For high growth and start up companies, that often start as small enterprises, working capital is the place I would start. Often, cash runs out when receivables extend for longer than expected periods. Inventory that piles up costs money. Payables have to be managed to maintain the good credit of the firm.

In agribusiness, "local production, local markets" could be a way to compete with national chains. By reducing the distance of farm to market, spoilage is reduced while transport and handling costs are lowered.   

Micro finance has made significant inroads into the informal sector. For example, insurance companies work on the basis of "insuring" the value of the asset. Micro insurance has reframed this business by providing a cover for a specified sum (i.e. the amount needed to do repairs after storm damage, for example). In this way, micro insurance focuses on the probability of the incidence of storms and the likely damage it could inflict. Given that no assets are involved (in a manner of saying), the micro insurer does not need to value the asset (i.e. shanty houses that are impossible to value).     

Trust these are examples that you could use to think about your research.

Dear Richardo,

Many thanks & much appreciated.

Dear Prof,

Thank You so much for your inputs, much appreciated.

John Parker

In regard to small informal business/enterprise growth, you may consider applying the concept of small-firms marketing (and/or SME marketing) concepts/strategies, for example, Zontanos and Anderson (2004) have pointed out that it is very difficult for smaller firms to make use of the traditional 4Ps and/or market segmentation in consideration of these firms’ lack of formalized planning. Accordingly, Simpson et al (2006) comment that as the competitive advantages of small firms should be heavily based on service and quality, therefore, their marketing/growth strategies should be based on informal, unstructured, reactive, and conform to market norm. Here, relationship marketing/network marketing concept/interpersonal relationships, and embeddedness in terms of bonding; empathy; reciprocity; trust; etc., which play a critical role in decision making, developing new products/differentiated and innovative ideas, maintaining customer base, and acquiring new customers (Zontanos and Anderson, 2004; Simpson et al, 2006; O'Dwyer et al, 2009). These marketing concepts/strategies should be applicable to smaller (and informal) firms in consideration of some of their similar nature/characteristics, for example: self-employed, creative, innovative, etc. (Williams, 2007). 

In regard to finance, the study by Coviello et al (2000) found that smaller firms tend to use P&L as profitability signal, here, focus should be re-directed to maintaining a strong/healthy cash flow situation, see: Hudáková and Slepecký (2011), and Davies and Merin (2014). 

The following papers should be helpful to your topic: 

• Coviello, N. E., Brodie, R. J. and Munro, H. J. (2000) An investigation of marketing practice by firm size, Journal of business venturing, 15, 5, pp. 523-545.
• Davies, R. and Merin, D. (2014) Uncovering cash and insights from working capital, McKinsey & Company, pp. 1-6 vide: http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/uncovering-cash-and-insights-from-working-capital.
• Gilmore, A., Carson, D. and Grant, K. (2001) SME marketing in practice, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 19, 1, pp. 6-11.
• Hudáková, M. and Slepecký, J. (2011) Cash Flow Management as an Indicator of a Latent Crisis in the Company, Economic Alternatives, 1, 11, pp. 115-120.
• O'Dwyer, M., Gilmore, A. and Carson, D. (2009) Innovative marketing in SMEs, European Journal of Marketing, 43, 1/2, pp. 46-61.
• Simpson, M., Padmore, J., Taylor, N. and Frecknall-Hughes, J. (2006) Marketing in small and medium sized enterprises, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 12, 6, pp. 361-387.
• Williams, C. C. (2007) The nature of entrepreneurship in the informal sector: evidence from England, Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 12, 2, pp. 239-254.
• Zontanos, G. and Anderson, A. R. (2004) Relationships, marketing and small business: an exploration of links in theory and practice, Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 7, 3, pp. 228-236.