O objetivo da pesquisa foi potencializar a explicação da relação da aprendizagem e do trabalho do dirigente da pequena empresa conhecendo objetivamente o estilo e os papéis e compreendendo o seu significado subjetivo. O tema da pesquisa foi estudar o trabalho do dirigente da pequena empresa objetivamente, por meio de um levantamento e subjetivamente por meio da abordagem etnometodológica, juntamente com os estilos de aprendizagem do dirigente. Para isso o trabalho de campo foi realizado em duas fases: na 1ª fase a abordagem foi quantitativa: levantamento sobre os estilos de aprendizagem - por meio do inventário de estilos de aprendizagem de Kolb - e dos papéis do administrador - por meio do questionário utilizado na pesquisa de Oliveira (2010) que foi desenvolvido com base na abordagem dos papéis de Mintzberg (1973); na 2ª fase a abordagem foi qualitativa com estudo de caso etnometodológico e análise da conversação a fim de compreender a percepção dos dirigentes sobre seu estilo de aprendizagem e seu trabalho. Ao final, quantitativamente não foi possível estabelecer uma relação significante entre as variáveis estilo de aprendizagem, trabalho do dirigente e desempenho organizacional, porém, qualitativamente essas relações foram identificadas e explicadas. Também foi realizada uma triangulação dos dados quantitativos e qualitativos a fim de comparar os resultados e identificar a importância de cada técnica. / The aim of the study was to improve the relationship explanation between learning and work manager objectively knowing the style and the roles and understanding their subjective meaning. The theme of the research was to study the small business work manager objectively, through a survey and subjectively through the ethnomethodological approach, along the learning styles of the manager. So the fieldwork was conducted in two phases: the 1st phase was quantitative approach: survey on learning styles - through the Kolb inventory of learning styles - and administrator roles - through the questionnaire used in Oliveira survey (2010) that was developed based on the approach of Mintzberg roles (1973); the 2nd phase was a qualitative approach with ethnomethodological case study and conversation analysis in order to understand the perception of the managers on your learning style and your work. Finally, quantitatively could not establish a significant relationship between the variables learning style, manager work and organizational performance, however, these relationships were qualitatively identified and explained. A triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data was also performed to compare the results and identify the importance of each technique.

Enligt svensk lagstiftning måste aktiebolag ha en styrelse. Dock skiljer det sig på vilket sätt styrelsen involveras i företags strategiska arbete och hur företagsägare förhåller sig till dess funktion. I små och medelstora företag fyller styrelsen sällan någon reell funktion. När företaget växer blir det dock svårt för en person att ensam klara av att styra och kontrollera bolaget, vilket leder till ett ökat behov av en arbetande styrelse. Tidigare forskning visar att företagsägarens personliga mål ofta avgör den strategiska riktningen i små och medelstora företag. För att kunna bemöta de krav som existerar, behöver därför företagsägaren förstå styrelsens roll och nyttan av strategiskt arbete. Syftet med studien är att utifrån ett företagsekonomiskt perspektiv bidra med kunskap om styrelsearbete i små och medelstora företag, samt att undersöka vilka attityder företagsägare i dessa företag har till styrelsens funktion. Studiens empiri har inhämtats från en kvalitativ datainsamling, i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra företagsägare ur tre olika små och medelstora företag. Den teoretiska referensramen berör ämnet bolagsstyrning och de aspekter som anses vara viktiga för ett framgångsrikt styrelsearbete. Studien kommer fram till att kunskapen vad gäller styrelsearbete är relativt låg hos företagsägare i små och medelstora företag, vilket gör att styrelsen inte används på ett effektivt sätt. Kunskapsnivån hos företagsägaren styr också huruvida styrelsen anses som viktig i det egna företaget, samt hur styrelsen arbetar. En annan slutsats som dras är att företagsägarens personliga mål påverkar dennes attityd till styrelsen. Om de personliga målen innefattar tillväxt, har företagsägaren en mer positiv attityd till en arbetande styrelse. Vidare ökar en positiv inställning till en arbetande styrelse sannolikheten att företagsägaren även har en positiv attityd till externa styrelseledamöter. / According to Swedish law, limited companies must have a board. However, it differs in the extent to which the board is involved in a company´s strategic work and how business owners relate to its function. In small and medium-sized enterprises, the board seldom fills any real function. As the company grows, it becomes difficult for one person alone to manage and control the company, leading to an increasing need for a working board. Previous research shows that business owner's personal goals often determine the strategic direction of small and medium-sized enterprises. In order to meet existing demands, business owners need to understand the board´s role and the benefits of strategic work. The purpose of the study is, from a business perspective, to contribute knowledge about board work in small and medium-sized enterprises and to examine the business owners' attitudes toward the functioning of the board. The study's empirical data has been collected from a qualitative data collection, in the form of semi-structured interviews with four business owners from three different small and medium-sized enterprises. The theoretical framework involves the subject corporate governance and the aspects that are considered important for a successful board work. The study concludes that awareness regarding board work, is relatively low among business owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, which means that the board is not being used effectively. The level of knowledge of the business owner also controls whether the board is considered as important in their own company, and how the board works. Another conclusion drawn is that the business owner's personal goals affect his attitude towards the board. If personal goals include growth, the business owner has a more positive attitude towards a working board. Furthermore, a positive attitude towards a working board increases the probability that the business owner also has a positive attitude towards outside directors in the board.

In Nigeria, many small businesses fail before their 5th anniversary. Small businesses make up a major percentage of the businesses in Nigeria and provide jobs for 50% of the populace. The purpose of this qualitative multi-unit case study was to explore the factors required by small businesses in Nigeria to sustain operations beyond the first 5 years. The conceptual framework grounding this study was general systems theory. A review of the literature focused on small business failure and factors required to sustain a business longer than 5 years. Data collection occurred through semistructured interviews of a purposeful sample of 3 successful business owners in Port Harcourt, who described their experiences. Data analysis strategies consisted of using qualitative software, key words, phrases, and codes, which contributed to identifying the following themes: (a) effective strategizing, (b) flexible financial capital management, (c) human capital development, (d) market positioning and sales, and (e) stable power supply. The findings indicated that these 3 small business owners were passionate about starting up their businesses and had the necessary skills to strategize effectively and manage capital, thus sustaining their business beyond 5 years. Information derived from this study may assist small business owners in starting successful companies, that support employees, other companies, communities, and families, contributing to the development of the Nigerian economy.

Small businesses in the United States have a high failure rate, with 50% failing within 5 years. Small businesses also account for 99.7% of U.S. firms and provide 48.0% of employees in the private sector, or 57 million out of 118 million employees. From 1992 to 2013, small firms were responsible for 63% of new jobs generated. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the skills small business owners (SBOs) used to achieve sustainability beyond 5 years in a purposefully selected area of Central Florida. The conceptual framework of human capital theory served to focus this case study on the exploration of skills SBOs used to succeed. Purposeful sampling was used to identify 3 small businesses in the mortgage industry had achieved sustainability beyond 5 years. Data were collected via semistructured interviews conducted in person and via Skype. Interview data were analyzed through inductive coding of phrases and words, and secondary data were collected from participants' company documents, such as lead sheets and goal boards. The findings revealed continuing education and training helped SBOs to increase their skills, communication and community networking allowed SBOs to build relationships, and goal setting and creating plans increased SBOs' business success. The results may contribute to social change because new SBOs can use the data to improve their skills for increased job creation and business, which creates economic stimulation.

Thesis: "Entrepreneurial Project in selected areas" processing business plan for a real business in an appropriate range. The theoretical part focuses on the general characteristics of a small company, its importance to the national economy and the terms and structure of the plan at its inception. The practical part deals with creating a business plan for a real project that will have a major operation to sell their products and services. Mapping the competition in the industry, customer structure, the financial aspects of the project, grant opportunities in business. The work ends with conclusions and recommendations that may in the future contribute to the establishment and development of the project.

Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie var att förstå kvinnors egna upplevelser av att driva eget företag samtidigt som att vara mamma och ge en ökad förståelse kring hur det är att kombinera rollerna. För att besvara forskningsfrågan ”hur upplever kvinnor att det är att driva företag samtidigt som att vara mamma?” genomfördes åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer som sedan analyserades med tematisk innehållsanalys. Analysen av de kvalitativa intervjuerna resulterade i sju teman: drivkrafter till att driva eget företag, upplevelser av att vara kvinna och företagare, upplevelser av att vara mamma och företagare, fördelar med att vara mamma och företagare, utmaningar med att vara mamma och företagare, sätt att ta sig an utmaningarna och förutsättningar att starta och driva företag. Resultatet visade att hälften av kvinnorna upplever det tufft att kombinera mammarollen med företagarrollen och alla kvinnorna har upplevt både fördelar och utmaningar i att kombinera rollerna. Trots utmaningarna så uttryckte alla kvinnorna att fördelarna är större än utmaningarna och att de vill fortsätta driva eget företag. / The aim of this qualitative study was to understand women’s experience of running their own business while being a mother in order to get a better understanding of how it is for women to combine these roles. To answer the research question “how do women experience running their own business while being a mother?” eight semi-structured interviews were done and analyzed by thematic analysis. The result of this analysis was seven main themes: motivation to start your own business, experiences of being a woman and business owner, experiences of being a mother and a business owner, advantages of being a mother and business owner, challenges with being a mother and a business owner, solutions to the challenges and prerequisites for starting and running a business. The results showed that half of the women thinks it is hard to combine the roles of being a mother and a business owner and all of the women have met positive and negative challenges in combining these roles. Despite the challenges, all of the women thinks the advantages are bigger and wants to continue being a business owner.

No description available.

A failure of a small business has a negative impact on the economic health of the community where the small business operates. Small businesses are significant entities in economies around the world, but small businesses have a high failure rate. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what financial strategies small business manufacturing leaders use to increase productivity and profitability to sustain the business for longer than 5 years. The population for this study was three small manufacturing business owners in Pennsylvania who have been in business over 5 years and have used financial strategies to increase productivity and profitability. The theory of planned behavior was the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and direct observation. Methodological triangulation was used to analyze the data. Four themes emerged after the data was coded in NVivo: the importance of company data, planning for a sustainable future using capital expenditures, cash flow management, and owner/employee collaboration in decision-making. The potential for positive social change includes increasing the survival rates of small businesses. The increase in small business survivals may potentially contribute to increases in employment rates in the community of small manufacturing businesses, leading to increased family incomes and improved overall economic health of the community.

abstract: ABSTRACT A survey of board-certified music therapists who identified themselves as self-employed was conducted to examine current methods of marketing related to planning, positioning, promotion, and implementation within a music therapy private practice or contracting model, as well as identify trends in marketing methods as compared to prior research. Respondents (n=273) provided data via online survey as to current marketing practices, assessment of personal marketing skills, and views on marketing's overall role in their businesses. Historical, qualitative, and quantitative distinctions were developed through statistical analysis as to the relationship between respondents' views and current marketing practices. Results show that self-employed music therapists agree marketing is a vital part of their business and that creating a unique brand identity is necessary to differentiate oneself from the competition. A positive correlation was identified between those who are confident in their marketing skills and the dollar amount of rates charged for services. Presentations, websites, and networking were regarded as the top marketing vehicles currently used to garner new business, with a trend towards increased use of social media as a potential marketing avenue. Challenges for respondents appear to include the creation and implementation of written marketing plans and maintaining measurable marketing objectives. Barriers to implementation may include confidence in personal marketing skills, time required, and financial constraints. The majority of respondents agreed that taking an 8-hour CMTE course regarding marketing methods for self-employed music therapists would be beneficial. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.M. Music Therapy 2014

Immigrant entrepreneurs are seen in many societies in present days, no exception for a country like Sweden with a significant number of foreign-born populations. This thesis gets in touch with current immigrant entrepreneurs in the country to obtain first-hand experiences in the entrepreneurial process. The thesis explores the factors affecting these immigrant entrepreneurs in business establishment from the first-person point of view. Employing the mixed embeddedness approach in analysis, the thesis investigates the interactions between the immigrant entrepreneurs and the environment. Every part of the society and individual characteristics could impact the decision made by immigrant entrepreneurs regarding business establishment. The establishment of business is a result of contributions from many different elements surrounding the immigrant entrepreneur. This thesis represents some of the many actual experiences in the Swedish society. There is still an extensive field left to explore and many diversified experiences to be discovered.