Small Business Leaders' Perception of Adjusting to Low Economic Conditions

Date of Award

Fall 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Committee Chair

Leo Sedlmeyer

Committee Member

Stephen Stewart

Committee Member

Crissie Jameson

Abstract

This qualitative exploratory case aimed to understand what businesses do when faced with economic conditions developed through a sports strike. The study delves into the strategies employed by successful hospitality business owners to navigate sports labor negotiation experiences. The researcher seeks to understand how these experienced small business owners have managed to survive and thrive despite the economic upheavals caused by work stoppages in sports. The key to this adaptation lies in neighborhood adaptability, economic impact, cultural framework structures, and contingency thinking using the theoretical aspects of Servant Leadership when economic development can disrupt typical economic activities. This study and its voice could contribute to the next time a sports labor negotiation impacts a city district's economic system or any economic system where an indirect business component is suddenly stopped or taken away. This research was a collective effort, not just about sports labor negotiations and seasonal expectations, but for hospitality leaders in the business industry, empowering them to face future challenges. Three category themes emerged from twelve semi-structured interviews: (1) Change in Operations, (2) Employee and Staff Developments, and (3) Patron Experience, which helped develop 12 sub-themes assist as a road map to adaptability in the change in a business culture or economic ecosystem. There were recommendations to move forward with another indirect area outside sports, such as travel or city development. Another identified research potential by opening the participation area or demographics from a neighborhood to a city or region.

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