In some respects at least, these studies represent
an important step forward from the contributions
of the 1980s. For instance, the work
of Keeble and Tyler and North and Smallbone
rejects the ‘single issue’ emphasis of previous
analyses, and tries to convey a sense of the
differences exhibited by rural manufacturing
SMEs operating in contrasting empirical situations.
However, a conceptual framework that
enables such empirical variation to be fully
appreciated remains elusive. This is because the
studies of Keeble and Tyler and North and
Smallbone remain hampered by an implicit
endorsement of positivist causal logic, which
arguably limits their ability to accommodate the
full breadth of their empirical findings. For
example, despite being at pains to emphasise
‘the presence of differences’ in their analysis,
Keeble and Tyler (1995, p. 980) are so enamoured
with the stereotype of the highly innovative
‘accessible rural SME’ as to claim that ‘one can
predict the relative success of an area in terms of
its ability to attract those who are “enterprising”
and to enable enterprising behaviour to occur’
(emphasis added).