Why businesses succeed or fail: a study on small businesses in Pakistan

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shabir Hyder ◽  
Robert N. Lussier
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Capital Inflows ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Business Owner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Small Business Development ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine the factors that lead to either success or failure of small firms in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – This study methodology is a survey research applying the Lussier Model of business success and failure with a sample of 143 small businesses to better understand the reasons of their success or failure using logistic regression statistical analysis. Findings – Results indicate that business planning, proper employee staffing, adequate capital inflows and partnerships are important for the viability and success of small businesses in Pakistan. Practical implications – Results provide further support for the validity of the Lussier Model in Pakistan and globally. Thus, small business owner/managers can use the model to help improve their chances of success and to avoid failure. Other stakeholders, including parties that assist and advise them, investors and institutions who/that provide them with capital and other resources and communities and society by and large, can also benefit from this model. The results and discussion also provide information to assist public policymakers in developing programs to support small business development. Originality/value – This is the first study on success and failure of small businesses in Pakistan. With the great discrepancy in the literature as to which variables, in fact, distinguish success from failure, there is no accepted theory. Thus, this study contributes to the literature to better understand why some businesses succeed and others fail, and it supports the use of the Lussier Model globally.

Power, dependence and frustration

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Stone
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Owner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Power ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Advisor Roles ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Advisory Role

Purpose – This study aims to explore the existence and strength of power through focussing on the manner in which accountants exercise power in their advisory relationship with small business. Design/methodology/approach – Interviews provided insights into accountants’ power-related perceptions, experiences and use of power in the advisory relationship. A questionnaire accessed evidence from small business owner-managers (SBOMs). Power theoretical perspectives informed the analysis of the findings. Findings – Accountants’ expert and information power is a consequence of SBOMs’ dependence on their accountants’ expertise and knowledge. Accountants construct advisor roles and exercise power in a manner indicating that they attempt to manage rather than exploit power imbalances to the detriment of dependent SBOMs. However, outbreaks of frustration and conflict in the relationship illustrate the difficulties in managing the dysfunctional consequences of power imbalances. Research limitations/implications – While the findings are restricted to the Australian accountant–small business advisory relationship, they offer a basis for research into the effect of power on the relationship in other national contexts. Research which includes the views of managers of failed small businesses would also extend this work. Practical implications – The study’s focus on accountants’ experiences can assist practitioners endeavouring to develop advisory relationships with small business and designers of professional development programmes seeking to optimise the value of the advisory relationship. Originality/value – The paper extends the study of power to the under-researched yet important accountant–small business advisory area. Its findings are of interest to accountants and accounting policymakers who envisage a broadening of accountants’ small business advisory role.

Prediction model of business success or failure for Palestinian small enterprises in the West Bank

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir D. Baidoun ◽  
Robert N. Lussier ◽  
Maisa Burbar ◽  
Sawsan Awashra
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
West Bank ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Business Failure ◽  
Business Success ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Random Guessing

Purpose The aim of this study is to examine the factors that lead to success or failure of a small business in the West Bank of Palestine. Design/methodology/approach This study methodology is a survey research, testing the Lussier model of business success and failure with a sample of 246 small businesses (90 failed and 156 successful) to better understand the reasons of their success or failure using logistic regression statistical analysis. Findings The model is significant (p = 0.000); it will predict a group of businesses as successful or failed more accurately than random guessing 99 per cent of the time. The model will also predict a specific small firm as successful or failed 94 per cent of the time vs. 50 per cent for random guessing. The r-square is very high (r = 0.70), indicating that the model variables are, in fact, significant predictors of success or failure. Results indicate that having adequate capital, keeping good records with financial controls, making plans and getting professional advice on how to manage the firm are the most important factors for the viability and success of small businesses. Practical implications With the high rate of small business failure globally, results of this study provide a list of variables that contribute to the success of small firms. Firms that focus on these important factors will increase their odds of success. Thus, avoiding failure, firms better utilize resources that contribute to economic growth. Originality/value This is the first study that looks at success and failure of small businesses in Palestine. There is no one single accepted theory that may be applied to small businesses. This paper aims to further contribute to the global validity of Lussier success and failure model moving toward a theory to better understand why some businesses succeed and others fail.

scholarly journals Effects of public procurement of R&D on the innovation process: evidence from the UK small business research initiative

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kostas Selviaridis
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Initiative ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The study aims to investigate how pre-commercial procurement (PCP) influences the activities, capabilities and behaviours of actors participating in the innovation process. Unlike much of PCP research underpinned by a market failure theoretical framework that evaluates the additionality of innovation inputs and outputs, this paper focusses on the role and capacity of PCP in addressing systemic failures impeding the process of innovation. Design/methodology/approach PCP effects on the innovation process were studied through a qualitative study of the UK small business research initiative (SBRI) programme. Data collection comprised 33 semi-structured interviews with key informants within 30 organisations and analysis of 80-plus secondary data sources. Interviewees included executives of technology-based small businesses, managers within public buying organisations and innovation policymakers and experts. Findings The UK SBRI improves connectivity and instigates research and development (R&D) related interactions and cooperation. Through securing government R&D contracts, small firms access relevant innovation ecosystems, build up their knowledge and capabilities and explore possible routes to market. Public organisations use the SBRI to connect to innovative small firms and access their sets of expertise and novel ideas. They also learn to appreciate the strategic role of procurement. Nonetheless, SBRI-funded small business face commercialisation and innovation adoption challenges because of institutional constraints pertaining to rules, regulations and public-sector norms of conduct. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to existing PCP research by demonstrating innovation process-related effects of PCP policies. It also complements literature on small business-friendly public procurement measures by highlighting the ways through which PCP, rather than commercial procurement procedures, can support the development of small businesses other than just facilitating their access to government (R&D) contracts. Social implications The study identifies several challenge areas that policymakers should address to improve the implementation of the UK SBRI programme. Originality/value The study demonstrates the effects of PCP on the activities, capabilities and behaviours of small businesses and public buying organisations involved in the innovation process.

IT readiness in small firms

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 807-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Spinelli ◽  
Romano Dyerson ◽  
G. Harindranath
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Small Business Owners ◽  
It Adoption ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Capability ◽  
And Cluster Analysis ◽  
It Application

Purpose – The aim of the paper is to explore conceptually and empirically the application of the concept of IT readiness to small firms. Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken was a questionnaire administered to small manufacturing business owners in the Liguria region of Italy. Data were analysed using factor and cluster analysis. Findings – IT readiness concept appears valid with the emergence of three constructs: strategic vision; project management capability; and IT application infrastructure. The date analysis yielded four distinctive and varying profiles of small business owners. Research limitations/implications – This quantitative study exploring a cross section of small firms suggests antecedents to change have been ignored relative to IT adoption decisions. Practical implications – Provision of policy and support services requires a much more nuanced approach to small businesses. Originality/value – There are very few studies of IT readiness in the literature, making the paper original in its intent. The construction of the IT readiness concept appears robust when subjected to empirical testing and yields a number of specific small business profiles with respect to IT.

Small Business COVID-19 Lending Programs: Fostering Social Capital and Financial Stability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Sabatelle ◽  
Adonis Caramintzos ◽  
Jamie McCall
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Small Business Development ◽  
Capital Development ◽  
Capital Injections

In times of crisis, investment in entrepreneurial ventures tends to decline. Early data suggest the decline in small business investments due to the pandemic will be historic in scope and depth. Community development lending practices aim to sustain small firms until they can resume their normal course of business. Affordable financing provides capital injections into small businesses which can help to cushion against COVID-19 induced economic shocks. Using Carolina Small Business Development Fund’s lending data as a case study, this analysis considers the effect of COVID-19 response programs. These activities are oriented towards creating a “social safety net” of Main Street businesses that boost social capital development, community trust, and financial stability. We believe the findings are likely generalizable to lending activities by other community development financial institutions.

ASTEL: The Aston/Telford small business development programme

1988 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-55
Author(s):  
John Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
University Management ◽  
Business Services ◽  
Small Business Development ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Corporate Entity ◽  
Training Courses ◽  
Functional Areas

Aston University Management Centre and Telford Business Services Unit have joined together to create a management development package which will address an area where currently there is little help for small businesses. Many training courses have been devised for the small firms market but most of them address specific functional areas of business or small business start-up. They do not deal with a business as a corporate entity, neither do they appear to address all aspects of a particular business.

An empirical investigation of factors affecting small business success

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1073-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anis Omri ◽  
Maha Ayadi Frikha ◽  
Mohamed Amine Bouraoui
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Financial Capital ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Mediational Model ◽  
Small Business Success

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a mediational model of small businesses success. In this paper, the authors investigate how the human, social, and financial capital of entrepreneurs influences the capacity of small business to succeed. The objective through this model is to demonstrate that it is through the process of innovation these capitals are converted into success. Design/methodology/approach – The paper suggests an original, conceptual framework for how small businesses can succeed. Findings – To validate this mediational model, the authors used the conditions/steps proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986). Research limitations/implications – The results of this study have implications for both research and practice. This study provides a new contribution to the existing literature by introducing the innovation in the explanation of the links between these capitals and small business success, i.e. business with greater access to human and financial resources are more likely to undertake an innovation, which, in turn, ensures small business success and access to more financial capital facilitates the pursuit of resource-intensive success strategies because, it is argued, that slack resources can be used for experimentation with new strategies and practices, allowing the business to pursue new opportunities of success. Practical implications – The proposition is consistent that managers with considerable human capital, social, and finacial capital know where to look for opportunities, can more accurately assess the value of potential opportunities, and have the ability to exploit these opportunities, which encourages innovation. It is this innovation that then facilitates small business success. These resources are important to achieve small business success, but primarily because they encourage innovation, and it is the innovation that drives the small business success. Originality/value – In this paper, the authors extend the entrepreneurial literature by developing a mediation model of small business success. To the authors’ knowledge, it is the first study that examined the indirect effect of human, social, and financial capital of entrepreneurs on small business success through the mediation of innovation. This model has the indirect effect of human, social, and financial capital on success through their impact on innovation, i.e., through the innovation process such capital is converted into success.

External accountants’ business advice and SME performance

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter John Carey
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
External Support ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Resource Based View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Resources ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This study aims to investigate whether “small- and medium-sized enterprises” (SMEs) benefit from their external accountants’ business advice through enhanced firm performance. Most SMEs draw on external support, and their main advisors are external accountants (Bennett and Robson, 1999). The resource-based view of the firm suggests that firms will seek external support if they perceive a gap in their internal resources. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from a questionnaire mailed to a random sample of Australian SMEs, defined as businesses having between 5 and 200 full-time employees. Findings – An analysis of 380 survey respondents confirms a positive relationship between the voluntary purchase of business advice and SME performance, and that SME performance is further enhanced when business advice is purchased jointly with auditing. These relationships apply to the small (5-49 employees) but not to the medium-sized (50-200 employees) businesses. Findings are consistent with smaller firms having narrower resource bases and thus a greater need to source business advice. Practical implications – The accounting profession has long encouraged a broadening of its service base, and evidence that small businesses perceive a performance benefit from their accountants’ business advice provides support for the profession’s strategy. Originality/value – This research extends the empirical literature investigating the link between the business advice of an external accountant and SME performance. It explains small firms’ demand for business advice by extending the application of the resource-based view of the firm and provides new evidence consistent with “knowledge spillover” from auditing to business advice in the small firm environment.

The role of absorbed slack and potential slack in improving small business performance during economic uncertainty

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 474-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Omar Jifri ◽  
Paul Drnevich ◽  
Larry Tribble
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Competitive Intensity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resource Slack ◽  
Environmental Hostility ◽  
Absorbed Slack

Purpose While previous strategy research has provided significant attention to resource slack and its important roles in firm performance, particularly through strategic agility and flexibility in responding to environmental conditions, the majority of such theory and empirical work was developed for large business contexts. Therefore, the understanding of the relative contributions of absorbed and potential slack, particularly for resource-constrained small businesses, remains largely under theorized and unexamined. As many small businesses often face internal resource limitations, the ability to access external resources, in addition to internal resources, is likely significant, for firm performance, especially when small firms face high economic uncertainty. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach In this paper the authors utilize a data set from National Federation of Independent Business on small business economic trends. The sample consists of approximately 13,000 US-based small and medium businesses. Findings The findings highlight the importance of resource slack in firm performance offering general support for the applicability of classic management theories to the small business context. Environmental hostility and competitive intensity appear to positively moderate the observed relationship between both absorbed and potential resource slack and performance, but in different ways. Environmental hostility positively moderates the relationship between potential slack and firm performance, while competitive intensity positively moderates the relationship between absorbed slack and firm performance. Research limitations/implications Because most classic theories in strategic management were only theorized for, and examined through, large organizations, entrepreneurship research should consider these potential limitations and carefully consider factors differing between large and small firms. Practical implications Business owners and managers should be aware that not all types of slack have equal performance implications. Absorbed slack is extremely valuable in highly competitive situation. Therefore, business owners should develop plans to recover absorbed slack during highly competitive situations as a defensive strategy. One the other hand, potential slack forces more accountability, which lowers the possibility of small firms using it to engage in price wars, but it is extremely valuable during worsening economic conditions. Originality/value In this paper the authors separate absorbed slack from potential slack conceptually and then test their individual effects on firm performance. Through this study, the authors establish boundary conditions for the important role of resource slack on performance through the moderating roles of environmental hostility and competitive intensity.

Problems of Small Business Development in the Context of Tax Changes

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-36
Author(s):  
Yu. Dvoretskaya ◽  
O. Kuznetsova ◽  
L. Ermakova
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Business Development ◽  
Small Enterprises ◽  
Financial Indicators ◽  
Small Business Development ◽  
Business Entities ◽  
Tax Changes

The article reflects modern trends in the development of domestic small business entities – problems related to their reduction and volatility of financial indicators of activity have been identified. The authors noted the positive and negative characteristics of the modern tax environment for small businesses in Russia (paying special attention to the possibility of abolishing the special tax regime on payment of ENVD), proposed a model of optimization of the internal tax mechanism for small enterprises. The recommended model focuses on changing the activities of small firms in response to tax changes (both from an organizational and industry perspective). It is proposed to choose types of business activities that allow to minimize fiscal burden for small businesses.

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