This national study was undertaken to learn about the characteristics and demographics of Deaf entrepreneurs and small business owners. Descriptive research methodology was to obtain data from a clearly defined population comprising Deaf entrepreneurs and small business owners. The researcher designed a questionnaire to answer six research questions. Study results were based on nationwide responses from 86 deaf men and women. Implications for career counseling were generated from participant responses and the researcher's extensive career counseling experience with the Deaf population. Data collected from participant responses determined the characteristics and demographics, and provided the basis for developing recommendations for counseling, training, and educational tools that could be used by others with similar career aspirations. Study results showed that the majority of respondents started their business before the age of 35, had been in business for more than 10 years, came from residential and/or mainstream school settings, and had earned at least a Bachelor degree from a vast range of accredited colleges and universities. Most respondents were born deaf to hearing families and used American Sign Language. However, in business the majority used voice and writing with hearing people. The most frequently used communication aids in business were telephone relay services, electronic mail systems, and sign language interpreters. The study sought insight into respondent's career development and identified influential role models and mentors at various career stages. In the early stages of career development family and teachers served as the most influential role models. However, respondent's identified "friends" as the most influential role model when it came to starting their business. Entrepreneurial data revealed that types of businesses varied, with the majority of business owners employing hearing people. Most respondents invested their personal savings to launch their business and conducted business in the private sector. Two frequently reported motivations for going into business were "desire to be their own boss" and "to earn more money." In the start-up phase of their business, most needed more help with marketing, advertising, writing business plans and identifying funding sources. When asked to express, in their own words, their greatest challenge in starting their businesses, frequent responses included "proving to hearing people that a deaf person can run a business" and "communicating with hearing customers." The following summarizes the implications for career counseling. Based on the results of the study it was suggested that Deaf women be given special attention; counselors encourage clients to continue their education beyond high school, and to work before launching their business. Participants in the study suggested that developing strong interests and skills were essential, and that voice was used as a primary communication tool in business. When appropriate, counselors may hold this population as a model to others, demonstrating that deafness alone is not a barrier to career aspirations. An additional technique career counselors may find helpful, is describing the characteristics of the typical Deaf business owner who participated in this study. The typical Deaf business owner who participated in this study was an entrepreneur who raised his/her own money from personal savings, had hearing employees, and conducted business in the private sector with mostly hearing people. / Ph. D.

The Strumpel Behavioral Economic Model (1976) provided the conceptual framework for this study, along with the use of qualitative methodology proposed by McCracken (1988). Qualitative interviews were conducted with nine black small business owners in non-metropolitan central and southwestern Virginia. Analysis of the data revealed a common definition among the respondents. Retirement was viewed as a time when one could no longer work due to physical or mental impairments--not a time of voluntary removal from the workforce. Few formal arrangements had been made to provide for income during the period when these business owners could no longer work, while all had made plans for the disposition of the business upon their deaths. Social and cultural factors might have contributed to these small business owners’ failures to adequately plan for retirement. These factors were expressed in four themes which emerged from the interviews: a definition of retirement, interracial prejudice, intra-racial prejudice, and mentors. Prejudice by both whites and blacks within their communities had a negative effect on business earning. Mentors had an indirect relationship on retirement planning for these respondents. Contrary to the literature on minority small business owners, these respondents discussed the positive influence of mentors on their individual business practices and ethics -- if not retirement planning. The need exists for financial planning educators and practitioners to assist this population in accepting retirement planning as a future goal, in view of their self-definition of retirement. Planning is necessary to ensure accumulation of wealth and a means for that wealth to become retirement. income. By recognizing the definition of retirement as stated by the respondents, financial planning educators have a unique opportunity to educate this population as to the need for retirement planning. Lastly, financial counseling and planning practitioners have a opportunity to enter a truly untapped market for their expertise by serving the black community, in general, and small business owners, in particular. / Master of Science

The inability of business owners to hire skilled employees affects the profitability of a small business. Small business owners may attain profitability by understanding the value of military veterans and cultivating strategies for the hiring and recruitment process. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that business owners in Fayetteville, North Carolina used to recruit military veterans as a means to acquire skilled employees to maximize productivity, profitability, and sustainability. The conceptual framework of this study included human capital theory and recruitment theory. The purposive sample consisted of 6 participants who were small business owners. Data from interviews and supporting documents were processed and analyzed using data source triangulation to identify 3 emergent themes. Findings indicated that, for these 6 Fayetteville small business owners, job description and transition workshops, resume review and communication, and accommodations and benefits were key attributes related to the successful recruitment of military veterans as skilled employees. Specifically, streamlined hiring processes, relationship building, and access to resources were predictive of a successful hire. Knowledge barriers regarding hiring processes prevented efficient communication between small business owners and military veterans, but business owners cultivated strategies to help with hiring military veterans. The implications for positive social change include the potential for business owners to capitalize on the skills that military veterans bring to the civilian workforce, which in turn may improve the economy.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, African Americans are the fastest growing entrepreneurial minority group in the United States. However, they suffer the highest business failure rates. The research design for this study was a multiple case study to explore the strategies small business owners used to succeed in business beyond 5 years. The conceptual framework for this study was the systems theory. The population was small business owners in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolis, Texas. Data collection sources included semistructured interviews, company documents, company websites, and site visit observations. The data analysis process included data cleaning, uploading transcribed interviews into qualitative data analysis software, organizing and coding, and conducting methodological triangulation against company documents. The thematic analysis led to the identification of 6 major themes contributing to company sustainability. The predominate themes included entrepreneur qualities, adequacy or lack of collateral, financial planning, and market qualities. The consensus among participants denoted that in a business environment characterized by market differentiation, effective financial planning and unique entrepreneurial characteristics contributed to company sustainability. The findings revealed several features of the successful business owners such as education, professional background, motivation, creativity, negotiation skills, networking, risk-taking, and self-efficacy were critical for company sustainability. The positive social change includes increasing the rate of small business success, supporting the U.S. economy, and improving financial security for African American entrepreneurs, their families, employees, and the community.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / The South African government is promoting Small, Micro- and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMMEs) as a key strategy for job creation, economic growth for poverty alleviation and a reduction in inequalities. The sustainable development of small businesses is therefore seen as the antidote for high levels of unemployment and poverty alleviation. Academics and policy makers agree that entrepreneurs, and the new businesses they establish, play a critical role in the development and well-being of their societies. If South Africa is to overcome its pressing challenges of unemployment and poverty, it urgently needs to become a more entrepreneurial society. The Field Study Programme (FSP) initiated by the Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) in South Africa, and the Northeastern University (NU) in Boston, United States of America, aims to guide and support small business owners. The goal of the FSP was, therefore, to support small business owners to improve their understanding of managing their small business and their competency in finding innovative solutions to their current market challenges. Since the inception of the FSP at TSiBA in 2008, very little research has been undertaken to understand the value and benefits of the FSP from the perspective of community small business owners over the past seven (7) years. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of small business owners and the value of the FSP towards their small business venture to assist business schools and higher education institutions to execute FSP’s with greater success and impact. In terms of the FSP, local and international business students acted as ‘consultants’ applying their respective academic knowledge and skills to assist small business owners to adapt their business model to sustain their livelihoods. The major purpose of the FSP was for students to consult with participants regarding their needs or challenges and to transform their needs and challenges through practical intervention towards meaningful and sustainable solutions which are mutually beneficial for all parties involved. The FSP attempted to demonstrate how a joint service-learning and social entrepreneurship approach could contribute to improving the human capital of small business owners. The study applied a qualitative research approach to explore the experiences and perceptions of small business owners who participated in the FSP. Purposive sampling was used to acquire information from small business owners. In this study twenty (20), participants were chosen on the basis that they had run their own small businesses at the time of being selected for the FSP for more than 6-12 months. The FSP was conducted over a seven-month period from February 2014 to August 2014. The qualitative research instruments for this study were pre- and post-interviews with individuals and focus-group discussions. Tape recorded data was transcribed verbatim for each pre-and post-interview with individuals and focus group discussions. The researcher analysed the transcripts using thematic analysis. The study highlighted the following findings: A majority of participants reported a positive experience and satisfaction with their participation in the FSP. Most of the participants felt that the solutions presented had contributed to addressing their challenges and influenced the ongoing operations of their small business venture. It was perceived that a combined service-learning and social entrepreneurship approach to FSP could improve community outreach programs. Despite the positive feedback, more must be done to incorporate black small-businesses into the main economy. A further recommendation is that a more integrated approach is needed between small business owners and students to join forces and provide solutions and relevant skills-training once the FSP has been completed.

A business owner describes as an individual that identifies new business opportunities and turn them into new business activities. The establishment phase is where the business owner starts the business and see if the business idea works. The business owner also identifies the market and produces products and services during this phase. The establishment phase involves a high risk because it arises unexpected activities that the business owner needs to handle, to be able to survive the phase. Personal attitudes, control and social norms affect an individual's driving force to start a business. A business owner often starts a business to be able to control their own time and also to be able to implement business ideas. Female business owners are often considered leaving their employment because the lack of job satisfaction and therefore choose to start a new business. Something that often affects female business owners experience during the establishment phase is networks, family situations and attitudes from both yourself and society. The purpose of this study is to generate an understanding of how the establishment phase perceives by female business owners in Sweden. This study had used a qualitative method with an inductive approach. Female business owners have been interviewed through unstructured interviews. The material that had been collected during the interviews, resulted in stories by female business owners. Criteria to choose respondents have been created to make sure that the study only includes relevant information for the purpose and research question. It was required that the respondents were a female business owner in Sweden. It was also required that they have survived the establishment phase and founder of the business in which they operate. The business owners’ stories, resulted in information that it is important to be energetic and actionable as a business owner and also believe in the business idea. The establishment phase involves a high risk, but the respondents think that it is important to dare to take a risk to be able to reach success. The respondents also think that a good self-esteem and a good self-awareness are two important characteristics to become a successful business owner. The respondents did perceive experiences during the establishment phase, similar but also different. One of the business owners described the establishment phase divided into two different periods. The first period of the establishment phase was perceived as fun and exciting. The second period consisted of doubts about the own ability and also a worse self-esteem. The respondents did also explain financial uncertainty as an experienced because of that the business income is not certain during the establishment phase. Networking was a positive experience because it has been giving the business owners good relationships, new ideas and also a marketing tool. It has also resulted in new potential employees, business partners and customers. The female business owners described that the feeling of security has made the establishment phase easier and therefore they describe this feeling as important. Keywords: female business owners, experiences, the establishment phase and Sweden. / En företagare beskrivs som en individ, som identifierar nya affärsmöjligheter och därefter utvecklar dessa till nya affärsdrivande verksamheter. Etableringsfasen är den fas där företagaren sätter igång verksamheten och prövar affärsidéen. Under denna fas skapas även produkter och tjänster samt att marknader identifieras. Etableringsfasen förknippas ofta med hög risk, då det uppkommer oväntade händelser som företagaren behöver hantera, för att kunna överleva etableringsfasen. Personliga attityder, kontroll och samhälleliga normer påverkar en individs drivkraft till att starta en verksamhet. En företagare startar ofta en verksamhet för att kunna styra sin tid mer, men också för att kunna förverkliga företagsidéer. Kvinnliga företagare anses ofta lämna deras anställningar på grund av bristande arbetstillfredsställelse och väljer därför att etablera en ny verksamhet. Nätverk, familjesituationer samt egna och omgivningens attityder, är ofta något som påverkar kvinnliga företagares upplevelser under etableringsfasen. Denna studie syftar till att generera förståelse för hur etableringsfasen upplevs av kvinnliga företagare i Sverige. Utifrån en kvalitativ metod och en induktiv ansats, har kvinnliga företagare intervjuats via ostrukturerade intervjuer. Materialet som samlades in under intervjuerna har varit utgångspunkten för denna studie och resulterat i kvinnliga företagares berättelser. För att kunna säkerställa att studien erhåller relevant material för att besvara studiens forskningsfråga och syfte, har urvalskriterier skapats. Det krävdes att respondenterna skulle vara kvinnliga företagare i Sverige samt överlevt etableringsfasen och grundat verksamheten som de är verksamma i. Via företagarnas berättelser framkom det att respondenterna ansåg att det är viktigt att ha ett driv, vara handlingskraftig samt tro på sin affärsidéidé. Etableringsfasen är en riskfylld fas, men respondenterna anser ändå att det är viktigt att våga ta en risk för att lyckas. En god självkänsla och en god självkännedom, anser respondenterna som två viktiga egenskaper för att kunna bli en framgångsrik företagare. Respondenterna delade uppfattning om många upplevelser under etableringsfasen, men det fanns också upplevelser som skiljer sig mellan respondenterna. En av de kvinnliga företagarna beskrev att etableringsfasen var uppdelad i två olika perioder. Den första perioden av etableringsfasen upplevdes rolig och spännande. Upplevelserna under den andra perioden utav etableringsfasen ansågs bestå utav mer tvivel på den egna förmågan samt en sämre självkänsla. Respondenterna delgav också upplevelser såsom finansiell osäkerhet, då företagets intäkter i etableringsfasen inte var helt säkrade. Nätverkande var en positiv upplevelse under etableringsfasen, eftersom det bidrog till goda relationer, nya idéer samt ett marknadsföringsverktyg. Nätverkandet bidrog också till relationsskapande med nya potentiella anställda, affärspartners och kunder. De kvinnliga företagarna beskriver att känslan av trygghet har underlättat etableringsfasen och det är en känsla som de beskriver har varit viktig. Nyckelord: ​kvinnliga företagare, upplevelser, etableringsfasen och Sverige.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on Swedish business owners. Based on conservation of resources theory, it was predicted that two stressors (perceived uncertainty and financial prognosis) and one resource (eudaimonic well-being) are predictors of personal and financial success of business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, moderation effects of eudaimonic well-being on uncertainty and financial prognosis on both success aspects were hypothesized. Data from 210 Swedish business owners were collected during May-June 2020 (Time 1), of these 67 participated a second time in February 2021 (Time 2). Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses over different time periods, results revealed that uncertainty and financial prognosis were negatively associated with personal and financial success. The hypothesized moderation effects of eudaimonic well-being were not significant. Results were relatively stable for the different time periods and longitudinal associations were found.

Even the best developed policies can and do fail, without attaining their desired outcomes. Many countries have developed small business policies directed at supporting and creating a favourable environment for cultivating small business and entrepreneurship. Policies specifically aimed at entrepreneurship are less prominent but also growing (Lundström & Stevenson, 2005:53; United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2012:1). The existence of entrepreneurship policies in developing nations continues to be rare, despite the belief that entrepreneurship can spur economic growth and employment. The literature review introduced various important elements within the field of small business and entrepreneurship and, specifically, in the policy domain. The context of policy monitoring and evaluation was also addressed. Furthermore, the literature revealed clear differences between small business and entrepreneurial ventures which were not genuinely considered when small business support was initiated in South Africa with the introduction of the National Small Business Act (No. 102 of 1996) as amended. Only a small business was defined by the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and not an entrepreneurial venture (dti, 2003:8). At present, both start-up and established businesses are operating in South Africa with the possibility of either growing into a small business or entrepreneurial venture. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the national small business policy of South Africa and to determine its shortcomings. An entrepreneurship policy was identified as a possible alternative to address the gaps left by the small business policy. A content analysis of entrepreneurship and small business policies highlighted that the main differences between these two policies are the focus on individuals versus business ventures; pre-start-up versus post-start-up support; and a broad versus narrow definition of which institutional structures constitute the support environment. In this research, constructs drawn from the literature study were used to formulate the conceptual framework, research questions and hypotheses. Quantifiable data were obtained from three groups of respondents – namely, start-up business owners, established business owners and government officials involved in small business development and entrepreneurship. The sample consisted of 23 government officials and 340 start-up and established business owners from five metropolitan municipalities in the Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The empirical research was undertaken between 01 November 2011 and 30 April 2012. The One-Way ANOVA Test, Kruskal-Wallis One-Way ANOVA Test, Friedman Two-Way ANOVA Test, Mann-Whitney U Test and Chi-square Test were executed to present the statistical significant differences between the three groups of respondents. The statistical tests were also executed to illustrate the statistical significant differences within the different groups as well as within different metropolitan municipalities in selected provinces. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was conducted to determine whether there was a significant relationship between the different small business policy evaluation factors and the needs factors of business owners. The findings of this empirical study prove that the small business policy does not address the needs of both start-up and established business owners which may support their development into small business and entrepreneurial ventures. Even though there is a mismatch between the supply and demand of support services, this study did not find evidence to support the need for an entrepreneurship policy in South Africa to supplement the existing small business policy. Businesses will continue to operate irrespective of an additional policy. The results of the study can be utilised by government to formulate and design adequate policies that focus on the specific needs of start-up and established business owners. The contribution of this study to the body of knowledge, and the possible limitations of the study, are discussed. Areas of future research are outlined and various recommendations are made to guide current and prospective small business and entrepreneurship policy makers regarding the choice of policy instruments, monitoring and evaluation. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the importance and value of policies to business owners and entrepreneurs that can effectively assist business venture survival, growth and success. / Thesis (DCom)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Business Management / DCom / Unrestricted

Small business owners are not acquiring U.S. federal government contracts at the government established target rate. The government's small business procurement goals remain unmet, which represents an underutilized source of revenues for many small business owners. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies of 3 small business owners operating in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to acquire federal government contracts to increase profitability. The thematic findings were in the context of the resource-based view as the conceptual framework. The participants answered questions in semistructured interviews and provided organizational documents for review. Triangulation of multiple data sources and the constant comparative data analysis method led to 3 major themes: planning to target both government and commercial civilian customers through a top-down approach; developing core competencies including backgrounds and experiences and staffing choices to improve chances of success in obtaining government contracts; and knowing the company's audience, assets, and niche, which encompassed essential knowledge stemming from education and training oriented toward successful government contract work. Findings included the importance of planning before embarking on a process to bid for government contracts. Application of the findings may lead to a social change of higher small business revenues and lower unemployment, support for innovation, stimulation of the economy, and increased tax revenues to sustain government programs that can benefit society in general

Det finns en ojämn fördelning företagsägare i Sverige där andelen är 70% män och 30% kvinnor. Syftet med denna studie är att få en ökad förståelse för kvinnor som är företagsägare. Delvis genom att undersöka faktorer som påverkade kvinnorna att bli företagsägare, och delvis vilka karriärmöjligheter och utmaningar kvinnorna upplevde vid starten av företaget, upplever nu och ser i framtiden. Teoretiska begrepp som används är brytpunkter och livsdesign. Brytpunkter är ett begrepp inom Careership-teorin om karriärbeslut från Hodkinson och Sparkes och livsdesign är ett begrepp från Savickas et al. och innehåller delar av karriärkonstruktion, självkonstruktion och livslång själv-konstruktion. Det finns ett socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv i studien och metoden som har använts är kvalitativ genom narrativa intervjuer. I resultatet kommer fyra teman att presenteras; faktorer som påverkade att bli företagsägare, utmaningar då och nu, karriärmöjligheter då och nu, och utmaningar och karriärmöjligheter i framtiden. Resultatet visar att det finns påtvingande brytpunkter, självinitierande brytpunkter och ibland en kombination av båda inför karriärvalet att bli företagsägare. Vidare visar resultatet att personer oavsett ålder behöver göra övergångar inom arbetslivet och en livsdesign är en förutsättning för att klara sig i en ständigt föränderlig och turbulent arbetsmarknad. Resultatet visar att de flesta kvinnorna har en förälder som är företagsägare och några har även andra personer inom sitt nätverk. Det framkommer även att intervjupersonerna har fått lära sig hantera olika utmaningar och nya aktiviteter inom sitt företagande vilken har stärkt deras självförtroende och har lett till ett ökat självledarskap. De har också behövt hantera att själva skapa arbetstillfällen för att kunna försörja sig, något som är annorlunda från en löneanställning. De lyfter vidare nätverkets betydelse där andra företagsägare ger en kompetenshöjande och stöttande funktion. Samtliga vill fortsätta vara företagsägare trots olika framtidsutmaningar inom klimatomställning och pågående inflation. De ser fortfarande karriärmöjligheter och har olika mål inom sitt företagande i framtiden. / There is an uneven level of business owners in Sweden where the proportion is 70% men and 30% women. The purpose of this study is to gain an increased understanding of women who are business owners. Partly by examining factors that influenced the women to become business owners, and partly what career opportunities and challenges the women experienced at the start of the company, experiencing now and thoughts about the future. Theoretical concepts that are used are turning-points and life-design. Turning-points is a concept within the Careership theory of career decision from Hodkinson and Sparkes and life-design is a concept from Savickas et al. and includes elements of career construction, self-construction, and lifelong self-construction. There is a social constructivist perspective in the study and the method that has been used is qualitative through narrative interviews. In the result four themes will be presented; factors that influenced becoming a business owner, challenges then and now, career opportunities then and now, and challenges and career opportunities in the future. The result shows that there are forced turning-points, self-initiating turning-points and sometimes a combination of both before the career choice of becoming a business owner. Furthermore, the results show that people regardless of age need to do transitions in working life and a life-design is a necessity for coping in a constant changing and turbulent labor market. The result shows that most of the women have a parent who are business owners and some also have other people within their network. It also appears that the women have learned to deal with different challenges and new activities within their business, which has strengthened their self-confidence and has led to increased self-leadership. They have also had to deal with creating job opportunities to make a living, which is different from a salaried employment. They further highlight the importance of the network where other business owners provide an enhancing in competence and supportive function. Everyone wants to continue being business owners despite various future challenges in climate change and ongoing inflation. They still see career opportunities and have different goals in their business in the future.