Size of Businesses

Small Business
It is usually owned one person (sole trader). A small business usually has less than 50 people. It is usually in a local place e.g. small/medium shops, tradesmen e.g. electrician, hairdressers and computer trainers.

Medium size business
It usually operates on a local or national level. A medium size business usually employs 50 to 250 people. It can grow if there are consumer’s e.g. theatres, national car hire companies and manufactures.

Large business
It usually has outlets in more than one city and in more than more countries. It usually employs over 250 people e.g. Car manufactures-Ford, retail food outlets-Safeway, oil companies-Esso

Local business
Local business will only provide goods over services in a small area. Some examples are small offices e.g. lawyers, video shops, bakeries, dentists and garages.

National business
National businesses operate on a larger scale (the whole country). They usually have household’s names or logos easily recognised. They are large in size and have many branches e.g. boots the chemist, sports division, HMV and abbey national.

Multi-national businesses
Multi-national businesses operate world wide. They also are easily recognised by the household name and logos. Some examples are Ford, Burger King, Esso, McDonalds.