scholarly journals Rural Small Businesses in Turbulent Times

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair R. Anderson ◽  
Ellina Osseichuk ◽  
Laura Illingworth
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Customer Base ◽  
Rural Businesses ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Turbulent Times ◽  
Local Embeddedness ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Rural Firms

This paper explores differences in behaviour and performance between rural and urban small firms during the economic downturn. The authors had anticipated that the ‘thinness’ of the rural environment would have had adverse effects. However, their survey of 6,300 respondents showed that rural small firms were performing marginally better. Both groups were proactively striving to cope with falling demand, not waiting for things to get better, but rural firms had better sales and fewer price reductions. The authors attribute this to local embeddedness, a more stable customer base and less competition. They note too the relative independence of rural businesses.

scholarly journals Lending by Rural Banks Involved in Mergers

1999 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas A. Walraven
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Sample Period ◽  
Holding Companies ◽  
Rural Firms ◽  
Using Data

AbstractThis paper employed a variety of sources of data and a number of methods to describe rural lending markets. Over the sample period, 1992 through 1998, there was a pronounced trend towards affiliation of banks, both urban and rural, with holding companies, although over this period there was little change in the concentration of banking offices in rural areas. Using data from the 1993 National Survey of Small Business Finances, the study found some evidence that rural small businesses were less likely to apply for a loan than urban small firms although those rural firms that did apply were more likely to have their application accepted.

scholarly journals Small business responses to a major economic downturn: Empirical perspectives from New Zealand and the United Kingdom

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 754-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Smallbone ◽  
David Deakins ◽  
Martina Battisti ◽  
John Kitching
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Adaptive Behaviour ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Sectoral Composition ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Level

This article analyses small firm responses to a major economic downturn, based on empirical investigation in the UK and New Zealand. Despite differences in the timing and depth of the downturn, there is remarkable similarity in the sectoral composition of small enterprises and methods of financing in reported recession-related effects and business performance during 2008–2009. While recognising that the study focused on surviving businesses, in neither country did the downturn have a consistently negative impact on small businesses and in both countries a significant minority of firms surveyed performed well. The study provides much needed evidence on small businesse responses to major economic crisis. Conceptually it demonstrates that although many small firms are vulnerable to changes in circumstances over which they have no control, they show underlying resilience and a high level of adaptability and flexibility. Longitudinal follow-up is necessary to show how the types of adaptive behaviour observed impact on business performance.

Novice, Portfolio, and Serial Founders in Rural and Urban Areas

1998 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 63-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Westhead ◽  
Mike Wright
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Economic Development Policy ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Rural Firms ◽  
Level Of Analysis

To encourage economic development policy makers and practitioners need to understand the backgrounds and objectives of entrepreneurs who own businesses in rural as well as urban areas. In this study rural firms owned by novice, portfolio, and serial founders were compared. In addition, urban firms owned by novice, portfolio, and serial founders were compared. At the founder level of analysis, similarities as well as differences in the personal background, work experiences, reasons leading to the start-up of businesses, and personal attitudes to entrepreneurship of these three types of founders were explored. At the organizational level of analysis, finance, employment and performance differences between the businesses owned by the three types of founders were analyzed. Implications for policy makers and researchers studying entrepreneurial careers and independent businesses over time are discussed.

UNDERSTANDING SMALL BUSINESS STRATEGY: A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY ON SMALL FIRMS IN THE E.U. STATE OF MALTA

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (03) ◽  
pp. 287-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALEXANDER RIZZO ◽  
HEATHER FULFORD
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Small Business ◽  
Small Firm ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Grounded Theory Research ◽  
Competitive Behaviour ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Theory Research

The common argument for the small business is that there simply is no strategy; that small businesses react heuristically to events, guided by the whims and passions of the owner-manager. Strategy, however, can be looked at from a behavioural perspective, as opposed to the more normative strategic planning schools that small firms rarely abide by. This concept of strategy as 'behaviour' encompasses the actions of the owner-manager, the context of the small firm, and the consequences of the actions taken. It looks at strategy as part deliberate and part emergent, allowing for the inclusion of both external influences and internal decision making. Grounded theory research on small firms in Malta has in fact shown strategy to be a dynamic phenomenon, one that can be viewed as a set of defined pathways between identifiable life cycle states. The paper shall outline the research findings that have identified five distinct patterns of small firm strategic behaviour, each with its own unique trajectory and performance implications. Understanding which strategic pathway a small firm belongs to allows for a comprehensive insight into the firm's competitive behaviour, and a prediction of the consequences of that behaviour.

The psychological role of the leader in turbulent times

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 30-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Sandler
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Leadership Behavior ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Turbulent Times ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThis paper aims to deliver a psychological perspective on the theme of leading in turbulent times.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on 20 years' experience of consulting, coaching and teaching in the field of leadership development, the author outlines the dynamics that businesses face during an economic crisis. Based on her extensive observation of workplace behavior, the author describes the psychological and emotional role that leaders need to play if they are to optimize morale and productivity during turbulent times. The author's ideas have been developed as a result of coaching numerous leaders and top teams at board and director level in FTSE 100 and 250 companies and top professional services firms, as well as SMEs and not‐for‐profit organizations. Her private sector clients come from every area, including investment banking, oil and gas, IT, property, retail, law, accountancy and venture capital. Many of these organizations operate in highly competitive markets where managing uncertainty and change is the norm. However, the economic downturn has presented additional challenges, especially to those at the sharp end of the credit crunch and the collapse in consumer confidence.FindingsIt is concluded that four leadership behaviors are critical in times of crisis. Taken together, they enable leaders to support their workforce effectively during turbulent times, so maximizing morale and performance. The paper also highlights the role of HR and specific ways in which seasoned HR professionals can help leaders manage their own emotions and demonstrate these four behaviors.Originality/valueThis article reflects the author's original, practice‐based observations about organizational dynamics and leadership behavior during challenging times.

The Embeddedness of Productivity and Performance: Towards a Framework Based on Small Firms

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul K. Edwards ◽  
Chin-Ju Tsai ◽  
Sukanya Sen Gupta ◽  
Monder Ram
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
And Performance

scholarly journals The Impact of Coercive Pressures on Sustainability Practices of Small Businesses in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reginald Masocha ◽  
Olawale Fatoki
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Likelihood Estimation ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Isomorphic Pressures

The study sought to examine the role that coercive isomorphic pressures play in the sustainable development practices by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The survey research approach was utilised in the research through 222 self-administered questionnaires distributed to SME owners and managers. The structural equation modelling (SEM) method was utilised to analyse the data through the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) method in Amos Version 24 software. Major findings in this study are that coercive isomorphic pressures have a significant impact on all the three dimensions of sustainable development which are economic, environmental and social. The implications are that government, environmental pressure groups and other stakeholders need to take into consideration the coercive pressures such as laws and regulations in pressuring small businesses to enhance sustainability practices. The research contributes by unearthing the extent to which coercive pressures impact the behaviour and practices of SMEs in sustainability practices. The study indicates that eventually small firms are expected to behave the same when it comes to adopting sustainability practices due to coercive isomorphism. The findings of this study further contribute toward understanding the concept of sustainable development in practice and theory.

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