Date of Conferral
12-18-2025
Date of Award
December 2025
Degree
Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A)
School
Management
Advisor
Theresa Neal
Abstract
Independent quick-service restaurant owners face challenges sustaining their businesses beyond 5 years of operation. Many independent quick-service restaurant owners are concerned about maintaining sustainable business operations, as failure can negatively affect owners, employees, and the communities they serve. Grounded in the resourcebased view theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore the successful sustainability strategies that quick-service restaurant owners used to survive beyond 5 years. The participants were six independent, quick-service restaurant owners operating in the state of Maryland who employed effective sustainability strategies to survive for more than 5 years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of published articles from local news organizations and trade industry publications. Through thematic analysis, four main themes were identified: (a) dealing with uncertainty, (b) costs to compete, (c) employee focus, and (d) customer focus. A key recommendation is for independent, quick-service restaurant owners to enhance sustainability by forming and managing relationships with their customer base. The implications for positive social change include the potential for independent, quick-service restaurant owners and industry leaders to strike a balance between economic growth and social equity for individuals, communities, and societies.
Recommended Citation
Pauley, Winston Daniel, "Sustainability Strategies for Independent, Quick-Service Restaurant Businesses to Survive Beyond 5 Years" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18907.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18907
