Date of Conferral
2020
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Marilyn Simon
Abstract
Small businesses in the United States have a high failure rate within their first 5 years of operation. Small business success is vital to the economy because it drives revenue, income, and job creation. Grounded in rational decision-making theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners and leaders implement for effective outsourced IT solutions for business sustainability. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 10 purposefully selected business owners and leaders in the Houston, Texas, metro area and from a review of documentation from archival records. Yin's 5-step analysis guided the coding process, and the transcribed data were validated by member checking. The major themes revealed that strategies for outsourcing IT service require (a) finding a reliable service, (b) procuring services that are cost effective, (c) outsourcing to experts, and (d) maintaining stability. A key recommendation is for small business owners and leaders to consider flat-fee outsourced IT services for their business needs. Social change implications include the potential contribution to social stability and continuing economic growth through the successful outsourcing of IT solutions, which may increase jobs, create tax revenue, and stimulate economic activity locally and nationally.
Recommended Citation
Folkes, Jessica A., "Strategies Small Business Leaders Implement for Outsourced IT Solutions for Business Sustainability" (2020). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 9360.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/9360
