Date of Conferral

4-17-2024

Date of Award

April 2024

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Brenda Jack

Abstract

Some small business leaders (SBL) lack developmental feedback strategies to improve employee performance, impacting job satisfaction, engagement, and motivation, and impairing business sustainability. Grounded in the Herzberg two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies SBLs used to enhance employee performance. Participants comprised five SBLs in Arkansas who implemented strategies to improve employee performance. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and reviews of publicly available organizational documents. Braun and Clark’s approach and Yin’s five-step process were used to conduct thematic analysis. Eight themes emerged: growth opportunities and staff potential; challenges, limitations, and mitigation; workplace culture, diversity, and environment conditions; workplace dynamics and relationships; communication; engagement, activation, and retention; performance and productivity; and leadership’s impact on intrinsic constructs. A key recommendation is for leaders to create an environment that encourages open and constructive communication. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide insights into employee evaluations and feedback, which may improve employee retention, motivation, and performance, hence, an overall improvement of the organization’s productivity, leading to more job opportunities that will enhance the living standards in local communities.

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