<p> Small businesses are the backbones of the American economy and contribute nearly 46% of the U.S. gross domestic product. However, the failure rate for small businesses is high. Only half of all small businesses will be able to survive for 5 years, and only 20% of small business can survive 10 years. Failure is a common phenomenon among entrepreneurs of small businesses. This qualitative phenomenological study involved examining entrepreneurs&rsquo; perceptions of their failure experiences. The study involved exploring the impacts of failure on entrepreneurs, the valuable lessons that entrepreneurs have taken from their failure experiences, and how they have applied what they have learned into business practices. Ten participants were purposefully selected for an individual face-to-face interview. The researcher created and asked 12 open-ended interview questions during the interviews under the framework of 3 research questions. Through analysis of the data gathered from the interviewees, the findings revealed that failure has a tremendous impact on entrepreneurs&rsquo; finances, relationships, and emotions. The findings also included valuable lessons that entrepreneurs have learned from their failure experiences, including acquiring knowledge on business management, awareness of self-limitations, enhancing faith, and leading changes by setting examples and showing care to employees. The research also revealed entrepreneurs apply what they have learned from failure directly back into daily business practices. In the process, they had to accept their personal weaknesses by adapting to changes. Learning from failure is a continuous process. The lessons shared are critical to entrepreneurial growth, especially in leadership. What these entrepreneurs have learned and practiced is worth exploring in hopes of shedding light on entrepreneurial education.</p>

<p> Over the past 35 years, Great Depression era regulatory restrictions on the geographic area of operation and the scope of financial services banks can offer have change significantly. These changes fueled a surge of merger activity and resulted in a 70% decrease in the number of bank charters by 2015. Currently, community banks hold only 14% of bank assets in the US; nonetheless, they play an important role in the US economy because they continue to provide the majority of funding to small businesses. This study finds that over 83% of bank failures occurred in metropolitan areas despite the distribution of community banks being almost equal at 49.5% rural and 50.5% metropolitan. An analysis of FDIC data from 2000 through 2014 indicates that rural and community banks do differ significantly on variables related to bank profitability and loan portfolio risk. Metropolitan banks have lower ratios on pre-tax return on assets, and return on equity. On average, metropolitan banks are approximately 30% less profitable than their rural counterparts. Since the 2007 financial crisis, on average, metropolitan banks have higher ratios on variables related to loan portfolio risk and since 2010 they have lower capital to asset ratios. The higher bank failure rates, riskier loan portfolios, and lower capital to asset ratios associated with metropolitan community banks provides support for the competition-fragility view that increased competition in banking leads to more bank failures. The nationwide survey in this study indicates that metropolitan community bankers perceive the competitive environment to be more intense and that their marketing capabilities are inferior to the large nationwide and regional banks that they compete against. Community bankers perceive that the merger and acquisition activity will continue and that it is driven by the need to achieve economies of scale in technology and regulatory compliance. Based on previous research that larger banks extend less credit to small businesses, this will further restrict the availability of bank credit to new businesses and existing microenterprises. Given that microenterprises employ the majority of people and contribute to new job creation, there are serious economic implications.</p>

<p> This study is important for individuals to investigate the actions that entrepreneurs take to facilitate successful business results that meet its goals and objectives. This research identifies the importance of leadership skills on the effectiveness of business and society overall. The purpose of this study is to describe the actions effective leaders take to articulate a successful vision, establish an industry through financial support, understand different cultures, deal with global industries, and make employees more efficient. The research questions addressed in this study are focused on issues that entrepreneurs face while building an organization and the implications of the actions and decisions of leaders in entrepreneurial companies. Data were gathered through interviews with successful entrepreneurial leaders. The outcome of the study showed that there were several ways to build and improve a business and help entrepreneurs to obtain financial support through many resources. </p>

<p>This dissertation extends and contributes to the extant literature on social enterprise by examining the enterprise-beneficiary relationship in social enterprises with particular focus on performance measurement and social value creation. Ironically, while social missions and commitment to beneficiaries is what distinguishes social entrepreneurship from traditional entrepreneurship, little research has been conducted to examine this relationship. Utilizing a portfolio of 101 social enterprises based in New England, this study consisted of two phases: the development of a typology of social enterprise based on the enterprise-beneficiary relationships present in the portfolio, and a comparative case study closely examining six cases of social enterprise across the typology. </p><p> By examining beneficiary positioning, level of interaction, and relationship characteristics four archetypes of social enterprise were identified: general benefit enterprises, philanthropic enterprises, social business enterprises, and relational social enterprises. Examining these models, the concept of entwinement emerged. I define entwinement as the mutual reliance and commitment between two parties, in these cases the enterprises and the individual beneficiaries they seek to serve. These models fall along a continuum of entwinement, ranging from no entwinement in the general benefit enterprises to high entwinement in the relational social enterprises. By examining two cases each of philanthropic enterprises, social business enterprises and relational enterprises I found that entwinement has positive implications for stakeholder salience and depth of impact for individual beneficiaries. I also found that while funding requirements are a key driver of the development of formalized social performance measurement programs, the level of entwinement moderates that relationship. </p><p> This dissertation contributes directly to stakeholder theory and to the social entrepreneurship literature. It offers an explanation for how managers recognize the salience of their stakeholder groups by raising entwinement as a key mechanism through which managers recognize the legitimacy and power of the beneficiary group. By utilizing the capabilities approach from the development literature, this study also presents a framework through which depth of impact can be examined across issue are and business model design. Finally, this paper identified funder requirements as a key driver of social performance measurement systems, suggesting that even as social enterprises diversify their revenue streams and business models they still bear significant semblance to non-profit organizations. </p>

<p> Affirmative action public procurement programs (AAPPP) stem from legislation related to the Civil Rights movement. Debates about program usefulness and relevance have occurred as well as court decisions challenging not only the legality of these programs, but their very existence. The problem is that, although minority small businesses are fast-growing, access to public procurement opportunities is minimal. An assessment of the perceived social and economic impact of affirmative action public procurement programs between participants and non-participants could provide needed information to inform stakeholders more about how these programs are experienced. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental causal-comparative (ex post facto) study was to determine whether minority business owners who have participated in AAPPP perceive the economic benefits, economic costs, social benefits, and social costs in minority businesses differently than non-participants. A random sample of 128 minority business owners seeking government contracts in the information technology field participated in this study. The participants were requested to complete a survey to assess their perceptions of affirmative action public procurement program participation on its economic benefits, economic costs, social benefits, and social costs. The findings showed AAPPP participants and non-AAPPP participants perceived economic costs and economic benefits similarly. The findings also showed AAPPP participants perceived both the social costs and benefits significantly greater than non-participants. Although the findings lend support for the continued use of these programs, the results paradoxically lend some support for their discontinuance. Without any overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it can be argued that continuing with these programs is necessary, since an inherent form of discrimination based on race or gender within the economic system still appears to exist, although not coherently depicted or understood. </p>

<p>The recent economic recession in the U.S. and in the E.U. is enhancing entrepreneurship processes around the world. Old forms of production are becoming obsolete along with old ways of organizing the economy and society. This scenario and the emergence of new leadership processes have prompted an increase in entrepreneurship focused on the needs of new niches. However, not all entrepreneurship and leadership processes have been successful in achieving their goals. Research on entrepreneurship and leadership has identified the need to further understand the dynamic features of these processes and their complexity.</p><p> One of the sectors in the U.S. that has shown major growth during the last decade is the wine sector. The increase of national and international market competition in the wine sector has prompted new entrepreneurship and leadership processes in this sector. As a result, it seems timely and appropriate to expand our understanding of effective entrepreneurship and leadership processes in the U.S. wine industry.</p><p> The dissertation&rsquo;s main contributions are to: (a) expand the understanding of the dynamics of entrepreneurship, (b) expand the understanding of how human cognition relates to its contexts in order to make entrepreneurship effective, (c) identify two types of leadership that are key for achieving companies&rsquo; sustained competitive advantage, (d) expand the understanding of how human cognition relates to its contexts in order to make leadership effective, (e) identify the structures (traits and processes) that effective entrepreneurship and leadership share, (f) identify the synergies between entrepreneurship and leadership, and (g) bring useful insights to the nine wineries interviewed so that they can address their current challenges more effectively. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.)</p>

<p> A majority of current leadership programs are failing to deliver a comprehensive approach to leadership development by not providing middle and frontline managers the skills to enhance their potential to develop others. In failing to generate a comprehensive system, animosity towards all types of leadership has been festering for over 40 years as first identified by Greenleaf in 1977. The purpose of the study was to establish a link between the theoretical paradigms of servant leadership and self-leadership using the lens of emotional intelligence to generate an integral leadership development framework. The conceptual framework used Goleman et al.&rsquo;s version of emotional intelligence, Spears&rsquo;s model of servant leadership, and Manz&rsquo;s concepts of self-leadership. The research question examined the interrelationship between the three theoretical paradigms and used the analysis to create a theoretical framework. A paradigm and systematic word search phrase yielded an initial sample of 1356 research articles. Using text scrutinization to achieve saturation, I used 342 articles to evaluate the gap between the three theoretical paradigms. The analysis of the secondary data used Edwards&rsquo;s approach to metatheory-building. The results yielded the beginnings of a new theory of self-perpetuating leadership style called sustainable leadership. Also noted based on the literature a serious absence of ethics, morality, or spirituality in leadership development. This study is important because it uses a holistic framework based on development techniques found in three theoretical leadership paradigms to help aspiring leaders to develop others. The positive social change that may result is an improvement in leadership skills, over time, through a comprehensive approach to leadership development for aspiring leaders.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine the key factors involved in operating a successful independent management consulting business. For those working in the independent management consulting industry or looking to begin, this study aimed to provide information to help define what success means and identify the most important contributors to achieving that success. The study gathered data via online survey and semi-structured interviews from people who have owned an independent management consulting business. Trends in the data were identified and compared with current research to determine the key factors in operating a successful independent management consulting business.</p>

<p> Leaders of companies operating in the supply chain have faced enormous competition, thereby needing to develop alternatives for a competitive advantage within and outside the organization. In the field, researchers have suggested that one&rsquo;s dynamic capabilities may determine one&rsquo;s determining competitiveness. The dissertation is an applied research study of the existing dynamic capabilities in the supply chain of organizations to verify the models used and the changes that it brings to the supply chain. The theoretical framework covered the foundations of this study. To collect research data, the researcher shall use surveys to collect data. Quantitative analysis approach will be used to draw inferences to help in this new research. The position of this dissertation is that dynamic capabilities, employed in the procurement section of the supply chain, have a direct influence on the overall performance of an organization. The study revealed that the dynamic capabilities of supply base alignment, performance improvement, operational performance, supply side competence, and systems orientation was critical to organizational performance. Although individual capabilities held minimal sway, when the individuals combined to form the dynamic capability, the influence had the most power over organizational performance. The supply side and operational performance were both organizational competences, while performance improvement, supply base alignment, and systems orientation were managerial competences. This literature added to work in supply chain and procurement; it has shown successfully that dynamic capabilities used in the procurement section did have direct effect on organizational performance.</p><p>

<p> One factor of the leadership stratagem is to account for the core values, operations, and growth of the organization. The purpose of this case study was to ascertain the financial strategies small business leaders incorporate to help ensure growth of small businesses. The conceptual framework of Schumpeter&rsquo;s innovation and entrepreneurship theory and the Grameen model were included to drive the scope and analysis of this study. A purposive sample of 8 leaders from successful small businesses in Islamabad contributed to a focus group session; 4 out of these participants originated from the finance and management department and 4 represented sales and product development departments working in 3 outlets of the firm. Transcript review and member checking were used to support the reliability of the interpretation of participants regarding what they said and meant from their responses. Moreover, company documents were reviewed to triangulate the data. Yin&rsquo;s 5-step data analysis plan was used for the final data analysis. Four major themes surfaced from data analysis: Microfinance, product quality, customer care, and strategic vision. These endorse business leader stratagem and association to their mission, financial strategy, overall business operations, and survival and growth. Product quality is vital to maintain and retain valuable customer for revenue generation. Customer care is emphasized for its importance as an ethical practice and gaining customers confidence. Strategic vision is recognized as the foremost leadership skillset to plan and organize future business strategies effectively, which impacts business growth and longevity. The outcome of this study may contribute to positive social change by enhancing understanding of the leadership strategies that impact the longevity of the business to secure jobs and benefit employees, their families, and the surrounding community.</p><p>