Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Exploring Growth: A Multifaceted Approach To Development In The Stann Creek District Of Belize, Brady A. Voss

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis delves into the multifaceted approach to development within the Stann Creek District of Belize, as undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in collaboration with the international non-profit Peacework. Authored by Brady A. Voss under the guidance of Dr. Amy Farmer, this research is a culmination of efforts aimed at enhancing economic growth and sustainability in the region.

The thesis begins by outlining the author's involvement in three primary projects during a summer internship in 2023: assessing market awareness of dragon fruit, estimating the cost of production for habanero peppers, and formulating a business plan for the …

Nonprofit Leader Experiences In Sector-Bending After Lean Six Sigma Training: Tension, Concepts, And Changed Behaviors, Beverly Codallos

Dissertations

Government, business, and nonprofit represent three distinct types of organizations governed by different legal frameworks designed to facilitate collective action (DiMaggio & Anheier, 1990). The emergence of hybrid forms and increasing isomorphic pressures in the nonprofit sector (Bromley & Meyer, 2017; McCambridge, 2014) have challenged the traditional separation of organizational forms. This study explored the phenomenon popularized as sector-bending, “a wide variety of approaches, activities, and relationships that are blurring the distinctions between nonprofit and for-profit organizations, either because they are behaving more similarly, operating in the same realms, or both” (Dees & Anderson, 2003, pg. 16). This qualitative study …

Community Cultural Wealth And Its Impact On Pandemic Relief Funding For Small Businesses, Brett Smith

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This dissertation investigates the impact of social, navigational, familial, aspirational, and resistant capital on the ability of small business owners in Pennsylvania to access relief funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily the period from March 2020 to December 2020. Utilizing Dr. Tara Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework, the study explores systemic barriers within relief initiatives and how they affect marginalized communities.

To meet business owners where they were, and to utilize technologies born as a result of the pandemic, this study utilized Asynchronous Video Interviews (AVI) and online surveys, to capture the lived experiences of these small business owners. Not …

For Love Or Money: Investor Motivations In Equity-Based Crowdfunding, Jason C. Cherubini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular method for entrepreneurial ventures to raise financing from a large number of small supporters (the “crowd”) instead of raising it through a small number of larger supporters. Crowdfunding is normally conducted through online platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, where the entrepreneurial venture runs a campaign directly seeking support from individual funders. Most of the research into crowdfunding to date has been focused on what elements of the crowdfunding campaign lead to eventual successful funding, especially in the rewards-based crowdfunding space. The comparatively new equity-based crowdfunding has not been as heavily researched and is technically …

Combatting Consolidation In The United States Banking Industry: An Analysis Of Performance And Strategy Of First National Bank Of Clarksdale, Lydia Johnsey

Honors Theses

This thesis is based on a submission with group members in the 2023 Case Study Competition for the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. This thesis includes additional background information not included in the original competition paper in order to clarify the competition standards and goal of the paper. This thesis evaluates First National Bank of Clarksdale with respect to two areas: financial analysis, which evaluates earnings performance, loan portfolio composition, asset growth, capital levels, and liquidity of the bank; and strategy, which includes staffing, succession, training, and technology strategies instituted by bank management. Data from the bank’s Uniform Bank Performance …

Assessing The Impact Of Impact Investing: Practices, Challenges, And Opportunities Towards The Standardization Of Impact Assessment Mechanisms, Taylor Poe

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research project focuses on gathering information on which impact measurement mechanisms are currently used in the impact investing industry, and how these mechanisms are standardized across various firms, geographic locations, and fund types. The overarching goal of the study is to provide an assessment of the impact investing industry and the use of standardized impact assessment practices. The specific goal of this research study is to collect and present information on the current state of impact measurement standardization. Research is separated into three large components: interviews with industry leaders, findings from social finance conferences, and research of scholarly sources. …

An Analysis Of The Housing Affordability Crisis: Private Equity Or Legislation Issue, Jack Polk

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The aim of this thesis is to explore the claim that private equity investment is the cause of the modern unaffordability in the single family housing market. Through empirical study and historical research we found that the footprint of institutional investors in this space is insignificant. However, legislative errors which have artificially inflated demand and suppressed supply over the past decade have greatly contributed to the crisis and must be corrected for the long term health of the housing space. These corrections will focus primarily in the alleviation of supply pressures for new development and the continuation of the low …

Fraud And The Audit Expectation Gap, Samuel Pelumi Olatunde

Honors College Theses

This study seeks to explore the expectation gap Georgia Southern University business and non-business majors have toward the work of an auditor. This study aims to assess the understanding of Auditors' responsibility for preventing and detecting fraud. This study will help assess the roles of an auditor, a forensic accountant, and management in fraud detection and prevention. The study will also highlight the importance of equipping students with accounting knowledge relevant to the business environment. The research for the study is conducted through a survey questionnaire and interpreted with Excel software. The hypothesis is that students that are majoring in …

The Impact Of Microfinance On Gender Equality In India, Alexis Matton

Honors Program Theses

This paper explores the impacts of microfinance on gender equality in India by examining its effects through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It begins with an overview of the history of microfinance globally and is followed by an in-depth explanation of the current microfinance landscape in India. This paper then uses a case study approach to collect qualitative data that contributes to this discussion on microfinance and gender equality. By studying the stories of four women and their experiences using the services provided by microfinance institutions, the paper illustrates how microfinance contributes to the advancement of …

Strategies That Small And Medium-Size Business Owners Use To Repay Bank Loan Obligations In Lagos, Nigeria, Taiwo Bamikole Ala

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The failure of businesses to repay loans adversely affects credit markets. Small and medium-sized (SME) business owners in Lagos, Nigeria, are concerned because financial institutions are unwilling to provide credit because of the low loan repayment performance of those who have received credit in the past. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies some SME owners use to successfully repay bank loan obligations to sustain their businesses. The participants were three SME owners in Lagos, Nigeria, who successfully repaid their bank loans. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and …

Strategies That Small And Medium-Size Business Owners Use To Repay Bank Loan Obligations In Lagos, Nigeria, Taiwo Bamikole Ala

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The failure of businesses to repay loans adversely affects credit markets. Small and medium-sized (SME) business owners in Lagos, Nigeria, are concerned because financial institutions are unwilling to provide credit because of the low loan repayment performance of those who have received credit in the past. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies some SME owners use to successfully repay bank loan obligations to sustain their businesses. The participants were three SME owners in Lagos, Nigeria, who successfully repaid their bank loans. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and …

Strategies That Small And Medium-Size Business Owners Use To Repay Bank Loan Obligations In Lagos, Nigeria, Taiwo Bamikole Ala

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The failure of businesses to repay loans adversely affects credit markets. Small and medium-sized (SME) business owners in Lagos, Nigeria, are concerned because financial institutions are unwilling to provide credit because of the low loan repayment performance of those who have received credit in the past. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies some SME owners use to successfully repay bank loan obligations to sustain their businesses. The participants were three SME owners in Lagos, Nigeria, who successfully repaid their bank loans. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and …

Blackstone Launchpad University Of Montana Strategic Analysis/Jacob Treece Honors Capstone Report, Jacob R. Treece

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Entrepreneurial Finance, Jackson Stewart

Honors Theses

The writings and research presented in this document are for a chapter of a textbook the focuses on entrepreneurship. The chapter focuses on many areas of entrepreneurship including: opportunities, networking, roles, economics, innovations, and history. The area that the potential writings focus on is entrepreneurial finance, or how one acquires capital to start their own business.

There are many ways to gain capital to start a business. These include a variety of investors that can give someone funds or loan that are given out by financial institutions. Investors are a great way to gain capital as investors will give the …

Building An Equitable Food System In Georgia With Future Farmers: A Business Case Study, Yukta Sinha

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

My thesis aims to investigate how a mobile application called Future Farmers ©, that connects farmers with retailers bypassing middlemen, can increase farmers’ bargaining power thereby creating an equitable food system. More specifically, my thesis seeks to analyse the application’s viability in the country of Georgia. Drawing upon primary data collected through interviews with farmers and retailers as well as a review of relevant literature, this research will utilize a mixed-methods approach to explore the impact of this technology on the agricultural industry in Georgia. The company’s revenue projections and market access are just some aspects evaluated while qualitative information …

Insomnovation – Natural Sleep Solutions Business Plan, Nikolas Limperis

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Currently, 70 million Americans suffer from some sort of sleep issues from trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and daytime drowsiness. However, the sleep solutions on the market today are either highly artificial or only address the symptoms of sleep issues rather than the underlying cause. This is what Insomnovation seeks to address. By providing supplementation to seven key vitamins and minerals, Insomnovation hopes to bring a natural solution to put the issue of sleep disorders to rest.

Conway Properties Llc, Cody Conway

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis shows the business model for Conway Properties, LLC.

Building A Future Microfinance Community In Kenya, Jack Spiehs

Senior Theses

The lack of access to financial tools has been a significant problem in many areas around the world for a long time. It prevents certain groups of people from being able to progress financially and improve their economic standing. This issue stems from an overall lack of resources and infrastructure in the area. Without the acquisition of new funds, there is no path to poverty alleviation in underdeveloped areas. Currently, the global response has been to try to provide these resources through various methods, including microfinance activities.

Microfinance institutions have been operating in Kenya for decades. They provide a variety …

Strategies To Improve Minority Business Enterprises’ Access To Capital For Competitive Positioning And Profitability, Darlene Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some minority business enterprises (MBEs) have limited capital for setting up their businesses, which often leads to business failure. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies MBEs used to access capital to improve their competitive positioning and profitability. The participants were six MBE owners from Alabama who demonstrated success at maintaining and securing working capital to maintain a profitable business for a minimum of 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and reviews of organization documents and websites. Using Yin’s five-step data analysis process, four themes emerged: owner financing, government loans …

Strategies To Improve Minority Business Enterprises’ Access To Capital For Competitive Positioning And Profitability, Darlene Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some minority business enterprises (MBEs) have limited capital for setting up their businesses, which often leads to business failure. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies MBEs used to access capital to improve their competitive positioning and profitability. The participants were six MBE owners from Alabama who demonstrated success at maintaining and securing working capital to maintain a profitable business for a minimum of 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and reviews of organization documents and websites. Using Yin’s five-step data analysis process, four themes emerged: owner financing, government loans …

Resilience In The Face Of Adversity: An Analysis Of The Refugee Entrepreneurial Population And Their Resources In The Mid-Atlantic Region Of The United States., Zahin Mahbuba

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study presents an overview and analysis of refugee entrepreneurship in the United States' Mid-Atlantic region for refugee entrepreneurship by interviewing three refugee entrepreneurs and two professional individuals who actively work with refugee entrepreneurs. It introduces the refugee population and climate in the United States, and examines the connections between forced migration and entrepreneurship in the present literature along with factors that affect access and viability of entrepreneurship due to economic and social barriers, cultural and familial influences and financial hurdles. Through the interviews and examination of existing literature, three different traits distinguished refugee entrepreneurs in the region, according to …

A Sweet Future For Sugar Makery: A Deeper Dive Into Small Business Consulting, Samuel Lauritsen

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This case study investigates a local candy store in Glenwood and Council Bluffs Iowa. Processes, consistency and concise planning promoted the rapid growth of Sugar Makery into two locations in three short years. Results from the analyses indicate that the main problem facing Sugar Makery is sustaining its differentiated strategy from new industry entrants, key recommendations to sustain its success are presented. Every company has its own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The key is identifying each to be able to capitalize on competitive advantages, mitigate the damage done by weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities and create plans to avoid …

Value Creation By Private Equity Firms: A Resource-Based View, Kei Pang

Dissertations

Despite the growing importance of the private equity (PE) industry in the United States, it is unclear how PE firms create value. This study contributes to the PE literature and strategic management research by examining PE firm resources and competencies that drive the success of equity-backed management buyout deals. Specifically, my work proposes a framework to describe the key value creation drivers and sub-drivers that position PE firms for success in all four stages of the PE value chain: Fund Raising, Deal Sourcing, Governing/Managing, and Exiting. I utilize Porter’s (1985) value chain analysis (VCA) and the resource-based view (RBV) to …

Insider Ownership And The Performance Effects Of Firm Diversification In Nigeria, Ibeawuchi Ibekwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the preponderance of diversified firms, the diversification–performance (D–P) relationship and how insider ownership moderates it in Nigeria remains unclear and a concern for decision makers interested in the survival of firms and their contributions to society. This quantitative study was conducted to examine the D–P relationship and how it is associated with insider ownership in Nigeria. Agency theory and institution-based theory formed the theoretical foundation of this study. Four research questions that focused on how diversification is related to firm performance and how insider ownership moderates this relationship were answered using the panel design variant of correlational research. Data …

Nonprofit Strategies For Alternative Revenue Generation And Sustainability, Aretha Lepearl Day

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the post-2008 Great Recession era of a highly volatile global business environment of increased competitiveness, diminishing predictable revenues, and depleting philanthropy, many nonprofit leaders struggle to sustain their organizations. Volatility is important to nonprofit leaders because such fluctuations create unpredictability, which threatens their organizations' financial stability for short-term survivability and long-term sustainability. Grounded in Elkington's triple bottom line conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore nonprofit leaders' strategies for short-term survivability and long-term sustainability. The participants comprised 3 senior leaders in a nonprofit located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States who …

Financial Illiteracy And Minority Small Business Failure, Julia Lee Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority small businesses are important contributors to the U.S. economy. As such, financial illiteracy resulting in the failure of minority small businesses is a significant problem. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a quantitative correlation exists between financial illiteracy and minority small business failure in the United States. The theoretical foundation consisted of administrative, systems, human capital theories and system thinking, financial, and management concepts. The research questions exhaustively reviewed secondary financial literacy and various business management research data that relate to the ability of the U.S. minority population to create wealth through sustained entrepreneurial success using …

Funding Strategies For Small Business Sustainability, Ayokunle O. Iyanda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

About 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years of operation, lacking access to capital being a contributing factor. The high failure rate is of great concern to the business owners; their livelihood and employees are jeopardized. Through the pecking order theory lens, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners use to access capital to sustain the business past the first five years. Eight small business owners who successfully operated for more than five years in Georgia and Illinois participated in the semistructured interviews. Through thematic data analysis, four themes …

Alternative Finance Strategies For Small Business Sustainability And Growth, Kim Hyde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small business leaders lack alternative financing strategies to sustain and grow their businesses. Small business leaders are concerned with accessing financial capital to ensure sustainability. Grounded in Donaldson’s pecking order theory (POT), the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore alternative finance strategies some small business leaders use to sustain and grow their businesses. Participants comprised five small business leaders in Oakland, California, with successful experiences using alternative financing strategies to raise financial capital for their businesses. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, archival organizational documentation, and physical artifacts. Yin’s 5-step analysis process guided the data …

Strategies For Sourcing Funding For Startup Businesses In Nigeria, Nelly Nwabuisi Adiawari Oburo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small and medium enterprise (SME) owners are challenged with sourcing adequate funds to start and continue in business. Financing SMEs is critical to their owners to ensure they can remain financially viable and continue contributing to Nigeria’s gross domestic product and economic growth. Grounded in the pecking order theory and the financial growth cycle theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of startup SMEs in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria, can adopt to source funds required to start and sustain a business beyond 5 years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews from …

Análisis De La Adopción De Modelos De Financiación Alternativa En Mercados Externos Al Mercado Local Para Las Microempresas Colombianas, Andres Felipe Mosquera Florez, James Alejandro Torres Barbón, Julian Blanco Martinez

Finanzas y Comercio Internacional

Actualmente las microempresas colombianas recurren, por un lado, a mecanismos de financiación tradicionales conocidos, como lo son las instituciones financieras reguladas (bancos, cooperativas y compañías de financiación) y, por otro lado, a mecanismos de financiación alternativa como crédito a proveedores, préstamos a familiares y amigos o casas de empeño, esto normalmente con el objetivo de obtener la liquidez necesaria para subsanar los gastos de funcionamiento, no obstante, algunos países recurren a instrumentos más modernos que permiten el levantamiento de capital sin las restricciones habituales de los préstamos en Colombia. En tal medida, la presente investigación tiene por objetivo el análisis …