Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

The Microfinance Experiment: An Evaluation Of Programs And Effectiveness In St. Louis, Maxwell Miller

Honors Scholar Theses

Widespread poverty remains a reality for many in both developed and developing countries. Policymakers, charitable organizations, and entrepreneurs have introduced diverse strategies to provide individuals and communities opportunities to rise from poverty. One such method is microfinance, a system developed by Muhammad Yunus in the early 1970s to provide small loans and financial services to borrowers too impoverished or otherwise lacking in credibility or collateral to be considered by traditional means of credit.

Since its inception, microfinance has spread among other countries to mixed success. While many researchers claim microfinance has proven to be an effective tool to combat poverty, …

Conscious Couture: Upcycling And Sustainable Style, Sara Wilson

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

The fashion and apparel industry has become synonymously associated with wastefulness and pollution due to the high levels of production, consumption and disposal of the billions of garments produced globally each year. Throughout the industry, brands have continued to set sustainability goals for both efforts to reduce their environmental impacts as well as appeal to the ‘green’ consumer. The power that a consumer holds can be leveraged for driving sustainability related initiatives through an apparel market that is virtually available everywhere. Since the 1990s, the secondhand market has developed from simply an economically friendly place to purchase necessities, to its …

The Use Of Social Media For Marketing By Independent Musicians, Jessica E. Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many musicians have social media presences, but not many know how to begin or how to market their music. Instead, artists find themselves searching for other forms to help them market their music. This leads them to overspend on expensive services in hopes that they can get their names more known. Musicians may feel discouraged when they don’t see the results they hope for, especially online and with other competitors. Because of this, musicians feel less confident in their success in the music industry. There is an imbalance between what the musician wants to achieve and what they need. …

Sustainable Pathways For Successful Small Businesses In Chelsea, Massachusetts, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Lorna Rivera, Carolina Rojas-Pion, Daniela Bravo, Henry Chavez

Gastón Institute Publications

This report focuses on the critical role that small business owners and entrepreneurs play in the socioeconomic development of a predominantly Latino community like Chelsea, Massachusetts.

This report compiles the key findings and recommendations that resulted from conducting a qualitative study with small business owners and other individuals who play important roles in advocating for and supporting this community. Assuming an asset-based approach rather than a deficit-based one (Green & Haines, 2011), our study focuses on the skills and knowledge of small business owners and identifies a myriad of possibilities for City administrators to build upon existing practices and behaviors …

The Impact Of Integrating An Sbdc Program Into A College/University Career Center, Harshdeep Singh Nanda

Master's Projects

With a new approach for integrating the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program in Alameda County, the Ohlone Community College District (Ohlone College) has introduced a new model for hosting an SBDC program on a college/university campus. While many other educational institutions across the nation have hosted an SBDC program (Cook Center for Entrepreneurship - Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, n.d.; University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) | Helping NEPA & Northern Tier Small Businesses Start, Grow & Prosper., n.d.; Olson, 2006), most have treated the program as a separate entity or department, often leading to the …

Extension-Led Demonstration: Grameen Microfinance Methods And Capital Access For Low-Income Female Entrepreneurs, Mark A. Edelman

Journal of Extension

A nonprofit community development financial institution and Extension collaborated to conduct a demonstration project to evaluate efficacy of Grameen peer-group microfinance methodology in addressing barriers faced by low-income women entrepreneurs in a small metro area. Program performance metrics achieved by 284 culturally diverse, low-income entrepreneurs (almost all women) over 5 years included a program loan repayment rate of 99%, increased average client income, bank savings accumulation, and increased opportunities for improved credit scores. Client survey responses indicated program methods developed confidence and skills in finances, leadership, and teamwork. Extension professionals may play various roles in such endeavors.

Small Business Debt Financing: The Effect Of Lender Structural Complexity., Jaume Franquesa, David Vera

Business Administration Faculty Scholarship

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) depend on a large measure on commercial banks for external capital, and US SMEs are increasingly experiencing bank credit constraints and resorting to costly alternatives. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of lender organizational complexity on SME financing shortfalls. In particular, it examines the credit shortage effects associated with the SME's reliance on bank holding company (BHC) owned, as opposed to independent, lenders.

Black Women Entrepreneurs: Understanding The Challenges And Proposing Policy For Equitable Change, Nana Younge

Community Engagement Student Work

Black Women Entrepreneurs: Understanding the Challenges and Proposing Policy for Equitable Change examines the obstacles that Black women entrepreneurs face that make building successful businesses challenging. When it comes to businesses in the United States, Black women fall behind compared to their white counterparts and the impact of this transcends their communities. The most paramount consequence of the absence of successful Black women entrepreneurs is advocacy in decision making that ultimately impacts Black communities and the country at large. Black women endure systematic oppression that is directly linked to a long history of racial and gender inequality that affects their …

Tips For Sme Transformation Amid Covid-19 Pandemic, Siow-Heng Ong

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The author shared that following the economic downturn in 2020, revival in 2021 can only be very gradual. SMEs in different sectors of the economy face different challenges and have different options for response. Overall, SMEs are hopeful rather than confident. SMEs are generally hoping to manage cash flow and stretch their current funds for immediate business sustainability. Inevitably, their focus is on meeting critical business needs. Turnover and profits are not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels so any increase in hiring or other planning for the future will be slight. He suggested that for pragmatic managers of SMEs …

Biblioshiny R Application On Islamic Microfinance Research, Popon Srisusilawati, Aam Slamet Rusydiana, Yulizar Djamaluddin Sanrego, Naelati Tubastuvi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study aims to determine the development of Islamic microfinance research trends published by leading journals on Islamic economics and finance. The data analyzed consisted of 441 indexed research publications. The data is then processed and analyzed using the R Bibliometric application to find out the bibliometric map of the development of Islamic economics and finance on Islamic microfinance. The results showed that the number of publications on the development of Islamic economic and financial research had increased significantly. Then, most types of documents that analyze Islamic microfinance are journaled articles. The most popular author is Kassim S, and the …

Editorial - Subsistence Marketplaces: Journal, Knowledge-Practice Portal, And Organization, Madhu Viswanathan

Subsistence Marketplaces

Subsistence Marketplaces: Journal, Knowledge-Practice Portal and Organization

Haptic Heritage And The Paradox Of Provenance Within Singapore's Cottage Food Businesses, Orlando Woods, John A. Donaldson

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This paper offers a “more-than-representational” understanding of how heritage value is reproduced by cottage food businesses in Singapore. It advances the notion of haptic heritage to highlight the importance of touch and feel in inculcating food with a sense of heritage value. Haptic heritage is reproduced through the physical handling of ingredients in ways that contribute to more “authentic” products. However, it also foregrounds food production processes that are more tactile, time-consuming and thus unscalable than their automated counterparts. Accordingly, the reproduction of haptic heritage is becoming increasingly unviable in Singapore’s competitive economic landscape. These ideas are explored through a …

Conflict Resolution In The Virtual World: The Impact Of Covid-19 On New Ways Of Doing Business, Eileen P. Petzold-Bradley

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

Overview

The world-wide-web development in the 1990s has led to the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) movement over the last two decades. As digital and internet technology has become globally widespread, discovering new ways of using online tools for dispute resolution is becoming more prevalent. Living in a digital culture, “also known as digitality or digitalism,” has become a norm for our post-modern society. As we continue to witness in the conflict resolution field, incorporating technology into the dispute resolution processes is becoming more commonplace for practitioners.

As ODR continues to be seen ripe for innovation and as a valuable tool …

Digital Marketing And Smes: A Systematic Mapping Study, Abdurrahman Rahim Thaha, Erna Maulina, R Anang Muftiadi, Mohammad Benny Alexandri

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have a high priority for many governments because of their important economic contribution and the number of people they employ. The very rapid development of ICT in the digital era has an impact on various lines of life, including changes in business environment and consumer behavior. Therefore, the need to find out about research trends and themes in digital marketing in SMEs is important. The objective of this paper is to classify, and identify related themes and trends in the literature that are directly related to digital marketing and SMEs over the past 10 years. …

Nebraska Corn Basis Response To Economic Shutdown, Austin Harthoorn, Cory Walters, Jessica J. Groskopf

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

The objective of this article is to evaluate how Nebraska corn basis evolved through this past year’s economic events. We hope growers update their commodity price marketing decision framework as this past year exposed levels prices can reach — an important factor to consider when farm survival is on the line.

Building Growth Enterprises In Singapore: Public-Private Partnership, Annie Koh, Esther Kong

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This chapter traces the growth and development of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from post-independent Singapore in 1965 to its current day digital transformation age. Singapore’s SME landscape has evolved from one of low wage, low productivity entrepot trade, to supporting multi-national corporations, and transforming into the innovative, digital and agile enterprises of today. The four main challenges faced by SMEs are in human capital, internationalisation, innovation and financing, and dependency on government policies are highlighted. Moving ahead, digitalisation, and building TIEs that bind leveraging on Trust, Innovation and Internationalisation, and Entrepreneurship, will be key to propel the nation and family …

Emergence Of Private Markets And Exchanges As An Alternative Source Of Financing For Small- And Medium-Sized Enterprises (Sme) In Singapore, Ser Keng Ang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the engine for growth for any economy, whether big or small and developed or emerging. In the US, small firms with less than 500 employee represent 99% of all employers, provide over 80% of net new jobs and account for about one-half of the national workforce. Singapore is no exception. Hence, the well-being of the SME sector in Singapore bears huge importance in the growth and development of its economy.In practice, financing of private companies, particularly small companies, is a challenge. In general, their small size makes private firms more susceptible to exogenous shocks. …

Venture Capital In Nevada, Peter Grema, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet provides an overview of venture capital in the State of Nevada. Venture capital is an essential part of economic diversification and business startup development. The Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah are used for comparative purposes to add context to Nevada’s venture capital ecosystem. The differing nature of venture capital funds in Northern and Southern Nevada is delineated.

Will Seasonality Patterns For Beef Export Sales And Commitments Hold In 2021?, Elliott James Dennis

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

First two paragraphs:

Trade occurs when price differences between the two locations are large enough after accounting for transportation cost, exchange rates, tariffs, etc. Exports vary throughout the year since prices reflect current and future supply and demand situations. Seasonality in cattle production, meat demand, and market disruptions are some examples of why wholesale beef prices increase and decrease within a year.

The inability to market cattle in the second quarter of 2020 and increased demand for retail beef products due to government gathering restrictions in restaurants caused wholesale beef prices to rise to historical levels. Beef wholesalers can choose …

The State Of #Digitalentrepreneurship: A Big Data Leximancer Analysis Of Social Media Activity, Violetta Wilk, Helen Cripps, Alexandru Capatina, Adrian Micu, Angela-Eliza Micu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper examined online sentiment, key themes and patterns evident in social media activity about digital entrepreneurship. It provides a snapshot-in-time, visual-first perspective on social media user-generated-content (UGC) to better understand the topic of digital entrepreneurship. Global data consisting of 31,017 publicly available UGC which used the #digitalentrepreneurship (hashtag) and the keywords ‘digital entrepreneurship’ were collected. A computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS), Leximancer, was used for an automated text-mining analysis. There is positive online sentiment surrounding digital entrepreneurship technology, ecosystem and industry, and one which promotes women transformation of digital entrepreneurship globally. Negative sentiment pointed out that future …

Well-Being In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2021 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

This year, rural Nebraskans gave similar assessments of their current situation as they did last year. However, their optimism about their future is slightly lower than last year. And, this year, more rural Nebraskans agree that people are powerless to control their own lives as compared to last year.

Residents of the North Central region are the regional group most likely to believe they will be better off ten years from now. And, residents of both the North Central and Panhandle regions are more likely than residents of other regions of the state to believe they are much better off …

Well-Being Of Metropolitan And Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans [Research Brief], Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Provides a synopsis of the report on Well-Being of Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans by Nebraska Rural Poll researchers.

Includes details about general well-being, perceptions of powerlessness, and specific aspects of well-being.

The Nebraska Rural Poll sampled residents from non-metropolitan counties and regional trade centers in the state. The Nebraska Metro Poll sampled the seven counties that comprise the Lincoln and Omaha metropolitan areas. Both polls sent four mailings regarding or containing the surveys in the spring of 2021 and had an online response option.

Trust In Media, Institutions And Health Information In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2021 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans’ confidence in many institutions has not changed much during the past four years. However, more rural Nebraskans have a great deal of confidence in the public safety agencies in their community than they did in 2017. Conversely, fewer rural Nebraskans express a great deal of confidence in the presidency than they did in 2017.

Overall, most rural Nebraskans have confidence in their local institutions (public safety agencies in their community, public schools in their community, and voting and election systems in their county). However, most have very little confidence in many national institutions (the Presidency, the U.S. House …

Life In Metropolitan And Nonmetropolitan Nebraskan Communities [Research Brief], Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Provides a synopsis of the report on life in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan Nebraskan communities by Nebraska Rural Poll researchers.

Includes details about community change, community social attributes, community powerlessness, satisfaction with community services and amenities, attachment to the community, discrimination in the community, plans to leave the community, and individual and community political views.

The Nebraska Rural Poll sampled residents from non-metropolitan counties and regional trade centers in the state. The Nebraska Metro Poll sampled the seven counties that comprise the Lincoln and Omaha metropolitan areas. Both polls sent four mailings regarding or containing the surveys in the spring of …

Impacts Of The Pandemic For Metropolitan And Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans [Research Brief], Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Provides a synopsis of the report on impacts of the pandemic for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan Nebraskans by Nebraska Rural Poll researchers.

Includes details about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, health and economic impacts experienced during the pandemic from the 2021 metro and rural polls, the extent elements of life were affected or disrupted by the pandemic, frequency of working from home, changes in consumer habits during the pandemic, the likelihood of making consumer choices going forward, and the limitations of home internet service.

The Nebraska Rural Poll sampled residents from non-metropolitan counties and regional trade centers in the state. …

Impacts Of The Pandemic In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2021 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Most rural Nebraskans felt various impacts from the pandemic. While many rural Nebraskans had someone in their household that quarantined because of possible coronavirus exposure or who contracted COVID-19, most have friends or family in their community that quarantined or contracted the virus. Many rural Nebraskans also have friends or family both inside and outside their community who were hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 or who died as a result of it.

Most rural Nebraskans say the following were affected a fair amount or a great deal by the pandemic: their socialization with others, their life overall, and their …

Life In Nonmetropolitan Nebraskan Communities: 2021 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans are less positive about the current change and expected future change in their communities this year. The proportion believing their community has changed for the better has typically been greater than the proportion believing it has changed for the worse. However, this year the proportion believing their community changed for the worse was slightly more than the proportion believing it had changed for the better (similar to what occurred in 2003 and 2009). The proportion viewing positive change in their community sharply declined from last year. The proportion believing their community has stayed the same increased sharply. Despite …

Trust In Media, Institutions And Health Information For Metropolitan And Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans [Research Brief], Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

Provides a synopsis of trust in media, institutions, and health information for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan Nebraskans from Nebraska Rural Poll researchers.

Includes details about confidence in institutions, trust in media, and health information.

The Nebraska Rural Poll sampled residents from non-metropolitan counties and regional trade centers in the state. The Nebraska Metro Poll sampled the seven counties that comprise the Lincoln and Omaha metropolitan areas. Both polls sent four mailings regarding or containing the surveys in the spring of 2021 and had an online response option.

تأثير فيروس كورونا على إدارة رأس المال البشري في الشركات الناشئة في مصر, Shahjahan Bhuiyan, Fayrouz El Dabbagh, Mariam Walid, Shorouk Fouda

Papers, Posters, and Presentations

إن الشركات الناشئة شركات تتسم بالهشاشة على المستوى المؤسسي وتتعامل مع درجات عالية من المخاطر وعدم اليقين، وخاصة أثناء الصدمات قصيرة الأجل مثل فيروس كورونا (كوفيد- 19)، ويسعى موجز السياسات هنا إلى تحديد التطور المطلوب في النظام البيئي الداعم للشركات الناشئة في ظل جائحة فيروس كورونا (كوفيد- 19)، مع التركيز بشكل خاص على إدارة رأس المال البشري والعمل اللائق ومرونة سوق العمل في الشركات الناشئة في مصر. والسؤال الأساسي الذي يطرحه الموجز هو: كيف أثرت جائحة فيروس كورونا (كوفيد- 19) على ممارسات إدارة رأس المال البشري في الشركات الناشئة المصرية وما هو المطلوب لي تتعافى الشركات الناشئة في مصر من …

الشركات الناشئة وإدارة رأس المال البشري في مصر: رحلة البحث عن وظائف لائقة, Maryham Madgy Abdelmalak, Fayrouz El Dabbagh, Ibrahem El Sayed Hassan, Laila M. El Baradei

Papers, Posters, and Presentations

تُعد الشركات الناشئة أحد العناصر التي من الممكن أن تساهم في النمو الاقتصادي في مصر، إلا أنها تواجه تحديات عديدة تعرقل قدرتها على تحقيق إمكاناتها، واستدامتها في السوق، وقدرتها على توفير فرص عمل لائقة. وتشمل التحديات: صعوبة تحديد مصدر التمويل، واستدامته وتعقد الإطار القانوني والتنظيمي الذي ينظمها, بالإضافة إلى المعايير الاجتماعية، والثقافة المحافظة، ونقص البيانات والمعلومات المتعلقة بديناميات السوق والفرص المتاحة. وقد أوضحت نتائج البحث أن العديد من الشركات الناشئة تواجه تحديات في إدارة رأس المال البشري لديها فيما يتعلق بمهام التخطيط ،أو اجتذاب الموارد البشرية أو التطوير ،أو الجزاءات. وتتناول هذه الورقة النظام البيئي الحالي للشركات الناشئة في مصر …