Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Identifying The Threshold: Using Regulatory Focus As A Predictor Of Ceo Adaptibility During Environmental Changes, George B. Constantine Iii

Dissertations

Building on research on CEO turnover and strategic leadership, this study examines how decision makers' regulatory focus shapes strategic decision-making and how this can contribute to performance decline, often resulting in CEO replacement. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, the study theorizes that measurable chronic regulatory focus attributes influence decision makers’ capacity to adapt to environmental change—conditions under which prior research suggests executives may become rigid and persist with established strategies. Despite its relevance for strategic adaptation, such chronic trait behavior has received limited attention in the current business literature. To address this gap, effectuation theory is integrated into a simulation-based …

The Evolution Of The Modern Library Brand: Transforming Community Engagement Into Sustainable Revenue, Slone Williams

Georgia Library Quarterly

This article examines the development of the Cobb Library Shop, an e-commerce initiative launched by the Cobb County Public Library to generate sustainable funding through brand engagement. Built on a modest startup budget, the shop integrates a multichannel sales strategy and leverages internal talent to create a scalable, community-centered retail model.

The project achieved a full return on investment within 14 days and continues to demonstrate steady revenue expansion. By combining entrepreneurial practices with public service values, this case study highlights how libraries can diversify funding streams, enhance community engagement, and establish a replicable model for revenue-generating library systems.

Small Business And Social Media Marketing: What Role Does Ethics Play?, La Toya M. Russell

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Validation Of Entrepreneurial Marketing Dimensions In North Carolina Wineries, G. David Shows, James Stoddard, Pia A. Albinsson

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of Business Leaders – Comparing Uncertainty Differences & Similarities During Covid Vs. 2008 - 2009, Ryan Matthews

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

A Three Word Rubric: Successful Experiential Learning Guided By What, Why, How, Harvey Simon

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Ceo Integrity And Entrepreneurial Orientation: Role Played By Marketing Power And Compensation, Prachi B. Gala, Saim Kashmiri

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Helping Craft Beer Hunters Make Their Next Great Beer Discovery, Mark Mitchell, Sheila Mitchell

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The number of craft beer producers and consumers in the United States has increased dramatically over the last ten years. This manuscript provides an overview of the craft beer marketplace in the United States with a focus on the craft brewers and retailers as well as the consumers who favor craft beers. Craft beer enthusiasts are a “consumption community” or, a group of consumers who share a deep involvement with the craft beer category. This study presents a list of common business practices designed to appeal to this unique consumer group.

The Effects Of Organisational Culture In Strengthening Resilience And Technological Innovation: A Case Of Smes In South Africa, Lunathi Gwayi, Ayanda Pekane, Luzuko Tekeni

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operated by forcing rapid digital transformation and remote work. This created an urgent need to understand how organisational culture can support resilience and encourage innovation. This study addressed the knowledge gap regarding how a strong organisational culture can help SMEs in South Africa navigate global crises, adapt to digital demands, and sustain long-term growth. The purpose of the study was explanatory, supported by an interpretive, inductive approach, and a qualitative strategy. Through semi-structured interviews with senior managers in the South African IT sector, the research identified Clan and Adhocracy cultures …

Exploring The Role Of Ict In Empowering Grassroots Innovation And Entrepreneurship: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Iringa Region In Tanzania, Emma Nkonoki, Ruthbetha Kateule, Ville Leppänen

The African Journal of Information Systems

ICT-enabled grassroots innovation has been extensively researched; however, there is a lack of empirical evidence as to its potential contribution to resource-scarce settings in Africa. This paper aims to explore the transformative role of ICT from idea generation to sustained entrepreneurship using the Iringa region in Tanzania as a case study. This qualitative study delves into the experiences of four grassroots entrepreneurs, revealing the interplay between technology, resource scarcity and the aspirations of those entrepreneurs. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and was examined extensively using thematic analysis. This revealed how ICT assists innovative young entrepreneurs to identify and utilize …

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.

Get Smart About Your Money, Sharonda Singleton Brown, Imani Beverly, Jacquelyn J. Daniel

Georgia Library Quarterly

“Get Smart About Your Money” was an event held at the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library for Money Smart Week 2023. The goal of the event was to introduce the new business librarian, promote financial literacy in the Atlanta University Center community, and participate in National Money Smart Week.

Introduction To International Business, Rajaram Veliyath

KSU Distinguished Course Repository

An introduction to the global business environment, this course examines the discrete and interactive effects of the geographic, historical, sociocultural, political/legal, economic and technological forces that shape business activities across borders and their consequences.

Developing An Integrative Theoretical Framework For Electronic Business Value Optimisation In Botswana, Meduduetso Tsumake-Tsiang, Adheesh Budree

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Organizations are trying to move quickly to adopt remote working policies into their organizations as to attract and retain top talent, reduce office space costs, and increase productivity. As many of these strategies were quickly adopted by South African ICT organizations during the COIVD-19 pandemic, organizations are still somewhat unclear on what their role is with regards to ensuring long term adoption of remote working. Thus, this study explored the role of the organization with regards to a work-from-home strategy. It was found that the organization is responsible for formalizing the chosen strategy, creating supportive policies, and adapting its management …

Digital Transformation Of Smes Through Social Media, Georgette Eugenia Otoo, Raphael Amponsah, Eric Afful-Dadzie, Emmanuel Awuni Kolog

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

This research paper explores the strategic integration of social media platforms by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) beyond marketing. Drawing from Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities theories, the study investigates how social media enhances management, coordination, and control functions. Through five diverse case studies from Ghana, findings reveal SMEs’ innovative use of platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Slack, and Trello. These platforms foster efficient internal communication, customer engagement, project management, and talent acquisition. Challenges such as technical expertise and dynamic digital landscapes are identified.

Adoption Of Ict To Support Rural Small-Holder Farmers : A Systematic Review, Abdus Salaam Seat, Shaun Pather

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are slowly becoming more available to rural communities given a number of innovative approaches over recent years such as the implementation of Community Networks (CNs). Consequently, ICTs are able to become more meaningful in support of livelihoods of these communities, such as in agriculture production. Potential benefits to smallholder farmers include increase yields and reduced effort. However, there is very little evidence of smallholder farmers integrating ICTs into their livelihood activity. In this paper a Systematic Literature Review is used to explore the challenges faced in this sector. A total of 83 articles …

Small Value-Add Local Food Retailer’S Covid-19 And Post-Covid-19 Strategies, Timothy L. Schauer, Denise Ogden, Doc Ogden

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The pandemic came as a blow to retailers that were already under pressure from online competitors that offered low prices and provided the convenience of shopping from home. The media tended to cover the plight and challenges for larger chain stores and big box retailers. However, the small local food providers and retailers also faced challenges and had to manage without the luxury of having dedicated staff and deep pockets with which to navigate through the pandemic. This paper explores the experiences and strategies used by 20 small local value-added food providers and retailers as they navigated the pandemic. Additionally, …

Organizing Digital Platforms And Customer Needs For Digital Service Innovation, Gamel O. Wiredu

The African Journal of Information Systems

Digital organizations have become highly dependent on digital platforms and customer needs as key resources for digital service innovation. These resources in the competitive environment are making and shaping innovation of digital services because, though external, they remain central to digital organizations’ strategic innovation and competitiveness. Yet, how and why organizing these resources influences digital service innovation is under-explained in the literature. This paper, based on an empirical study and grounded theory methodology, addresses this limitation. It explains that digital service innovation occurs through two complementary types of organizing, namely: foundational knowledge organizing by combining digital platforms and customer needs, …

The 1-2-3 Of Market Research For Business Startups: A Case Study In Library Instruction, Daniel Le, Marie-Louise Watson

Georgia Library Quarterly

This article describes a practical way to teach student entrepreneurs to search and use market data for business startup plans. The conventional way of teaching students to find articles and business intelligence based on a class assignment can be challenging for many students without an academic business background. This library instruction approach sequentially uses three databases enriched with business data and infographics to support the development of critical thinking for student entrepreneurs. It teaches entrepreneurial personality support, analysis, visualization, and market mapping.

Validation Of Entrepreneurial Marketing Dimensions In North Carolina Wineries, George D. Shows, Pia A. Albinsson, James E. Stoddard

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This aim of this article is to test and validate a recently developed Entrepreneurial Marketing (EM) scale in the context of North Caroline Wineries. Previous EM literature suggests that EM consists of six dimensions, namely 1) proactive orientation, 2) opportunity orientation, 3) customer intensity, 4) innovation focused, 5) risk management, and 6) value creation. Using confirmatory factory analysis and structural equation modeling on data collected from small businesses (e.g., NC wineries), results confirm the EM consists of five of the proposed six dimensions in the NC winery context. Risk management was not included in the final model. Implications for theory …

Escape For Boone & Crocket, William Foxx, W. Frank Thompson Jr., Joseph W. Giese, David Vanbuskirk

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Eber Crocket is the owner of Boone & Crocket Trapper Supply (B&C). He feels like the environmental forces that are impacting his business are like a trap slowing closing on him. He is considering ideas to improve his store’s profitability.

Demand for furs as fashion goods is a multi-million dollar industry. Twenty percent of this demand is met by wild fur which is harvested by trappers. Trapping suppliers serve as the middleman between small individual trappers and auction houses. These auction houses collect the raw fur pelts from trappers and trapping stores and hold them until one of their auctions. …

Understanding Entrepreneurial Marketing Through Customer Orientation Of Hispanic And Black Business Owners, Linda Golden, Robert A. Peterson

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Financial Technology Usage 2017 Predictive Analytics Study, Alan D. Smith

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Unintended Impacts On Entrepreneurs During Covid-19 – Pandemic Creates Unforeseeable Opportunities Of A Lifetime, Ryan Matthews

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Select entrepreneurs are successful for a reason. One reason being, they have been able to use their skills to execute during times of chaos and panic, sometimes using these times as an opportunity to identify and exploit new or existing opportunities. Now and then, the external business environment changes in a manner that was never imagined or planned, therefore creating unintended impacts or new opportunities. During times of chaos, will these entrepreneurs pursue newly present opportunities that were not planned, or will they stick to their comfort zone? While several studies have been conducted looking at the characteristics of the …

Role Reversal: Exploring The M&A Process When The Family Firm Is The Acquirer, Darin Dredge

PhD in Business Administration Dissertations

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are a popular strategy to grow a firm. The prevalent view is that large, publicly traded non-family firms acquire much smaller, usually privately held firms, many of which are family owned. This view neglects, however, that family firms also utilize M&A to grow. Moreover, the vast majority of companies – even the largest – are family controlled. However, we know little about why and how family firms use M&A as a growth strategy. Furthermore, the M&A process – defined as pre-acquisition decision making and post-acquisition integration – is different when families take on the role of …

Information Searching And Satisficing Process For It Decision Making Process Of Smes, Mohammed A. Enagi, Jean-Paul Van Belle

The African Journal of Information Systems

Information Technology (IT) can provide Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with competitive advantage, effective management, and improved business performance. Decision making is an integral process of achieving a successful IT investment. SME owner-managers are usually the key IT decision makers despite the fact that they often do not possess sufficient IT skills. This study examines how SME managers search and prioritise information that guides their IT decisions. This study adopted a qualitative research method and conducted interviews with eleven SME owner-managers in Nigeria and South Africa to understand the process of IT investment based on the information available to the …

The Slackback, Joe Stasio

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Review Of Career Education For Women Entrepreneurs In Nigeria, Elizabeth Ojo, Ismet Anitsal, Melek Meral Anitsal

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Influence Of Pre- And Post-Purchase Services Mix On Millennial Shopping Behavior, Matt Elbeck, Debbie Delong, Hannah Wilburn

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

The Examiniation Of Entrepreneurial Investment Tax Credits: Angel Vs. Crowdfunding Investing, Laura Barthel

PhD in Business Administration Dissertations

Equity-investment credits are prevalent in the United States and other countries (Bell and Woodmansee, 2016), yet little evidence exists about the effectiveness of these credits at incentivizing individuals to invest. The intent of these credits is to spur entrepreneurial activity and in turn economic development (Acs, Asterbro, Audretsch, and Robinson, 2016; Bell, Wilbanks, and Hendon, 2013; Erken, Donselaar, and Thurik, 2016). The current study experimentally tests the influence of a tax credit on an individual’s likelihood to invest in startups across two risk settings, which parallel Angel and Crowdfunding investing methods.

The study finds an equity-investment tax credit is effective …