Little things that count: A call for organizational research on microbusinesses (original) (raw)
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The concept of knowledge and the process of knowledge sharing in ethnic minority microbusinesses remain neglected in contemporary debates even if their role for economic development is recognized. Drawing on a culturalist view, we explore how knowledge is defined and shared in a local niche market. Thematic analysis of semistructured qualitative interviews with 32 ownermanagers and 11 employee-managers reveals that, contrary to studies on larger firms, local knowledge creation and sharing narrowly based on ethnic strengths are valuable sources of competitive advantage. Our study has implications for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in exploring, supporting, and integrating ethnic minority microbusinesses.
The Road Ahead: Micro Enterprise Perspectives on Success and Challenge Factors
The United States and the world at large are currently trying to recover from a housing bust and a financial meltdown. Small businesses, with their creativity and innovation, have the potential to reverse the course for any economy. The largest percentages of entrepreneurs are micro enterprises which may hold the key to economic revitalization. This study focused on the success and challenges facing these emerging businesses. The study found several interesting and statistically significant differences based on gender, ethnicity, sales volume, years in operation and type of business. Not surprisingly, given the current economic malaise, the national economy was perceived to be both the most important success and challenge factor. Perhaps most surprising was healthcare which was ranked fifth. The study emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship to any economy, especially the United States, in their revitalization efforts.
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This paper discusses issues that had been revealed during 15 in-depth interviews and a subsequent questionnaire survey of 91 micro-business (five or fewer employees) operators in Hamilton, New Zealand. ‘How to support micro-business operators in their efforts to achieve successful, sustainable self-employment within this changing social world?’ has been the guiding research theme. The questionnaire was used to gauge opinions on and the extent of attitudes and feelings about being self-employed that had been revealed during the in-depth interviews and small business literature. This work gives voice to the perspectives of micro-business operators rather than that of experts or small business operators in general. Findings from this research suggest that micro-business operators need to be provided with opportunities for support and education to cope with psychological and social factors, particularly with fears, anxiety and isolation. Further, it appears that support is not available...
Journal of Management & Organization, 2017
As a concept stemming from practice, business development has received scarce academic attention. In this paper, we explore core business development activities of micro-firms and the challenges they perceive in conducting them. Based on interviews with 30 micro-firms, we identify three core business development activities that leverage the firm’s resource base, complemented by three support activities that secure and organize the firm’s resources. We find the business development activities to be tightly related to the three practices of leveraging, securing and organizing resources. We also identify three important contextual influences on business development in micro-firms: industry, age and if the firm is in an incubator. Our findings contribute to developing a conceptualization and theorization of business development for micro-firms, which is relevant as the vast majority of companies worldwide are micro-firms, but many never embark on a growth path. Based on our results, we ...
A resource-based view of micro-firm management practice
Journal of Small Business and Enterprise …, 2009
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss a resource-based approach for exploring micro-firm management practice, as informed by the relevant literature. Specifically, the paper analyses available literature and catalogues micro-firm and managerial ...
Microenterprise Owners: Chanllenges with Initialization, Growth, and Success
The vitality of any community rests on its entrepreneurs; therefore, understanding the barriers that impede microenterprise initialization and growth is essential. This phenomenological study explored the coping strategies of African American business owners related to business growth and operation in a southeast Virginian city. Two theories framed this study: the resourcebased theory and the disadvantage theory of entrepreneurship. Twenty microenterprise owners who had active businesses participated in this study. These microenterprise owners responded to semistructured questions and shared their experiences in face-to-face interviews. Data codification and thematic reduction occurred within qualitative data analysis software. Emergent themes included (a) the effects of barriers on microentrepreneurs, (b) the influences of regulatory agencies on microenterprises, (c) entrepreneurial resources required for success, and (d) agency adaptation to entrepreneurial needs. Two invariant themes emerged from the data; these themes were the importance of location and the availability of a quality workforce.
A Resouce-Based View of Micro-Firm Management Practice
2009
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss a resource-based approach for exploring micro-firm management practice, as informed by the relevant literature. Specifically, the paper analyses available literature and catalogues micro-firm and managerial competence criteria in pursuit of managerial insights in this environment. Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive literature review precedes the conceptualisation of micro-firm management practice. Findings – Literary findings suggest that, considering micro-firms’ internal resource constraints, minimal environmental power, and owner-centred culture, it is vital for these organisations to embed their valuable resource in their core business strategy, to ensure survival in the longer term. Furthermore, there is an assumption that knowledge must be used optimally within the micro-firm by developing the analytical and critical skills of individuals, groups and the entire organisation so as to sustain and grow these firms’ comp...