Contains papers reporting on the structure, utilization and analytic concerns arising from the use of the major datasets in small business and entrepreneurship research, including: the National Federation of Independent Businesses surveys; US Small Business Administration datasets; the General Social Survey; and more.

List of contributors. Introduction. The logic and opportunities of secondary analysis in entrepreneurship research (J.A. Katz). Small business economic trends: a quarter century longitudinal data base of small business economic activity (W.J. Dennis Jr., W.C. Dunkelberg). New data for dynamic analysis: the longitudinal establishment and enterprise microdata (LEEM) file (A. Robb). Using census bureau data by firm size, 1988-1996 (B.D. Phillips). National panel study of US business startups: background and methodology (P.D. Reynolds). Using a household sampling frame to study family businesses: the 1997 national family business survey (R.K.Z. Heck et al.). Arthur Andersen/Mass mutual American family business survey 1995 and 1997 (J.H. Astrachan, K. Lund Dean). The Kauffman financial statements database (L.W. Cox et al.). Mow research programs (S.A. Ruiz-Quintanilla, R. Claes). The usefulness of the general social surveys database in entrepreneurship and small business research (J.J. Jackson). Panel study of income dynamics-uses for the small business researcher (P.M. Williams, J. Katz). Women entrepreneurs' opportunities for database research (C.G. Brush, L.F. Edelman).