Small business owner satisfaction with financial performance: A longitudinal study

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanan Gwaltney Gibson ◽  
William C. McDowell ◽  
Michael L. Harris

This exploratory study examines the financial performance satisfaction of small business owners at two time periods: (1) nearing the end of the Great Recession and (2) three years into economic recovery. In addition to considering small business owners in general, special attention has been paid to women and minority owners. Using independent samples t-tests, results indicate that business owners are more satisfied with their financial performance in 2012 than they were in 2009. However, results were not consistent for all subgroups of the population; differences exist between men and women owners and between Caucasian and minority owners. Whereas men mirrored the results for all business owners, women did not report increased satisfaction in any of the five areas of financial performance examined. Caucasian owners reported increases in four of the five areas of financial health and minority owners saw an increase in only three. The study also provides practical implications and areas for future research.

Author(s):  
Courtney Lewis

This introduction describes how encouraging a diversity of small businesses can help support a Native Nation’s long-term economic stability, but goes further to demonstrate this uniquely through the eyes of the small-business owners themselves along with an in-depth examination of their local, national, and international contexts. In doing so, it describes how this book also addresses the ways in which Native Nations, by supporting small business resilience, are responding in politically and socioeconomically meaningful ways to settler-colonial economic subjugations. This introduction further describes how the book unpacks the layers of small-business complications specific to Native Nations and American Indian business owners while speaking to larger theoretical questions regarding the impact of small businesses in a global indigenous context. Debates regarding economic sovereignty versus economic power, measures of autonomy, land status, economic identity, fluctuating relationships with settler-colonial society, and the growth of neoliberalism (along with its accompanying “structural adjustment” policies) meet with specific practices, such as the implementation of guaranteed annual incomes, cultural revitalization actions, environmental justice movements, and the potentially precarious choices of economic development—issues that are exacerbated during times of economic precarity, such as the Great Recession.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Zeffane

AbstractWe explore the impact of gender, individualism–collectivism on individual’s propensity to trust. The study draws on data from three groups of individuals in the United Arab Emirates: students; (n=370); small business owners/operators (n=324), and employed individuals (n=376). Three main hypotheses are tested. We develop and explore three main hypotheses. Statistical results reveal that females are generally more collectivist and less trusting than their males counterparts. Further analysis revealed that small business/operators are generally more trusting than the other cohorts of respondents. Propensity to trust was also found to be strongly associated with collectivist (rather than individualist) aspirations. Implications for future research and management practice are discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Chinomona

While researches on small businesses have grown substantially, there seem to be a paucity of researches that specifically investigate the effects of small business owners expertise on employees skills training and small business performance. In order to fill this void the current study examined the direct effects of small business owner expertise on small business performance and the mediating influence of employee skills training in this relationship. To empirically test the three (3) posited hypotheses, a sample data of 221 was collected from small business employees in Zimbabwe. The results indicate that small business owners expertise positively influence employees skills training and small business performance in a significant way. Managerial implications of the findings are discussed and limitations and future research directions are indicated.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1237-1255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludwig Christian Schaupp ◽  
France Bélanger

Small businesses represent an important element of many western economies. However, they often struggle with resources needed to succeed, and small business owners often have to perform many, if not all, roles in their organizations. One of the key functions that small businesses need to excel at for business success today is social commerce since much of their business is migrating towards the use of social media for business. In this study, determinants of social commerce benefits for small businesses are explored. Using survey data from 60 small companies, this research identifies stakeholder pressure and partner pressure as the most significant factors in determining social commerce benefits for small business. Implications of these findings and provide suggestions for future research are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 49-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludwig Christian Schaupp ◽  
France Bélanger

Small businesses represent an important element of many western economies. However, they often struggle with resources needed to succeed, and small business owners often have to perform many, if not all, roles in their organizations. One of the key functions that small businesses need to excel at for business success today is social commerce since much of their business is migrating towards the use of social media for business. In this study, determinants of social commerce benefits for small businesses are explored. Using survey data from 60 small companies, this research identifies stakeholder pressure and partner pressure as the most significant factors in determining social commerce benefits for small business. Implications of these findings and provide suggestions for future research are discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heikkilä Päivi ◽  
Maria Johanna Antikainen

This paper presents a small-scale qualitative study exploring the everyday finance management of small business owners. The study was conducted by carrying out contextual interviews, combining the approach of business and social sciences. Insights from five study cases were utilised in co-creating a novel digital service targeted to facilitate finance management in the areas identified as challenging or lacking suitable services. The benefits and challenges of the co-creation process are also discussed. The findings increase the current understanding and bring practical implications to the understudied area of co-creation of financial services. For example, the needs for integration of services and graphical presentation of financial data are not met with current service offering and should be supported better. Gamification and social aspects, as well as, the need for mobile use, are seen as interesting elements for future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 1957-1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalleh Sharafizad ◽  
Kerry Brown

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of personal and inter-firm networks and the elements that contribute to the formation and management of these networks for regional small businesses. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 small business owners located in regional areas. Findings The findings highlight key characteristics of regional small business owners’ networks. Findings indicated that participants relied strongly on their personal networks for business purposes. This study shows that while personal networks adapted and changed into informal inter-firm networks, weak-tie relations within inter-firm networks were unlikely to develop into close personal networks. Novel findings also include a preference for “regional interactions” and included regular collaboration with local business competitors. Although the participants used social media to manage their business through personal networks, results confirmed there was a lack of awareness of the benefits of inter-firm networks with businesses outside the local region. Originality/value While it is acknowledged small business owners use personal and inter-firm connections to maintain and grow their business, there is a lack of research examining both of these networks in the same study. This research addresses this gap and presents five propositions as a useful direction for future research. This paper adds to the evolution of existing knowledge by expanding understanding of the formation of business networks and conditions of business trust relations within a regional context.


2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 693-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rozenn Perrigot ◽  
Dildar Hussain ◽  
Josef Windsperger

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore independent small business owners’ perceptions of franchisees relationships with their franchisors, their fellow franchisees within the chain, their employees and their customers. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a qualitative approach and, more specifically, 26 in-depth interviews conducted with independent small business owners from various business sectors. Findings – These independent small business owners perceive that franchisees have a dependency-based relationship with their franchisors; a competition-based relationship with their fellow franchisees; a rather complicated relationship with their employees; and a superficial relationship with their customers. Research limitations/implications – This study contributes to the franchising literature by presenting an outside-chain view of franchisees’ relationships with their franchisors, other franchisees, employees and customers. Practical implications – The findings may have practical implications for franchisors, enabling them to better understand the concerns of independent small business owners as potential franchisee candidates. Originality/value – The outside-chain view of franchisees’ relationships is innovative.


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