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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Entrepreneurial Strategies For The Survival Of Small Business Enterprises In Uganda, Rita Kabatunzi Jan 2022

Entrepreneurial Strategies For The Survival Of Small Business Enterprises In Uganda, Rita Kabatunzi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only 46% of small businesses in Uganda survive beyond 5 years, yet some small business owners lack entrepreneurial leadership strategies to innovate and sustain their businesses. The failure to sustain businesses can lead to employee loss of jobs and degrade individuals’ economic prosperity. Grounded in the strategic entrepreneurship model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore entrepreneurial leadership strategies small business owners in the travel and tourism industry in Kampala, Uganda use to innovate and sustain their businesses for more than 5 years. The participants comprised 5 small business owners who successfully sustained their businesses beyond 5 …

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Strategies To Improve Minority Business Enterprises’ Access To Capital For Competitive Positioning And Profitability, Darlene Hill Jan 2022

Strategies To Improve Minority Business Enterprises’ Access To Capital For Competitive Positioning And Profitability, Darlene Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some minority business enterprises (MBEs) have limited capital for setting up their businesses, which often leads to business failure. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies MBEs used to access capital to improve their competitive positioning and profitability. The participants were six MBE owners from Alabama who demonstrated success at maintaining and securing working capital to maintain a profitable business for a minimum of 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and reviews of organization documents and websites. Using Yin’s five-step data analysis process, four themes emerged: owner financing, government loans …

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Entrepreneurial Strategies For The Survival Of Small Business Enterprises In Uganda, Rita Kabatunzi Jan 2022

Entrepreneurial Strategies For The Survival Of Small Business Enterprises In Uganda, Rita Kabatunzi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only 46% of small businesses in Uganda survive beyond 5 years, yet some small business owners lack entrepreneurial leadership strategies to innovate and sustain their businesses. The failure to sustain businesses can lead to employee loss of jobs and degrade individuals’ economic prosperity. Grounded in the strategic entrepreneurship model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore entrepreneurial leadership strategies small business owners in the travel and tourism industry in Kampala, Uganda use to innovate and sustain their businesses for more than 5 years. The participants comprised 5 small business owners who successfully sustained their businesses beyond 5 …

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Exploration Of Successful Customer Relationship Management Strategies In Guam Supermarkets, Dolores C, Bordallo Jan 2022

Exploration Of Successful Customer Relationship Management Strategies In Guam Supermarkets, Dolores C, Bordallo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBusinesses' billions of dollars invested in customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives have often not delivered the anticipated financial returns. Supermarket managers are concerned when CRM initiatives fail to acquire and retain customers. Grounded in Berry’s relationship marketing theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies supermarket managers use to leverage and improve financial returns from CRM investments. The participants were six supermarket managers employed in a supermarket chain of seven stores who implemented strategies to improve financial returns from CRM investments. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of industry documents. Through thematic …

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Leadership Strategies For Sustainability Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Swaziland, Lizzy Oluwatoyin Taiwo Jan 2022

Leadership Strategies For Sustainability Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Swaziland, Lizzy Oluwatoyin Taiwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play an essential role in national and global economic growth. Lack of leadership strategies can negatively impact the sustainability and growth of SMEs. Business owners who implement appropriate leadership strategies can ensure the sustainability of their SMEs. Grounded in transformational leadership theory and sustainability development theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies owners of SMEs use to ensure the sustainability of their organizations. The participants were four owners of SMEs within the four regions in Swaziland who successfully used leadership strategies to enhance the sustainability of their organizations. …

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Climbing The Economic Ladder - Doing Business In Saint Vincent And The Grenadines Using Sdg-Related Policies, Romena Tamira L.V. Browne Jan 2022

Climbing The Economic Ladder - Doing Business In Saint Vincent And The Grenadines Using Sdg-Related Policies, Romena Tamira L.V. Browne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Through Invest SVG, a statutory body under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, and Information Technology, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was seeking to develop a policy environment that was conducive to optimal growth for private sector development, in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals. The outcomes of such endeavors may include but are not limited to higher levels of employment, revenue generation, and economic growth. In this study, two primary areas were addressed: the regulatory weaknesses for doing business in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, using the criteria outlined in The Ease of …

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Relationship Between Perceived Quality Of Student Learning Experience, Perceived Quality Of Mentoring, And Student Satisfaction, George Edwin Thorpe Jan 2022

Relationship Between Perceived Quality Of Student Learning Experience, Perceived Quality Of Mentoring, And Student Satisfaction, George Edwin Thorpe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Entrepreneurship education (EEd) is essential to addressing youth unemployment, which reached 30% in Nigeria in 2018. Understanding the role of learning experience and mentoring is vital for EEd leaders to enhance student satisfaction from self-employment after graduation. Grounded in the direct performance-satisfaction link model of the expectancy disconfirmation theory of customer satisfaction and Kram’s mentor role theory, the purpose of the quantitative correlation study was to examine whether the perceived quality of learning experience and mentoring predicted student satisfaction in EEd institutions. The participants were 47 students of two EEd institutions in Lagos who had completed at least 50% of …

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Leadership Experiences Of Organization Open Innovation In Caribbean Small And Medium Enterprises, Helen Merlyne Bhola-Paul Jan 2022

Leadership Experiences Of Organization Open Innovation In Caribbean Small And Medium Enterprises, Helen Merlyne Bhola-Paul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caribbean Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) represent 95% of Caribbean businesses and contribute 40% to the region’s GDP; however, they rank lowest at 4% for organization innovation. The general problem addressed in this study was that leaders of SMEs of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean did not have a system in place to lead and promote strategic knowledge sharing to increase open innovation. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the lived experiences of leaders of innovative SMEs in the Windward Islands to manage and lead their organizations to drive organization open innovation in a …

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Strategies For Increasing The Sustainability Of Small Restaurant Business, Sahara J. Givens-Evans Jan 2022

Strategies For Increasing The Sustainability Of Small Restaurant Business, Sahara J. Givens-Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners who operate in the restaurant industry face many challenges and sometimes succumb to failures. Identifying solutions to avoid failure is important and will strengthen this community of entrepreneurs and help in terms of creating sustainability strategies. Grounded in Richard Cantillon’s entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners in the restaurant industry use to sustain business beyond 5 years. Participants included six small restaurant business managers who survived beyond 5 years and specialized in fast-casual food service within Chicago. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and participant reflections. …

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Strategies To Generate Innovation For Profit Gains Of U.S.-Based Global Retailing, Kazue Goto Jan 2022

Strategies To Generate Innovation For Profit Gains Of U.S.-Based Global Retailing, Kazue Goto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective innovation strategies can negatively affect profit gains of U.S.-based global retailing companies (USGRC). Leaders in the retailing industry who fail to use strategies to generate innovation for profit gains can experience decreased profitability. Grounded in the dynamic theory of strategy, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that leaders of USGRC use to generate innovation for profit gains. Participants included six USGRC leaders in California, who used strategies to generate innovation for profit gains. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company documents and analyzed using thematic data analysis. Three themes emerged: customer-centric opportunity identification …

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Marketing Strategies For Automotive Dealerships In Grenada, Keith Wayne Hall Jan 2022

Marketing Strategies For Automotive Dealerships In Grenada, Keith Wayne Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSome executive-level automotive dealership managers in Grenada lack successful marketing strategies to sell new U.S. or Japanese vehicles to increase dealership profits. Executive-level automotive dealership managers are concerned about how dealership marketing strategies can negatively impact the business’s bottom line. Grounded in the segmentation, targeting, and positioning model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the successful marketing strategies four executive-level dealership managers used to sell U.S. or Japanese vehicles to increase profit in the southern region of Grenada. Yin’s 5-step thematic analysis of semistructured interviews and company documents derived four themes: customer retention, product branding, media …

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The Short Business Life Span Among Entrepreneurs In Aba, Southeastern Nigeria, Uche Kalu Jan 2022

The Short Business Life Span Among Entrepreneurs In Aba, Southeastern Nigeria, Uche Kalu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Southeastern Nigeria is known for high entrepreneurial activity. However, there is an observable high small business mortality in one of the major commercial cities, which many scholars argue could be connected to insufficient entrepreneurial development. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the phenomenon of insufficient entrepreneurial development and short business life span among small and medium scale businesses in a major city of Southeastern Nigeria. Scholars have stated five years or less as the average lifespan of a small or medium scale business enterprise in Southeastern Nigeria. This study was based on the theories of …

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Fairness, Emotional Intelligence, And Ethical Decision-Making In Customer Evaluations Of Providers, Tameka Austin Jan 2021

Fairness, Emotional Intelligence, And Ethical Decision-Making In Customer Evaluations Of Providers, Tameka Austin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Customer satisfaction is a topic that organizations must focus on for the success and continued sustainability of their organizations. Emotional intelligence, fairness, and ethical decision-making are areas that businesses must address to identify how their businesses are impacted by the choices that customers make when working with corporations. The gig economy (short- or long-term project in which a contract worker is hired to perform a specific task or long-term consultant assignment) is an area that has not been addressed to a great extent by psychology researchers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between emotional intelligence, ethical …

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Development And Implementation Strategies For Open Innovation Pharmaceutical R&D Projects, John A. Maher Jan 2021

Development And Implementation Strategies For Open Innovation Pharmaceutical R&D Projects, John A. Maher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

US pharmaceutical company leaders who lack strategies for developing and implementing open innovation (OI) Research & Development (R&D) projects may experience weakened competitive positioning in the industry. Grounded in the open innovation capability framework, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore implementation strategies R&D directors use to implement OI R&D projects in the US. Participants were five US pharmaceutical R&D directors from a single organization. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, public information, and OI literature and analyzed using Castleberry and Nolen’s five-step model. Four themes emerged: roles and responsibilities, business and OI strategy alignment, leadership …

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Insider Ownership And The Performance Effects Of Firm Diversification In Nigeria, Ibeawuchi Ibekwe Jan 2021

Insider Ownership And The Performance Effects Of Firm Diversification In Nigeria, Ibeawuchi Ibekwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the preponderance of diversified firms, the diversification–performance (D–P) relationship and how insider ownership moderates it in Nigeria remains unclear and a concern for decision makers interested in the survival of firms and their contributions to society. This quantitative study was conducted to examine the D–P relationship and how it is associated with insider ownership in Nigeria. Agency theory and institution-based theory formed the theoretical foundation of this study. Four research questions that focused on how diversification is related to firm performance and how insider ownership moderates this relationship were answered using the panel design variant of correlational research. Data …

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Strategies E-Commerce Entrepreneurs Use To Achieve And Maintain Sustainability Beyond The First 5 Years Of Operations, Steven Sierra Alcabes Jan 2021

Strategies E-Commerce Entrepreneurs Use To Achieve And Maintain Sustainability Beyond The First 5 Years Of Operations, Steven Sierra Alcabes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

E-commerce entrepreneurs who fail to develop and implement strategies to sustain business operations beyond the first 5 years face high business failure rates. Grounded in Porter’s five forces model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by e-commerce entrepreneurs to achieve and maintain sustainability beyond the first 5 years of operations. Participants were e-commerce entrepreneurs from five companies in Texas who implemented successful strategies to achieve and maintain sustainability for more than 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and reviews of company documents and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: …

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Strategies For Sourcing Funding For Startup Businesses In Nigeria, Nelly Nwabuisi Adiawari Oburo Jan 2021

Strategies For Sourcing Funding For Startup Businesses In Nigeria, Nelly Nwabuisi Adiawari Oburo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small and medium enterprise (SME) owners are challenged with sourcing adequate funds to start and continue in business. Financing SMEs is critical to their owners to ensure they can remain financially viable and continue contributing to Nigeria’s gross domestic product and economic growth. Grounded in the pecking order theory and the financial growth cycle theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of startup SMEs in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria, can adopt to source funds required to start and sustain a business beyond 5 years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews from …

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Talent Management Practices Of Small And Medium-Size Businesses In The Cayman Islands, Annette Murphy Jan 2021

Talent Management Practices Of Small And Medium-Size Businesses In The Cayman Islands, Annette Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Talent management strategies to acquire, develop, and retain employees are essential, as 73% of business leaders in the United States identified that good human resources practices favorably impact the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations. Based on the people capability maturity model and transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies that small and medium-size business (SMB) leaders used to acquire, develop, and retain employees in the Cayman Islands. The participants comprised five SMB leaders in the Cayman Islands who successfully used talent management strategies to acquire, develop, and retain employees for …

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Succession Planning Strategies For Small Family-Owned Businesses, Samuel Buckner Jr Jan 2021

Succession Planning Strategies For Small Family-Owned Businesses, Samuel Buckner Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business owners lose young, skillful midlevel leaders to competitors because of limited training to prepare a potential successor for senior leadership roles. Family business owners lack succession strategies to transfer business operations to a junior leader that can lead to business closure and increased community unemployment. Using the transformational leadership framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the succession planning strategies that small family-owned business owners use to train the next generation of leaders in the southeastern region of the United States. The data sources included a semistructured interview with two business owners and leadership …

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Strategies For Ethiopian Small Retailers Businesses To Succeed Beyond 3 Years, Samson Negash Gebrehiwot Jan 2021

Strategies For Ethiopian Small Retailers Businesses To Succeed Beyond 3 Years, Samson Negash Gebrehiwot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, some small retail business owners (SRBOs) embark on initiatives without adequate preparation, which results in a risk of failure within the first three years. Grounded in the conceptual frameworks of resource-based views, dynamic-capabilities views, and relational views, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by SRBOs leaders to survive and grow beyond three years. The participants were four SRBOs from Ethiopia who succeeded in business for more than three years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company documents, observations, notes from data sources and analyzed using Yin’s 5-step data analysis process. Six …

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Family- Owned Business Leader Succession Planning Strategies, Gary Michael Williamson Jan 2021

Family- Owned Business Leader Succession Planning Strategies, Gary Michael Williamson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSome business leaders in family-owned businesses lack leadership succession planning strategies. Family-owned businesses that lack succession planning strategies decrease the likelihood of business sustainability after the transition from founder to the successor. Grounded in the socioemotional wealth theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore succession planning strategies first-generation family-owned business leaders in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area used to transfer leadership and ownership to the second generation. Data collected for this study consisted of semistructured interviews via teleconferences, company website information, press releases, and internal company documents. Yin’s 5 step process was used to analyze …

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African American Entrepreneurial Business- Sustaining Strategies, Charles C. Johnson, Iii Jan 2021

African American Entrepreneurial Business- Sustaining Strategies, Charles C. Johnson, Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 80% of small consulting businesses fail within the first five years of operation. Small consulting company owners are concerned with failing within the first five years because community economic development can be adversely impacted. Grounded in the resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies African American consulting company owners use for longevity beyond five years. The participants comprised African American owners of three consulting businesses located in the northeast region of the United States, who successfully sustained their business beyond five years. Data collection included semistructured interviews with consulting company …

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Survival Strategies Of Microenterprises In Nigeria, Olatutu Olubusola Sholeye Jan 2021

Survival Strategies Of Microenterprises In Nigeria, Olatutu Olubusola Sholeye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some owner-managers of microenterprises (MEs) in Nigeria lack effective strategies to sustain their businesses beyond the first 5 years of operations. Owners of existing and new MEs would benefit from strategies to mitigate constraints for business survival because failure rates are higher among MEs. Grounded in the resource-based theory, the purpose of the current qualitative multiple case study was to explore the survival strategies some owner-managers use to sustain their enterprises in Nigeria. The targeted population was six purposefully selected ME owner-managers who survived in business for over 5 years in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and …

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Financial Illiteracy And Minority Small Business Failure, Julia Lee Jackson Jan 2021

Financial Illiteracy And Minority Small Business Failure, Julia Lee Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority small businesses are important contributors to the U.S. economy. As such, financial illiteracy resulting in the failure of minority small businesses is a significant problem. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a quantitative correlation exists between financial illiteracy and minority small business failure in the United States. The theoretical foundation consisted of administrative, systems, human capital theories and system thinking, financial, and management concepts. The research questions exhaustively reviewed secondary financial literacy and various business management research data that relate to the ability of the U.S. minority population to create wealth through sustained entrepreneurial success using …

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Entrepreneurial Strategies To Mitigate The High Failure Rates Of Small Retail Businesses, James A. Latour Jan 2021

Entrepreneurial Strategies To Mitigate The High Failure Rates Of Small Retail Businesses, James A. Latour

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high rate of business failures within the first 5 years negatively affects half of startup business owners. Small retail business owners who fail to develop innovative entrepreneurial strategies experience high failure rates within the first 5 years of operation. Grounded in self-determination theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore entrepreneurial strategies small retail business owners use to support long-term sustainability. Participants were five small retail business owners from Southern Illinois who successfully used entrepreneurial strategies to reduce high failure rates. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and internal documents relevant to reducing high failure …

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Characteristics Of Authentic Entrepreneurial Leadership Within Information Technology Startups In Kenya, Christine Mukhwana Jan 2021

Characteristics Of Authentic Entrepreneurial Leadership Within Information Technology Startups In Kenya, Christine Mukhwana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Kenya, over 60% of nascent entrepreneurs start businesses with minimal leadership experience, engendering founder-CEOs who cannot sustain a business beyond its formative years. The problem is the nascent entrepreneurs’ lack of understanding of effective leadership. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to develop a more nuanced understanding of authentic leadership behavior from the perspective of nascent entrepreneurs. Authentic leadership theory and the three-factor model were used to conceptualize the study. The research question focused on nascent entrepreneurs’ lived experiences and understanding of authentic leadership. The participants in the study were entrepreneurs from the information technology industry in …

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Strategies For Small Business Entrepreneur Sustainability For 5 Years And Beyond, Ralph A. Heath Iii Jan 2021

Strategies For Small Business Entrepreneur Sustainability For 5 Years And Beyond, Ralph A. Heath Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall business failures impede entrepreneurs' sustainability in localities, the state, and the U.S. economy. Small business entrepreneurs are concerned about strategies to target and minimize obstacles from business inception for business survival because the failure rate increases as the business develop. Grounded in the entrepreneurial theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies for small business entrepreneur sustainability beyond five years. Participants comprised three small business owners in Southeast Virginia who effectively used strategies to sustain their business beyond five years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, analysis of participants’ business documentation, and research of …

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Relationship Between Intrinsic Job Satisfaction, Extrinsic Job Satisfaction, And Employee Turnover Intentions, Taran Pawan Bhagwandeen Jan 2021

Relationship Between Intrinsic Job Satisfaction, Extrinsic Job Satisfaction, And Employee Turnover Intentions, Taran Pawan Bhagwandeen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover can cost business owners up to 200% of an employee’s annual salary to recruit, hire, and train a replacement in the insurance industry. Understanding employee intent to leave is vital for insurance leaders to help reduce turnover. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between intrinsic job satisfaction, extrinsic job satisfaction, and employee turnover intentions of casualty insurance professionals in the southeast region of the United States. The study was grounded in Herzberg’s 2-factor theory. Data were collected from 83 participants using an online survey with questions from the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire and …

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Strategies Worker-Owned Cooperatives Use To Remain Profitable During Economic Downturns, Termaine Davis Jan 2021

Strategies Worker-Owned Cooperatives Use To Remain Profitable During Economic Downturns, Termaine Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New managers of worker-owned cooperatives who fail to adapt to changing conditions can threaten the organization’s viability. Some new managers of worker-owned cooperatives may lack the strategies they need to maintain consistent employment levels during economic downturns. Grounded in the expected utility theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies used by managers of worker-owned cooperatives to maintain consistent employment levels during sustained periods of low revenue. Participants comprised seven managers of worker-owned cooperatives with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the Midwest of the United States managing cooperatives during sustained periods of …

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Funding Strategies For Small Business Sustainability, Ayokunle O. Iyanda Jan 2021

Funding Strategies For Small Business Sustainability, Ayokunle O. Iyanda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

About 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years of operation, lacking access to capital being a contributing factor. The high failure rate is of great concern to the business owners; their livelihood and employees are jeopardized. Through the pecking order theory lens, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners use to access capital to sustain the business past the first five years. Eight small business owners who successfully operated for more than five years in Georgia and Illinois participated in the semistructured interviews. Through thematic data analysis, four themes …

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