The strategic management of high-growth firms: A review and theoretical conceptualization

Demir, R, Wennberg, K and A McKelvie (2017). The digital journey: Reflected learnings and emerging challenges, Long Range Planning, 50: 431-456.

Scholars' knowledge of the factors behind high-growth firms remains fragmented. This paper provides a systematic review of the empirical literature concerning high-growth firms with a focus on the strategic aspects contributing to growth.

Based on our review of 39 articles, we identify five drivers of high growth: human capital, strategy, human resource management, innovation, and capabilities. These drivers are combined to develop a conceptual model of high-growth firms that includes potential contingency factors among the five drivers. We also propose a research agenda to deepen the study of high-growth firms in strategic management.