Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility And Social Performance Of Small Businesses, Melva Steps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business leaders affected by negative social performance may also experience a diminishing customer base and minimized profits. Grounded in the strategic success paradigm framework, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between four elements of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategic posture (workplace, marketplace, community, and environment) and social performance. The participants consisted of retail trade small business owners in the United States. The Survey of CSR in Small Business was conducted via SurveyMonkey and provided the data for analysis (N = 85). Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the regression model significantly …

Strategies To Implement Organizational Changes In Middle East And North Africa, Ilham Hiyari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational change initiatives often fail in the implementation phase resulting in decreased productivity affecting the net profitability of the organization. Grounded in Kotter’s 8-step change model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by business leaders to implement organizational change initiatives successfully. A purposeful sample of 10 business leaders from 2 organizations located in the region of the Middle East and North Africa participated in the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and secondary sources including strategic business plan presentations, change tracking tools, meeting minutes, financial statements, and archival records. Data were analyzed …

Corporate Social Responsibility And Organizational Performance Of Oil Companies In Southern Nigeria, Powei Martin Daubry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this study, the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and organizational performance (OP) of international oil companies (IOCs) operating within the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria was investigated. Grounded on the stakeholder theory, the problem being investigated involved the extent to which dimensions of CSR in terms of centrality, visibility, and voluntary contributions impact measures of OP (relational capital and employees’ commitment) specifically within the oil industry in Nigeria. Data for the study were obtained through a quantitative survey instrument from a sample of a population of individuals (N=270) living in host communities who are impacted by IOC …

Modern Costing Strategies For Improved Profitability In Small- And Medium-Sized Businesses, Jennifer Kelly Demoras

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) accounting managers use little to no modern costing strategies which can negatively impact profitability. Advances in technology, innovations in product design, and increases in globalization mean SMEs could benefit from modernizing their internal costing systems. This study is important to SME accounting managers because of offering new information and practical methods that SMEs might use for improved profitability. Grounded in the contingency theory of management accounting, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the modern costing strategies SME accounting managers used to improve profitability. Seven SME owners, CFOs, and administrators who …

Development Strategies For Privately Owned Fashion Boutiques, Tommy White Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Many privately owned brick-and-mortar fashion boutiques in the United States fail to succeed beyond the first 5 years of business. The knowledge of the factors responsible for the decline in the survival rate of traditional or brick-and-mortar fashion boutiques may be essential to these entrepreneurs’ survival. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by successful brick-and-mortar fashion boutique owners to negate the threat of online retailers. Data were collected through interviews with 5 brick-and-mortar fashion boutique owners, who operated businesses in the southeast region of the United …

Financial Illiteracy Of Nigerian Immigrant Entrepreneurs In Houston, Adewole M. Omogunsoye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Financial literacy is an essential determinant of entrepreneurial success as it helps entrepreneurs to access credit and make rational financial decisions. However, financial literacy remains low especially among immigrant communities, who form the bulk of the low-income earners in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the financial literacy of Nigerian immigrant entrepreneurs living in Houston, Texas, in order to sustain growth in their business by successfully using the U.S credit system. The research question for the study examined the actions Nigerian immigrant entrepreneurs in Houston need to take to be financially literate …

Program Evaluation Of A Black Barbershop Health Outreach Campaign, Berkina Denise Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black-owned barbershops in the Black community lack barber administered interventions to provide education and health screenings to Black men. Increasing knowledge of health assessments in a black barbershop setting increases the number of health screenings and preventative care among Black men. Grounded in general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative summative program evaluation was to explore the extent to which a nonprofit Black barbershop health program aligns with the Health Research (HR) program objectives. The evaluation was performed for a nonprofit organization located in Maryland, 6 years after the organization implemented the HR Program Network of barbers and salon …

Human Resource Management Practices For Sustainability Of Ghanaian Small And Medium Enterprises, Charles Bandari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2018, the failure rate of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana was approximately 75%. SME owners and managers who refuse to recognize HRM strategies as a way for business sustainability risk closure. Grounded in Blau's social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore human resource strategies leaders of SMEs use to sustain their businesses. Participants were 4 SME leaders in the Tamale metropolitan area of Ghana who successfully used human resource management strategies to promote the sustainability of their businesses. Data were collected from semistructured face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, and company …

Effective Marketing Strategies Of Profitable Small Businesses, Xoriunstance T. Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inability to achieve profitability can negatively impact business operations. Small independent insurance agency owners who fail to maintain profitability are at a higher risk of failure. Grounded in the dynamic capabilities model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore effective marketing strategies leaders of small independent insurance agencies use to achieve and maintain profitability. The participants comprised 3 independent insurance agents in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who effectively used marketing strategies to achieve and maintain profitability. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company websites, and company documents. Yin’s 5-step thematic analysis, which included compiling, disassembling, interpreting …

Exploring The Strategies For Sustaining Small- To Medium-Scale Enterprises, Kingsley Onochie Umadia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of development and the continued survival of small- to medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) poses a challenge to SME practices in Nigeria. Using sustainability theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies that leaders use in sustaining SMEs in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria. Ten SME leaders from the manufacturing sector, trading services, education, oil and gas service companies, and financial services sector provided comments during the interviews that addressed the research question. Data were analyzed by transcription, coding, categorizing and analysis of participants' responses using member checking. From the themes that emerged from the study, …

Strategies For Small Business Sustainability Beyond 5 Years In New Restaurant Industry, Alexandria Norma Wilhoite

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than half of small businesses in the United States are unsustainable within the first five years of existence. Small business owners who do not implement successful and sustainable strategies are at a high risk of failure. Grounded in the resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that some small restaurant owners use to sustain business beyond five years. The participants included three small business owners in Connecticut who have been in business for five years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company websites, and company documents. Yin’s 5-step thematic analysis was …

Competitive Strategies To Improve Small And Medium Enterprise Sales, Adeola Oluwakemi Ogunyemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the mainstay of both developed and developing countries by contributing to employment, revenue, and value added. SMEs, however, are not often able to grow because of a lack of appropriate growth strategies. Grounded in Porter’s dynamic theory of strategy, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies retail SME owners in Lagos, Nigeria, used to grow sales. The participants were a census of five retail SME business owners who successfully implemented strategies to grow sales. The data collection sources included semistructured interviews, direct observation, company documents, and reflective journals. Based …

Strategies For Decreasing Employee Turnover In Retail Organizations, Mathias Oni-Eseleh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover in the retail sector affects organizations’ financial sustainability across the United States, costing them billions of dollars annually. Because of the high cost of employee turnover, retail sector leaders need to develop strategies for decreasing employee turnover in their organizations. Grounded in job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies retail sector leaders used to decrease employee turnover. The participants consisted of 5 purposefully selected retail sector leaders in the upstate region of New York, who successfully implemented strategies for decreasing employee turnover in their organizations. Data were collected from …

Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs’ Strategies For Financial Inclusion: A Generic Qualitative Inquiry, Oluwatoyin Madein

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women in Nigeria are approximately 50% of the population and operate significantly in the micro, small, and medium enterprises. Women entrepreneurs in Nigeria are experiencing business failure, early exit, stagnant growth, and low return on investment due to inadequate finance. This study’s specific management problem is that many women entrepreneurs in Nigeria lack strategies to develop financial literacy and access to external loans for business sustainability. Using the concepts of financial inclusion and financial exclusion, the purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the strategies women entrepreneurs use and whether they have the required experience and knowledge of financial …

Nigeria Small And Medium Enterprise Sustainability Strategies, Elizabeth Olufunmilayo Ajibola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute to economic development and create 80% of the jobs in Nigeria. However, 80% of SMEs are not sustained beyond 5 years. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies SME owners used to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. Three SME owners who have sustained their businesses over 5 years in the Southwest region of Nigeria were purposefully selected to participate in this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and other business documents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data using comparison method, and …

Overcoming Barriers To Sustainability Of Female Entrepreneurship In Nigeria, Ndudi Bowei

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrica has the highest rate of women entrepreneurs worldwide, and women in Nigeria outnumber men in entrepreneurial endeavors and make contributions to economic growth. Yet, women entrepreneurs in Africa and Nigeria face barriers that restrict business growth and hinder opportunities for sustaining profitable businesses. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the strategies female entrepreneurs in Nigeria use to overcome barriers to sustaining profitable entrepreneurial business ventures. The conceptual framework for the study was based on integration of the 5M gender-aware entrepreneurship theory–market, money, management, motherhood, meso, and macro environment–and women empowerment framework. Data was collected by …

Executive Leadership Challenges In Today’S Environment, Herbert J. Degraffe Jr.

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Abstract

Individuals in top management positions often have conflicting interpretations concerning the authoritative qualities that align with the intrinsic and external relations of an organization. Although, researchers may still debate about the extent to which athletic development personality factors are important internal components of an individual. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if athletic development personality factors correlate with decision making at the executive leadership level. The research questions focused on determining if there was a relationship between athletic development personality factors and decision making. Social exchange theory, social representations theory, and leadership theories comprised the theoretical …

Self-Leadership To Servant Leadership: A Metatheoretical Antecedent To Positive Social, Allen Lloyd Carn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A majority of current leadership programs are failing to deliver a comprehensive approach to leadership development by not providing middle and frontline managers the skills to enhance their potential to develop others. In failing to generate a comprehensive system, animosity towards all types of leadership has been festering for over 40 years as first identified by Greenleaf in 1977. The purpose of the study was to establish a link between the theoretical paradigms of servant leadership and self-leadership using the lens of emotional intelligence to generate an integral leadership development framework. The conceptual framework used Goleman et al.'s version of …

Strategies To Sustain A Real Estate Small Business In Postnatural-Disaster Area, Vianka Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small real estate business leaders lack effective strategies to resume and sustain operations in a postnatural-disaster environment. This multiple case study investigated strategies that 3 small real estate business leaders in southeastern Louisiana used to resume and sustain operations in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The chaos theory and stakeholder theory were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, and reviews of business continuity plan documents and member checking. The themes that emerged from data analysis were leaders' strategies relating to business planning and innovation, stakeholder engagement, operations management, and disaster responsiveness. Implications …

Valuation Strategies For Small Businesses' Intangible Assets, Lee Dupree

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners who attempt to sell their businesses may not receive full value if they do not adequately value their intangible assets. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective strategies business leaders used to value intangible assets when considering the sale of their businesses. The participants for this study were 5 business owners in a metropolitan area in the southeastern United States who had successful valuation experiences during the sale of their businesses. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with participants, methodological triangulation, observations, and review of company documents. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, …

Strategies Nonprofit Leaders Use To Achieve Financial Stability Through Sustainable Funding, Jerel Lynnette Colemon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of nonprofit organizations fail to achieve financial stability to meet their mission and vision without sustainable funding. The achievement of fiscal sustainability is the most pressing challenge facing the nonprofit sector. Through the lens of the balanced scorecard model, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that nonprofit organization executive leaders used to secure sustainable funding for financial stability. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 5 executive directors of nonprofit organizations in Ohio and a review of their organizational documents relevant to sustainable funding. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process for analysis. The …

The Alchemy Of Sustaining New Business Ventures, Alicia R. Hooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high failure rates of new business ventures (NBV) negatively affect employment and potential contributions to the economic health of communities. The high NBV failure rate is essential, as NBV sustainability influences job creation and increases employment rates in communities surrounding the NBV. The purpose of this qualitative single case study, using the effectuation conceptual framework, was to explore strategies organization leaders in the state of Missouri used for sustaining NBV operations beyond 5 years. The sample consisted of 6 NBV consultants from a single Missouri NBV consulting firm who have sustained NBVs beyond 5 years. The 6 NBV consultants …

Strategies For Small Business Survival For Longer Than 5 Years, Tashani J. Gaskins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses play a key role in the health of the U.S. economy; however, approximately 50% of small businesses fail within the first 5 years of operation. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies used by owners of small businesses to sustain their businesses for longer than 5 years. The conceptual framework used was the resource-based theory. The population of this study consisted of 3 owners of small businesses in North Carolina who sustained their businesses for at least 5 years. The data sources included semistructured interviews of the participants as well as business websites, …

Exploration Of Barriers To And Enablers For Entrepreneurship At Subsidiaries Of Multinational Corporations: Analytic Autoethnography, Boris Kantsepolsky

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporate entrepreneurship is dedicated to the continuous exploration of opportunities and leveraging innovation activities to achieve a competitive advantage, improved performance, and prosperity of companies. The problem is that the complex reality of multinational corporations is creating distinct obstacles for subsidiary managers who are attempting to develop and promote entrepreneurial activities. The purpose of this qualitative analytic autoethnographic study was to explore barriers and enablers for corporate entrepreneurship ‎practice by focusing on the individual and organizational processes, culture, and lessons learned from entrepreneurial activities that took place at the selected organization during the last decade. The interviews with 9 participants, …

Marketing Strategies Of Successful Coffee Shop Owners, Abi Adeleke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure is an issue with small businesses globally; some owners of small businesses lack the knowledge of business administration and marketing strategies necessary to help ensure success. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what marketing strategies some coffee shop owners use to sustain business operations during the first 5 years of operation. The targeted population consisted of 5 coffee shop owners in Arkansas who successfully implemented marketing strategies to sustain business operations during the first 5 years of operation. Goldsmith's 8Ps of marketing mix was the conceptual framework used in the study. Data were collected from …

Exploring Sustainable Capital Acquisition Strategies Of Small Businesses, Naieche Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners encounter various difficulties in funding businesses. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that some small business owners used to acquire capital to sustain their businesses longer than the first 5 years of operation. The resource-based theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with a sample of 3 owners of small businesses in a metropolitan area in the southeastern United States and review of company profit statements. Five themes emerged from data triangulation and analyses: start-up capital access, private lender networking, motivation, self-realization, and external perceptions. …

The Role Of Team Development In Ensuring Small Business Profitability, Sharon Hunter Nikolaus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business leaders lack strategies to develop effective teams. Lack of team development affects the ability of restaurant small business owners to remain profitable for longer than 5 years. The focus of this multiple case study was an exploration of the role team development plays in business profitability. The population for this study was 3 experienced owners of restaurants in New Jersey that remained open for longer than 5 years. The conceptual framework was based on the Tuckman model of team development to highlight the connection between the model and how small business owners use team development to remain …

Sustainability Strategies Of Barber Salons, Kouassi Gilles Mevo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many barber salons and other small businesses in the United States fail to succeed beyond the first 5 years. The factors responsible for the low survival rate of salons may include the limited training and education levels mandated by state certification requirements. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify business strategies successful barber salon owners use to overcome the business management and staffing challenges associated with a small pool of skilled barbers and the high turnover in a low wage profession. The theory of transformational leadership served as the conceptual framework. The data collection included interviews of …

Business Sustainability Strategies Of Small Technology Companies, Eric Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Each year, almost 12% of small technology companies fail to survive, and the risks associated with high-tech startups are high for business failure due to the introduction of new technology, similar competitor technology, and the short product life cycle of new products. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the business sustainability strategies that some owners of small technology companies used to remain in operation for longer than 5 years. The population for the study was the owners of 5 small technology companies located in the southeast region of the United States. The general systems theory was …

Strategies To Improve Small Business Sustainability, Tywon Guy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are considered the backbone of the U.S. economy with significant contributions in the areas of job creation and economic development. However, 79% of small businesses fail within the first 5 years. This multiple case study aimed to explore strategies and knowledge of resources that owners of small businesses used to sustain business operations for longer than the first 5 years. The population included 5 minority owners of small businesses in Texas. Chaos theory formed the conceptual framework. The data collection process included semistructured interviews, member checks, field notes, company artifacts, and archival documents. Data were analyzed using Yin's …