Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Management
Advisor
Carol-Anne Faint
Abstract
United States (U.S.) small business owners represent an estimated 25% of businesses that do not reopen following a major disaster. Small business owners must prepare because small businesses represent 99.9% of U.S. businesses and experience detrimental effects resulting from disaster-related events. Grounded in Paunescu and Argatu’s adapted business continuity framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies U.S. small business owners use to create disaster plans for business continuity. The participants were seven U.S. small business owners in the service sector. Data were collected by conducting semistructured interviews through in-person meetings, phone conversations, and documentation review. Yin’s five-step approach was employed to analyze the data. Seven themes emerged: (a) impact from COVID-19, (b) BCP review, (c) type of disasters planned for, (d) use of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency reference for BCP development, (e) succession planning, (f) exercise training, and (g) use of secondary locations. Two core recommendations are for small business owners to review their business continuity plans (BCP) periodically and whenever a vulnerability in their BCP has been identified. The implications for positive social change include the potential to reduce unemployment, related mental illnesses, and homelessness.
Recommended Citation
Billingsley, Tarik, "Small Business Owners’ Approach to Business Continuity Management" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13209.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13209
