Date of Conferral
2020
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Jaime Klein
Abstract
Small business owners with unsuccessful startup strategies can negatively impact business sustainability. Small business owners are concerned about startup strategies because 50% of new, small business owners fail within the first 5 years of operation. Grounded in the systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies 4 rural, small startup business owners in Tennessee used to prevent closure within the first 5 years of operation. The participants selected successfully implemented strategies to avoid business closures. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews and revised reports published by the Center for Rural Affairs, U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Small Business Administration, and Service Corps of Retired Executives. The 3 themes that emerged from the thematic analysis were business owners’ skills and knowledge of marketing, sales and inventory, and employee retention. A key recommendation for small business owners is to implement continuous marketing training, set sales metrics, create inventory goals, and provide employees a positive work environment to remain open beyond the first 5 years of operation. The implications for positive social change include the potential to create new jobs, increase employee job security, enhance living standards, and increase property value and government tax revenue to provide better services to the community.
Recommended Citation
Lora, Hector, "Strategies for Improving Rural Small Startup Business Owners Success to Prevent Closures" (2020). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 8936.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/8936
