Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Lessons In Low-Tech: A Handbook For Sustainable Education, Ceri Almrott, Loann Astorino, Sébastien Bette, Benoit Delinchant, Philippe Fortemps, Ulysse Girard, Paul Hendrick, Sacha Hodencq, Fabian Lecron, Julie Lhuissier, Kévin Loesle, Luis Miguel Lopez Santiago, Santiago Perez Rodriguez, Gauthier Renard, Tatiana Reyes, Virginie Vandenbulcke, John Walsh

Other resources

LT4SUSTAIN, an Erasmus+ funded transnational project, is at the forefront of responding to the increasing awareness of environmental and climate challenges. This awareness, particularly among youth, has led to a demand for social justice. With the coordinated work among six institutions, ranging from higher education institutions to private companies and associations, LT4SUSTAIN aims to raise awareness of Lowtech across society.

LT4SUSTAIN is pioneering a unique approach to technology design. By developing “hackathons” and other “hands-on” events, we are engaging students and industry in a way that improves inclusiveness. Our objective is to equip individuals with the skills to embark on …

Navigating Loyalty: Exploring Perceptions In Family-Owned Businesses, Elisabeth Ann Arthur

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Family businesses are crucial to the global economy, contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing a diverse workforce. Like any other business, familyowned businesses are not immune to employee turnover. Employee perception of business stability is a key indicator of the business's health and resilience. This study aims to examine the relationship between employee perceptions of family business stability, business community involvement and turnover intentions using a quantitative survey. The survey was developed using validated scales and received approval (IRB #2206773) from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Marshall University prior to administering to family business employees …

Convenience And Price: What Leads To Repurchase Intent?, Brittany Thierman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study strives to understand drivers of repurchase intent for service-based small businesses in terms of firm attributes and service conveniences. This study also examines the impact of customer satisfaction on repurchase intent in service-based small businesses. The theories used for this research are Economic Utility Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior. This research aims to identify which factors are most important when starting the customer journey with a service-based small business, including signing up for the service, realizing the benefit, and the customer’s intention to repurchase. This research will compare firm attributes, including price discounts and service conveniences. …

Assessing The Impact Of Financial, Educational, And Managerial Resources On The Success Of Minority-Owned Businesses: An Analysis Of Resources From The Perspective Of The Minority Business Owner, Clinton B. Arnold

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Minority-owned businesses (MOBs) in the United States have a failure rate that is 50% higher than that of their non-minority counterparts. Rectifying this imbalance and achieving parity could yield significant economic benefits, potentially adding $1.5 trillion to the nation's economy if resources—financial, educational, and managerial—are equitably distributed and effectively made available to support the goals of minority businesses. However, historical injustices, from Jim Crow laws to systemic discrimination, have granted certain groups multi-generational advantages, exacerbating the divide. Addressing these disparities is both an economic imperative and a moral obligation to ensure equal opportunity. Lending Tree (2023)

With 1.2 million MOBs …

Research Report: Confidence In Institutions, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Mary Emery, Katelyn Larson, Bradley D. Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

This report details 943 responses to the 2025 Nebraska Rural Poll, the 30th annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their confidence in institutions. Trends for some of the questions are examined by comparing data from the 2017 Poll and 2021 Poll to this year’s results. In addition, comparisons are made among different respondent subgroups, that is, comparisons by age, occupation, region, etc. Based on these analyses, some key findings emerged:

• Rural Nebraskans’ confidence in many institutions did not change much during the past eight years. However, more rural Nebraskans have a …

Research Report: Insights Into Community, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Mary Emery, Katelyn Larson, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans are more positive about the current change in their communities this year but are less positive about its future. Starting three years ago, the proportion believing their community changed for the worse was more than the proportion believing it had changed for the better (similar to what occurred in 2003 and 2009). However, last year that trend reversed back to the typical pattern and continued this year. This year, more people believe their community has changed for the better than has changed for the worse. When asked about what they expect ten years from now, this year more …

Formal Financing Of Small And Medium Scale Enterprises In Nigeria: A Path To Economic Development?, Kingsley Onyekachi Onyele, Eberechi Ikwuagwu, Innocent Umezurike

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

This investigation assessed the influence of formal financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the economic advancement of Nigeria, utilising annual time series data ranging from 1992 to 2022. Employing the Cobb-Douglas framework, control variables, including capital formation and labour, which could influence economic development, were incorporated into the empirical model to mitigate bias. Following initial tests for stationarity, it was determined that all variables achieved stationarity upon the first difference, a finding that validated the Vector Error Correction Mechanism (VECM) application. The analysis revealed that the credit extended to SMEs by commercial banks and the loans provided by …

Size Premium In Small Business Valuation: Analysis Of Closely-Held Firms, Craig S. Galbraith

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

One of the most misunderstood components of valuing a small closely-held business is how to address the impact of small size. Most closely-held enterprises are relatively small in size, with market values less than $1million. Many small mom and pop operations, or single owner-operator family businesses, often have market values even smaller. The most common method to account for size is to use the size premium reports from Kroll or another financial data service provider. However, these small firm premiums are determined exclusively from publicly-traded firms, where even the category of the smallest publicly-traded firms are still magnitudes larger than …

Exploring The Nexus Of Climate Change, Energy Poverty, And Resilience Through Social Enterprises, Bupe Kunda

Honors Program Theses

This thesis examines how social enterprises address the nexus of climate change, energy poverty, and resilience in Zambia. Despite abundant renewable resources, only 34% of Zambians have electricity access, with stark urban-rural disparities (67% vs 14.5%). Using a qualitative multiple case study approach, this research analyzes ZESCO Limited, Muhanya Solar Limited, and Nyimba Energy Service Company (NESCO) through an integrated theoretical framework combining Social-Ecological-Technical Systems (SETS), energy justice, and social entrepreneurship theories. The study reveals that social enterprises demonstrate innovative approaches including NESCO's energy service company model and Muhanya's prepaid metering system, yet face significant challenges achieving financial sustainability and …

Alert During What? Beyond The "Big O" To A Culturally-Cognizant, Process View Of Entrepreneurial Alertness, Robert J. Pidduck, Daniel R. Clark

Management Faculty Publications

Entrepreneurial alertness is a psychological aptitude generally associated with aspects of nascent venturing, centered on individuals' environmental observations, the association of resources, and idea evaluation. A decade following the Tang et al. (2012) consensus construct and scale, critiques remain questioning its utility and unique value to the major conversations in entrepreneurship. Proponents put great emphasis on entrepreneurial alertness's proven association with opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial actions. Yet, critics suggest it might be an unnecessary step offering little more than a positive association with opportunity recognition in a highly generalized and static way. The purpose of this paper is to address …

A Different Risk-Return Relationship, Aydin Selim Oksoy, Matthew R. Farrell, Shaomin Li

Management Faculty Publications

We challenge the widely accepted premise that the valuation of an early-stage firm is simply the capital invested (USD) divided by the equity received (%). Instead, we argue that this calculation determines the break-even point for the investor; for example, investing USD 1.0 in exchange for a 10% equity sets a firm-level free cash flow target of USD 10.0, resulting in a 0% return for the investor. The design of our study is that of a descriptive analysis of the phenomenon, based on three assumptions: that angel investing is a two-issue negotiation, that negotiation positions are communicated sequentially from capital …

Artcatalyze Investments: Empowering Art Investment Innovation, Wan Yu Hung

MA Projects

The Art Investment Fund represents an ambitious fusion of art expertise with state-of-the-art Web3 and cryptocurrency technology, poised to revolutionize the landscape of art investment. At its core, the Fund is dedicated to establishing a secure and transparent art investment trading platform that caters to the needs of artists and collectors alike. Anchored by a team of seasoned art advisors, the Fund offers personalized guidance tailored to each client's unique financial goals, ensuring that investment decisions are informed and strategic. Additionally, a cadre of skilled art restorers plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity and enhancing the long-term appreciation …

Catalysta Proyecto: A Hybrid Approach To Showcasing Latin American Art In The Dominican Republic, Valerie Cabrera Brugal

MA Projects

Catalysta is a contemporary online art gallery that exclusively features Latin American artists, creating a dedicated platform for these voices to be seen and celebrated on the global stage. Our mission is to simplify the often-overwhelming experience of entering the art world, especially for young collectors who are new to the process. Our product offers a streamlined and accessible way to discover and purchase high-quality artwork without the traditional barriers. By providing information on the artist’s background, a description of the artwork and full disclosure of the price we offer a simple way of accessing and acquiring an art piece. …

Hom: House Of Mexico In New York, Victoria Espinosa

MA Projects

New York City remains the epicenter of the global art world, attracting curators, collectors, museum directors, and other key players who are constantly seeking new ideas and emerging talent. For Mexican artists, having a presence in this dynamic environment is essential for gaining the visibility and recognition they deserve on the international stage. To address this need, I am committed to establishing a dedicated space in New York—not as a commercial gallery or museum, but as a non-profit platform showcasing the depth and diversity of Mexican arts & culture. The goal is to create a bridge between Mexican creativity and …

Provision Cfo: Empowering Strategic Financial Excellence For Small Businesses And Entrepreneurs, Cindra Vang

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Overview

ProVision CFO offers strategic financial management solutions tailored to the unique needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and rapidly growing organizations. This project aims to equip clients with robust financial strategies and actionable insights necessary for sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term success. ProVision CFO provides comprehensive financial guidance including fractional CFO and accounting services.

Project Themes

The ProVision CFO framework encompasses three key components designed to optimize financial performance and organizational effectiveness. Component One—Strategic Clarity: Establishing clear financial goals aligned with organizational vision, mission, and values. Component Two—Financial Optimization: Providing accounting services to streamline financial processes and enhance …

A Dissertation To Explore Entrepreneurial Decision-Making In High-Risk Uncertainty Using Ethical Leadership, Janice Patrick Honeycytt Hering

Dissertations

Entrepreneurs regularly face high-risk, uncertain situations. Until this study, no research had examined how entrepreneurs approach these situations. Although studies have identified the construct of courage and suggested ways for employees to take courageous action in the workplace, no study has examined how entrepreneurs approach situations perceived as high-risk and with uncertain outcomes until now. This study was based on ethical leadership, one of the major components of courage: acting for the higher good. This study conducted qualitative grounded theory research to determine what process entrepreneurs use when faced with the need for courageous actions. Participants were entrepreneurs in the …

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

Future Of Bse Days 2025: Growing A Regenerative Bse, Derek M. Heeren, Santosh Pitla, Jennifer R. Keshwani, Mark Stone

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The Future of BSE Days 2025: Growing a Regenerative BSE brought together over 150 faculty, staff, students, and partners to envision the next quarter-century of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The event emphasized regeneration—not only of resources and ecosystems, but also of ideas, learning models, and relationships. Across seven major sessions—three Spark Talks and four Pillar Workshops—participants explored how BSE can thrive amid technological disruption, demographic change, and societal transformation.

Key Outcomes

Redefining Impact: This session challenged participants to evolve from counting outputs to valuing relationships, collaboration, and community well-being.

Adaptive Learning Models: This discussion introduced design studios, micro-credentials, …

Omnichannel Retailing: An Exploratory Study Of Limiting The Customer Journey In A Digital-First Context, Terence L. Holmes, Edward C. Brewer, Elizabeth Patterson

Atlantic Marketing Journal

A recent retail trend is the rise of “digital-first” firms, where their merchandise is sold primarily via online efforts. In this exploratory study we describe our investigation of the customer journey for a digital-first seller of cosmetics and personal care products. We collected qualitative and quantitative data from a customer survey and follow-up interviews. Results indicate that personal connections and actual product use are the two most important touchpoints customers consider in first discovering the seller and then building a relationship with the brand. We describe practical applications of the findings and suggest ideas for future research.

A Mixed Methodology Study On Effective Products And Services For Consulting Firms, Doc S. Dillard

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study evaluated organizational effectiveness within small- to medium-sized educational technology and technology-adjacent organizations for consulting firms to develop appropriate products and services for clients. This allowed consulting firms to develop innovation in their approaches. More specifically, this research supported consulting firms specializing in educational technology in developing products and services for industry leaders to improve organizational effectiveness. The research employed a mixed methodology consisting of 10 educational technology leaders. Data were collected from survey questions and through evaluating related literature. The literature compiled included organizations across education, technology, and technology-adjacent industries. The research evaluated organizations through McKinsey’s 7S framework. …