Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

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

School

Management

Advisor

Roger Mayer

Abstract

Only 50% of the U.S. small businesses opened in 2011 were able to maintain financial sustainability. Small business owners struggle with identifying the type of leadership style needed to increase financial sustainability. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and financial sustainability. The participants consisted of 76 small business owners located in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. The business owners completed a survey containing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Financial Capability Scale. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The multiple regression analysis results indicated the model as a whole was not able to predict financial sustainability, F(4,71) = 1.618, p = .179, R2 = .084. Idealized influence provided the most contribution to the model (β = .325). A key recommendation is for small business owners to articulate a vision for the future, communicate with high expectations, and promote change to influence followers to achieve financial sustainability. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide small business owners with a leadership style that sustains operations, thus creating job stability for community members.

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