Date of Conferral
5-29-2024
Date of Award
May 2024
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Management
Advisor
Kim Critchlow
Abstract
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are critical business entities, disproportionately challenged, and fail at a high rate. Business owners are concerned with sustainability strategies because they support the operations of their enterprises and mitigate failure. Grounded in the resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theories, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore effective strategies that owner-managers of MSMEs located in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) use to sustain their operations beyond 3 years. The participants were 5 owner-managers of MSMEs located in the OECS who implemented successful strategies that sustained their operations for more than 3 years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, publicly available documentation, artifacts, and testimonials, which were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic coding and analysis. The major themes that emerged were strategic approach, managerial competence, leadership effectiveness, and entrepreneurial orientation. A key recommendation is for owner-managers of MSMEs to develop human capital by engaging employees for their input, motivating them with praise and financial rewards, and empowering them through delegation. Implications for positive social change include the potential to generate employment in the OECS and increase disposable income for OECS residents, leading to improved living standards and community wellness in the region.
Recommended Citation
Hazel, Henry James, "Sustainability Strategies for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Located in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15865.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15865
