Date of Conferral
2020
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Chad Sines
Abstract
AbstractSmall business owners employ 47% of the U.S. labor force, yet 50% of small businesses do not survive beyond 5 years. This failure can impact approximately 29% of the U.S. workforce. Therefore, this study is important to small business owners because the research and findings may help them evaluate their leadership techniques, which may help them improve their organizational productivity and survive. Grounded in the vertical dyad linkage theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective leadership strategies small business firm leaders used to maintain a steady growth of their organizations past the initial 5-year life cycle. The participants comprised 8 leaders of 4 small government consulting firms in Northern Virginia, which elaborated on the leadership techniques for catalyzing organizational productivity. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and regulatory documentation reviews. Data were analyzed using methodological triangulation. 4 themes emerged: individual leadership techniques, barriers to communication, servicing clients versus profit and loss, and organizational productivity. A key recommendation is for small consulting firm leaders to combine different individual leadership techniques to form unique personal relationships with their employees, which naturally creates the platform to catalyze organizational productivity. The study’s implications for positive social change are the potential for small business leaders in the government sector to gain knowledge of leadership strategies to catalyze productivity, which leads to an increase in retention of key personnel and revenue.
Recommended Citation
Zapien, Benjamin Philip, "Leadership Techniques to Catalyze Organizational Productivity in Small Consulting Firms" (2020). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 10196.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/10196
