Fifty percent of small businesses fail before attaining their 5-year anniversary. The lack of sufficient working capital is one of the major reasons for small business failure. Pecking order theory was employed as the conceptual framework for this multiple case study to explore the working capital sourcing strategies of 6 purposely selected successful small business owners in the Southeast region of the United States used to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. Data sources included semistructured interviews and company documents. Data analysis included thematic coding of the material using statistical software. The modified Van Kaam method was used to analyze the interview data. Secondary company documents such as financial reports were analyzed to triangulate findings from the interviews. Based on composite analysis, 6 themes emerged: (a) each of the participating small business owners encountered barriers in sourcing working capital for their businesses, (b) small business leaders used their personal internal sources of funds to start and initially operate their businesses, (c) customers provided a revenue stream to support the working capital needs of small businesses, (d) small business leaders used various bootstrapping measures to support their working capital needs, (e) using strategic and operational planning aids such as completing a business plan assisted business leaders in their working capital sourcing decision-making, and (f) personal credit provided a foundation for obtaining external business credit. The implications for social change include the sustainability of small businesses beyond 5 years, which could lead to the maintaining jobs and assisting small businesses to succeed in stabilizing and potentially increasing incomes for benefiting families and communities.

Despite the high failure rate of African American small businesses in the United States, only 2% of the U.S. Small Business Administration loans in 2016 were awarded to African American business owners. Most small business owners cite lack of access to financial resources as an influential factor that leads to business failure. Grounded in resource-based view theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to identify strategies African American small business owners in Los Angeles County, California use to obtain financial resources to achieve sustainability for at least 5 years. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 4 purposively selected African American small business owners and supplemented with a review of internal reports and original business plans that outlined their financing strategy. The data analysis process entailed Yin's 5-step analysis to guide the coding of participants' responses to identify keywords, phrases, and concepts to develop theme clusters. Through thematic analysis, 4 themes emerged to include: financial resources improved business success and stability, internal financing, business mentors and networking to secure financial stability, and overcoming nonfinancial challenges. All participants noted access to financial resources as the most important resource needed for their business to succeed, particularly in the initial phase of launching their businesses. The implications for social change include the potential to enhance African American small business profitability and growth leading to new employment opportunities, improved community amenities, and business mentor programs with youth, which can encourage wealth for the surrounding community of Los Angeles County and local government.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Columbia University - School of International and Public Affairs, New York, 2017 / Bibliografia: p. [64]-72 / All rights reserved. The total or partial reproduction of the work is prohibited without authorization from the University, the author and the advisor. / Texto em inglês e resumos em inglês e português / A dificuldade de acesso ao crédito é um dos maiores obstáculos para a sobrevivência das pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs). Uma das principais razões para isso é a falta de garantias. Essa situação se reflete na baixa competitividade e alta desigualdade do Brasil. Os sistemas de garantia fornecem esta garantia. Esta tese analisa o papel potencial dos esquemas de garantia para promover a inclusão financeira no Brasil. Para alcançar esse objetivo, a pesquisa analisa a competitividade e a desigualdade do Brasil e sua relação com o acesso ao crédito. A metodologia utilizada foi um estudo de caso sobre o Fundo Garantidor para Investimentos (FGI), utilizando abordagem qualitativa e estatísticas descritivas. A coleta de dados baseou-se em entrevistas semiestruturadas, fontes secundárias, análise de documentos e dados operacionais. A análise utilizou os modelos de construção e reparação de confiança entre organizações, o papel dos bancos nacionais de desenvolvimento nos sistemas de garantia e o benchmark internacional para governança e eficácia dos esquemas de garantia. Os resultados demonstram que o FGI conseguiu criar uma governança adequada e estabelecer confiança com os bancos. Até 2017, 26 bancos contrataram mais de 32 mil operações no valor de 1,9 bilhões de dólares, com adicionalidades comparáveis ao benchmark internacional. No entanto, estudos adicionais são necessários para estabelecer uma ligação entre a adicionalidade dos esquemas de garantia e o desenvolvimento social e econômico. / Difficult access to credit is one of the greatest obstacles to the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). One of the major reasons for this is the lack of guarantees. This situation is reflected in Brazil’s low competitiveness and high inequality. Guarantee Schemes provide this guarantee. This thesis analyzes the potential role of guarantee schemes to promote financial inclusion in Brazil. To achieve this objective the research analyzes Brazil competitiveness and inequality and their relation to credit access. The methodology used was a case study over the Fundo Garantidor para Investimentos (Investment Guarantee Fund - FGI), using a qualitative approach and descriptive statistics. Data collection relied on semi-structured interviews, secondary sources, document analysis and operational data. The analysis used inter-organization trust building and repair models, the role of national development banks in the guarantee systems and the international benchmark for governance and effectiveness of guarantee schemes. The results demonstrate that FGI achieve adequate governance and established trust with the banks. By 2017, 26 banks contracted more than 32,000 operations worth 1.9 billion dollars, with additionalities comparable to the international benchmark. However, additional studies are necessary to establish a link between the guarantee schemes additionality and social and economic development.

The emerging financial industry of asset-backed short-term finance was investigated by this study. Literature indicated that banks, locally and globally, are forced by regulation and the use of information technology, to rely less on human judgement and more on programmed decision-making, when evaluating loan applications. This leads to time-consuming processes with non-standard loan applications and loss of opportunities for business persons. Asset-backed short-term finance is a market response to this tendency. Due to the emerging nature of this industry, no previous academic description of or investigation into this industry could be found – a gap in academic literature which this study aims to fill. The industry is strategically positioned in relation to banks by focusing on functionality for urgent non-standard loan applications (period between application and decision, and access to decision-makers) as value proposition, where banks are found lacking. Relatively high interest rates form the profit proposition, as firms in this industry have limited access to funds. Collateral is central as risk-mitigating strategy, forming a part of the profit proposition. The people proposition is essential, as the industry is distinguished by individualised decision-making. A survey among customers of this industry identified four clusters of potential customers: The first had no needs unfulfilled by banks, while the other three clusters were attracted by either functionality, or the evaluation of collateral in contrast to repayment ability, or a combination of the two. A survey among providers revealed hesitance to supply information and a low level of agreement on strategic matters – possibly due to the emergent nature of the industry. It is asserted that the basis for further study was laid. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)