Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Commons^™

The Game Within: An Anthropological Approach To Games And Play, Nehal Maged Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is based on an eighteen-month ethnography of El Ghawasa, an Egyptian play-based organization that designs educational games, tools, and services. Claiming that El Ghawasa, with its ethos of play, seeks to create an alternative to the capitalist corporate structure. Through tracking how this organization navigates ruptures, negotiates constraints, and experiments with different practices and internal restructuring, I explore the possibilities and limitations of El Ghawasa, while attempting to resist absorption by the very system it opposes. I ask: when the rules keep changing (while the logic of the capitalist corporate structure remains the same), and the boundaries of …

Mobilizing Social Capital In Social Entrepreneurship: Strategies, Networks, And Growth In The Egyptian Context, Doaa Alaa

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how social entrepreneurs in Egypt strategically mobilise social capital to access resources, legitimacy, and opportunities within a fragmented and institutionally ambiguous ecosystem. Drawing on qualitative case studies of eight legally registered, mission-driven for-profit enterprises, the study analyses how founders build and leverage offline and online networks through practices such as emotional bonding, community formation, knowledge sharing, symbolic positioning, ecosystem engagement, and digital presence. Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and secondary data, the research identifies a set of relational strategies that function as core mechanisms for entrepreneurial growth in contexts where formal support structures and legal definitions …

What Are The Factors Affecting The Financial Sustainability Of Social Enterprises In Egypt?, Mina Atta Ghaly

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates what factors affect the financial sustainability of social enterprises (SEs) in Egypt, situating them within a constrained MSME, legal and sectoral context marked by informality, weak innovation and recurrent shocks. Drawing on global and Egyptian literature, it identifies ten candidate factors—business model, financial management, founders’ skills and mindset, revenue structure, sector and mission, legal framework and innovative finance, capacity building, investment mechanisms and “the right investor”, adaptability to shocks, and ecosystem conditions—and integrates them into an extended Social Enterprise Model Canvas. Using a qualitative, exploratory design with semi‑structured interviews of social enterprise founders, incubators/accelerators, investors and experts, …

The Role Of Business Viability Assessments In Microcredit - The Case Of Egypt, Ahmed Fadl

Theses and Dissertations

This paper aims to examine the role of business assessments of microfinance applicants and its correlation with microbusiness success as measured in income generated. The key research question of this study is: How do the results of business viability assessments influence the income generated by these businesses? The research methodology used in this study is a combination of both qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative research includes in-depth interviews with 10 microfinance institutions (MFIs) in five governorates (Al-Sharqia, Assiut, Beni Suef, Giza, and Minya) across Egypt. The quantitative research includes an interviewer-administered questionnaire of 151 micro-business owners who have been in …

Rural Entrepreneurship In Upper Egyptian Communities: Exploring The Intervention Of Agri-Tech Startups, Marwa Wael Abohamda Hulail

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and economic disturbance have changed the state of the world and increased the dependence on digitization in running people's daily life. In Egypt, the economic instability and climate change have affected people’s standard of living, making it challenging to sustain their life, especially in the agriculture sector. Farmers have been affected by the risks of climate change, economic shocks, and trends of digitization, which have impacted their profit, employability, and livelihood.

Several Egyptian Agri-tech startups were launched to support the farmers in the digital revolution that came to agriculture, attempting to make a change in the Egyptian farming …

Promoting And Developing Industrial Organic Clusters In Egypt: Case Study Of Damietta Furniture Cluster, Nermen Abdelmoula

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the development of industrial clusters in Egypt, with a specific focus on the Damietta Furniture Cluster, an organic industrial cluster known for its rich tradition in furniture craftsmanship. These industrial clusters, which are primarily composed of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), are characterized by the geographical concentration of interconnected firms and institutions, play a critical role in fostering economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness, particularly in emerging economies. The research explores the key factors affecting the development of the Damietta Furniture Cluster, identifies the challenges it faces, and provides policy recommendations to enhance its growth and global …

Impact Of State-Level Family Policies On Female Labor Force Participation And Entrepreneurship, Kathryn Staczek Rudloff

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to investigate the impact of state-level family policies on women's participation in the labor force in the United States, focusing specifically on the rise of self-employment and solopreneurship among women. The research seeks to answer the following question: "How do family policies at the state level impact participation of American women in the labor force?"

The study utilized a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. A composite index of state level family policies was created to conduct cross-sectional exploratory data analysis of female labor force participation. Additionally, a qualitative phenomenological study of solopreneurs provided a deeper understanding of the …

How Do The Entrepreneurial Motivations And Struggles Of Egyptian Women Entrepreneurs Challenge Existing Perspectives?, Salma Sherif

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines ten profiles of Egyptian women entrepreneurs and compares their perspectives to the widespread and main arguments in the existing literature reviewed on the topic; mainly their entrepreneurial motivation and challenges. The paper reveals similarities and contradictions, and introduces different angles to perceiving both aspects. The researcher concludes that contextualizing entrepreneurial motivations can, therefore, disclose deeper dimensions to the subject matter, and as for the challenges, it can change their relative importance. For the primary data collection, the paper follows a non-probability sampling approach by applying a purposive sampling technique. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted accordingly. The women …

Challenges That Inhibit Sbir Commercialization: The Small Businesses’ Perspective, Hart J. Holt

Theses and Dissertations

Every year the United States invests $3.2B in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. The program seeks to promote innovation among the nation’s small businesses. This research considers challenges faced by small businesses working with the DoD, which accounts for half of the annual SBIR investment. We surveyed participating businesses with open-ended questions to understand their perspectives. Our data consists of 286 responses from firms that have held Air Force SBIR contracts. Using Qualitative Content Analysis, we identified five categories of challenges: SolverSeeker Disconnect, Funding, Engagement, Processes, and Seeker Education. Furthermore, the results of a statistical analysis indicated that …

Exploring Fiscal Year Budget Assessments: A Look At Sbir/Sttr And Congressional Rescissions, Bryan N. Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between acquisition programs within the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (LCMC) and budgetary assessments from both the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR & STTR) programs, as well as Congressional Rescissions. It analyzes the tendency and severity of budget cuts across different programs, considering factors such as completion time, budget activities, and a variable akin to true Acquisition Category (ACAT) levels. Key findings include a significant difference in the rates of proportion of programs assessed between appropriations 3010 (23.65%) and 3600 (67.05%) from fiscal years 2010-2023. The research indicates a …

Third Mission Accelerator Labs (Tmals): An Exploratory Study On The Strategic Evolution Of Sustainability In University-Business Incubators (Ubis), Abdalla Hassanein

Theses and Dissertations

Globally, higher education institutions (HEIs) are devoting rising resources in order to remain competitive, impactful and attractive within the ever-changing socio-economic developments and to well position and communicate their value among their stakeholders (Lafuente-Ruiz-de-Sabando, et al. 2018). Students today want to do more than just get a degree; they want to create businesses, develop new markets, and start social movements (Kay et al., 2010). Under the open innovation model, universities' third mission (TM) includes deeper linkages and engagements with the private and public sectors, emphasizing the development of entrepreneurial mindsets, skills, and incubation services to encourage new business ventures, in …

Economic Feasibility Of Material Waste Management “Reduction, Reuse, Recycle And Repair’ Strategies In Egypt’S Footwear Industry, Amira Motawea

Theses and Dissertations

The study aims to provide a comprehensive examination of the feasibility of waste management strategies in the leather and footwear industry, both globally and within the specific context of Egypt. It explores the benefits and challenges associated with efficiently recycling, treating, or reusing material waste generated by the footwear industry, with a particular focus on Egypt. The study begins by discussing established waste management practices in the global fashion industry and focusing on footwear material waste.

The study examines successful waste management methods and systems employed globally, highlighting their potential applicability to the Egyptian fashion sector. A key aspect of …

The Ties That Blend: Social Capital And Family Firm Innovation, Dustin L. Odom

Theses and Dissertations

The research project empirically assesses the influence of an under-researched aspect of social capital on the family firm’s entrepreneurial behaviors. Specifically, blending social capital, which consists of bonding social capital and bridging social capital that develops between family firms and external family stakeholders, is considered in examining the family firm’s engagement in innovation efforts. Additionally, familial tie strength and outside business ownership of external family stakeholders are argued to moderate the proposed relationship between blending social capital and family firm innovation. The surveying methods for assessing the hypothesized relationships included conducting a two-wave study with adapted, modified, and validated scales. …

Transition Analysis Of Innovative Technologies Into Military Applications, Cristian J. Henandez-Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DoD) invests over 1 billion dollars annually in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) efforts. These SBIR efforts are similar to venture capital investments, where a transition beyond seed funding is considered a success. A baseline study of 2015-2018 Air Force SBIR investments indicates that 8.8% of the efforts secured long-term funding. Current data allows for an assessment of whether or not a project scores long-term funding; however, there is no measurement of whether or not the technology transitions to DoD usage. Transition is the rate at which SBIR investments are fielded or integrated into a military …

A Survey Of Barriers/Challenges To Improve Sbir Participation & Commercialization Success, Benjamin L. Berezin

Theses and Dissertations

The composition of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base (DIB) is changing. Within the last decade we have witnessed a decline in the percentage of new entrants, especially among Small Businesses. The Department of Defense’s base of small business participants experienced a drop of 23% from 2015-2021. New entrants provide novel capabilities and increase competition, spurring innovation essential for continued economic and military advantage. Small Businesses represent well over 40% of the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product and have vastly outpaced large firms at a magnitude of 16.5 times as many patents per small firm.

The Air Force deliberately targets funding for …

Survive And Thrive: An Exploration Of Methods Implemented By Small Businesses In The Construction Industry To Sustain Their Business Beyond 5 Years, Tamar Barsoumian

Theses and Dissertations

Small businesses represent an influential portion of the American economy yet retain a high rate of closure especially in their early years, therefore; this study sought to address a lack of available research regarding small businesses in the construction industry, by investigating the methods and strategies existing small business owners use to support business survivability, in the regionally specific area of Southern California. The purpose of this study was to investigate strategies used by existing construction industry small businesses, identify the challenges experienced as a construction industry small business organization in Southern California, and determine how the small business owners …

Evaluación De Las Competencias Digital Y Emprendedora En Estudiantes De Una Universidad Colombiana, Luis Eduardo Buitrago Rojas

Theses and Dissertations

La presente investigación tiene por nombre la Evaluación de las Competencias Digital y Emprendedora en Estudiantes de una Universidad Colombiana, el investigador Luis Eduardo Buitrago Rojas realizó la presente investigación en el año 2023 Disertación Aplicada, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Palabras clave: competencias digitales, competencias emprendedoras, estudiantes universitarios, educación superior Este estudio evaluó las competencias digital y emprendedora de estudiantes universitarios en un programa transversal en una universidad colombiana. El objetivo de la investigación fue identificar el nivel de competencias digitales y emprendedoras de los estudiantes. El estudio utilizó dos …

Entrepreneurial Orientation Impact On Micro And Small Enterprises In Egypt, Fayrouz Negm

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the proposed study is to test and analyze the impact of Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) on micro and small enterprises’ growth in Egypt, measured by three growth indicators: sales revenue, profit margin, and employment. The growth rates are measured over four periods (past three years, past year, next year, and next three years) to examine the historical and potential impact of EO on growth rates.

EO is defined as the process which organizations use to renew themselves and their markets by innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking (Miller, 1983). While EO is considered one of the crucial factors in determining …

Getting Ahead And Getting Along In Entrepreneurial Networks: Network Effects Of The “Dark” And “Light” Sides Of Personality In New Venture Performance, Victoria Antin Yates

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how dark and light personality traits influence venture performance via mediating effects of social structure. Because entrepreneurship is an inherently social process, theoretical perspectives of social network theory and social comparison theory are used to examine how entrepreneurs’ dark and light personality traits interact with personality traits of socially proximal others to influence venture performance via network structure. These perspectives are drawn together using socioanalytic theory. This dissertation argues that agreeableness and narcissism interact with the personality traits of network others at the group-level to influence structural hole positioning within entrepreneurial networks; in turn, structural holes are …

Beyond The Green Iron Cage: Exploring The Macro And Micro-Level Influences On Executive Decisions About Sustainability Investments In Small And Medium Size Firms, Igor Estraykh

Theses and Dissertations

Although research on corporate environmental sustainability has shed light on different aspects of organizational and individual level factors that influence corporate decisions, it does not fully account for how individual executives within firms react to these forces and make decisions, specifically within small to medium size enterprises (SMEs). This study used a grounded theory approach to interview 19 SME executives from 13 different industries to explore how organizational and individual level factors influence their ability to evaluate and make decisions related to sustainability initiatives. The study found that SME executives faced isomorphic pressures for sustainability, individual agency pressures, significant resource …

About Her Business: The Making Of The Black Female Entrepreneur, Selina Steward

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research explored the lived experiences of Black women in the United States who have managed to establish and sustain successful businesses. This research seeks to explore the vicissitudes and challenges of Black female entrepreneurship, as well as the strategies employed by Black women to achieve successful business ownership. The researcher interviewed 15 Black businesswomen with intimate knowledge of the phenomenon of interest using a purposive sample technique. Employing a phenomenological approach and semi-structured interview questions, this study uncovered connections between previously identified challenges in the literature and recommendations for the next generation of Black female entrepreneurs. Learning from …

A Dual Perspective Towards Building Resilience In Manufacturing Organizations, Steven A. Fazio

Theses and Dissertations

Modern manufacturing organizations exist in the most complex and competitive environment the world has ever known. This environment consists of demanding customers, enabling, but resource intensive Industry 4.0 technology, dynamic regulations, geopolitical perturbations, and innovative, ever-expanding global competition. Successful manufacturing organizations must excel in this environment while facing emergent disruptions generated as biproducts of complex man-made and natural systems. The research presented in this thesis provides a novel two-sided approach to the creation of resilience in the modern manufacturing organization. First, the systems engineering method is demonstrated as the qualitative framework for building literature-derived organizational resilience factors into organizational structures …

Return Migration And Entrepreneurship In Egypt, Shorouk Fouda

Theses and Dissertations

Many Egyptians are currently choosing to emigrate in pursuit of benefits such as; education, professional development, acquisition of new skills and accumulation of savings. Although this was previously viewed as having a damaging effect to a country’s economy through the loss of most talented and ambitious nationals, more pertinent economic views suggest possible instances of brain circulation and gain upon the return of a national to their home country. In some cases, gains of return migration are unlocked in the form of entrepreneurial behavior; as a result of accumulation of financial and human capital. In this research, both quantitative and …

Dual Approach To Examining Success In The Air Force Small Business Innovation Program, Kaitlyn E. Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

Innovation is critical enough to the Department of Defense (DoD) that it is called out in both the National Defense Strategy as well as the Air Force Vision. This research takes a dual approach to consider how to improve innovation in the Air Force Small Business Innovation (SBIR) program. An investigation will be conducted to assess the relationship between perspective, incentive, innovation type and innovation success. This will be followed by an investigation to determine company characteristics that influence innovation commercialization. This document is presented in the form of two articles drafted for publication. The first article investigates the definition …

Effective Use Of Data Analytics And Its Impact On Business Performance Within Small-To-Medium-Sized Businesses, Alfonso Berumen

Theses and Dissertations

Business use of data analytics and its potential impact on firm performance have become topics of deep interest within both the business practitioner and academic communities. While previous research has demonstrated relationships between data analytics and firm performance in larger firms, there is limited research on whether and how data analytics is used within and impacts Small-to-Medium-sized Business (SMB) settings. Given the preponderance of SMBs within the US economy, and their contribution to employment and economic activity, it is important for SMB owners to understand what management practices lead to effective use of data analytics that in turn impacts SMB …

Examining The Impact Of Entrepreneurship Training On Entrepreneurial Mindset And Economic Well-Being, Sombo Muzata

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a mixed methods research design to examine the impact of entrepreneurship training on entrepreneurial mindset and economic well-being using the RVA Works Entrepreneurship Training Program as a case study. With human capital theory as a theoretical framework, a combination of 55 interviews and 36 surveys were used to answer the research questions. The study found that entrepreneurship training positively impacts an entrepreneurial mindset. The impact of the training on entrepreneurial mindset differed by participants age and educational level. Study participants applied their entrepreneurial mindset to their businesses, jobs, and other aspects of life. Participation in the program’s …

Barriers And Drivers Influencing The Growth Of E-Commerce In Uzbekistan, Madinakhon Tursunboeva

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic commerce (e-commerce) has become a major retail channel for businesses in developed countries. However, it is still considered an innovation in developing countries. Specifically, e-commerce in Uzbekistan is in the early stages of emergence despite its advance in recent years in terms of Internet penetration, a strong retail sector, new national regulations, and a young population. The study aimed to identify barriers and drivers influencing e-commerce growth in Uzbekistan. A Delphi research design was utilized to answer the research questions of the study, which categorized and ranked factors that Uzbekistani entrepreneurs are facing when engaging in e-commerce processes. A …

A Quantitative Descriptive Study Of The Self-Perception Of Southern Oregon Entrepreneurial Leaders, Rebecca Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The study helped to identify what are the leadership styles of adult entrepreneurs, and what if any factors contribute to an entrepreneurs' leadership style. The study focused on entrepreneurial leaders, over the age of 18, who own and started their own business. These entrepreneurs are a member of one of the following Southern Oregon-based business networking groups: Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI), and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of Southern Oregon. The study explored the self-perceived leadership styles of entrepreneurs in Southern Oregon through a quantitative descriptive survey method that utilized a 45-question, Likert scale from the …

Individual Traits And Entrepreneurial Intentions: The Mediating Role Of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy And Need For Cognition, Chao Miao

Theses and Dissertations

The field of entrepreneurship is rapidly advancing and matures as a discipline that receives substantial amount of attention. One popular area of research in the discipline of entrepreneurship is to investigate one’s intent to start a business, which is entrepreneurial intention. This is an important construct that warrants ongoing research because entrepreneurial intention is not only a great predictor of entrepreneurial behavior but also an important step in the process of becoming an entrepreneur. The present study, based on a sample of 321 subjects along with 264 observers, makes five contributions to the entrepreneurship literature. First, I examined the psychometric …

Operating An Interior Design Firm In Saudi Arabia: Opportunities And Challenges For Professional Female Employees, Najah Alsaffaf

Theses and Dissertations

Empowering women is the aim of the research. Saudi Arabia is the research location and interior design is the subject of the investigation. Saudi Arabia is on the path of empowering women through education and facilitating job opportunities. There is vast research about entrepreneurship and obstacles that women face in Saudi Arabia, but there is no evidence of research on the interior design field in Saudi Arabia in both education and job opportunities. Finding out that the art and design scene is thriving in education indicates that there would be a need for creating jobs and employment options for design …