Demographic trends in the developed world indicate that older entrepreneurs will play an increasingly important part of economic activity as populations age, yet this cohort has been largely ignored in entrepreneurship research. This paper provides an overview of current research about the so-called "grey entrepreneur" (also known as senior, older, third age or elderly entrepreneurs), drawing on research from a number of nations. The extant literature indicates that a majority of older entrepreneurs are male, although the number of older female entrepreneurs is increasing; they are also less likely to possess formal educational qualifications than younger entrepreneurs. Some of the advantages that such entrepreneurs possess include greater levels of technical, industrial and management experience; superior personal networks; and a stronger financial asset base. Some of the disadvantages or potential barriers faced by older entrepreneurs can include lower levels of health, energy and productivity; ageism; and the value that his or her society places on active ("productive") ageing. Numerous issues still remain to be investigated in this field of research. These include the differences between younger and older entrepreneurs; their motives and success criteria; the impact of financial, knowledge and other resources on venturing behaviour; the role of government policies in fostering or hampering individual enterprise; and the significance of cultural differences amongst older entrepreneurs. Research in this field is currently also hampered by a multiplicity of terms and definitions, a lack of age-related data about different entrepreneurial cohorts, and the problems inherent in operationalising the concept of the "grey entrepreneur."

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The purpose of this study was to determine if any factors exist which can be used to predict the level of environmentally responsible ('green') business behaviour amongst SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). The variables examined included environmental attitudes of owner/managers, personal demographic variables (age, gender and education level) of the owner, and key external variables (consumer demand, capital availability, firm size, time and information resources). The owner/managers of 154 retail pharmacies in Western Australia were examined. The results showed a high level of 'green' attitudes amongst owners, but no statistically significant relationship between attitudes and their firm's actual performance. None of the demographic characteristics of the owner/managers were related to actual levels of environmental performance. However, two external variables (the amount of time available for owners to undertake discretionary business activity, and the level of environmental information available to business owners) were found to be significantly positively related to a firm's 'green' activities.

Despite the growth of many new business advice and support services over the last 15 years, the extent to which such facilities are used by the Australian small business sector has not been extensively examined, especially amongst the micro‐enterprises that comprise the majority of all small firms. Home based businesses (HBBs) constitute the largest group of micro‐businesses in Australia, as well as comprising the biggest single SME sector in the nation. An investigation into the usage of advisory services by HBBs in Perth, Western Australia revealed substantial differences in the types and frequency of advisers used. It was found that accountants, banks, other business operators and family/friends were the most commonly consulted services. In contrast, lawyers, government agencies, industry associations, and management consultants were only infrequently used. The research project also attempted to determine if the frequency of adviser usage could be predicted on the basis of a range of individual and firm characteristics (namely, the age of the business, the size of the enterprise, and the age and gender of the owner/operator). A positive correlation was found to exist with all four factors, with micro‐firms managed by men tending to use advisory services more frequently.

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