research studies on investment and economic analysis.

  • Anup Srivastava holds Canada Research Chair in Accounting, Decision Making, and Capital Markets and is a full professor at Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. In a series of HBR articles, he examines the management implications of digital disruption. He specializes in the valuation and financial reporting challenges of digital companies. Follow Anup onLinkedIn.

  • Luminita Enacheis an associate professor at Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. She investigates financial disclosures of new-economy firms. Follow Luminita onLinkedIn.

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The Gap Between Large and Small Companies Is Growing. Why? (6)

The Gap Between Large and Small Companies Is Growing. Why? (2024)

FAQs

The Gap Between Large and Small Companies Is Growing. Why? ›

large companies are thriving, investing in innovation

innovation
Google excels at IT and business architecture, experimentation, improvisation, analytical decision making, participative product development, and other relatively unusual forms of innovation. It balances an admittedly chaotic ideation process with a set of rigorous, data-driven methods for evaluating ideas.
https://hbr.org › 2008/04 › reverse-engineering-googles-inno...
and intangible assets at an increasing pace, while the investment and growth opportunity set of small companies is shrinking, with their nimbleness and grit is increasingly under pressure.

How is growth in small companies different from growth in large companies? ›

Larger businesses often have more resources to focus on both customer retention and generation, which small businesses can't often compete with. That's why it's helpful for smaller companies to focus on the relationships they already have with their clients to develop more repeat business.

What widens the gap between small and large manufacturers? ›

Research and Development Spending

The authors conclude that the primary reason for this is the widening gap in R&D expenses between large and small companies.

Why do large companies have an advantage over smaller companies responses? ›

Final answer: Large companies have an advantage over smaller companies due to economies of scale, access to more resources and capital, and stronger supplier relationships.

What is the difference between big companies and small companies? ›

A large business is usually big on bureaucracy, whether that means glass ceilings, corporate jargon, or siloed thinking. A small business needs to operate in a flexible way that often benefits from a flat hierarchy which translates to benefits like casual dress, relaxed work environment, and other perks.

Why do larger businesses leave gaps in the market? ›

Once again, larger businesses tend not to be too keen to change the way they do things in order to meet or surpass the challenges that the market environment may throw at them. Their unwillingness to change puts them in a position of not being able to pursue new opportunities.

How can a business grow from small to big? ›

Open Additional Locations Or Expand Into New Markets

Going after customers in new markets is a logical step in achieving business growth. There's only so much revenue you can extract from customers in one single market. Bringing new customers on board is vital to the growth of any company.

What is a gap in the market for small businesses? ›

A market gap is a customer need currently unfulfilled or underserved by existing services or products. They represent opportunities for businesses to innovate, develop new products, or optimize existing ones to better cater to these unaddressed customer needs.

What are two advantages a large company has over a smaller company? ›

For example, large companies generally offer higher salaries and bonuses. They can also kick in more for the employer share of insurance and may be more likely to contribute to other perks. And, thanks to these resources, employees have more access to more resources.

What is the gap in the market and the market in the gap? ›

A gap in the market is a group of customers whose needs are not currently being met. There are many options for tapping into a new market and each one is based around fulfilling people's latent needs in some way.

Do you think it's better to work for a large or a small company? ›

Making your decision

For example, large companies offer stability, established operations and access to greater resources. However, if you are looking for a tight-knit community and the opportunity to have a greater impact, then a small company may be best suited to you.

What are some of the disadvantages of small businesses compared to large companies? ›

Key Takeaways. Small businesses can't sell bonds or issue new stock to raise capital; instead, they tend to rely on loans. Larger corporations benefit from economies of scale, while production costs for small businesses tend to be higher. Volume helps the purchasing power of large corporations.

What competitive advantages do larger businesses have over smaller ones? ›

Larger firms have the advantage in being able to offer larger wages and better jobs to employees than smaller companies. A large business often offers health and life insurance, stock options, retirement benefits and many offer employee assistance programs.

How do high growth ventures differ from small businesses? ›

High-growth ventures differ from small businesses in that in high-growth ventures: the limitation of growth is dictated by market response rather than the owner's loss of control. Lifestyle or part-time firms typically provide enough profit or salary to supplement an income but usually not enough on which to live.

What are the advantages a large company has over a smaller company? ›

Answer. A larger company can benefit from economies of scale, meaning they can get discounts by purchasing and producing in bulk which a smaller company wouldn't have the ability to do. A larger store also has the potential for higher revenue because they have more goods and services to sell.

Why do smaller companies have an advantage over larger companies when it comes to changing direction quickly? ›

Quick Results

Eliminating the levels of bureaucracy found in large corporations allows owners of smaller businesses and their leadership teams to stay close to the action. The result: faster decision-making, streamlined processes, and quick results.

What happens when a small business grows? ›

Growing because of success

You can capitalise on your success, expand into other locations, and employ more staff to cater for increased demand. But if you expand too quickly you risk your business becoming unsustainable. Growth can put pressure on staff and resources, as well as financial and management structures.

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