Small Business Operators Research Articles

INFLUENCE OF AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINEAND MOBILE BANKINGON SMALL BUSINESS OPERATION IN MUBI METROPOLIS, ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the influence of E-banking components on small business operation in Mubi metropolis, Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study is a survey in the form of cross sectional study in which data were collected through questionnaire administered to 400 small business owners in Adamawa State. Data collected was subjected to percentage analysis and hypotheses were tested using regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The result influence of automated teller machine on business operation is statistically significant and positive (β = 0.942, t = 8.789, p < 0.05). Also, coefficients of the influence of mobile banking on small business operation is significant (β = 0.558, t = 9.800, p < 0.05). Hence the study concludes that automated teller machine (ATM) and mobile banking has significant and positive influence on small business operation in Mubi metropolis, Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study therefore, recommends that by considering the statistically significant and positive influence of e-banking components like automated teller machine (ATM) and mobile banking on business operations, small businesses should focus on establishing convenient and accessible banking components services. This can improve customer satisfaction by providing easy access to cash, ultimately leading to increased sales and transactions.

Barriers and Enablers for Equitable Healthy Food Access in Baltimore Carryout Restaurants: A Qualitative Study in Healthy Food Priority Areas.

Black neighborhoods in the U.S., historically subjected to redlining, face inequitable access to resources necessary for health, including healthy food options. This study aims to identify the enablers and barriers to promoting equitable healthy food access in small, independently owned carryout restaurants in under-resourced neighborhoods to address health disparities. Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with restaurant owners in purposively sampled neighborhoods within Healthy Food Priority Areas (HFPAs) from March to August 2023. The qualitative data were analyzed using inductive coding and thematic analysis with Taguette software (Version 1.4.1). Four key thematic domains emerged: interpersonal, sociocultural, business, and policy drivers. Owners expressed mixed perspectives on customers' preferences for healthy food, with some perceiving a community desire for healthier options, while others did not. Owners' care for the community and their multicultural backgrounds were identified as potential enablers for tailoring culturally diverse menus to meet the dietary needs and preferences of their clientele. Conversely, profit motives and cost-related considerations were identified as barriers to purchasing and promoting healthy food. Additionally, owners voiced concerns about taxation, policy and regulation, information access challenges, and investment disparities affecting small business operations in HFPAs. Small restaurant businesses in under-resourced neighborhoods face both opportunities and challenges in enhancing community health and well-being. Interventions and policies should be culturally sensitive, provide funding, and offer clearer guidance to help these businesses overcome barriers and access resources needed for an equitable, healthy food environment.

Selected Social Media as a Digital Platform and its Perceived Value Among Small Businesses

Small businesses play a crucial role in the global economy, and they often operate with limited resources. Social media can be a game changer, providing a cost-effective way to reach a wider audience. The objective of this study is to establish the most widely used social media in terms of its perceived value. This study employed quantitative analysis. A self-designed survey questionnaire was used with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.80. A total of 21 statements were included in the self-made questionnaire on social media factors (cost consumption, brand awareness, attractiveness and accessibility) and perceived value (revenue, customer satisfaction and customer retention). A total of 380 respondents who are small business owners in Metro Manila, Philippines participated in the study and were selected using simple random sampling. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square tests were used to establish the results and hypotheses of the study. Among the three social media platforms used, Facebook was the most preferred for its perceived value and effectiveness. Social media use as a digital marketing tool was significantly correlated with perceived value in terms of revenue, customer satisfaction, and customer retention; however, the only meaningful correlation found was between attractiveness and business ownership. The results of this study will help small business operators create marketing strategies to attract more consumers, which will lead to an increase in sales and revenue in the future. In addition, the results can be used as a basis for small businesses to attract more customers by utilizing different social media platforms.

Pengaruh Pendidikan Dan Pelatihan Manajemen Terhadap Efektifitas Operasional Usaha Kecil

This study aims to evaluate the effect of management education and training on the effectiveness of small business operations. The objective of this study is to determine whether management education and training can improve the effectiveness of operational effectiveness of small businesses, as well as to identify the most effective method of effective in improving such operational effectiveness. This research will be conducted using survey method and statistical data analysis. Data will be collected through questionnaires distributed to small business owners who have participated in the management education and training program, and to who have participated in management education and training programs, as well as those who have not. who have not participated. Data analysis will be conducted using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to identify the relationship between the variable management education and training with small business operational effectiveness. The results of the study are expected to provide a better understanding of the the importance of management education and training in improving the effectiveness of small business operations. The implication of this study is that small business owners small business owners need to pay attention to investing in management education and training as a strategy to improve their operational performance

Impact of AI Technologies on Operations of Small and Medium Transport Businesses

Impact of AI Technologies on Operations of Small and Medium Transport Businesses

Dynamics of employment in Russia (2018 – mid-2023)

The article examines the impact of the pandemic and a special military operation on the economic sphere and labor relations in the Russian Federation. The conclusion is made that the Russian economy has successfully adapted to these phenomena. Initial forecasts about the collapse of the economy did not come true; the economic situation is stable. In addition, based on statistical data and the results of sociological research, a decrease in informal employment of Russians is stated. During the pandemic and its beginning, the number of employees working without a contract has not increased, there is an increase in standard employed Russians. There are three main reasons for this process. The first is the reduction of the labor force in Russia, which increases the demand for it and, accordingly, the improvement of labor relations, the second is the actions of the government during the pandemic, aimed primarily at helping officially employed workers and the adoption of the law on the self-employed, the third is the reduction as a result of the pandemic and a special military operation of private small and medium-sized businesses, the main places of work informally employed, reduction of the informal economy and the shadow labor market. These findings force us to reconsider our approaches to the growth of the precariat, the core of which is informally employed wage workers. The number of precarious is growing with a favorable economic situation, growth of economic initiative and non-interference of the state in the economic sphere. In the opposite situation, the number of precarious workers decreases.

Legal Awareness of Halal Products Certification among East Java Business Operators and Society

The number of business operators in East Java increases significantly each year but is unfortunately not accompanied by increased legal awareness. While many business operators are aware of the halal certification obligation, they need to actually comply to it. This research was conducted in East Java on 111 micro and small business operators and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) spread across several cities. A total of 450 respondents of various backgrounds who, at the time of research, had run their business for at least two years were involved in direct interviews and questionnaire surveys. This research focuses on discussing the awareness of business operators and the community in East Java based on Soerjono Soekanto's legal awareness (understanding, knowledge, obedience, and legal attitudes), and maqasid sharia. Efforts to increase knowledge and understanding of business owners of legal awareness still lacked due to non-existent sanctions and incomprehensive campaign. Meanwhile, in legal culture, there is a perception that food consumed by the community is not necessarily halal-certified. The government strategy to advocate legal awareness of halal product certification includes product acceleration through the halal product information (SIP Halal) system that is easily accessible to MSMEs.

Effect of Electronic Payment System on Marketing Performance of SMEs in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Although the electronic payment system is regulated, in some instances, most SME owners tend to perceive the new system as a threat due to the high rate of cybercrime, network issues, hanging of transactions, and poor description of payer identity, among others. This study examined the effect of the e-payment system on the marketing performance of selected small and medium-scale enterprises in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. primary data were gathered through a questionnaire administered to owners/managers of SMEs in Akwa Ibom State. The independent variables were the e-payment system (proxied via bank mobile app, POS and digital mobile app) and the dependent variable was performance (proxied via customer patronage). Data obtained for the study were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings showed that POS, Bank mobile app and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) were mostly used which ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively. Digital wallets, credit card online transactions and the use of crypto-currency for business were ranked 4th, 5th and 6th respectively. The study revealed that the Bank mobile app, use of point of sales (POS) machine, and Digital wallet app have significant effects on customer patronage of small and medium-scale enterprises. The study concluded that the introduction of the e-payment system (cashless policy) has a significant influence on the operation, performance and customer patronage of small and mediumscale businesses in Akwa Ibom State. It was recommended, among others, that SME operators should be trained on how to use electronic payment systems such as electronic fund transfer, mobile banking, internet banking and online remittance.

Proposed Initiatives to Protect Small Businesses in Wales; the United Kingdom Due to Covid-19

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses worldwide have faced unprecedented challenges. This study presents a detailed analysis of these challenges and explores the effectiveness of government interventions in supporting small business recovery. Utilizing a mix of quantitative research methods, including statistical analysis and a comprehensive literature review, the research focuses on the specific impacts of the pandemic on small business operations and finances. Key findings indicate that small businesses have suffered significant disruptions, primarily in supply chain management and customer engagement. The study evaluates various government initiatives, such as financial aid packages and regulatory relaxations, highlighting their role in mitigating the pandemic's adverse effects. Furthermore, it proposes a set of recommendations for both government and small businesses, emphasizing the need for tailored financial support, enhanced digital transformation strategies, and flexible operational adjustments. The research concludes that a collaborative approach between government and small businesses is essential for ensuring sustainable growth and recovery in the post-pandemic era. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing actionable insights and practical strategies for policymakers and business owners, aiming to bolster the resilience and long-term prosperity of small businesses, which are integral to the global economy.

The Influence of SAK EMKM Socialization, Accounting Understanding and Education Level on the Implementation of SAK EMKM (In MSMEs in Cinambo District, Bandung City)

Definitely there are several roles played by MSMEs in driving economic growth and development throughout the country. With this being the case, financial reporting and funding challenges often plague these firms. These challenges must be resolved to achieve anything. Financial Accounting standars for micro, smalls and mediums-sized entities primary aim is to make accrual-based financial statements simpler and improve bank borrowing. Despite its benefits, Financial Accounting standars for micro, smalls and mediums-sized entities has not been implemented often, especially in Cinambo District, Bandung City. The inadequate training on how to deal with people, failure to understand business language and general lack of knowledge by small scale business operators are some of the reasons why this is happening. Several studies have found that accounting literacy is a significant determinant for the adoption of Financial Accounting standars for micro, smalls and mediums-sized entities. Objectives are set using research methods to address problems. This study uses quantitative research methodologies: descriptive and verification techniques in analyzing factors affecting the application of Simplified Financial Accounting Standards for Micro, Small, and Medium Entities (Financial Accounting standars for micro, smalls and mediums-sized entities) in Cinambo District, Bandung City, Indonesia. The appraisal of regression analysis involves an assessment of dependability, typicality, hetroscedasticity, the F test and finally the t-test. As shown by two Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.740 and 0.901, a reliability assessment demonstrates that there is satisfactory internal consistency for this measurement instrument. The test for normality indicates that it does exist. Heteroscedasticity shows no trend in the distribution of data sets. The high F value (14.811) and low significance (0.000) of the F test show that the regression model is significant. The t test shows that the variables "Socialisation of Financial Accounting standars for micro, smalls and mediums-sized entities" and "Accounting Understanding" are considerably affecting the variable "Application of Financial Accounting standars for micro, smalls and mediums-sized entities," whereas the variable "Education Level" has a less strong one.

Encompassing Diversity in International Business Education: A Case Study of Virtual Service-Learning

ABSTRACT Achieving inclusion and equity in international business (IB) education remains a challenge, given the rising costs of college tuition and the increasingly diverse and non-traditional student population. These changes may reduce the feasibility and relevancy of activities, such as study abroad programs, and an MNE-centric IB curriculum for a significant number of college students today. To overcome these challenges, in this paper, we share our findings from a case study on a virtual service-learning project that fostered cross-border interactions between undergraduate students in North America and small business owners in Central America. Over the course of one semester, students worked to draw connections between their unique individual backgrounds and skill sets, connect IB and global strategy concepts to small business operations, and deepen their understanding of sustainable development. Our findings demonstrate that this practice can enhance student enjoyment, academic learning, professional growth, and civic learning. Overall, virtual service-learning can be effective as an alternative teaching and learning approach to address the significant challenges in IB education.

Legal Framework of Micro and Small Businesses in Indonesia for Achieving Empowerment and Legal Protection

<em>This research aims to identify, analyze, and discover efforts to facilitate business ease, empowerment, and protection for micro and small business operators in the Maluku Province through effective local legal regulations. Micro and small businesses play a vital role in supporting national development and enhancing the country's economy. Therefore, micro and small businesses need to be continuously developed to remain viable and competitive in the global trade arena. One of the measures to ensure the sustainability of micro and small businesses is through effective legal regulations that address various challenges faced by them. These legal regulations encompass not only national legal aspects but also local legal frameworks, including those in the Maluku Province. This research constitutes sociolegal research using primary and secondary data obtained through literature review and interviews. Based on the research findings, it is evident that the legal regulations for micro and small businesses in Maluku, both at the provincial and municipal levels, are not sufficiently effective in realizing ease of doing business, empowerment, and protection for micro and small business operators. The ineffectiveness of local legal provisions in Maluku is attributed to various issues in their content. These issues include discrepancies in regulations compared to other legal provisions, overlapping jurisdiction between the provincial and municipal governments, and even the central government's authority in regulating medium-sized businesses. Furthermore, legal gaps and unclear content lead to normative ambiguity, ultimately affecting the implementation of micro-business development and empowerment, which does not proceed smoothly.</em>

The study of customer engagement of local sustainable fashion brands on Instagram content

The local enterprise aims to ensure long-term business continuity while enhancing brand awareness of regional businesses. Businesses use social media to boost customer engagement and local enterprise items that are ecologically friendly. This study intends to examine how local businesses' Instagram accounts for Local Sustainable Fashion Brands (LSFB) are used by their customers. This qualitative study examines brand engagement tactics used by LSFB and Instagram posts made by its followers. Content analysis is used in the analytical approach. In this study, the LFSB setting demonstrates how small business operators in the fashion industry have grown their enterprises. Social media usage to foster customer involvement is examined because it may assess the target market's brand recognition among a deluge of imported goods or worldwide brands.

Application of Entrepreneurship Orientation and Practices among Business Operators in University Campuses in Rivers State, Nigeria

This study examined the extent small-scale business operators on Rivers State University Campuses are able to imbibe and apply entrepreneurial practises and orientation. Two research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised 1,000 university campus business operators in the three public universities in Rivers State. Taro Yamane’s formula was used to select 286 small scale business operators as the sample for the study. A validated 9-item self-designed questionnaire titled "Entrepreneurship Orientation and Practises among Small Scale Business Operators in Universities Questionnaire (EOPSSBOUQ)" was used as the instrument for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was determined through a test-retest method. Mean and z-test statistics were used to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses at a 0.05 confidence level. The findings of the study revealed, among others, that people’s business commitment is very high, and in business practise, small scale business operators take personal responsibility for business outcomes. It was recommended, among others, that entrepreneurs develop more achievement motivation in order to discover more areas for new ventures as well as improve business performance.

Crowdlending Behaviors in the Aftermath of a Crisis: Evidence From a Natural Experiment

Natural disasters and disease outbreaks cause substantial social turbulence and economic damage. The survival and continued operation of local small businesses and entrepreneurs are critical to the development activities in post-disaster recovery. However, these small businesses and entrepreneurs face greater challenges in accessing funding through traditional channels during a crisis. Crowdlending, also known as peer-to-peer microfinancing, has been successfully used to bypass traditional channels and raise funds directly from crowd lenders. However, it is unclear if such platforms can also be effectively used in the aftermath of crises, given that disasters induce both prosocial motivations and risk considerations in lender responses. To understand the operational implications of crowdlending for small businesses, we examine how crowdlenders respond to loan requests during a crisis and what factors moderate their responses. Drawing on the literature on disaster management and crowdlending, we hypothesize that lenders respond positively to loan requests from crisis-affected areas, and such responses are moderated by fundraising objectives and the lender's national culture. With observational data from an influential crowdlending platform and the 2014 Ebola outbreak as the treatment in a natural experiment design, we find that, on average, lenders respond positively to loan requests from crisis-affected areas, and they tend to favor loan requests emphasizing economic rather than social objectives. Furthermore, lenders from collectivistic cultures are more likely to respond positively during a crisis than lenders from individualistic ones. Our study contributes to research and practice in disaster management, particularly small business operations management during crises, by showing that crowdlending can be a useful fundraising channel for small businesses, which is meaningful for post-disaster economic development and recovery. We also offer implications for the recent conversation on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by analyzing and discussing the similarities and differences between the Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Impact of Platform Ecosystem on Nigeria’s Small Businesses: A Strategic Analysis for Competitive Advantage

The interconnectedness of businesses (producers/suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers) and customers has never been more critical in the global business environment. Reliance on traditional means of connecting with businesses and other consumers is fraught with limited availability of contact. The platform ecosystem provides a veritable channel for small businesses to interact with many businesses and consumers who themselves are also stakeholders in the platform ecosystem. Business ecosystems provide essential benefits such as the means to a wide range of capabilities, the capacity to scale quickly, enhanced resiliency, and flexibility (Ulrich Pidun et al., 2019). New businesses must gain speedy access to capabilities that are external to the organization and expensive to acquire internally. The Nigerian business terrain is awash with millions of micro and small businesses that serve as the backbone of the Nigerian economy through the provision of employment to millions of people, raw materials to other businesses (large or small) and are critical to the supply chain in all sectors of the economy. The need to gain capabilities, resources, and core competencies cannot be over-emphasized; the fragility of these businesses considering the COVID-19 pandemic presents an invaluable opportunity for small business owners and operators first to change their mindsets to enable them to appreciate the vast benefits derivable from the interactions with other stakeholders on a platform they can be part of for little or no charge. The paper seeks to discover how ecosystem platforms can influence small businesses' capabilities and core competencies in Nigeria to generate innovation.

Influence of Levels of Income on Micro and Small Business Operators’ Participation in Social Security Fund in Moshi Municipality

This research intended to assess the influence of income levels on micro and small business operators’ participation in social security fund (SSF) in Moshi Municipality, Tanzania. This study was guided by the Social Protection Theory (SPT) which described that Social Security Funds provides benefits to both individuals and households to propagate losses of earnings caused by sickness, maternity, employment injury, invalidity, old age or death. This research used a concurrent research design with a mixed research approach. The target population for the study was business operators found in Moshi Municipality totaling to 6,884. A sample size of 378 respondents obtained from Yamane (1964) formula through stratified random sampling and purposive Sampling. A structured questionnaire was administered as the tool for collecting primary data and Key informant Interviews were administered to gather additional qualitative data. Validity was ensured through discussion of the instrument with experts. Reliability of the instruments was obtained having Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.76. Ethical considerations were adhered toward conducting this study. Descriptive statistics and content analysis was used for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The study revealed that level of income affects the way that small or micro business operator perceives the value of social security funds in Moshi Municipality. This study recommends that social security funds should set a minimum income threshold for participation to ensure that micro and small business operators with low level of income participate in the social security funds in Moshi Municipal Council.

Hurdles to handicraft marketing for artisan entrepreneurs in an emerging economy

PurposeCrafts embody the history and heritage of their country of origin and can play an essential role in the country's socioeconomic development by providing significant job opportunities for the rural population. This article investigates the significant challenges that artisan entrepreneurs face when creating, communicating and selling handcrafted goods to potential customers in emerging economies. This study attempted to rate the impediments based on their severity using the voices of artisan entrepreneurs.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative data analysis was followed to identify the leading causes of the artisans' pain points. In the first phase, empirical observations were gathered through focus group discussions with artisan entrepreneurs, and the identified factors were quantitatively ranked using the analytic hierarchy process in the second phase.FindingsThe mixed-method research assisted in identifying the primary constraints affecting the efficient and effective operation of the artisan-driven small handicraft business. This study identified six factors that were ranked based on the voices of artisan entrepreneurs during the survey, as barriers to effective handicraft marketing.Originality/valueFew studies on the handcraft industry have sought to explore the issues faced by artisan businesses holistically. The voices of artisan entrepreneurs were gathered for this study to identify and rate the present obstacles influencing the functioning of small handicraft firms in emerging nations. Handicraft marketing will become more effective and efficient if these barriers are removed.

Artificial Intelligence as a catalyst for the Sustainability of Small and Medium Scale Businesses (SMEs) in Nigeria

Purpose: This study examines the role of AI in small business operations. Specifically, we identified areas where AI could be deployed, barriers to deployment of AI, identified AI tools in business, and ascertained the number of SMEs that consciously use any form of AI in their business operations. Research Methodology: This study adopted a descriptive design. The population of the study was 27546 small businesses that were registered under the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC), and a sample size of 379 was arrived at by adopting Krejcie and Morgan's 1970 sample size determination formula. The source of data was solely primary through interviews, which later formed a stepping stone for the structured questionnaire used for the study. The instrument was validated and tested for reliability. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics consisting of frequencies and percentages. Results: Most SMEs in Nigeria are still operating manually; hence, they do not enjoy the massive potential of AI deployment and remain perpetually small in size. Limitations: Descriptive statistics for the analysis were used to reduce the inferrability of the findings. Contribution: Given the increasing dependence on technology and AI, this study highlights the importance of AI not only for big and multinational corporations, but also for SMEs in Nigeria. Novelty: A study of this nature has not been undertaken in Nigeria, specifically focusing on southeast Nigeria, which has a large number of small businesses in the region.

Exploring the viability of remote work for SME

PurposeThis study aims to identify and examine the relevance of implementing remote work by small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business operators during the post-COVID-19 era in developing nations. Design/methodology/approachThe study utilised a qualitative methodology, conducting interviews with twenty SME businesses, including business leaders and management level employees. It explores the challenges faced by these operators in maintaining remote work and its impact on their business operations. Data was analysed and compiled using ATLAS.ti software. FindingsThe findings indicate that not all SME are capable of sustaining remote working environments. The nature of the business plays a crucial role in providing flexibility to employees in their operations. There are also weaknesses in remote work security that need to be addressed, as they can potentially impact business operations and performance. Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of the pandemic on business operations, regardless of size, are significant globally. This study sheds light on the challenges faced by SME in implementing remote work and its feasibility in the post-COVID-19 period. Originality/valueThe content of this paper is based on information, observations, and discussions with SME operators on how COVID-19 has compelled their businesses to adapt to the changing environment. Previously, there was no urgency for businesses to embrace remote work operations, but the pandemic has forced them to adopt such measures.