Small businesses remain the engine of growth in an economy such as Nigeria's economy. The objective of this study was to explore the high failure rate of small businesses during the first 5 years of business activities in Nigeria. The research design for this study was a multiple case study. The targeted population was small-scale entrepreneurs from 3 facilities in the soybean processing industries in Ibadan, Nigeria. The cognitive theory was the conceptual framework for the study. The data collection process was semistructured in-person interviews of 3 successful soy processing business owners. The data analysis process was conducted following the Rowley 4-step process and used the within-methodical triangulation that resulted in thematic answers to the central research question. The process of analysis included: grouping data, regrouping data based on themes, evaluating the information, and recognizing emergent themes. The five themes that emerged from the data were (a) education and training, (b) effective strategies for business profitability, (c) flexible financial strategy, (d) market positioning and, (e) efficient infrastructure. The data were cleaned and transcribed using software to code the features to identify the similarities of data used in the study. From the findings of this study, the implications for positive social change include the possibility to increase the survival rates of small businesses during early years of operation, reduce unemployment, increase tax receipts for the government, and catalyze economic activities, reducing poverty levels.

Employee turnover is high in small retail business, compelling business leaders to implement strategies that successfully reduce employee turnover. The conceptual framework guiding this study was the Herzberg 2-factor theory because the theory identifies factors that influence job satisfaction and employee turnover. The study population was retail owners and managers from small businesses in the retail industry in San Antonio, Texas who had demonstrated successful strategies to reduce employee turnover. A focus group was conducted with 4 retail managers, and semistructured interviews were conducted with 2 small retail owners, all of whom were recruited via purposeful criterion-based sampling. Yin's 5-step process for data analysis of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding resulted in themes of continuous learning in the workplace, communication, and valuing employees. These leaders provided continuous learning in the workplace, which demonstrated their value of their employees. Communication was a key concept discussed by all participants, as it built credibility with leaders and employees, increased productivity, and reduced turnover. The study has value to the practice of business because results may benefit industry growth by increasing retail leaders' knowledge levels about employee turnover. The findings may affect positive social change as leaders apply strategies useful for reducing employee turnover as lower turnover rates might reduce unemployment, stabilize communities, and improve the human and social conditions outside the workplace.

Individuals in the millennial generation, born from 1980 to 1996, have many entrepreneurial opportunities; however, many people in the millennial generation lack the skills, motivation, and business strategies to survive in business. Because of the influx of competition, lack of experience, and lack of business-world strategies, entrepreneurs can miss opportunities and fail within the first few years of business operations. Grounded in the systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that business owners in the millennial generation used to survive in business longer than 6 years. Participants consisted of 5 business owners in the millennial generation in 5 businesses in northern Virginia with successful experience in implementing strategies to survive in business longer than 6 years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of relevant company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding data. The 4 key themes derived from data analysis were marketing, support, lessons learned, and passion. The findings of this study might be beneficial to business owners who seek to survive in business longer than 6 years by demonstrating the need for using effective marketing strategies, recognizing the need for adequate support, learning from past mistakes, and having passion for operating the business. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential for business owners to improve local job opportunities, increase the economic prosperity of their communities, and increase local community services through their contribution to the local tax base.

This thesis seeks to gain insight into environmental management implemented by micro and small tourism enterprises and explore levels of awareness and interest among owner-managers of micro and small tourism enterprises toward schemes aiming for the environmental improvement of business. The research uncovers findings that elevate possibilities for reducing misinterpretation of terminology relative to sustainable tourism business. This research seeks to understand why the suggested lack of sustainable tourism implementation remains evident in tourism. Discussion from findings intends to draw attention to central themes relative to achieving research objectives and seeks to yield important information in the pursuit of sustainable tourism business. A qualitative, semi-structured interview approach was used to gain in-depth and detailed perspectives from owner-managers of micro and small tourism enterprises. Owner-managers interviewed were purposively chosen using non-probability sampling. Selection was based on providing a variety of tourism businesses and physical business locations across the case study region. Overall, findings suggest that owner-managers are implementing low levels of environmental management and have limited knowledge of what implementation of environmental management specifically involves, such as, how long it takes and how much it costs. The underlying values of owner-managers demonstrate potential opportunities for further implementation of sustainable business practice. In addition, owner-managers seemed to place importance in conducting business responsibly and having minimal impact on the environment so that quality of life remains for future generations. Essentially, research findings aid in the understanding of why the suggested lack of sustainable tourism implementation remains evident in tourism and pose future avenues for research in the pursuit of sustainable tourism business.

<p>Every year a number of tenant-owner flat deals are concluded and the availability of real estate agents on the market is today very widespread. It has become increasingly difficult for estate agents to distinguish themselves in a way that makes the estate agent the customer’s choice. Estate agents must have a good understanding of what is important to the customer. An apartment deal is, for most people, an important event in their life. Which is the key factor for a customer in choosing a particular estate agent?</p><p>The purpose: The main purpose of this study is to examine which criteria customers consider to be important when they choose real estate agents to sell their apartments. Which criteria affect their choice and which criterion is considered to be the determining factor?</p><p>As part of the purpose we will also examine how the real estate agents distinguish themselves and which factors are used to get the customers to choose them. Are these factors the same factors which guide customers to finally choose a particular real estate agent?</p><p>Method: The method that we have chosen to serve our purpose in the best possible way is, partly, by interviews with real estate agents and, partly, by surveys among customers of the companies. The estate agents we have interviewed are Svensk Fastighetsförmedling and Svenska Mäklarhuset. In order to collect information we have also chosen to use several kinds of sources such as the Internet and various kinds of literature.</p><p>Conclusion: We came to the conclusion that the criterion that appeared to be the most important for both estate agent companies, was that the apartment was advertised on the Internet. Just as important for the clients of Svensk Fastighetsförmedling was that the real estate agents appear to be reliable and serious. This criterion took second place with clients of Svenska Mäklarhuset. What appeared to be the decisive factor among the clients for their choice of a real estate agent was the personal chemistry between the client and the real estate agent’s broker. It seems that both companies, among other things, have chosen the “softer values” to communicate and market themselves.</p> / <p>Varje år avslutas ett antal bostadsrättsaffärer och utbudet av fastighetsmäklare på marknaden idag är väldigt stort. Det blir allt svårare för fastighetsmäklarföretagen att utmärka sig och få kunderna att välja just dem. Fastighetsmäklarföretagen måste ha en god uppfattning om vad kunderna tycker är betydelsefullt. En bostadsrättsaffär är för många en viktig händelse i livet. Vad är det som avgör vilket fastighetsmäklarföretag kunden slutligen väljer?</p><p>Syfte: Huvudsyftet med denna rapport är att undersöka vilka kriterier konsumenterna tycker är viktiga när de väljer fastighetsmäklarföretag för att sälja deras bostadsrätt. Vilka kriterier påverkar valet och vilket är det avgörande?</p><p>Som delsyfte kommer vi även att undersöka hur fastighetsmäklarföretagen utmärker sig själva och vilka faktorer de använder sig av för att få kunderna att välja just dem. Är det dessa faktorer kunderna verkligen går efter i slutändan när de väljer fastighetsmäklarföretag?</p><p>Metod: De metoder vi har valt att använda oss av för att på bästa sätt besvara vårt syfte är dels intervjuer med fastighetsmäklare och dels en enkätundersökning bland företagens kunder. De fastighetsmäklarföretag vi har intervjuat är Svensk fastighetsförmedling, Farsta samt Svenska Mäklarhuset, Södermalm. Även andra typer av källor, i form av Internet och diverse litteratur, har använts för att samla in data.</p><p>Slutsatser: Vi kom fram till att det kriterium som framstod som mest betydelsefullt för båda företagen var att objektet annonseras på Internet. Lika betydelsefullt för Svensk Fastighetsförmedlings kunder var att fastighetsmäklarföretaget uppfattas som pålitliga och seriösa. Detta kriterium kom på andra plats hos Svenska Mäklarhusets kunder. Det som visade sig vara avgörande för kunderna vid valet av fastighetsmäklarföretag var personkemi med fastighetsmäklaren. Det är även bland annat dessa ”mjuka” värden som båda företagen har valt att marknadsföra och kommunicera ut.</p>

Problem: Is there a statistically significant relationship between the EI of an ownermanager and the EO within a small firm? Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to perform an exploratory study of the research by addressing the first hypothesis. The secondary purpose of this study was to characterize the nature of this relationship by exploring micro-connections between EI and EO factors, by addressing the second hypothesis. Hypotheses: 1) An owner-manager’s EI can be used to predict EO within small firms. 2) An owner-managers’ EI dimensions are positively correlated to the EO dimensions in small firms.   Method: A questionnaire including the EISDI (Emotional Intelligence) instrument and the Covin &amp; Slevin (1989) Entrepreneurial Orientation (entrepreneurial/strategic posture) instrument were sent by email to respondents. Responses were collected from a sample of 35 respondents, who were identified as owner-managers of small, young firms within the Swedish high-tech industry. An empirical analysis examined correlations between global EI and global EO, as well as EI and EO factors.     Main findings: Both hypotheses were rejected. It was concluded that an owner-manager’s EI cannot be used to predict EO within small firms. Moreover, it was found that no part of an owner-manager’s EI is significantly nor strongly correlated to EO dimensions within small firms.

Every year a number of tenant-owner flat deals are concluded and the availability of real estate agents on the market is today very widespread. It has become increasingly difficult for estate agents to distinguish themselves in a way that makes the estate agent the customer’s choice. Estate agents must have a good understanding of what is important to the customer. An apartment deal is, for most people, an important event in their life. Which is the key factor for a customer in choosing a particular estate agent? The purpose: The main purpose of this study is to examine which criteria customers consider to be important when they choose real estate agents to sell their apartments. Which criteria affect their choice and which criterion is considered to be the determining factor? As part of the purpose we will also examine how the real estate agents distinguish themselves and which factors are used to get the customers to choose them. Are these factors the same factors which guide customers to finally choose a particular real estate agent? Method: The method that we have chosen to serve our purpose in the best possible way is, partly, by interviews with real estate agents and, partly, by surveys among customers of the companies. The estate agents we have interviewed are Svensk Fastighetsförmedling and Svenska Mäklarhuset. In order to collect information we have also chosen to use several kinds of sources such as the Internet and various kinds of literature. Conclusion: We came to the conclusion that the criterion that appeared to be the most important for both estate agent companies, was that the apartment was advertised on the Internet. Just as important for the clients of Svensk Fastighetsförmedling was that the real estate agents appear to be reliable and serious. This criterion took second place with clients of Svenska Mäklarhuset. What appeared to be the decisive factor among the clients for their choice of a real estate agent was the personal chemistry between the client and the real estate agent’s broker. It seems that both companies, among other things, have chosen the “softer values” to communicate and market themselves. / Varje år avslutas ett antal bostadsrättsaffärer och utbudet av fastighetsmäklare på marknaden idag är väldigt stort. Det blir allt svårare för fastighetsmäklarföretagen att utmärka sig och få kunderna att välja just dem. Fastighetsmäklarföretagen måste ha en god uppfattning om vad kunderna tycker är betydelsefullt. En bostadsrättsaffär är för många en viktig händelse i livet. Vad är det som avgör vilket fastighetsmäklarföretag kunden slutligen väljer? Syfte: Huvudsyftet med denna rapport är att undersöka vilka kriterier konsumenterna tycker är viktiga när de väljer fastighetsmäklarföretag för att sälja deras bostadsrätt. Vilka kriterier påverkar valet och vilket är det avgörande? Som delsyfte kommer vi även att undersöka hur fastighetsmäklarföretagen utmärker sig själva och vilka faktorer de använder sig av för att få kunderna att välja just dem. Är det dessa faktorer kunderna verkligen går efter i slutändan när de väljer fastighetsmäklarföretag? Metod: De metoder vi har valt att använda oss av för att på bästa sätt besvara vårt syfte är dels intervjuer med fastighetsmäklare och dels en enkätundersökning bland företagens kunder. De fastighetsmäklarföretag vi har intervjuat är Svensk fastighetsförmedling, Farsta samt Svenska Mäklarhuset, Södermalm. Även andra typer av källor, i form av Internet och diverse litteratur, har använts för att samla in data. Slutsatser: Vi kom fram till att det kriterium som framstod som mest betydelsefullt för båda företagen var att objektet annonseras på Internet. Lika betydelsefullt för Svensk Fastighetsförmedlings kunder var att fastighetsmäklarföretaget uppfattas som pålitliga och seriösa. Detta kriterium kom på andra plats hos Svenska Mäklarhusets kunder. Det som visade sig vara avgörande för kunderna vid valet av fastighetsmäklarföretag var personkemi med fastighetsmäklaren. Det är även bland annat dessa ”mjuka” värden som båda företagen har valt att marknadsföra och kommunicera ut.

Till följd av Vattenfalls uppmärksammade investeringar i fossilbränslebaserad energiverksamhet har vi genom att analysera den riksdagspolitiska debatten kring Vattenfall, sökt efter återkommande yttranden, genom vilka vi  konstruerat diskurser som står för vad riksdagspolitiska aktörer anser i frågan om det statliga styret av Vattenfall. Vi kommer fram till att det inte helt oväntat går att skapa två övergripande diskurser, där de olika politiska blocken verkar inom varsin diskurs i frågan om hur Vattenfalls miljöintentioner ska uppnås.

Researchers have demonstrated clear benefits to humans in their relationships with companion animals; however, little is known about how these animals may benefit from their relationships with humans. The purpose of the current study is to investigate potential benefits to a pet of living in a household, as defined by an array of specific pet owner behaviors. A second purpose is to investigate the relationship between self-reported attachment to a pet and dimensions of potentially beneficial owner behaviors on behalf of that animal. Participants in the current study were pet-owning undergraduate students (N = 501) from a large Midwestern university who were surveyed on an array of behaviors they may perform for or with a companion animal. Self-reported attachment to the animal was measured using the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (Johnson, Garrity, & Stallones, 1992). Factor analysis resulted in five dimensions of behavior for dog owners (n = 350), named Indoor/Outdoor, Attention, Inclusion, Well-being, and Safety. Four dimensions were found for cat owners (n = 151) and named Indoor/Outdoor, Indulgence, Possessions, and Independence. The Indoor/Outdoor dimension was similar to factors found in previous research. The rest of the dimensions appear to be uniquely important in terms of either dog or cat ownership. Regression analysis using factor scores to predict attachment revealed that 38.6% of the variance in attachment scores for dog owners and 23.6% for cat owners was explained by the dimensions. The results of the factor analysis provide a picture of what human care giving might mean, in terms of beneficial behavior, to the animal. The results also indicate that the basic needs of companion animals are being met regardless of the degree of attachment: low attachment may not necessarily mean poor care. Attachment does, however, appear to make a difference in the life of a companion animal in terms of enrichment. Dog owners who report higher attachment tend to include the dog in family activities, and provide certain kinds of attentions. Cat owners who report higher attachment are more likely to have a cat that stays close by their side, and are also more likely to provide gifts and treats to the cat. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology. / "May 2005."

Abstract The Energy Declaration is a law that will come into effect October 1: Th 2006. This report has Värnamo municipality as principal and shall clarify what the estate owner in general and Värnamo municipality in particular need to know about this law. Another part that is going to be dealt with is how large the future need for energy experts in this field will be, and which competence that will be demanded for them. The work will in general deal with simplified energy declarations for apartment houses and public buildings, since these buildings are the first to be involved with energy declarations. The energy declaration will consist of a number of important components. • Energy power i.e. how much energy the building consume • If the ventilation control is done • If the radon measurement is carried out • Recommendations of measures to improve the energy power • Reference value to compare the buildings energy power against According to the law the declaration shall been made by an independent expert, which will need certain information for this. The estate owner will need to collect some of this information. To simplify the collection of information a model was developed that can be used by the estate owner. The model was tested on Trälleborgskolan in Värnamo. It worked well because energy statistics were available from Värnamo municipality estate department. Regarding the energy consumption monthly statistics were also available which was desirable. Some improvement can been made by correlate the heat consumption for a normal year. There will be an estimated need for about 500-1000 energy experts to work with energy declarations in the future. The requirements on these experts are apart from the right education, also a couple of years of experience from the energy business. This can be hard to fulfil for a newly examined engineer. This report focuses on the simplified energy declaration. In a couple of years when building will need to be inspected more thoroughly, there might be a need for more information to be collected. How this can be done in the different estate management computer software that are available, could be a base for future work in this area.