Date of Conferral

5-2-2025

Date of Award

May 2025

Degree

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

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Matthew Knight

Abstract

The lack of effective strategies for identifying opportunities threatens the survival and growth of small IT consulting businesses. Without these strategies, owners risk struggling to sustain their businesses in a highly competitive market. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies that IT consulting small business owners use to identify business opportunities for growing their business. The project participants were six IT consulting small business owners in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States who led or significantly contributed to successfully recognizing business opportunities in firms at least 5 years old. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and were thematically analyzed. Five themes emerged: leveraging prior pertinent experience, enhancing the business’s image through digital methods, identifying a niche opportunity, taking the initiative to find new markets, and partnering with other businesses. A key recommendation is for IT consulting small business owners to partner with firms with an existing brand recognition and client base. The implications for positive social change include the potential for IT small business owners to create jobs and invest in local community projects, thereby strengthening local economies.

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