Developed from a study commissioned by the European Capital Markets Institute, this book examines the impact of private equity and capital markets on the development of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United States and the European Union. It also seeks to understand the nature of institutional policy towards SMEs and the extent to which it can aid development. This volume offers a strong introduction, glossary and international case studies to aid the reader's understanding and should have broad appeal within finance, economics and business.