Sustainability Strategies for the Success of Small Businesses

Figure 2: The Lending Gap………………………………………………………………35

iv

Small businesses significantly contribute to economic growth and innovations, yet they often fail within five years since their establishment (Cheng, 2015; Turner & Endres, 2017). The businesses improve economic growth since they generate employment opportunities as well as self-employment (Zeuli & O’Shea, 2017). Considering that the business environment has become considerably more competitive, it is imperative for the owners of these businesses to implement strategies that enable them to survive (Babu & Kasilingam, 2015). Small businesses play an important role in the United States economy. Small businesses contribute an estimated 39% of the country’s Gross gross Domestic domestic Productproduct ([GDP) ] (Ho & Barnes & Ho, 2013). Even with their considerably high failure rates, they play a major role in strengthening the economy of the United States (Hayes, Chawla, & Kathawala et al., 2015). Furthermore, according to SBA (2013), sSmall businesses represent around 99.9% of all businesses in the United States, and they account for around 54% of all the sales made in the country. Comment by J Mayo: Lower case suggest a review of proper nouns in the Walden Writing Center Comment by J Mayo: Suggest [email protected] for acronym abbreviations that is immediately following a citation Comment by J Mayo: Omit Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source is needed here. There is not a reference on your list that has this year for SBA.

Chen and Chen (2013) revealed that large businesses have a considerably high survival rate relative to small ones. Some of the leading contributors to small business failures include lack of experience, incompetence, poor management, neglect, poor planning, and poor economy (Miles, 2014). Additionally, financial vulnerability is another element that leads to the failure of these businesses (Miles, 2014). Leonidou, Christodoulides, Kyrgidou, and Palihawadana et al. (2017) suggested the need for more research to get a better understanding of the phenomenon of small business failures. Furthermore, Miles (2014) suggested the need for more research to understand the strategies that the owners of small businesses employ to remain in businesses for more than five years considering multiple factors may affect the survival of small businesses including customer turnover and market dynamics. Comment by J Mayo: Think MEAL plan what is the main idea here? Comment by J Mayo: Where is the lead out sentence? Suggest a one page limit for this subsection, please review the DBA rubric and handbook.

The success of small and medium-sized enterprises is critical for the sustainability of a healthy economy (Memili, Fang, Chrisman, & De Massis et al., 2015). The American economy is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises which account for 47.8% of the entire American workforce in the private sector (U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA], 2017). However, 50% of new small-scale businesses survive until the fifth year, and only 30% reach tenth anniversary (Memili et al., 2015). In 2015, about 85% of the strategies of sustainable development implemented by small firms failed (Poveda & Young, 2015). The general business problem is that the sustainability strategy adopted by a business is a crucial determinant to its success. The specific business problem is that some entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises lack strategies to ensure sustainability.

For this study, descriptive case study, phenomenological, miniethnography, and focus group research designs were considered. In a descriptive case study design, one or more instances of a phenomenon are investigated by using situations, opinions, and background of people who have gone through the situation (Lewis, Saunders & Thornhill et al., 2015). Researchers use a phenomenological research design to gain a broader understanding of a phenomenon by investigating the personal meanings of lived experiences of the subjects which are subject to biases, assumptions, and preconceived ideas (Lewis, Saunders & Thornhill et al., 2015). Miniethnography researchers study people with their cultures while focus group researchers use several volunteers who share their opinions and ideas in a group discussion (Lewis, Saunders & Thornhill et al., 2015). Therefore, qualitative descriptive case study research design is a suitable design for this study since it is not subject to biases and leads to collection of in-depth information since the participants can be observed in their natural environment, and multiple types of data provide the basis for developing conclusions.

Research Question

What strategies do entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises adopt to ensure sustainability?

2. How does your company identify sustainable business development practices?

3. What are some of the sustainable business strategies you have adopted to ensure sustainability?

4. What implementation processes are used by your business to ensure that sustainable business development practices are successful?

5. What were the key barriers to implementing the strategies your organization used to ensure its sustainability?

6. How did you overcome the key challenges that you encountered while implementing the sustainability strategies?

7.

8. How did you assess the effectiveness of your strategies for sustainability?

9.

10. What other information would you like to share regarding business sustainability?

Barney is believed to have had a pivotal role in the resource-based view (RBV) theory that was developed in 1991. Barney used the approach to explain how firm-specific perspectives can lead to business success or failure. According to Barney (1991), perspectives such as customer value chain, success in the development of new products, and venturing into new markets depends on resources and capabilities of a firm. Barney identified resources and capabilities as the critical determinants of a firm's success or failure because of the competitive advantage they can offer. In RBV theory, Barney stated the foundation of a firm's competitive edge is the utilization of its valuable intangible and tangible resources that are at its disposal (Neto, Oliveira, & Ruivo, Oliveira, & Neto, 2015). Based on the RBV theory, the use of various organizational resources determines the success or failure of a business. Small and medium enterprises could explore all the tangible and the substantial resources available to use them to sustain their operations. RBV theory should be appropriate for this study because the identification, availability, and use of key resources is essential for business sustainability.

Business sustainability: The ability of an entity to respond and address the profitable needs of the organization (Bansal & DesJardine, 2014).

Small business: A privately held company that employs 500 or fewer workers (SBA, 2015). A small business is (a) organized for profit; (b) has a place of business in the United States; (c) functions mainly in the United States or makes a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes on the use of U.S. products, materials, or labor; (d) is independently owned and operated; and (e) is not dominant in its field on a national basis (SBA, 2014). Comment by J Mayo: Please review APA seriation for correct punctuation Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: The semicolon is used correctly here.

Small business owner: A small business owner is the proprietor and the owner of a small business. (Shields & Shelleman, 2015).

Assumptions refers to things that are beyond the researcher’s control, but are relevant to the research study (Yilmaz, 2016). The Assumptions are factors that are assumed to be true in a study but cannot be confirmed are the assumptions (Yilmaz, 2016). In the study, it will be assumed that the sample selected represents the population to be studied and that the respondents will answer the interview question truthfully. In addition, it will be assumed that the company’s documents including certifications and financial records provided by the participants will be accurate.

Limitations refers to the potential weaknesses in the study that a researcher cannot control (Tai & Ajjawi, 2016). The limitations of a study may affect its validity. One of the limitations of this study will be time since the condition of a business will depend on time. Another limitation is that the findings from the few participants may not be used as a representation of the broader population in the sector. Additionally, the findings may not transfer to other geographical regions since the scope of the study is limited.

Delimitations refer to the features that define the scope and boundaries of the study and are within the researcher’s control (Tai & Ajjawi, 2016). The delimitations include the geographical region covered by the study, the sample population, and the participants inclusion criteria. In addition, the problem and purpose statements present delimitations.

Contribution to Business Practice

The contributions of the study to business practice include the potential to provide insights for small and medium business owners on the strategies of improving long-term business sustainability. The entrepreneurs may be able to enhance the performance of their businesses by using the results of the study. The enhanced performance may lead to improved profitability and stability of the business within the industry.

Implications for Social Change

The implications for positive social change include the potential of the business to survive in a competitive environment and sustain the livelihoods of the business owner and of employees, reducing stress and strain that may result from financial struggles. The business owners as well asand their employees may be able to meet their financial and social needs, leaving a more healthy and productive life. The business owner may be able to engage in corporate social responsibility through supporting or volunteering in activities that support local communities.

This section provides an analysis of the existing literature on sustainability strategies. While sustainability strategies for large firms are widely established, small Small firms are finding it difficult to align the formalized strategies with their business practices and remain profitable in the competitive environment while sustainability for large firms are wildly established. The theoretical conceptual framework of the study is resource-based view (RBV), as unlike large firms, which can draw competitive advantage from several sources; small firms rely mainly on the internal factors. The resource-based view framework perceives resources as a superior determinant of the performance of a firm. Comment by J Mayo: Avoid long clauses at the beginning of any sentence. Suggest revising to place every thing before the comma at the end of the sentence Comment by J Mayo: What term is used for a qualitative study? Please correct. Comment by J Mayo: Suggest keeping a log of previously identified acronyms. Noted definition earlier in Section 1.

Research Strategy

The researcherI searched the relevant literature sources, including peer-reviewed articles, scholarly books, dissertations, and referenced journal articles, through the Walden University Library’s search engines and internet Internet search engines. The University’s search engines used include ProQuest and EBSCOhost. The University’s Library EBookseBooks was were also used. The I conducted the literature search by using was guided by key search terms which included; : strategic management theories, resource-based view, sustainability strategies, sustained competitive advantage, knowledge management, knowledge creation, dynamic capabilities, and challenges facing sustainable strategies of small firms. Also, the search included strategic management, Porter’s five forces framework, institutional theory, and sustainability research methods. I obtained The literature search obtained 52 sources that were used in the literature review. Out of thisthe located references, 88 % were peer-reviewed sources, and 90 % of the references were published within five years of the expected year of CAO approval. Comment by J Mayo: Avoid third person I suggest spending more time in the Walden Writing Center. The chair and committee members are not the editors of this study. Please keep a checklist of previous feedback comments and review each item prior to submission. Comment by J Mayo: Revision for flow is necessary for your reader Comment by J Mayo: anthropomorphism Comment by J Mayo: 88% of what Please avoid vague terminology

The literature review is organized according to the subject matter and the related contents. In order to avoid biased judgments, the researcher explored different perspectives existing in the literature on sustainable strategies and competitive advantage for firms. The key highlights of the review include Resourceresource-Based based View view theory, Firm’s firm resources, Firm’s firm capabilities, sustainability, strategy and planning, challenges facing entrepreneurs and small businesses, knowledge creation and management, sustained competitive advantage, and market strategy. Comment by J Mayo: Please make sure to address the comments mentioned in this review throughout Comment by J Mayo: Proper noun? Please review the resources for plural words and apostrophes in the Writing Center

Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory

Resource-Based based View view (RBV) is a managerial framework that outlines the approach that firms should use to achieve a competitive advantage. According to RBV, firms should identify the resources that give them a comparative advantage over their competitors. Barney (1991) described firm resources as all the assets, organization knowledge and information, organizational processes, firm attributes, capabilities, etcetera. that are controlled by a firm which facilitates the development and implementation of strategies that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the firm.

Firm’s Resources

According to the frameworkT, the utilization of the valuable tangible and intangible resources of a firm is the foundation for the firm’s competitive edge according to the conceptual framework (Neto, Oliveira, & Ruivo et al., 2015). The theory also points out that strategic resources are the internal resources that possess four key attributes. The first characteristic of a strategic resource is that it should be valuable. The identified resource should facilitate the firm to implement business strategies that are effective and efficient. The second characteristic that a strategic resource should possess is that the resource should be rare. This is an important consideration in formulating a sustainable strategy, as it ensures that the identified strategic resource is not available to the competitors. The uniqueness of strategic resources guarantees a successful and sustainable business strategy. The third attribute is that the identified resource should be imperfectly imitable (Rothaermel, 20132015). Other than the resource being unavailable to the competitors, it should not be possible for them to create a perfect imitation of the resource. Finally, the resource should be non-substitutable. It should not be possible for the competitors to substitute the identified resource for establishing a business strategy with another resource that is easily accessible for them (Weerawardena & Salunke, 2017). Following the evolution of the framework, another additional attribute relating to the firm has been identified. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: What theory? This does not make sense. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source(s)? Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Your reference list shows 2015. Which is incorrect?

Firm’s Capabilities

In addition to the strategic resources, Rothaermel (20132015) argued that the organization of a firm is critical in determining the value obtained from the resources. The capabilities of the firm to formulate a competitive position by utilizing the strategic resources and the available external opportunities defines the sustainability of a business. This is mainly because, RBV theory assumes heterogeneity and immobility of resources, attributes that can only be obtained through a firm’s ability to develop strategic resources from the readily available resources. In the business environment that is rapidly changing, the dynamicity of a firm’s capabilities has become a crucial element of an organization’s sustainability (Alves, Barbieux, Reichert, Tello-Gamarra, & Zawislak, 2017). Dynamic capabilities of a firm facilitate flexibility and adoption of sustainable strategies. Helfat and Zuzul (2016) identified 6six R’s of capability branching that a firm’s capabilities can undergo from its founding, and they include retrenchment, retirement, renewal, recombination, replication, and redeployment. According to Szczepańska-Woszczyna and Kurowska-Pysz (2016), the competitive advantage of firms is dependent on their organizational and management skills and is modeled by the identified strategic resources of the firms. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Your reference list shows 2015. Which is incorrect?

Sustainability Comment by J Mayo: Avoid widows and orphans

One of the greatest challenges facing the world today is climate change, and this has put pressure on the existing platforms throughout the globe, including political, social, and business systems, to engage in collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable growth in the economy. Although thWhile the manufacturing industry is the backbone of economic development, and the small manufacturing businesses are the engine of economic growth (Sallem, Nasir, Nori, & Kassim, 2017), ). Another point to consider is that the the manufacturing industry has also been found to be the leading cause of the threat of climate change (Sallem et al., 2017). According to Bergquist (2017), there was a rise in the problems relating related to environmental sustainability, including depletion of natural resources and growth in the use fossil fuel energy. Industrial capitalism in the nineteenth 19th and the twentieth20th century led to many businesses adopting innovative technologies that enhanced commercialization of products but at the same timewhile simultaneously creating critical impacts on the world economy. On one hand, tThe increased use of fossil fuels and other key natural resources in the past two centuries contributed to economic growth, and on the other hand led to the environmental crisis that is currently being faced in the twenty first21st century. Due to the depleting resources, climate change, and other environmental challenges, business sustainability has become vital not just for the survival of business organizations, but also for ensuring the ability of future generations to survive the earth’s Earth’s environment is not compromised. Comment by J Mayo: Incomplete sentence Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. Comment by J Mayo: Spacing error

As the manufacturing sector is critical to economic growth and employment creation, businesses are striving to incorporate sustainable business practices into their operations, as an overall strategy to ensuring long term performance of the firm. Sustainability for small businesses should shift from the short-sighted focus on economic sustainability and encompass the three facets of sustainability, which include social, economic, and environmental sustainability (Burch, 2018). ThisThe changes in the sustainability focus areas for businesses demands new operational changes in business dynamics, which presents a lot of pressure for small businesses as they try to meet the demands of local authorities and the society’s using use of the scarce resources in a highly competitive environment (Bhamra, Hernandez, Rapitsenyane, & Trimingham, 2018). The challenge of achieving improvement in the tripple bottom line of social, economic, and environmental organizational performance, however, presents valuable opportunities for the small businesses for to develop ing new cost-effective products and sustainable organizational structures, and also better risk management practices. Comment by J Mayo: Avoid vague terminology Comment by J Mayo: https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/punctuation/commas

Small, medium, and large-sized businesses are increasingly adopting sustainability strategies. According to Dyllick and Muff (2015), the competitive advantage of most of the organizations globally, both in the current business environment and in the future lies on the necessity of the organizations to implement sustainability-related strategies. However, most organizations have failed in the short-run despite their implementation of firm-based strategies. Sustainability is a multi-faceted concept that incorporates various aspects, including social, environmental, and longevity of a business. It is important to note that even with the identification of strategic resources by an organization, it is essential to consider the longevity of the strategy and not just it societal and environmental impact. According to Bansal and DesJardine (2014), the short-termism of most firms has been associated with the firms’ overlooking of the time aspect. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source?

Sustainability of a business is very important in any venture. According to Jansson, Nilsson, Modig, and Vall (2017), most small and medium enterprises [SME]s lack commitment to sustainability, which they describe as the understanding of sustainability as a core component in various firm’s proocesses and procedures such as overall management philosophy, competiveness, strategic planning strategic, and product decisions. The researchers pointed out the need for organizations to view sustainability from both an internal and external perspectives of the organization. The internal determinant of small businesses’ commitment to sustainability is the enterpreneurial orientation through the three components of proactiveness, innocvativeness, and risk-taking. Focusing on customer needs and wants presents an opportunity for an organization to proactively seek to satisfy the customer’s needs and inventing new customer goods that are better and cheaper (Dyllick & Muff, 2015). Strategic enterpreneurship involves the strategic elements of flexbility, foresightedness, as well asand the abiliy to think in new ways which allow organizations to identify new business opportunities and implement strategic sustainable business ideas and solutions. Comment by J Mayo: omit wordiness

Market orientation represents the exernal perspective of an organization that employs sustainable strategies. Jansson et al., Nilsson, Modig, and Vall (2017) explained that market orientation involves the generation of market intelligence from all organizational departments with specific attention to the current and the future needs of the customers. According to Agarwal and Bhagoliwal (2017), market driven organizations have superior market sensing capabilities, customer relationship building, and distinctive capabilities in the creation of superior customer value, that acertains customer retention and loyalty, as well as increasing the customer base for the organization. Comment by J Mayo: missing lead out sentence please review this entire sections and update the paragraphs under the 1.14 heading to include the MEAL plan

Strategy and Planning

Strategic planning is a crucial element in the development and implementation of sustainable business strategies and practices in small businesses (Majama & Magang, 2017). According to an empirical study conducted by Marques, Kniess, Meira, and Ruiz, (2017), researchers have in recent years increased their study on strategy and sustainability. Firms should be able to identify the critical sustainability drivers as well asand the available opportunities in order to establish sustainable strategies for their organizations. Majama and Magang (2017) pointed out that strategic planning involves establishing a plan or a strategy that enables a firm to anticipate and respond to the changes in the business environment by organizing its disposable resources accordingly. Strategic planning is directly linked to the sustainability and performance of a firm. According to Szczepańska-Woszczyna and Kurowska-Pysz (2016), organizational leadership plays an integral part in enabling sustainability. Sustainable firm performance demands that an organization focuses on specific dimensions of firm performance in identifying sustainable strategies. In their book, Civelek, Çemberci, Artar, and Uca, (2015) identify identified five aspects of firm performance namely, size, sales, efficiency, and effectiveness. According to Guimarães, Severo, and Vasconcelos (2017), the size of a firm has a moderating effect on its performance.

Strategic planning enables a firm to determine the tools to use to achieve sustained competitive advantage in each of the five dimensions of performance. In a similar vein, a study conducted by Sandada (2015) identifies identified the important factors in strategic planning, and they include: (a) employee participation, ; (b) evaluation and control, ; (c) mission and vision, ; (c) environmental scanning, ; and (d) the time horizon of the development and implementation of strategic planning. While mission and vision statements are significant drivers of sustainability, most organizations do not consider the usefulness of mission statements in developing sustainable strategies (Duygulu, Ozeren, IşıldarI¸sıldar, & Appolloni, 2016). Another study points pointed out that strategic planning is necessary for an organization to define its strategic orientations including market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation. Strategic orientations such , as the study highlights, play s an integral role in promoting sustainable business practices (Jansson, Nilsson, Modig, & Vall et al., 2017). In their findings, Hernández-Perlines and Cisneros (2018) supported that entrepreneurial orientations have a positive impact on the performance of family firms. Strategic management is an integral part of the strategic planning process. Adeyemi, Isaac, and Olufemi (2017) elaborated that strategic management is an iterative and continuous management process that involves goal-setting, analysis of the goals, strategy formation, and Implementation implementating of strategy, and monitoring of the strategy. While the heavily formalized strategic management approaches are working well for large organizations, it has been found that the approaches are not suitable for small businesses, and therefore there is a need for a strategic management approach that is tailored for small businesses. According to Shields and Shelleman (2015), small businesses require a strategic management approach that provides a structure for identifying the critical issues of sustainability in small businesses. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: What study? You have to validate wording like this with a source.

Rival Theories of the Theoretical Framework

One of the theories that is useful for exploring sustainable strategies for small businesses is the institutional theory. According to this theory, the sustained competitive advantage of firms is obtained through the institutions established within an organization which includes, beliefs, rules, and the norms of the firm that shape the creation of forms, design-features, and practices of an organization (Berthod, 2017). While the theory focuses on the internal factors of a firm, it overlooks the significance of the resources of the firm, and only focuses on the tenets of the culture of the organization. Another important theory in explaining the phenomenon under study is the resource dependence theory (RDT) which. The theory posits that organizations rely on resources that are controlled by other organizations. This theory has been expanded by some researchers to incorporate the resource-dependence within an organization. In this regard, the organization’s sustained competitive advantage is in its ability to outsource for the resources that give it a competitive edge (Kabue & Kilika, 2016). Although RTD raises a significant consideration in sustainable strategy development, it is limited in that it does not encompass The Porter’s Five five Forces forces framework which is another theory that attempts to identify the critical factors that should be considered in when establishing a sustainable strategy. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source? Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source? Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Sources? Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source?

Porter’s Five Forces Framework

Porter’s five forces model extends the quest for sustainable competitive advantage to the attractiveness of the business industry. Porter (1980) outlines outlined five forces that an organization must analyze to assess the attractiveness of an industry. The five market forces include the threat of new entrants in the industry, the threat of substitute products, the power of the consumers, the power of the suppliers, and the rivalry of the businesses in the industry. According to Porter M. E., (2008), the analysis of the five forces is the key to three generic strategies, namely cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy, and market focus strategy. As Rothaermel (2015) noted, tThe five force model is a useful tool for strategic positioning of an organization (Rothaermel, 2015). Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Is this a model or a theory? I have noticed that you have done this a couple of times. Remain consistent in your language. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. Comment by J Mayo: please review with your chair you may also consider reciteworks.com as an option

While the proponents of Porter’s framework have held that assessing the industry for competitive advantage is a necessary tool, some researchers have argued that the framework only focuses on the market forces to derive a firm’s competitive advantage while leaving omitting other critical determinants of competitive advantage such as a firm’s valuable resources (Adler, 2018). Also, some researchers have highlighted that the framework does not include fundamental market forces of the twenty-first21st century, such as globalization, digitalization, and deregulation (Adler, 2018). Following the inapplicability of the Five five Forces forces model to the current market dynamics, the researcherI chose not to use the framework for the this study. The dynamic state of the market that is faced with new market forces requires adaptive frameworks such as RBV for the establishment of sustainable strategies for small businesses in Toledo, Ohio.

Challenges Facing Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

The growth in the manufacturing sector is directly linked to the employment growth rates in the United. States., and the small and medium manufacturing businesses play a major role in this growth. Industry and manufacturing play critical role in driving investment and innovation, creation of formal employment, and also in enhancing international trade. According to a congressional report on the U.S. manufacturing in comparison to other international manufacturing countries, tThe decline in the United. S. tates’ manufacturing employment since the beginning of the 21st century is an indicator of the deteriorating health of the United .S. tates’ manufacturing industry (Levinson, 2018). The global manufacturing share of value added of the United .S. tates’ economy has significantly declined since the 1980s, while the global manufacturing share of emerging economies such as China has rapidly increased.

In the past few decades, sustainable development has been a key concern in all the economic sectors, following the rising concerns of environmental degradation, social equity, resource consumption, and climate change. The manufacturing sector plays a pivotal role in sustainable development as it involves high volumes of resource consumption, energy and wastes, and high volume of emissions (Ocampo & Ocampo, 2015). In their findings, Ocampo and Ocampo (2015) noted that management efforts on sustainable manufacturing, including eco-design, environmental collaboration in the supply chains, environmental purchasing, and product life cycle assessment, as well asand design and engineering efforts that target resources and wastes are not sufficient approaches for enhancing competitive sustainable strategies for a firm.

For a long time, sustainability and sustainable development practices have focused on the use of natural resources as sources of raw materials and the industrial wastes produced by the manufacturers. The focus on natural resources has , however, limited the innovation and growth of the manufacturing sector . Wwith a broader perspective of sustainable business development, that encompasses the consumption patterns of the manufactured products. According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (2017), the barriers to the growth of the “green industries” include biases in customer purchasing behavior, limited consumer knowledge on environmental concerns, and high green product prices. As small manufacturers play a pivotal role in advancing industrializationa and innovation in the United .S. tates’ manufacturing industry, their survival through the inevitable challenges of sustainability is paramount. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (2017) report points pointed out that industrial development has largely been explored from the production side, and little attention has been given to the demand side variables together with their interraction with the products supply. The lack of attention to the demand of industrial development is in turn has resulted in stagnant growth in industrial development, as manufactured products do not meet the specific consumer demand. Therefore, for the small manufacturing businesses’ products to diffuse successfully in the existing markets, the new products should be better and cheaper. Comment by J Mayo: vague terminology

The understanding of the critical challenges that new businesses and small businesses face are crucial to the identification of sustainable strategies for these businesses. Some internal and external environmental factors have been identified as significant causes of business failures. According to a study in Turkey which involved thirteen 13 entrepreneurs who had shut down their businesses after at least three years of operation, the identified internal factors included poor relationship with the stakeholders, inadequate financial skills, lack of crucial information, and lack of exposure in various areas of business management (Atsan, 2016). The findings from the study revealed external factors such as harsh economic conditions, changes in government policies, and uncertainties in the business environment (Atsan, 2016). Different studies have supported these factors. Ussahawanitchakit (2017) notes noted that information and data are crucial in effective decision making and in building a sustainable competitive advantage for firms. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: This is vague. You must cite references when you have statements like this.

Additionally, Ussahawanitchakit (2017) points pointed out that the management of business finances through effective management control systems is necessary for the success of businesses. Ifekwem and Adedamola (2016) also identify identified inconsistent government policies as a critical challenge confronting small and medium enterprises. The presence of a healthy relationship between the stakeholders of a firm is crucial for a business to thrive. According to Epstein (2018), stakeholder engagement is also vital for the sustainability of a firm. In another study by Sallem, Nasir, Nori and Kassim et al. (2017), investigating the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises in Malaysia were investigated, and four key challenges were identified which included the lack of accounting knowledge, lack of proper record keeping, lack of ICT usage, and limited financial resources.

Measurement Tools

Researchers studying different aspects of strategic development have employed different measurement tools. Wang, Han, and Liu (2018) pointed out that in order to improve the reliability and validity of a study, a researcher should employ the widely used measurement tools in the study of a particular phenomenon. In analyzing sustainable development strategies employed by the automotive industry in Malaysia, Rashid, Jabar, Yahya, and Samer (2015) applied the use of a structured questionnaire to collect data from different departments in the automotive industry. They noted that questionnaires are easy to develop and require minimal time to administer. Semi-structured interviews are also useful in investigating sustainable business strategies. According to Upstill-Goddard, Glass, Dainty and Nicholson (2016), semi-structured interviews are instrumental in identifying the company-specific strategies from the top management employees and provide qualitative data for a research study. In this study, the researcherI will use both structured questionnaires and structured interviews to identify sustainable strategies for small businesses. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list

Organizational Culture

Organizational culture is an essential element of the sustainable development of an organization. According to Galpin, Whitttington and Bell, (2015) developing a sustainability culture within an organization ensures not only the sustainable performance of the employees but also the general sustainable performance of the organization. The culture of an organization is the breeding ground for an organization’s strategies and hence is critical to the sustainability of the firm’s strategies. Organizational culture plays a catalytic role in the formulation and implementation of sustainable strategies (Baumgartner & Rauter, 2017). Small businesses have been found to have a weak tendency of establishing good sustainable business practices, and for those companies that have established formal strategy tools, they rarely implement the strategic plans. Therefore, this study will also put into consideration the impact of organizational culture in influencing sustained competitive advantage of a firm.

Organizational culture has been pointed out as one of the key factors that result in business failures of implementing organizational change programs (Kiesnere & Baumgartner, 2019). Dasgupta and Banker (2015) argued that sustainable strateguic development in an organization is dependent on the existing culture. A sustainability focused culture results in successful development and implementation of sustainable business strategies. Having tThe required tools, change strategies, and techniques are not enough to realize organizational sustainability, as the existing organizational culture determines how these changes are implemented and thereby their success or failure. Kiesnere and Baumgartner (2019) highlighted that, while large businesses have enough resources to employ formal sustainability management and decision-making aligned with organizational sustainability, small businesses lack these formal structures, and thus often the employees are not proactively involved in the sustainability measures. According to the findings obtained by Kiesnere and Baumgartner (2019), small businesses require change agents to drive sustainability activities and to control and motivate the employees. In another study, Opoku, Ahmed, and Cruickshank (2015) emphasized the impotance of leadership commitment and willingness to develop an organizational culture that enhances sustainability development through supporting, promoting, and rewarding sustanibale organizational practices. Comment by J Mayo: who is having? Please structure sentences as follows: Subject, verb, object Comment by J Mayo: wordiness

Organizational culture is defined by two competing dimensions (Linnenluecke & Griffiths, 2010). The first dimension is the internal-external dimension, which illustrates whether an organization’s culture is aligned to the internal dynamics of the organization or to the external environmental demands (Linnenluecke & Griffiths, 2010). The second dimension is the flexibility-control dimension, which defines whether an organization is structured for flexibility or for coordination and control (Linnenluecke & Griffiths, 2010). These dimensions determine the culture orientations of a firm, and the leadership plays a critical role in the establishment of organizational culture framework. Galpin, Whittington, and Bell et al. (2015) pointed out the need for systemic approaches to achieve sustainability and ensured the sustainable competitive advantage for organizations. The researchers also identified that oOne of the key hinderances to successeful implementation of sustainable strategies is the lack of a supportive organizational framework (Galpin et al., 2015). Organizations should make Diligent diligent efforts should be made by organizations to create a supportive organizational infrastructure that aids the development of sustainable business strategies. Comment by J Mayo: passive voice subject, verb, object is standard English word order and successful scholars have noted this method to help reduce passive voice

According to Galpin, Whittington, and Bell et al. (2015), win-win-winwinning outcomes in the tripple bottom line can be attained when the organizational leadership is intentionally fostering fosters organizationwide culture of sustainability. To achieve this desirable outcome and maintain a culture of sustainability, the The leaders must address the three levels in which organizational culture operates to achieve this desirable outcome and maintain a culture of sustainability,. The levels include the level of visible artificats and behaviors, the level of espoused values of the organization, and the level of shared basic assumptions of the organization. The first level targets organizational culture from the viewpoint of that those parties that have no relationahip with the organization. The second level depicts the stated rules and values of an organization that define how the organization seeks to present itself both in internal and external environments. The basic assumption level of culture, on the other hand, involves implicit assumptions that are deeply rooted in the life of the organization that operate in the sub-conscious level. Sustainable culture is essentiaonl for ensuring long-term health and sustainable growth for organizations, and this can be achieved when the oraganizational leadership addresses each of these operational levels of organizational culture (Galpin, Whittington, & Bell et al., 2015). Thus, small businesses can enhance the longevity of their business activities by establishing organizationwide culture of sustainability. Comment by J Mayo: scholarly tone Comment by J Mayo: place at the end of the sentence Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: You do not have any citations for these statements.

Knowledge Creation and Management

In the current dynamic market, organizational learning has become a competitive tool. Knowledge creation and knowledge management processes are fundamental to organizational learning and are important tenets for harnessing knowledge resources for value creation in the organization (North & Kumta, 2018). According to Nonaka and Reinmoeller (2017), routines of creative renewals are essential in the current entrepreneurial millennium where the creation and utilization of organizational knowledge are paramount. Knowledge creation processes provide the basis of organizational learning and consequently establish the necessary structures for innovation in an organization (Brix, 2017; Rhee & Park, 2018). Increased value creation and firm performance are also associated with knowledge management processes (Ode, Rigby, & Proudlove, 2017). Therefore sSustained competitive advantage can be achieved by small businesses that employ effective knowledge creation and management processes.

Innovation is one of the critical aspects of sustainable growth in an organization. Silvestre, Țîrcă, Novo-Corti, and Irina (2016) identified four types of innovation. The first form of innovation is traditional innovation, which they described as an innovation that has minimal emphasis on social and environmental challenges. The second form of innovation is “green innovation.” This type of innovation, as the name suggests, focuses more on addressing the environmental challenges and has a less focus on the social challenges of sustainable developemnt. Social innovation on the other hand, is the third type of innovation and has more emphasis on social challenges but less focus on economic an denvironmental challenges. The fourth type of innovation, sustainable innovation”, also referred to as socio-ecological innovation, emphasizes satisfactory achievements in all the three dimensions of sustainability. Adaptive sustainable business strategies must be established through knowledge creation and knowledge management practices. The existing and new knowledge and information on the production processes, products, consumers, and the prevailing market conditions form a basis for formulation of business strategies that are socially, econmically and environmentally sustainable (Wu, Liao, Tseng, & Chou, 2017). Innovation plays a fundamental role in enhancing sustainability. According to Silvestre, Țîrcă, Novo-Corti, and Irina (2016), sustainability developement can be achieved through innovation-centered approaches. Innovation development process exhibits three fundamental characteristics, as pointed out by Silvestre, Țîrcă, Novo-Corti, and Irina (2016), and they include complexity, uncertainty, and dynamism. The complexity arises due to the large number of interrelated and interconnected factors. The relationships between these factors have to be considered in the innovation process to ensure that the innovation strategies developed enhance economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Environmental challenges such as climate change require innovative strategies to minimize or even eradicate the negative impact of organizational activities, supply chains, as well asand communities on the natural environment (Silvestre, Țîrcă, Novo-Corti, & Irina et al., 2016). Additionally, social challenges such as poverty, corruption, social exclusion, and war also create negative effects on sustainable development initiatives. As such, social innovation is necessary to realize sustainable development. Comment by J Mayo: suggest italics instead of quotations Comment by J Mayo: award here Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. Comment by J Mayo: suggest reciteworks.com

Sustainability strategies employed by an organization should not only result in superior products and cost efficiency, but should also project an establishment of communities that promote and engage in sustainable practices. Silvestre, Țîrcă, Novo-Corti, and Irina et al. (2016) posited three fundamental innovation areas that can aid in addressing the environmental and social challenges to sustainable development, including establishment of new management practices, new policy approaches, and new technology solutions. Innovation enhances organizational sustainability and competitivity by facilitating introduction of new products and services and in the improvement of quality of the organizational processes and products (Wu, Liao, Tseng, & Chou et al., 2017). Sustainable innovative strategies should be consistent with the tripple bottom line, that isand, they should provide solutions that equally adres the three dimensions of sustainability (i.e. economic, social and environmental dimensions).

Stakeholder Engagement

Highly ethical relationships between an organization and its stakeholders are vital for the establishment and strategic management of sustainable company strategies. Jones, Jeffrey S. Harrison, and Felps (2018) identify identified a stakeholder theoretical path that accommodates the four elements of strategic attributes explained by RBV and emphasizes the pivotal role of a close relationship with stakeholders in creating value for an organization and in improving its performance. Effective sustainable strategy development is founded on good relations with a firm’s stakeholders, and therefore stakeholder engagement is an essential construct for the study. Leal Filho and Brandli (2016) explained that engagement of various stakeholders is necessary in the development and implementation of sustainable development strategies.

According to Rhodes, Bergstrom, Lok, and Cheng (2014), stakeholder engagement plays a mediation role between internal and external organizational factors and organizational outcomes such as corporate social responsibility, sustainability developemnt, social capital, and shared value. The researahchers identified that the significant internal factors in the relationship included human capital and talent, leadership, culture, and technology while the internal processes that enhanced he realization of the outcomes included knowledge sharing, collaboration, and co-creation with the stakeholders. Rhodes, Bergstrom, Lok, and Cheng et al. (2014) further pointed out that effective stakeholder engagement can be achieved by integrating and aligning the internal factors and processes with key external factors such as environmental, political, social, and NGOs. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: What does this stand for?

Effective stakeholder engagement encompaseses various integral attributes such as openness, leadership commitment, integration and collaboration, systemic thinking, dialogue, and understanding of needs (Rhodes, Bergstrom, Lok, & Cheng et al., 2014). Stakeholder engagement has various advantages. One of the advantages is that it ensures that the decision-makers make the best and most effective decisions. Another benefit is that stakeholder engagement enhances equitable decision-making and conflict resolution. Also, stakeholder engagement ensures that the adopted decisions are tested, tried, and refined to ensure the desired impacts. Nevertheless, stakeholder engagement also presents some serious challenges in to enhancing enhance sustainable development (Leal Filho & Brandli, 2016). The challenges include the lack of a unified strategies for success in stakeholder engagement, conflict of stakeholder interests which may complicate the decision-making process, and inadequate capacities among the stakeholders on stakeholder enegagement practices. There may also be too many stakeholders of in an organization may also be too many, making it difficult to identify and engage all of them. This may limit the success of stakeholder engagement as all stakeholders should be involved in the decision-making process to ensure all their interests are attended. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source(s)?

Small Business Innovation

Small businesses tend to be among the main drivers of innovation in the contemporary world. According to Muenjohn and McMurray (2016), the leaders of off small businesses play an integral role in innovation augmenting. Furthermore, studies have established that tThere is a link between business performance and innovativeness (Yildiz, Basturk, & Boz, 2015). For the small businesses to succeed, it is imperative that they adopt innovative strategies. Innovation can be described as a new production process design, product, or service that arises from a previous production process, service, or product (McKinley, Latham, & Braun et al., 2017). Furthermore, adopting innovation tends to be a two–step process that involves. These are initiation and implementation (Moldogaziev & Resh, 2016).

In small businesses, innovation and effective leadership assist in balancing the concepts related to profitability and sustainable growth. Additionally, innovation is a key driver of innovation within organizations, which leads to growth (Muenjohn & McMurray, 2016). As such, it is important for the owners of small businesses to recognize that their businesses need innovation to grow. Furthermore, the efficacy of innovation is a major influencer of business leaders’ predisposition to identify as well asand act on opportunities. Moreover, the creation of an atmosphere that facilitates the exchange of ideas is critical for small businesses in thatbecause it allows employees to contribute to organizational innovations (Cooper, Peake, & Watson et al., 2016). Therefore, innovation is a critical factors when determining growth in productivity is for a small business.

Small Business Marketing

Small businesses are essential for global financial development. As such, it is important to acknowledge the role that marketing plays in the success of these businesses. Marketing has various aspects, which include financial, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects (Hanssens & Pauwels, 2016). Furthermore, the owners and leaders of small businesses deriver derive value from marketing through efficiency and effectiveness. According to Hanssens and Pauwels (2016), efficiency expresses the return made from a particular marketing investment. The owners and leaders of businesses tend to focus their marketing activities on elements that benefit the profitability and accountability of their business enterprises and those that benefit their accountability. Furthermore, Pophal (2015) investigates investigated the importance of marketing for small and medium business. He establishes that mMarketing is an important element for business success,success; thus business leaders and owners should put an emphasis on marketing efforts (Pophal, 2015). Moreover, Hanssens and Pauwels (2016) asserted that sustained growth is one of the strategic objectives of marketing and that it is imperative to communicate the value that marketing has internally since it is necessary for the sustenance of business success.

The communication of the value of marketing entails communicating ideas in marketing dashboards as well asand making adjustments based on the decision maker or the marketing organization. Pophal (2015) argues argued that for marketing initiatives to succeed, it is imperative for business to set their business goals, to define their targets, and to decide about the value that the business provides. Moreover, it is important for the owners of small businesses to focus on communication strategies that align with the brand identity of their businesses (Pophal, 2015). An important component of marketing is marketing intelligence since it has some impact on the competitive advantage of a business. Marketing intelligence is an important tool that is necessary for small businesses to survive in the market place. It includes the collection as well asand analysis of public information related to the developments in the market, the consumers, and the competitors. It is imperative for the owners of small businesses to understand the principles of marketing to achieve success in their businesses. As such, they need to determine the marketing strategies that bring the most returns for their businesses to be sustainable (Hanssens & Pauwels, 2016). Furthermore, a dynamic marketing plan is essential for the sustenance of a business. As such, it is imperative for the owners of small businesses to align their marketing plan with that of the market to achieve long-term sustainability. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source?

Small Business Leadership

Leadership is an integral role in the success of small business. , and It it involves the ability of an individual to influence as well asand motivate followers to contribute towards business success (Lo, Ramayah, & Wang, 2015). Furthermore, leadership involves the process of working together towards common organizational objectives that are executed by informal and formal leaders within an organization. For leadership to be effective, there are certain qualities and skills that are essential. These skills and qualities have received immense management attention in the recent past since they are important for the achievement of organizational goals when one is leading (Stincelli & Baghurst, 2014). Both informal and formal leaders within an organization are critical for success. The informal leaders act as a link between employees and formal leaders, and they bring ideas and people together for the benefit of a small business. Therefore, it is important for the owners of small businesses to understand that leadership is an integral element for the success of their businesses. It is also important for them to acknowledge that both formal and informal leadership are essential.

Sustained Competitive Advantage

Sustained competitive advantage has become a common quest for organizations both at the national and international market levels. Lev (2017) pointed out that for an organization to contribute to socially and environmentally sustainable development, it must first focus on its economic sustainability, and this is achieved through sustained competitive advantage. Sustained competitive advantage refers to the ability of an organization to maintain its leadership position in the market industry (Hakkak & Ghodsi, 2015). Kabue and Kilika (2016) pointed out that building a sustained competitive advantage where the resources required in an industry are readily available is in the core competencies of a firm. On the same vein, Liao, Chen, Hu, Chung, and Yang (2017) identify identified that the developmental organizational learning, knowledge transfer, and absorptive capacity among the Taiwanese industries has a direct relationship to a sustained competitive advantage, with organizational learning having mediating effects.

Sustained competitive advantage and firm performance is directly linked to the strategic adjustment capacity of a firm which is characterized by the capacity of the firm to learn from the top firms, its capacity to utilize strategic operations within the firm, and its ability to manage the inadequacies of the historical operation capacity while taking advantage of their strengths (Chen, Wu, Mao, & Li, 2017). The three learning capabilities that a firm should possess to have sustained competitive advantage are market learning, network learning, and internal experimental learning (Weerawardena & Salunke, 2017). From this literature, it is clear that a sustained competitive advantage is a dependent variable that firms seek to achieve through the implementation of sustainable strategies.

Marketing Strategy

Although organizations have made susbstantial efforts to implement sustainable business practices, survival in the increasingly competitive business environment has been a great challenge for most of the firms, especially the small bbsusinesses. This challenge has been attributed to the missing link between the organizational practices and customer expectations. While consumers expect organizations to engage in sustainable business practices, they are only driven by their needs (Trivedi, Trived, & Goswami, 2018). Marketing plays an integral role in ensuring sustainability by encouraging sustainable consumer practices (Kemper, Hall, & Ballantine, 2018). The misconception of organizational adoption of sustainable marketing strategies in addressing the complex and unique challenges in marketing, including social, technological, environmental, and changing market trends that the costs of implementing the strategies outweigh the benefits has long been hinderance to the implementation of sustainable strategies. However, studies have shown that sSustainable marketigng strategies have valuable benefits for an organization such as brand differentiation and increased customer retention and brand loyalty (Trivedi, Trived, & Goswam et al.i, 2018).

Marketing is an essential component bridging the gap between organizational practices and customer expectations. Thus, there is need for organizations to implement sustainable marketing strategies to ensure their long-term health. Trivedi , Trived, and Goswamiet al. (2018) identified four important sustainable marketing strategies for an organization. The first strategy is innovation in all the spheres of the organization, including products, services, and processes. Innovations that improve the lives and well-being of consumers and the community in general attract customers and enhance the development of stronger relationships, and this enhances the sustainability of the organization. Collaboration is the second marketing strategy. Active participation in addressing social and environmental challenges by an organization provides invaluable opportunities for organizations to develop greater trust and loyalty of from new and existing customers. This can be achieved through collaboration with government, NGOs, and supply chain partners. The third marketing strategy is effective communication. Consumer brand perception influences organizational performance. Since consumers expect organizations to engage in sustainable practices, most of the firms do not communicate these practices, and hence negatively affect the consumer perception of their products (Wu et al., 2018). Marketing communication should be employed to improve customer perception of organizational products, but while simultaneously at the same time ensuring that the triple bottom line is not compromised (Jones et al., 2018). The fourth marketing strategy is commitment to sustainability practices. Organizations must stay committed to sustainability practices to gain public trust. Sustainable marketing strategies help toin ensuring ensure that organizational outputs meet the needs and expectations of the consumers, and this is necessary for sustainability of firms.

Financing of Small Businesses

Financing is a major determinant of the success or failure of small businesses. Despite the importance of funding, recent studies have established that there is some discrimination in small business lending. Cheng (2015) for instance, investigated the relationship that exists between debt financing of business owners and the survival of small, new businesses. The researcher established that small businesses are disadvantaged, and they face challenges that are unique to them when sourcing for financing. Furthermore, the leaders of small businesses experience a considerably higher loan denial relative to the leaders of successful, already existing businesses. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source(s)?

Comment by J Mayo: please use figures in black and white only Comment by J Mayo: I do not see in the paragraph above or below a reference point for this figure or the pertinence here

Additionally, small leaders have substantially lost confidence in bank lending as a source of financing for their businesses. Wilson (2015) notes noted that the decline in this confidence can be exemplified by the reducing number of small business owners who rely on bank financing. Furthermore, Cheng (2015) notes noted that the many regulations associated with lending to small businesses are one of the leading deterrents. For instance, small businesses, particularly new ones, have a high chance of not having audited financial statements. As such, banks cannot evaluate the profitability or the survivability of the businesses, thus making it difficult for small businesses to access funding from banks. Furthermore, the restraints associated with the capital markets hinders entrepreneurs from raising new capital for new ventures, thus resulting in a decline in the creation of new businesses, and a lower survival rate of small businesses (Cheng, 2015) Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list.

Wilson (2015) conducted a study focusing on small and new businesses’ ability to access bank funding. The study included interviewing owners of small businesses, bank loan officers, focus groups, and senior managers. The study’s findings revealed that most banks lack criteria and particular rules for small business financing through loans. Instead, most banks tended to depend on intuition and quantifiable data when deciding whether to issue a line of credit or not. Besides, Wilson (2015) also analyzed qualitative data to determine whether different bank loan officers can have different conclusions regarding loans that tend to be similar. The study revealed that bank officials could have different conclusions, thus indicating that relying on intuition affects the ability of small businesses to sourcecure for financing from banks. Additionally, despite many banking institutions attempting to implement measures to regulate the decision-making process when small business loans are involved, some bank loan officers still lack boundaries in their decision-making process. Moreover, Ludmila et al. (2017) suggested that debt financing is one of the capital sources that the small business owners depend on. However, for these, tThe number of small businesses that receive funding from banks relative to bigger ones is significantly low since small businesses seek financing from other external sources Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. If there are five or less authors, they all must be listed in the first citation.

Comment by J Mayo: See previous comment

Moreover, banks tend to charge a high interest rate, which tends to add on to the costs that small businesses have to cover with their revenues (Ludmila et al., 2017). High interest, coupled with the various irregularities in the banking sector, makes it difficult for new and existing small businesses to access bank financing.

Methodologies used in the Literature

Different researchers have employed different methodologies in the study of various factors influencing sustained competitive advantage. However, some researchers have pointed out that the independent variables under study determine to some extent the suitable research method. For example, Dubey, et al. (2017), notes noted that due to the dynamic nature of strategic supply chain management, quantitative and qualitative research methods have exhibited inconsistent findings in the study of its relationship with sustainable competitive advantage. In this regard, a quantitative research method is useful when exploring constructs that do not rely on inputs from personal and organizational attributes such as experiences, beliefs, and behaviors, or practices. On the other hand, the qualitative research method is used to examine variables that rely on these attributes. If the study variables require both types of inputs, then mixed-method research is viable (Brannen, 2017). The sample size of the study population also determines the research method. In a study of the impact of supply chain management in creating competitive advantage in Taiwan’s Network network communication sector, Liao, Hu, and Dinga (2017) employed quantitative research methods because the study involved 74 firms and targeted more than four hundred400 subjects. According to LiboniAmui, Jabbour, Jabbour, and Kannan (2017), researchers should employ mixed-methodologies to explore dynamic capabilities and corporate sustainability in emerging markets. According to Dayan, Heisig, and Matos (2017), qualitative research designs are suitable for studying variables such as knowledge management, organizational learning, and organization strategy in respect to their influence on a firm’s competitive advantage. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Source(s)?

The small and medium-sized enterprises dominate the economy of the United .S., tates and hence play a significant role in the economic future of the country (Moffat, 2017). However, small firms are facinge sustainability challenges. According to Poveda and Young (2015), 85% of sustainable strategies implemented by small firms in the United .S. tates in 2015 failed. In summary, there is a need for the identification of sustainable strategies for small firms in the United States. This study aims at to identifying the sustainable strategies that ensure sustained competitive advantage for small firms by examining the strategies employed by the firms in Toledo, Ohio.

The theoretical conceptual framework used for the study is the resource-view theory (RBV). The independent variables that have a significant influence on the sustained competitive advantage of a firm are the firm resources, dynamic abilities, organization culture, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge creation and management. This section also provided the existing literature on the essential elements of identification of sustainable strategies which include sustainability, and strategy, and planning. The section also explores the methodologies that have been used to study sustained competitive advantage as well asand a summary of the secondary sources used for the study. In section Section 2, the researcherI will provide more details of about the project, including the research methods and design used in the study, the population and the sample of the study, the data collection methods employed, and the data analysis techniques used to derive research findings. Section 3 of the project will include the presentation of the research findings, implications of the study, and recommended sustainable strategies for small firms, recommendations for further research, and conclusion. Comment by J Mayo: Formal word

An estimated 95% of all businesses in the United States are small businesses, yet more than around 50% of these businesses fail within five years since of their establishment (Holloway & Schaefer, 2014). Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study will be to explore the strategies that the owners of small and medium sized firms in Ohio employ to remain in business for more than five years. Furthermore, the target population for the study will include ten 10 owners of small to medium sized manufacturing firms, who are aged more thanolder than 18 years, operates in Ohio, and have successfully implemented strategies that have enabled their businesses to remain competitive for more than five years.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to explore strategies that some entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises use to ensure sustainability. The target population consists of ten 10 owners of successful small manufacturing business firms that are more than five years old in Ohio. The implications for positive social change include the potential of for the business to survive in a competitive environment, and sustain the livelihoods of the business owner and that of the employees, and reducing reduce stress and strain that may result from financial struggles. The business owners and their employees may be able to meet their financial and social needs, leading a more healthy and productive life. The business owner may engage in corporate social responsibility through volunteering in activities that support the local community.

The role of a researcher is a complex one. A researcher is required to be deeply involved throughout the research process and to extract meaningful information from the research. According to Denzin and Lincoln (2015), in qualitative research, a researcher is regarded as the human instrument of data collection since there are no questionnaires or other data collection methods involved. A researcher is a prime instrument in different phases of the research, including research design, selection, and confirmation of participation of participants, data collection, and analysis and reporting of the research findings. Thomas (2015) noted that in qualitative research, a researcher should attempt to gain truthful knowledge about the subject, avoid errors, and ensure that bias is mitigated. Comment by J Mayo: What does this mean to your reader? Comment by J Mayo: Please include the oxford comma

In this study, as a researcher, I will be involved in planning and organizing the for interviews, preparation preparing of interview questions, recording of the interviews, transcription transcribing of the audio tapes, and generating interview reports. Qualitative researchers ensure the integrity of their work project by ensuring that their work exhibit trustworthiness, credibility, consistency, and applicability (Hammarberg, Kirkman, & de Lacey, 2016). A qualitative researcher plays a critical role in ensuring credibility and trustworthiness of a qualitative study. According to Yilmaz (2016), the credibility of the researcher, including his their experience and representation of self are important elements that should be considered in determining the credibility of a qualitative research. In addition, the philosophical beliefs of a research such as holistic thinking, purposeful sampling, and inductive analysis are important in respect to qualitative research. Comment by J Mayo: Vary wording choices Comment by J Mayo: Support all assertions with a citation Comment by J Mayo: Please avoid his/her she/he

In the study, I will be keen adhere to these critical elements of qualitative research. I will by provide providing descriptive information about my vast experience in the field of study. I have experience in business having tried some businesses but failed and decided to focus in my career growth. I will identify personal beliefs and biases prior to the study. For instance, I will not interview business owners whom I have engaged with in the line of business. The identification and management of personal beliefs and biases before the commencement of the study will ensure that I remained cognizant of these biases throughout the research process, and hence the integrity of the study will be enhanced. (Yates & Leggett, 2016). Some of the personal beliefs and biases that I noted include: (a) small businesses engage in non-sustainable business strategies due to their focus on short term goals; (b) small businesses are limited by financial capabilities in implementing sustainable strategies, ; (c) most small business organizations attribute their business longevity to external business factors such as stiff competition, ; and (d) the implementation processes employed by small businesses is a major source of failure in their sustainable strategies. Comment by J Mayo: Please vary wording choices I noted: I will, I have, I remained, Comment by J Mayo: Entrepreneur? Or successful small manufacturing business firms that are more than five years old in Ohio Please address 2.2 b clearly

As a data collection human instrument, I will focused on naturalistic qualitative inquiry. The interview techniques that I will employuse will be unbiased. In addition, I will ensure that the interview process is free from the influence my beliefs. Moreover, I will employ stick to an interview protocol in when administering the questionnaires (See Appendix A). Comment by J Mayo: Please choose a different verb Comment by J Mayo: ditto Comment by J Mayo: Unclear here. From paragraph 1 According to Denzin and Lincoln (2015), in qualitative research, a researcher is regarded as the human instrument of data collection since there are no questionnaires or other data collection methods involved

Further, I will ensure that the participants are willing to participate in the research without any influence by providing an electronic informed consent form to the participants to completesign. The consent form will describe the purpose of the research, discuss proper obtained authoritypermission for to conducting research, and assure the participants’ confidentiality by promising that the information shared was toill be used for the research purposes only. Only individuals who complete signed the form will be included in the study. The rights of the participants will be protected as provided for in tThe Belmont Report (Miracle, 2016). I will give the participants freedom to withdraw from the research at any time. In addition, I will ensure that the participants are not subjected to any risk, their rights are protected, and I will accord give them all due respect. I will treat the participants as co-researchers and not the subjects of research. Making the participants co-researchers will ensure that the researcherI maintain a neutral perspective in the interview process. I will ask the interview questions (See Appendix A) in a neutral manner and allow the interviewee to respond to the questions while I listen attentively. Where additional information is required, I will pose necessary questions that do not drive the respondents to my own beliefs and perspectives. I will remain aware that the purpose of the research is not to confirm personal beliefs and perspectives but to collect existential facts about sustainable strategies employed by small and medium sized businesses in Ohio. Comment by J Mayo: Appendix? Comment by J Mayo: Electronically? Comment by J Mayo: Provide clarity for your reader Which form Comment by J Mayo: More explanation is required to meet 2.2c Comment by J Mayo: Capitalization required and all three words italicized Comment by J Mayo: wordiness Comment by J Mayo: select a different verb Comment by J Mayo: suggest a citation Comment by J Mayo: which appendix item Comment by J Mayo: probing questions? Please use qualitative terminology Comment by J Mayo: 2.2d Not Met 2.2e Not Met

In the study, I will only include business managers who will beare willing to share their experience, knowledge, and ideas in business sustainability. The study will involve five 10 participants who are CEOs in small manufacturing business organizations in Ohio, in the United States of America. The criteria that will be employed for selecting the participants will include that the CEO must be engaging in successful sustainable nosinessbusiness strategies and must be a CEO of a small manufacturing business organization in Ohio. The participants will include three male CEOs and two female CEOs. In qualitative research, the participants selected must possess the relevant knowledge, skills, and experience to effectively and sufficiently inform the research questions and provide insightful information on the research phenomena (Kuper, Lingard, & Levinson, 2018). Further, Sargeant (2015) identified that important characteristics of the participants such as gender diversity and experiences are necessary considerations in selecting qualitative research participants. Hence, in this study, theThe choice of business executives who have implemented successful sustainable strategies were elected through a purposeful sampling technique. Comment by J Mayo: From the purpose statement The target population consists of ten owners of successful small manufacturing business firms that are more than five years old in Ohio. Comment by J Mayo: ? Comment by J Mayo: Please omit from the DBA study Comment by J Mayo: Not a scholarly word

One of the fundamental aspects of qualitative research is gaining access to the research participants (Shenton & Hayter, 2014). The participants will be accessed with the help of some professional contacts including my family and business associates. The few identified participants may also provide referrals to other business executives. According to De la Cuesta Benjumea (2014), obtaining endorsements from the relevant authorities is the first step of accessing participants. Furthermore, Given (2018) emphasized that an important consideration in accessing research participants is to do no harm, and this requires ethical clearance for the qualitative research from the relevant authorities. Therefore, the identified participants will be provided with information from the relevant authorities approving the research, and a request for participation form that details what the research is about and asking the participants for their voluntary participation in the interviews. Comment by J Mayo: Is this snowball sampling? If so, please discuss Comment by J Mayo: Not a rubric item under this heading. Please omit all “fluff”

A good working relationship with research participants is vital for the success of a qualitative research study (Stahl, 2016). I will thank and issue informed consent forms through theirvia emails to the business executives who will acceptagree to participate in the research. In addition, I will thank those who will not be willing to participate in the study for their acknowledgement. Communication and relationship building through discussion of ethical considerations with the participants is necessary for the development of good working relationships with them and in a continuous process (Kondowe & Booyens, 2014). In addition, I will employ use strategies of developing effective working relationships with the interview participants during the interview process, which are described by Marshall and Rossman (2017), ). including I will encouraging encourage the participants to share information that relates directly to their individual experiences and perspectives, framing the interview questions in an open-ended manner, and listening attentively to the responses to the questions. Comment by J Mayo: use Comment by J Mayo: one very long sentence with two or more clauses. Please include shorter sentences with less clauses for flow

The three research methods that will be employed utilized in the study are is mixed-method, quantitative, and qualitative methods. Almalki (2016) suggested that the role of a researcher is to select the most appropriate method for a given study. The qualitative approach will be the most suitable for the current study since it aligns with my research questions and research goals. Furthermore, researchers are also responsible for ascertaining whether research questions have the potential to generate important insights regarding a phenomenon (Turner, Cardinal, & Burton et al., 2017). The qualitative approach will beis the most suitable for the study since I will seek to discover a deeper understanding of the phenomenon through interpretation and open dialogue. Furthermore, researchers who use qualitative methods tend to focus on gaining meaning from the knowledge that the various participants have (Almalki, 2016). Additionally, these researchers use open-ended questions to develop a better understanding of the phenomena based on the knowledge that the participants have regarding the subject. Comment by J Mayo: (1): to use or engage the services of (2): to provide with a job that pays wages or a salary Comment by J Mayo: I noted one research question in the Prospectus Comment by J Mayo: Who are “these”?

Moreover, researchers who use qualitative methods investigate the movements along data sets, while at the same time analyzing quantifiable and measurable numerical data (Goertzen, 2017). Furthermore, these researchers collect and analyze numerical data using quantitative approaches. Zyphur and Pierides (2017) suggested that the researchers who use thea qualitative approach establish relational validity. The quantitative approach will not be suitable for the current study since the researcherI does not seek to establish the relationship between variables using statistical data. Furthermore, the I study does not aim to test a hypothesis through the analysis of numerical data. Comment by J Mayo: Please refer to the originating source and discuss with your chair Comment by J Mayo: Avoid vague terminology who are “these” please name the subject or noun Comment by J Mayo: Avoid third person

On the other hand, the rResearchers who use the mixed method approach tend to use both qualitative and quantitative approaches, cthus combining both methods to offer a more concise answer. Therefore, the qualitative method will be the most suitable for the current study as it aligns with the research questions and the objectives of the research. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: This section needs another sentence. Comment by J Mayo: Scholarly tone. Thus is not a scholarly word Comment by J Mayo: 2.5 c Not Met

In the study, I will considered four research designs, which include ethnography, inquiry, case study, and phenomenology. Case studies are common forms of research design. Researchers often use case studies to understand a phenomenon from various perspectives based on the context (Yin, 2018). Furthermore, tRhe researchers who use this approach attempt to understand a phenomenon in real life settings, and the they findings tend to answer why and how questions (Wright, 2016; Cope, 2015, ; Jackson & Wright, 2016; Wright, 2016;). Additionally, Cope (2015) suggests suggested that case studies can include numerous data sources . Additionally,which they are important for describing, exploring, and explain intricate matters in their natural settings. Therefore, tThe research design will be employed since it will assist in answering how and why questions regarding the survival of small to medium sized firms for more than five years. I will explore the phenomena in contextual, real-life setting. Comment by J Mayo: Past tense Comment by J Mayo: Please discuss each design in a new paragraph. Only two designs are discussed 2.5b Not Met Comment by J Mayo: Omit many of the transition words Comment by J Mayo: Throughout this proposal Comment by J Mayo: Read each sentence aloud and correct all errors Comment by J Mayo: Reciteworks.com will aid with this error Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. Comment by J Mayo: Please discuss single case study vs. multiple case studies and why you chose the single or multiple

Phenomenological design, on the other hand, participation in semi-structured interviews to gain an understanding of the participants experiences and views (Wagstaff & Williams, 2014). The approach is described as the study of principles , and involves observation and awareness. Therefore, this a phenomenological research design will is not be appropriate for the study since I will not be exploring the participants’ experiences and views.

Ethnography is an approach used by anthropologists to investigate communities and their culture (Subramony, Hametz, & Balmer, 2014). The approach, therefore, will is not be applicable to the current study since it does not involve people and culture; because rather it focuses on small business. Therefore, the case study approach will be the most appropriate in the current study. Comment by J Mayo: New paragraph with more discussion Comment by J Mayo: 2.5 c Not Met

The target population for the research study includes business executives of small manufacturing business that employ successful sustainable strategies in Ohio. According to Taherdoost (2016), a population refers to the universe of cases from whichthat a researcher draws the required sample for the study. Hence tThe research population should possess the unique characteristics that I am seeking to investigate. Accordingly, I will employ purposive sampling to obtain the participants for the study who had have the relevant knowledge and experience. I will used maximum variation sampling in to identifying and obtaining the appropriate sample for the study. According to Palinkas, et al. (2015), focusing on purposeful selection of research participants from diverse groups is important to ensure diversity and enhance multiplicity of perspectives in the study. A Additionally, ppurposive sampling technique can help in selecting individuals that who have knowledge that is relevant to the study and therefore are in a good position to answer the research questions (Palinkas, et al., 2015). Further, as Marshall and Rossman (2017) pointed out, the use of maximum variation sampling also allows a researcher to identify common patterns in the collected data. As the study targets small and high ranking officials of high performing organizations, some of the participants may not be obtained easily. This will allow me to access some participants through the professional networks of the already identified participants. Comment by J Mayo: that Comment by J Mayo: not a scholarly, doctoral word Comment by J Mayo: Please do not collect data until the IRB number is earned and awarded. Earlier I read a suggestion of snowball sampling. Your net can be cast more widely by sequential sampling (snowball sampling), getting only a few suggested respondents from each source. In other words, informant A suggests respondents B and C from your list of characteristics, B suggests D and E, C suggests F and G - and so on. Given the principle of "six degrees of separation," and the fact that respondents are not being asked to suggest their friends, but people with specified characteristics, the maximum variation method should give most people in the survey area a chance of being included in the sample. avoid quantitative terminology Suggest more study within Yin 2018 , maximum variation sampling seeks it by including a wide range of extremes. The principle is that if you deliberately try to interview a very different selection of people, their aggregate answers can be close to the whole population's. The method sounds odd, but works well in places where a random sample cannot be drawn. This is an extension of the statistical principle of regression towards the mean - Comment by J Mayo: APA? Comment by J Mayo: “who” when discussing a human Comment by J Mayo:

The use of purposive sampling will allow me to meet the requirements of an effective qualitative research study. Accodring to Bernard (2015), purposive sampling facilitates the use of smaller samples in conducting qualitative reseaarch. Additionally, as pointed out by Rubin and Rubin (2014), researchers do not require a large number of research participants to achieve the required level of thoroughness in qualitative research interviews. Based on these considerations, I will settled aim for a minimum sample size of 5 five participants. I will make further considerations to identify the appropriate sample size for the study. These considerations included the interview questions for the study and the availability of the participants. The adequacy of the sample size for a qualitative study is dependent of various factors, such as the nature of the study topic, the research questions, and the availability of the participants (O’Reilly & Parker, 2018). According to Francis et al. (2014), the sample size for a qualitative study should be determined by the research purpose and the diversity of perspectives that the study participants will provide. The sample selected will be enough to accomplish the goals of the study. Interview setting can help enhance the interview process. Therefore, wWhile conducting the interviews, I will select an area that will have minimal disruptions that may hinder the interview process. A comfortable setting for the interviews is important because it determines how the participants disclose their experiences. Comment by J Mayo: spelling Comment by J Mayo: unclear How will you know this information in advance? Comment by J Mayo: How? Why? Please provide more details and cite previous works for your reader Comment by J Mayo: Demonstrates criteria for selecting participants and interview setting are appropriate to the study. (Rich descriptions are encouraged.)

According to Fusch and Ness (2015), data saturation is achieved when enough information is provided in a research such that when the study is duplicated no new information can be attained. As Tai and Ajjwi (2016) noted, attaining data saturation helps in to enhancing enhance the credibility of qualitative research. In order to achieve data saturation, I will conduct face-to-face interviews. After the interview and analyzing the information gotten given from the interview, I will do conduct follow-up interviews to gain more information about the subject. I will ensure that I interview all the participants until data saturation is met. Comment by J Mayo: Member checking?

Klaus and Kumar (2015) asserted that it is imperative for researchers to submit their proposal to an ethics committee before data collection commences. As a researcher, therefore, one of the primary responsibilities is safeguarding the participants of the study, which includes adhering to the guidelines that Walden University provides. Furthermore, I will start collecting the data for the study after receiving the approval and permission of Walden University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) and receiving a Walden IRB approval number. Furthermore, aAfter the approval from the Universityuniversity’s IRB is received, I will make a telephone call to the participants who are eligible for the study, which will be followed by an email. With the email, I will inform these participants about the purpose of the study , while at the same time and issuing issue them with a consent form. Before an interview or data collection occurs, it is imperative for researchers to obtain informed consent from the participants, particularly when human subjects are involved (Rallis & Lawrence, 2017). One of the primary roles of a researcher is ensuring that informed consent is given precedence (Capron, 2018). Furthermore, Wallace and Sheldon (2015) asserted that informed consent ensures that a researcher follows ethical practices. Therefore, I will email the informed consent form (See Appendix B) to each of the participants five days before the interview, while at the same time offering explanations regarding the contents of the form. Moreover, I will obtain the completed informed consent before conducting the interview through a response of the participants to the emails that I send, which will include their signing of the informed consent form (See Appendix B). Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. Comment by J Mayo: What are the guidelines? Comment by J Mayo: A telephone script is required in the Appendix Comment by J Mayo: List the appendix item here Comment by J Mayo: Signed?

Furthermore, iIn any research, ethics play a vital role and it is imperative for researchers to respect, protect, and maintain the privacy of the participants who are involved in a study (Wallace & Sheldon, 2015). For the current research, therefore, I will observe the four principles that guide research, which include respect for autonomy, no maleficence, beneficence, as well asand justice throughout the process of research (Caruth, 2015). Besides, tThe principles that guide ethical research include respect, justice, integrity, and beneficence will be adhered to during the entire research process(Rallis & Lawrence, 2017). These principles will be adhered to during the entire research process. In addition, I will guarantee the confidentiality for of each of the participants of the study, and ensure that I respect their rights. As such, I will not disclose the names of any of the participants but will use codes such as P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9, and P10.etc to identify the participants during the process of transcribing the information, while at the same time assuring the subjects that they had have the right to withdraw from the research project at any time that they may wish without being penalized or providing any explanations for their decisions. Furthermore, I will offer the participants of the study an opportunity to withdraw from the research through various means including in person, through email, letter, or telephone at any time that they may wish whether before, during, or even after the interview is conducted. Additionally, the participants will not receive any monetary incentives to take part in the research, but I will furnish each of them with a copy of the study upon its completion. Comment by J Mayo: List them here avoid words such as etc. Comment by J Mayo: Is there a penalty? Comment by J Mayo: Why? Please use a citation to discuss the withdrawal process

Additionally, I will protect the identity and the privacy of each of the subjects by interviewing them separately. Furthermore, I will use codes, rather than names, to identify them. As such, the actual names of the participants will not be disclosed at any time during the entire research study. Chu and Ke (2017) stated that researchers use codes, but not names, to be able to protect the identity of the participants of a study. Therefore, I will use alphanumeric codes that include PS1 up to PS10. Furthermore, tThe digital information obtained during the study will be stored in a password-protected drive, while the transcripts and notes will be secured in a locked safe to ensure that the information does not leak to any other party. The information will be stored for five years, and I will be the only person who has access to it. After five years, the information will be destroyed, whereby the printed copies of information and notes will be electronically shredded, while the password protected drive will be destroyed to safeguard the store digital information. Comment by J Mayo: Please discuss 2.8 c Comment by J Mayo: Earlier under this heading I noted: P1, P2 Please make a determination Comment by J Mayo: Where is this item located?

For the current research, I will use the qualitative case study approach. Researchers use this approach to obtain detailed comprehension and information regarding the insights of an individual (Ellinger & McWhorter, 2016). The researchers who use the qualitative approach gather contextual background information that is relevant for a study (Tetnowski, 2015). Furthermore, with the approach, the researcher is the primary instrument of data collection and analysis (Rimando et al., 2015). Therefore, aAs the researcher, I will be the primary instrument of data collection. Moreover, Wwhen conducting case studies, researchers may use a variety of sources and collect data in real word or real- time contexts to exhaustively explore, understand, and to define the intricacies of a particular phenomenon or situation (Meyer, 2015). Byesides, by employing efficient and effective instruments methods for collecting data, researchers may obtain additional information that is relevant to the study, but not discussed during the interview phase (Meyer, 2015). Furthermore, iIn qualitative research, methodological triangulation is one of the ways that researchers may promote rigor when conducting a study (Flynn & Korkuska, 2018). It is imperative that researchers collect data using multiple ways in order to engage methodological triangulation (Joslin & MüllerMuller, 2016). With a variety of data sources, rResearchers are able to obtain multiple perspectives regarding an issue. Therefore, fFor the current study, I will collect data from the applicable company documents as well asand through structured interviews for methodological triangulation to be engaged. Comment by J Mayo: Omit please address the rubric items under this heading only. Comment by J Mayo: Quantitative wording Comment by J Mayo: Oh? Such as what? Please provide details for the reader Comment by J Mayo: Please discuss reliability and validity of the data collection process Comment by J Mayo: Which documents? IRB will want to know as well Comment by J Mayo: Semi?

Furthermore, iIt is imperative that researchers establish protocols that address reliability, ethics, and validity within the fileld that their study focuses on. As such, protocols during the process of conducting semi--structured interviews includes ensuring that the interview questions are in line with the research questions, while at the same time creating an inquiry-based conversation, in that the feedback that is derived is relevant to the study (Castillo-Montoya, 2016). Therefore, fFor researchers to obtain quality data, it is imperative that they follow protocol during the research process, which ensures that they collect quality data, while at the same time addressing the research questions (Castillo-Montoya, 2016). In the research process, therefore, II will follow an interview protocol to be able to collect quality data that aligns with the research questions (See Appendix B). Comment by J Mayo: Please list where in the appendixes the protocol is located and in the Table of Contents 2.10 d Not Met Comment by J Mayo: Interview? Please list the whole name for your reader. Comment by J Mayo: Please review hyphens in the APA manual or in the Writing Center Comment by J Mayo: Very difficult to read and understand with so many clauses in each sentence. Comment by J Mayo: wordiness

Furthermore, tThe majority of the researchers who conduct qualitative studies employ member checking to reach data saturation (Varpio et al., 2017). When information becomes repetitive and new data does not develop, information saturation occurs (Fusch & Ness, 2015). Furthermore, Fusch and Ness, (2015) asserted that reaching data saturation affects the quality of a study and hinders the validity of the content. The saturation of data occurs when enough information exists, thus new information tends to duplicate the study. In the current study, I will use semi semi-structured, face-to-face interviews and use member checking to undertake follow follow-up interviews with the participants to ensure that the information that they provide will beis accurate. Additionally, I will collect data from the appropriate company documents to be able to engage in methodological data analysis. Moreover, the process of member checking occurs when a researcher transcribes the interviews that he or sheare conductsgathered, writes a summary of that data, and issues it to the participants. The participants ascertain the accuracy of the researcher’s interpretations, while at the same time adding any information that may add value to the study (Harvey, 2015). Therefore, member checking assists in confirming the credibility and dependability of the data used in a study (Harvey, 2015). Therefore, I will use member checking to ensure that the data that I collect for the study is credible and dependable. Comment by J Mayo: citation? Comment by J Mayo: How do you know this? Where can your reader find this information? Comment by J Mayo: 2.10 c Identifies how the student will enhance the reliability and validity of the data collection instrument/process (e.g., member checking, transcript review, pilot test, etc.).

In qualitative research, face-to-face interviews are among the most popular techniques that researchers use in data collection (Birt et al., 2015). With in-depth tThe primary assumption of in-depth interviews is that the participants’ perspectives regarding the issue being studied are meaningful (Harvey, 2015). Furthermore, aAn important element regarding interviews is ensuring that the right questions are asked. Therefore, fFor the current research, I will use a protocol to ensure that I ask questions that help to answer the research question and are relevant to the study. Furthermore, I will use the protocol when conducting the semi-structured face-to-face interviews, even when reviewing the relevant company records. Comment by J Mayo: Please omit all citations that are directly discussing the unpublished Proposal Comment by J Mayo: Which protocol and where can your reader locate the document?

Furthermore, I will employ audio technology to record each of the interviews for the purpose of dependability, and eventually transcribing the audio. Besides, I will also record notes to record any notes that may occur when recordingduring the interviews, and that are relevant to the study. During the interview process, I will pay attention to the nonverbal signs cues from of the participants, including body language. The interviews will last for around one hour, and will take place in a private venue decided upon by both the participant and the researcherme. Besides, bBoth parties will set the time and date for each of the interviews. Furthermore, bBefore the commencement of the interview, I will obtain their informed consent, inform them about the purpose of the study again, and request them to raise pose any questions that they may have before the interview. Besides, I will remind them of their right to withdraw from the research at any time without the need for offering any explanations or attracting any penalties. The same process will be followed for each of the 10 participants who will take part in the study. A similar interview protocol will be adhered to when interviewing each of the participants. Castillo-Montoya (2016) asserted that researchers achieve dependability by applying a particular technique to similar objectives, thus resulting in the yielding of similar results. Therefore, I will apply a specific protocol when interviewing each of the participants of the study. Comment by J Mayo: How many voice recorders will you use? Suggest three. Comment by J Mayo: What will you do with this information? Comment by J Mayo: 45 minutes according to the IRB Member checking ( follow up interviews 30 minutes)

One of the advantages of the data collection technique that will be used in the current study is the ability of the researcher to undertake semi-structured interviews when using open-ended questions, while at the same time employing audio technology to ensure that the insights gathered from the participants are accurate (Bostic et al., 2018). Furthermore, tThe data collection method that will be used in the study increases dependability (Palinkas et al., 2015). With open-ended questions, researchers learn new information regarding a particular issue or phenomenon, while at the same time giving the participants an opportunity to share their thoughts (Fontana & Prokos, 2016). On the other hand, the use of interview protocols is another advantage. With protocols, the different participants undergo a similar interview process and answer similar questions (Bostick, Ganci, Kaemmerer, & Trim et al., 2018). Moreover, tThe other advantage is the fact that researchers may be able to process the findings of their study instantaneously, thus and be able to provide instantaneous feedback to the participants (Harvey, 2015). The researchers also benefit by learning from the participants who may be experts in the study topic based on their experience (Capron, 2018). Besides, tThe use of company documents in data collection is advantageous since the company has already compiled it, and researchers I can have easy access to it (Fontana & Prokos, 2016). Thus, sSuch records are an invaluable source of data since they also shed light regarding some of the daily activities of a company.

On the other hand, one of the disadvantages of the technique is concerns is regarding the quality of the data, as well as and the process being costly and time-consuming (Oltmann, 2016). Furthermore, the other disadvantage of the technique is the probability of requiring a larger number of participants (Oltmann, 2016). In addition, ethical challenges may occur in the course of the research since situations may arise, and researchers may be required to use different methodological strategies (Parvaresh-Masoud & Varaei, 2018). For instance, when conducting research on topics that are sensitive, methodological and ethical issues may arise (Oltmann, 2016). Without ethical foundations, a study may not have credibility. Furthermore, tThe other disadvantage is the time-consuming nature of the document review process, as well and as the tediousness of establishing the link between the data and the research questions (Oltmann, 2016). Research questions guide studies; . hence researchers review company documents that may be relevant to the research questions, a process that may be time consuming.

Furthermore, for this study, mMember checking will be used in this study. In qualitative research, member checking measures validity (Virpio et al., 2017). Member checking is imperative since it obliterates misrepresentation, which makes it essential for knowledge generation (Harvey, 2015). The process of member checking involves presenting the interpreted and analyzed data back to the participants for them to confirm whether the researcher’s interpretations aligns aligned with what the subjects had envisioned (Birt et al., 2016). With member checking, the researchers return the summarized interview summary to the respective participants for them to review it for accuracy (Harvey, 2015). With member checking, the respective members confirm the accuracy of the interpretations that the researchers make regarding their responses to the interview questions (Caruth, 2015). Therefore, fFor this study, I will provide some copies of the summarized interpretation to the participants of the interview within 10 days after conducting the interview. Besides, I will request them to make suggestions with regarding to the areas of the interpretation that may need to be revised to reflect what they intended to communicate, information in the interpretations that may require clarification, or additional information, as well asand any information that is relevant to the study that they may want to add. Comment by J Mayo: Very good discussion here, Please correct grammatical errors Comment by J Mayo: Same root word Comment by J Mayo: In person? How long will the member checking sessions last? Please list here. Please remember this is an excellent opportunity for additional probing questions. Think of it as a second interview.

Qualitative researchers often capture descriptive data, record individuals’ voices, respond to the questions of why and how, and at the same time understand the concerns of the involved individuals (Sherchand, 2017). For the current study, I will utilize use audio recording technology to record the participants concerns to ensure there is accuracy in the interviews. Each of the interview questions will align with the research question, which is in relation to the strategies that entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises adopt to ensure sustainability. Furthermore, I will transcribe the recorded audio files precisely and evaluate each of them for themes and patterns. Additionally, I will identify the interview participants using numbers and letters, rather than their names. The identification will start with PS1, whereby PS will represent the participant, and the number will identify the participants who will be interviewed, with 1 being the first one. I will also use NVivo 12 software and a Microsoft n Excel spreadsheet to organize the themes and patterns. The NVivo 12 software is a user-friendly and efficient software used by researchers to organize, sort, and categorize data up to the point where the research questions are answered (Mutiganda , Hassel, & Fagerströmet al.,, 2013). I will classify themes and patterns into categories while at the same time assigning a code to each of the themes. Moreover, I will categorize the various codes based on the themes that emerge during the data collection and analysis phases of the research project. Researchers often use the themes that emerge during the data collection and analysis phases to develop strategies that theyto use for to identifying the information that they gather from the data (Palinkas et al., 2015). Furthermore, cCoding the data alongside the themes enables researchers to highlight priorities since it provides focus to for the process of qualitative data analyses (Pringle, Collins, & Santry et al., 2013). Comment by J Mayo: Same root word

Moreover, tTo guarantee the confidentiality and privacy of each of the participants, I will adhere to Walden University’s IRB guidelines to protect the rights of the human subjects who will be involved in the study. Furthermore, tTo guarantee the compliance regarding protecting the human subjects involved in a study, researchers are required to implement processes that adhere to the IRB’s rules and regulations (Lisa Murtha & Lipkin, 2017). The IRB requires researchers to have ethical considerations and responsibility with regard to research that involves human subjects (Domenech Rodríguez, Corralejo, Vouvalis, & Mirly et al., 2017). The IRB ensures that researchers do not engage in activities that may violate human rights in the name of research (Domenech Rodríguez et al., 2017). The Furthermore, IRB safeguards the privacy, well-being, dignity, rights, and safety of the participants in of a research (Sherchand, 2017).

Therefore, to ensure that I protect these rights of the participants, I will assign unique identifiers to the saved digital recordings, documents, and transcripts. Additionally, I will store and protect digital information using thumb drives that are password protected. Furthermore, I will store and safeguard information such as consent forms, journals, and reflective notes in a locked fireproof safe. The data will be stored in my home office for a period of not more than five years and. After after that timefive years, I will shred the printed records. Additionally, I will destroy the flash drives that store the digital information used in the research. At the same time, I will be the only person with access to all the stored information, and it will be kept securely for a period of five years, after which it will be destroyed. Comment by J Mayo: I did not read this in an earlier subsection. Please make sure all decisions align throughout

Compiling

Data compilation is a complex process that that is conducted before the data is analyzed (Yin, 2018). Data compilation takes place through compiling memos, field notes, reviewing company data, observational data, and any other data collection methods used during the research process (Nielsen & Hjørland, 2014). Furthermore, itwhich requires substantial knowledge (Nielsen & Hjørland, 2014). Therefore, to compile the data, I will record and take notes in the face-to-face interviews to compile the data,. Furthermore, I will transcribe and evaluate each interview, while at the same time coding each transcript and searching for patterns and themes in the data recorded from the interviews.

Disassembling

Researchers in qualitative studies provide explanations for their coding; by starting with the processing of raw data and disassembling it into insightful thought fragments, and t. Furthermore, they order these fragments into analogous meanings, and describe the underlying categories for each meaning (Kohler, 2018). Furthermore, rResearchers disassemble information info into fragments and use categories and codes for demonstrative purposes (Firmin, Bonfils, Luther, Minor, & Salyers, et al., 2017). Additionally, they choose the themes and categories that are frequently used, but they have to have high face validity. I the study, I will code the participants alphanumerically by following PS1 up to PS710, with PS1 being denoting the first interview participant that I interview and PS710 being denoting the last one. Furthermore, I will separate fragmented information into sub-core and core themes, as Firmin et al. (2017) suggestssuggested. Additionally, tThe codes will be adjusted accordingly to be able to establish the link between the codes and the themes in the data. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list.

Reassembling Data

Reassembling data involves collecting and classifying information into groups using computer aided data analysis software such as NVivo (Palinkas et al., 2015). The use of such software enables researchers to conduct data analysis faster. Researchers use NVivo program to collect data, analyze it, detect patterns, and collect, analyze, sort it, and organize data it based on themes (Paulus, Woods, Atkins, & Macklin et al., 2017). In the study, I will use NVivo program during the reassembling phase of the research, thus be able to detect key themes and to continue analyzing and organizing the data.

Interpreting Data

Researchers sort and develop the themes related to the objective of a study to provide a descriptive interpretation of the data (McLeod & Childs, 2013). Furthermore,Researchers they retrieve and evaluate information to compare themes and patterns (McLeod and Childs, 2013). After the retrieval and the organization of the themes that develop from the data, I will provide a descriptive interpretation of the various themes and patterns that will be obtained from company data and interview data. Furthermore, tTo interpret the data, I will categorize and interpret the related links between primary and secondary data that is are related to the objective of the study by comparing themes and patterns.

Drawing Conclusions

After a thorough assessment of a study, qualitative researchers often analyze the data systematically by documenting the synthesized findings and describing the outcome (Munn et al., 2014). Furthermore, dDuring the data analysis phase, researchers connect the interpretation of the major patterns and themes that emerge from the primary and secondary data, some of which is derived from the study’s research questions. Furthermore, cContent and thematic analysis assists in identifying concepts, while at the same time it allowsing the researchers to evaluate and summarize the data (Flood et al., 2017). In the study, I will connect company documents, interview questions, and interpreted interview to scholarly literature, reflective notes, and scholarly literature to systems theories. Additionally, I will describe the study’s findings to provide a deeper understanding and to confirm the systems theory. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. If this source has five or fewer authors, they must all be listed in the first citation. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: This does not make sense. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: This does not make sense.

Key Themes

Qualitative researchers use research data and interview transcripts to reach a consensus regarding the primary themes (Rowe, Rosenheck, Stern, & Bellamy, 2014). They use the major themes from the data derived from a research to provide an understanding and support of the conceptual frameworks that are relevant to the available scholarly literature (Sarros, Luca, Densten, & Santora et al., 2014). In the study, I will use the major themes obtained from the company documents and interview transcripts to provide a deeper understanding and to support the systems theory. Moreover, researchers aim at identifying the recurring themes from the data that they obtain to augment the findings’ credibility and to be able to connect these themes with the conceptual framework and literature review (Pringle et al., 2013). Therefore, iIn thise study, I will compare the frequency of the themes that will emerge from the data that will be derived from the company documents and interviews to support, confirm, and to provide more insights into current and future studies on the subject.

Software Plan

In the study, I will use NVivo 12 software to assist me in with detecting the emerging patterns and themes based on the study data. I will record each interview, transcribe the interview verbatim, and thereafter code the data using the software. Oliveira et al. (2016) asserts asserted that researchers use the NVivo 12 software to organize the data that they gather based on the established categories. Furthermore, dDuring the data analysis phase, researchers use the same software to review and analyze the work that is in progress, and to identify the common themes that emerge. They also present their findings during the coding process, while at the same time presenting it in a way that makes it usable by other programs such as Microsoft excel Excel (Oliveira et al., 2016). Additionally, researchers use the NVivo 12 software in the management of the intricacies that are associated with qualitative research. Paulus et al. (2017) noted that qualitative researchers employ various information sources, which include field notes, company documents, audio recordings, interviews, memoranda, and newspaper clippings. Therefore, rResearchers can use NVivo 12 in the collection, organization, and analysis of distinct types of data (Paulus et al., 2017). I will use the software in theto organizeation, codeing, and analyzesis of the data. NVivo 12 software can operate within the Microsoft Windows operating system. Besides, iIt tends to be cheaper compared to other software, such as MAXQDA, which tends to have similar features, but it is considerably more expensive (Oliveira et al., 2016). Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. If this source has five or fewer authors, they must all be listed in the first citation.

A qualitative researcher seeks to dependability rather than reliability (McNeil et al., 2015). Furthermore, theyResearchers seek for transferability, credibility, and ability to confirm the findings, rather than validity (Hill & Bundy, 2014). The rResearchers who establish constancy, impartiality, and truthfulness in a study often increase the integrity and the trustworthiness of the findings of the study (Van van den Berg & Ma, 2014).

Dependability

Dependability may be described as the extent to which the results of a given study are replicable (Leung, 2015). They Researchers rely on reliability to evaluate the consistency of the results of a study (Onen, 2016). Furthermore, iIn qualitative research, transparency and trustworthiness regarding the way a study is conducted are essential for the integrity and practicality of the findings (Leung, 2015). Additionally, dependability depends relies on constancy. Qualitative researchers perceive it as one of the primary characteristics when determining the quality of the data that they derive from their study. When If the findings of a study can be replicated severally, the results become more reliable (Connelly, 2015). In the study, I will incorporate the principles of transferability, credibility, and dependability, and transferability to guarantee the quality of the study. Additionally, tTo ensure that the study is dependable, I will use member checking, and whereby I will give the various human subjects a chance to evaluate the accuracy of my interpretation of the data obtained from the interviews. With member checking, they can point our errors, correct these errors, and provide additional insights. Comment by J Mayo: citation? And why? Comment by J Mayo: Please use standard English word order Subject, verb, object

Credibility

Credibility is a vital element in a given study because. I it refers to the extent to which researchers exemplify the truth or the actual meanings of the participants of a research (Moon, Brewer, Januchowski-Hartley, Adams, & Blackman et al., 2016). Furthermore, rResearchers institute credibility through approaches such as method and data triangulation, reflection, member checking, reflective journals, meetings with the participants of the study, and peer debriefing (Connelly, 2015). Moreover, tThe researcher’s’ description of their experiences coupled with authenticating the findings of the study enhances credibility (Cope, 2014). Authenticity refers to the extent to which a researcher can articulate the experiences and feelings of the participants in a truthful manner (Cope, 2014). Therefore, aA qualitative study may is credible if the experiences and feelings become recognizable by the participants who shared them with the researcher (Cope, 2014). Furthermore, Ccredibility and dependability share multiple facets of the research by , they compriseing the focus of the study including in areas such as data collection and selection of the participants (Moon et al., 2016). In the study, therefore, I will ensure credibility is observed by using member checking, whereby theyso participants can confirm whether the data that I obtain is accurate.

Transferability Comment by J Mayo: Suggest 2.16g to address 2.16d

Transferability is an essential element in a study, and it refers to the applicability of the study or the results in future studies (Moon et al., 2016). If individuals not involved in the study can find some meanings and they can identify some of the findings with their experiences, transferability becomes established. Therefore, to guarantee the transferability of the study, I will document the procedures of the research, collect dependable data, analyze the data objectively, and ensure that the findings are credible.

Confirmability

Researchers prove the conformability of a study by determining how conclusions and interpretations form, thus demonstrating that the findings of the study are the result of the data that they obtained during the study (Cope, 2014). Furthermore, tThe ability to prove that the information represents the responses of the participants and not the views of the researcher, by avoiding his or herpersonal viewpoints and biases demonstrates confirmability (Cope, 2014). In qualitative research, confirmability can be established through elements such as rich quotes to show the emerging themes. Furthermore, to they also compare the raw data with the conclusions to ensure that the study is verifiable. Therefore, for the study, I will ensure confirmability by using reflective notes and audio recordings to ensure the insights of the participants are accurate without interfering with the findings or inserting my viewpoints and biases. The data that I will obtain from the study will form the basis of the findings of the research.

Data Saturation

Researchers who perform qualitative studies tend to use data checking and semi-structured interviews to achieve data saturation. Data saturation is obtained when information becomes highly repetitive, thus, new data does not emerge or develop (Marshall et al., 2013). Furthermore, failing to reach data saturation considerably affects the quality of a given research, which in return affects content validity (Fusch & Ness, 2015). Therefore, sSaturation of data occurs at the point where researchers gather sufficient data, by making it possible to duplicate the study, y, they can no longer obtain new information can be obtained, and additionally coding becomes impossible (Fusch & Ness, 2015). To achieve data saturation, I will conduct semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, and use member checking for conducting follow-up interviews with the participants to ascertain that the information obtained from each interview is accurate. Additionally, I will collect all the relevant company documents and engage in a methodological; data triangulation. It is worth noting that member checking occurs when researchers transcribes the interviews, makes a summary of the data, meets the interviewees again with the objective of ensuring that they can verify that the researcher’s interpretations of their responses is correct. Furthermore, wWhen meeting the participants for the second time, the researcher may ask the participants for additional insights that may assist in answering the research questions (Houghton et al., 2013). Therefore, I will ensure that data become repetitive before completing all the scheduled interviews. Furthermore, the researcherI will document the fact, and continue conducting the planned interviews. In addition, I will conduct multiple case studies using five companies, and to ensure that I reach data saturation, I will collect all the relevant documents from all of these companies. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. If this source has five or fewer authors, they must all be listed in the first citation. Comment by Dr. Andrea Curry: Missing from the reference list. If this source has five or fewer authors, they must all be listed in the first citation.

Small businesses play an important role in the United States’ economy considering that they contribute significantly to the economy. However, mMany small businesses do not survive for more than five years since their establishment, hence so there is a the need to understand some of the elements regarding their survival rates. Therefore, the researcherI will conduct a study to establish some of the reasons of small to medium sized manufacturing firms in the United States. The researcherI will use a qualitative approach in the study. Furthermore, tThe research design will be in the form of a case study. Furthermore, section Section 2 also describes described aspects regarding the sample population, research ethics, data analysis, data collection, and reliability, and validity of the data.

Abdul, N., Arshada, R., MohdArif, M., Othmana, R., & Siti, A. (2015). Organizational resources and sustained competitive advantage of cooperative organizations in Malaysia. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 170, 120-127. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.021.

Adeyemi, i. I., Isaac, O. A., & Olufemi, A. S. (2017). Strategic Managementmanagement: A Policy policy To to Enhance enhance Sustainable sustainable Business business Development development in Small small and Medium medium Scale scale Enterprises enterprises in Nigeria. Archives of Business Research, 5(9), 108-118. doi:10.14738/abr.59.3638

Adler, R. W. (2018). Strategic Performance performance Managementmanagement: Accounting for Organizational organizational Controlcontrol. London: Taylor & Francis.

Agarwal, S., & Bhagoliwal, P. (2017). Paradigm Shift shift from Market market Driven driven to Market market Driving driving Strategy strategy in Smartphone smartphone Handset handset Industryindustry: A Comparisoncomparison. IRA-International Journal of Management & Social Sciences, 6(3), 495-499. doi:10.21013/jmss.v6.n3.p14

Almalki, S. (2016). Integrating quantitative and qualitative data in mixed methods

Research challenges and benefits. Journal of Education and learning, 5(3), 288-296.

doi:10.5539/jel.v5n3p288

Alves, A. C., Barbieux, D., Reichert, F. M., Tello-Gamarra, J., & Zawislak, P. A. (2017). Innovation and dynamic capabilities of the firm: Defining an assessment model. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 57(3), 232-244. doi:10.1590/s0034-759020170304

Atsan, N. (2016). Failure Experiences of Entrepreneurs: Causes and Learning Outcomes. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 235, 435 – 442. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.11.054

Babu, C., & Kasilingam, R. (2015). Entrepreneurial capability of micro entrepreneurs.

Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Management Research: Management Edge, 8, 13-

27. Retrieved from http://www.bvimr.com

Bansal, T., & DesJardine, M. R. (2014). Business sustainability: It is about time. Strategic Organization, 12(1), 70-78. doi:10.1177/1476127013520265

Barnes, L. R., & Ho, P. P. K. (2012). An examination of how entrepreneurs in Hong Kong perceive personal success through business activities. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2082699

Barney, J.B. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of

Management, 17(1), 99-121. doi:10.1177/014920639101700108.

Baumgartner, R. J., & Rauter, R. (2017). Strategic perspectives of corporate sustainability management to develop a sustainable organization. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140(1), 81-92. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.04.146

Benjumea, C. d. (2014). Access to information in qualitative research. A matter of care. Invest Educ Enferm, 480-487. doi: 10.17533/udea.iee.v32n3a13

Bernard, H. R. (2015). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Berthod, O. (2017). Institutional theory of organizations. In A. A. (. Farazmand, Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance (pp. 1-5). Springer International Publishing.

Bhamra, T., Hernandez, R. J., Rapitsenyane, Y., & Trimingham, R. (2018). Product Service service Systemssystems: A Sustainable sustainable Design design Strategy strategy for SMEs in the Textiles textiles and Leather leather Sectorssectors. The Journal of Design Economics and Innovation, 4(3), 229-248. doi:10.1016/j.sheji.2018.07.001

Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member Cchecking. A Tool tool to Enhance enhance Trustworthiness trustworthiness or Merely merely a Nod nod to Validationvalidation? Qualitative Health Research, 26(13), 1805. doi:10.1177/1049732316654870

Bostick, J. E., Ganci Jr, J. M., Kaemmerer, J. P., & Trim, C. M. (2018). U.S. Patent No. 9,892,725. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Brannen, J. (2017). Mixing Methodsmethods: Qualitative and Quantitative quantitative Researchresearch. London: Routledge.

Brix, J. (2017). Exploring knowledge creation processes as a source of organizational learning: A longitudinal case study of a public innovation project. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 33(2), 113-127. doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2017.05.001

Burch, S. (2018). Small Businesses businesses and Sustainability sustainability Innovationinnovation: Confronting the Gap gap between Motivation motivation and Capacitycapacity. Waterloo, ON, Canada: Centre for International Governance Innovation.

Capron, A. M. (2018). Where Did did Informed informed Consent consent for Research research Come come Fromfrom? Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 46(1), 12–29. doi:10.1177/1073110518766004

Carter, N., Bryant-Lukosius, D., DiCenso, A., Blythe, J., & Neville, A. J. (2014). The use of triangulation in qualitative research. Oncology Nursing Forum, 41(5), 545- 547. doi:10.1188/14.ONF.545-547

Caruth, G. D. (2015). Toward A Conceptual conceptual Model model of Ethics ethics in Researchresearch. Journal of Management Research (09725814), 15(1), 23–33. doi: 10.1177/097258142015

Castillo-Montoya, M. (2016). Preparing for interview research: the The interview protocol refinement framework. The Qualitative Report, 21, 811. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol21/iss5/2

Chen, J., & Chen, I. (2013). A theory of innovation resource synergy. Innovation:

Management, Policy, & Practice, 15(3), 368-392. doi:10.5172/impp.2013.15.3.368

Chen, S., Wu, S., Mao, C., & Li, B. (2017). Strategic Adjustment adjustment Capacitycapacity, Sustained sustained Competitive competitive Advantageadvantage, and Firm firm Performanceperformance: An Evolutionary evolutionary Perspective perspective on Bird bird Flocking flocking and Firm firm Competitioncompetition. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2017, 1-14. doi:10.1155/2017/3807912

Cheng, S. (2015). Potential lending discrimination? Insights from small business

financing and new venture survival. Journal of Small Business Management, 53(4),

905-923. doi:10.1111/jsbm.12112

Chu, H., & Ke, Q. (2017). Research methods: What’s in the name? Library and Information Science Research, 39(4), 284–294. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2017.11.001

Civelek, M. E., Çemberci, M., Artar, O. K., & Uca, N. (2015). Key Factors factors of Sustainable sustainable Firm firm Performanceperformance: A Strategic Approach. Zea E-Books, Book 34.

Connelly, L. M. (2013). Limitation section. Medsurg Nursing, 22, 325-336. Retrieved from http://www.medsurgnursing.net

Connelly, L. M. (2015). Understanding research. Research questions and hypotheses. Medsurg Nursing, 24, 435-436. Retrieved from http://www.medsurgnursing.net

Cope, D. G. (2014). Methods and meanings: Credibility and trustworthiness of qualitative research. Oncology Nursing Forum, 41(1), 89-91. doi:10.1188/14.onf.89-9110.1188/14.ONF.89-91

Cope, D. G. (2015). Case study research methodology in nursing research. Oncology Nursing Forum, 42(6), 681-682. doi:10.1188/15.onf.681-68210.1188/15.ONF.681-682

Cooper, D., Peake, W., & Watson, W. (2016). Seizing opportunities: The moderating role of managerial characteristics on the relationship between opportunity-seeking and innovation efficacy in small businesses. Journal of Small Business Management, 54(4), 1038-1058. doi:10.1111/jsbm.12228

Dasgupta, M., & Banker, D. V. (2015). Integrating Organization organization Culture culture with Corporate corporate Sustainability sustainability Strategystrategy: A Review. Retrieved from https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=789116067090118106119102096092010010100085029034061049102012105014085115066127085110057122057000109057009020090126094064089125033036011060059107110113076078079114005039042064017009126082121005122011103074007104123005081083090069081104085105120098092122&EXT=pdfProceedings of ICRBS 2015 December 4-6, 2015. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2804447.

Dayan, R., Heisig, P., & Matos, F. (2017). Knowledge management as a factor for the formulation and implementation of organization strategy. Journal of Knowledge Management, 21(2), 308-329. doi:10.1108/jkm-02-2016-0068

De la Cuesta Benjumea, C. (2014). Access to information in qualitative research. A matter of care. Investigación y Educación En Enfermería, 32(3), 480–487. doi:10.17533/udea.iee.v32n3a13

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2015). The landscape of qualitative research: Theories and issues (2nd ed.). London: Sage.

Domenech Rodríguez, M. M., Corralejo, S. M., Vouvalis, N., & Mirly, A. K. (2017). Institutional review board: Ally not adversary. Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, 22(2), 76-84. doi:10.24839/2325-7342.JN22.2.76

Drouin, M., Stewart, J., & Van Gorder, K. (2015). Using methodological triangulation to examine the effectiveness of a mentoring program for online instructors. Distance Education, 36(3), 400-418. doi:10.1080/01587919.2015.1081735

Dubey, R., Gunasekaran, A., Papadopoulos, T., Childed, S. J., Shibine, K. T., & Wamba, S. F. (2017). Sustainable supply chain management: framework and further research directions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142(2), 1119-1130. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.03.117

Duygulu, E., Ozeren, E., Işıldar, P., & Appolloni, A. Duygulu, E., Ozeren, E., I¸sıldar, P., & Appolloni, A. (2016). The Sustainable sustainable Strategy strategy for Small small and Medium medium Sized sized Enterprisesenterprises: The Relationship relationship between Mission mission Statements and Performanceperformance. Sustainability, 8(698), 1-16. doi:10.3390/su8070698

Dyllick, T., & Muff, K. (2015). Clarifying the Meaning meaning of Sustainable sustainable Businessbusiness: Introducing introducing a Typology typology From from Businessbusiness-as-Usual usual to True true Business business Sustainabilitydustainability. Organization & Environment, 1-19. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2368735

Ellinger, A. D., & McWhorter, R. (2016). Qualitative Case Study Research as Empirical Inquiry. International Journal of Adult Vocational Education & Technology, 7(3), 1. doi:10.4018/IJAVET.2016070101

Epstein, M. J. (2018). Making Sustainability sustainability Workwork: Best Practices practices in Managing nanaging and Measuring measuring Corporate corporate Socialsocial, Environmental environmental and Economic economic Impactsimpacts. London: Routledge.

Firmin, R. L., Bonfils, K. A., Luther, L., Minor, K. S., & Salyers, M. P. (2017). Using text-analysis computer software and thematic analysis on the same qualitative data: A case example. Qualitative Psychology, 4(3), 201-210. doi:10.1037/qup0000050

Flood, E., Silberg, D. G., Romero, B., Beusterien, K., Haim Erder, M., & Cuffari, C. (2017). Development of the pediatric daily ulcerative colitis signs and symptoms scale (DUCS): Qualitative research findings. BMC Research Notes, 10(1), 1-10. doi:10.1186/s13104-017-2814-3

Flynn, S. V., & Korcuska, J. S. (2018). Credible Phenomenological phenomenological Researchresearch: A Mixedmixed‐Methods methods Studystudy. Counselor Education & Supervision, 57(1), 34–50. doi:10.1002/ceas.12092

Fontana, A., & Prokos, A. H. (2016). The interview: From formal to postmodern. Routledge.

Francis, J., Johnston, M., Robertson, C., Glidewell, L., Entwistle, V., Eccles, M., & Grimshaw, J. (2014). What is an adequate sample size? Operationalising data saturation for theory-based interview studies. Psychology and Health, 25(10), 1229-1245. doi:10.1080/08870440903194015

Fross, K., Winnicka-Jasłowska, D., Gumińska, A., Masły, D., & Sitek, M. (2015). Use of

qualitative research in architectural design and evaluation of the built environment. Procedia Manufacturing, 3, 1625-1632. doi:10.1016/j.promfg.2015.07.453

Fusch, P. I., & Ness, L. R. (2015). Are we there yet? Data saturation in qualitative research. The qualitative Qualitative reportReport, 20(9), 1408-1416. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol20/iss9/3

Given, L. M. (2018). The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. doi:10.4135/9781412963909

Galpin, T., Whitttington, J. L., & Bell, G. (2015). Is your sustainability strategy sustainable? Creating a culture of sustainability. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, 15(1), 1–17. doi:10.1108/cg-01-2013-0004Corporate Governance, 15(1), 1-17.

Goertzen, M. J. (2017). Introduction to quantitative research and data. Library

Technology Reports, 53(4), 12-18. Retrieved from https://librarytechnology.org

Guimarães, J. C., Severo, E. A., & Vasconcelos, C. R. (2017). Sustainable Competitive competitive Advantageadvantage: A Survey survey of Companies companies in Southern southern Brazil. Brazilian Business Review, 14(3), 352-367. doi:10.15728/bbr.2017.14.3.6

Hakkak, M., & Ghodsi, M. (2015). Development of a sustainable competitive advantage model based on Balanced balanced sScorecard. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 5(5), 298-308. doi:10.18488/journal.1/2015.5.5/1.5.298.308

Hammarberg, K., Kirkman, M., & de Lacey, S. (2016). Qualitative research methods: when to use them and how to judge them. Human Reproduction, 31(3), 498-501. doi:10.1093/humrep/dev334

Hanssens, D. M., & Pauwels, K. H. (2016). Demonstrating the value of marketing. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 173-190. doi:10.1509/jm.15.0417

Harvey, L. (2015). Beyond Membermember-Checkingchecking: A Dialogic dialogic Approach approach to the Research research Interviewinterview. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 38(1), 23–38. doi:10.1080/1743727X.2014.914487

Hayes, J. P., Chawla, S. K., & Kathawala, Y. (2015). A comparative study of problems

encountered in the development of small businesses in the U.S. and Mexico.

Journal of Developing Areas, 49(3), 395-406. doi:10.1353/jda.2015.0175

Helfat, C., & Zuzul, T. (2016). Capability Lifecyclelifecycle. In M. Augier, & D. J. Teece, The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management (pp. 1-5). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hernández-Perlines, F., & Cisneros, M. A. (2018). The Role role of Environment environment in Sustainable sustainable Entrepreneurial entrepreneurial Orientationorientation: The Case case of Family family Firmsfirms. Sustainability, 10(20376), 20371-16. doi:10.3390/su10062037

Hill, A., & Bundy, A. C. (2014). Reliability and validity of a new instrument to measure tolerance of everyday risk for children. Child: Care, Health, & Development, 40(1), 68-76. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2012.01414.x

Ho, P., & Barnes, L. (2013). An examination of how entrepreneurs in Hong Kong

personal success through business activities. Journal of Marketing

Development and Competitiveness, 7, 63-72. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2082699

Holloway, D. E., & Schaefer, T. (2014). Practitioner perspectives on leadership in small

business. International Journal of the Academic Business World, 8(2), 27-36.

Retrieved from http://jwpress.com

Holroyd, C. (2001). Phenomenological research method, design, and procedure: A phenomenological investigation of the phenomenon of being-in-community as experienced by two individuals who have participated in a community building workshop. Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, 1(1), 1-10. doi:10.1080/20797222.2001.11433859.

Ifekwem, N., & Adedamola, O. (2016). Survival Strategies and Sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State. Acta Univ. Sapientiae, Economics and Business, 4(1), 103–118. doi:10.1515/auseb-2016-0006

Ioannou, L. (2018, June 19). Banks are lending—but no love for the little guy. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/id/101009116

Jansson, J., Nilsson, J., Modig, F., & Vall, G. H. (2017). Commitment to Sustainability sustainability in Small small and Mediummedium-Sized sized Enterprisesenterprises: The Influence influence of Strategic strategic Orientations orientations and Management management Valuesvalues. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(1), 69–83. doi:10.1002/bse.1901

Jones, T. M., Harrison, J. S.Jeffrey S. Harrison, & Felps, W. (2018). How Applying applying Instrumental instrumental Stakeholder stakeholder Theory theory Can can Provide provide Sustainable sustainable Competitive competitive Advantageadvantage. Academy of Management Review, 43(3). doi:10.5465/amr.2016.0111

Joslin, R., & Müller, R. (2016). Identifying interesting project phenomena using philosophical and methodological triangulation. International Journal of Project Management, 34(6), 1043-1056. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.05.005

Kabue, L. W., & Kilika, J. M. (2016). Firm Resourcesresources, core competencies, and Sustainable sustainable Competitive competitive Advantageadvantage: An Integrative integrative Theoretical theoretical Frameworkframework. Journal of Management and Strategy, 7(1), 98-108. doi:10.5430/jms.v7n1p98

Kemper, J. A., Hall, C. M., & Ballantine, P. W. (2018). Marketing and Sustainabilitysustainability: Business business as Usual usual or Changing changing Worldviewsworldviews? Sustainability, 11(7803), 780. doi:10.3390/su11030780

Kiesnere, A. L., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2019). Sustainability Management management in Practicepractice: Organizational organizational Change change for Sustainability sustainability in Smaller smaller Largelarge-Sized sized Companies companies in Austria. Sustainability, 11(5723), 572. doi:10.3390/su11030572

Köhler, T. (2016). From the editors: On writing up qualitative research in management learning and education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 15, 400-418. doi:10.5465/amle.2016.0275

Leonidou, L., Christodoulides, P., Kyrgidou, L., & Palihawadana, D. (2017). Internal

drivers and performance consequences of small firm green business strategy: The

moderating role of external forces. Journal of Business Ethics, 140(3), 585-606.

doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2670-9

Leung, L. (2015). Validity, reliability, and generalizability in qualitative research. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 4(3), 324-327. doi:10.4103/2249- 4863.161306

Leal Filho, W., & Brandli, L. (2016). Engaging Stakeholders stakeholders for Sustainable sustainable Developmentdevelopment. In W. Leal Filho, World Sustainability sustainability Series series (pp. 335-342). New York: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26734-0_21

Lev, B. (2017). Evaluating Sustainable sustainable Competitive competitive Advantageadvantage. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 29(2), 70-75. Doidoi: 10.1111/jacf.12234.

Levinson, M. (2018). U.S. Manufacturing in International international Perspectiveperspective. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/key_workplace/1020/Congressional Research Service.

Lewis, P., Saunders, M. N., & Thornhill, A. (2015). Research methods for business students (7th ed.). London, England: Pearson.

Liao, S.-H., Chen, C.-C., Hu, D.-C., Chung, Y.-c., & Yang, M.-J. (2017). Developing a sustainable competitive advantage: absorptive capacity, knowledge transfer, and organizational learning. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 42(6), 1431–1450. doi:10.1007/s10961-016-9532-1

Liao, S.-H., Hu, D.-C., & Dinga, L.-W. (2017). Assessing the influence of supply chain collaboration value innovation, supply chain capability and competitive advantage in Taiwan's networking communication industry. International Journal of Production Economics, 191, 143-153. doi:10.1016/j.ijpe.2017.06.001

LiboniAmui, L. B., Jabbour, C. J., Jabbour, A. B., & Kannan, D. (2017). Sustainability as a dynamic organizational capability: a systematic review and a future agenda toward a sustainable transition. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142(1), 308-322. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.07.103

Linnenluecke, M. K., & Griffiths, A. (2010). Corporate Sustainability sustainability and Organisational organisational Cultureculture. Jpurnal of World Business, 45(2010), 357-366. doi:10.1016/j.jwb.2009.08.006 

Lisa Murtha, F., & Lipkin, S. J. (2017). Ethical and operational issues related to clinical trial billing: What do HRPPs and IRBs need to consider? Journal of Health Care Compliance, 19, 23-30. Retrieved from HYPERLINK "http://www.healthcarecompliance.us" http://www.healthcarecompliance.ushttp://www.healthcarecompliance.us

Lewis, P., Saunders, M. N., & Thornhill, A. (2015). Research methods for business students (7th ed.). London, England: Pearson.

Lo, M., Ramayah, T., & Wang, Y. C. (2015). Sustainable leadership: Power of influence in MNCS in Malaysia. Applied Economics, 47, 3198-32151-18. doi:10.1080/00036846.2015.1013610

Klaus Rose, & Hans Kummer. (2015). A New Ethical Challenge for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)/Ethics Committees (ECs) in the Assessment of Pediatric Clinical Trials. Children, 2, 198-210. doi:10.3390/children2020198

Kondowe, C., & Booyens, M. (2014). A student's experience of gaining access for qualitative research. Social Work, 50(1), 146-152. doi:10.15270/50-1-17

Kuper, A., Lingard, L., & Levinson, W. (2018). Critically appraising qualitative research. BMJ, 337(aug07 3), a1035–a1035. doi:10.1136/bmj.a1035, a1035. doi:10.1136/bmj.a1035

Majama, N. S., & Magang, T. I. (2017). Strategic Planning planning in Small small and Medium medium Enterprises enterprises (SMEs): A Case case Study study of Botswana SMEs. Journal of Management and Strategy, 8(1), 74-103. doi: 10.5430/jms.v8n1p74

Manley, K., Martin, A., Jackson, C., & Wright, T. (2016). Using systems thinking to

identify workforce enablers for a whole systems approach to urgent and

emergency care delivery: A multiple case study. BMC Health Services Research,

16(368), 1-10. doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1616-y

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2017). Designing qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Marques, L., Kniess, C. T., Meira, S. R., & Ruiz, M. S. (2017). Research in Strategy strategy and Sustainabilitysustainability: Proposal of a Research research Agenda agenda from a Bibliometric bibliometric Studystudy. Iberoamerican Journal Of Strategic Management (IJSM), 16(3), 5-21. doi:10.5585/ijsm.v16i3.2544

McCusker, K., & Gunaydin, S. (2015). Research using qualitative, quantitative or mixed

methods and choice based on the research. Perfusion, 30(7), 537-542.

doi:10.1177/0267659114559116.

McKinley, W., Latham, S., & Braun, M. (2015). Organizational decline and innovation: Turnarounds and downward spirals. Academy of Management Review, 39(1), 88- 110. doi:10.5465/amr.2011.0356

McLeod, J., & Childs, S. (2013). The Cynefin framework: A tool for analyzing qualitative data in information science? Library and Information Science Research, 35(4), 299-309. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2013.05.004

Moldogaziev, T. T., & Resh, W. G. (2016). A systems theory approach to innovation implementation: Why organizational location matters. Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 26, 677-692. doi:10.1093/jopart/muv047

McNeil, M. R., Pratt, S. R., Szuminsky, N., Sung, J. E., Fossett, T. R. D., Fassbinder, W., & Lima, K. Y. (2015). Reliability and validity of the computerized revised token test: Comparison of reading and listening versions in persons with and without aphasia. Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research, 58, 111-124. doi:10.1044/2015_JSLHR-L-13-0030

Memili, E., Fang, H. C., Chrisman, J. J., & De Massis, A. (2015). The impact of small- and medium-sized family firms on economic growth. Small Business Economics, 45(4), 771–785. doi:10.1007/s11187-015-9670-0The impact of small

and medium-sized family firms on economic growth. Small Business Economics, 45, 771-785. doi:10.1007/s11187-015-9670-0.

Meyer, B. (2015). Case studies. In Researching Translation translation and Interpreting interpreting (pp. 195-202). London: Routledge.

Miles, D. A. (2014). Developing a taxonomy for identifying entrepreneurial risk: An

empirical study on entrepreneurial risk patterns of business enterprises. Journal of

Developmental Entrepreneurship, 19(1), 1-22. doi:10.1142/S1084946714500022

Miracle, V. A. (2016). The Belmont report: The triple crown of research ethics.

Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 35(4), 223-228. doi:10.1097/DCCdcc.0000000000000186

Mitchell, S. (2017, October 2). Small Business Share of All Commercial Loans by Size of Financial Institution, 2009. Retrieved from https://ilsr.org/charts-small-banks-small-business-lending/

Moffat, M. (2017). Small Business business in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/advocacy/All_States_0.pdf

Moldogaziev, T. T., & Resh, W. G. (2016). A systems theory approach to innovation implementation: Why organizational location matters. Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 26(4), 677-692. doi:10.1093/jopart/muv047

Moon, K., Brewer, T. D., Januchowski-Hartley, S. R., Adams, V. M., & Blackman, D. A. (2016). A guideline to improve qualitative social science publishing in ecology and conservation journals. Ecology and Society, 21(3). doi:10.5751/es-08663-210317Ecology & Society, 21, 133-152. doi:10.5751/es08663-210317

Mutiganda, J. C., Hassel, L. G., & Fagerström, A. (2013). Accounting for competition, 'circuits of power' and negotiated order between not-for-profit and public sector organizations. Financial Accountability & Management, 29(4), 378-396. doi:10.1111/faam.12023

Muenjohn, N., & McMurray, A. (2016). The impact of leadership on workplace innovation in Thai and Vietnamese SMES. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(5), 479- 486. doi:10.1353/jda.2016.0045

Nielsen, H. J., & Hjørland, B. (2014). Curating research data: The potential roles of libraries and information professionals. Journal of Documentation, 70(2), 221-240. doi:10.1108/JD-03-2013-0034

Neto, M., Oliveira, T., & Ruivo, P. (2015). Using resource-based view theory to assess the value of ERP commercial-packages in SMEs. Computers in Industry, 73, 105-116. doi:10.1016/j.compind.2015.06.001

Nonaka, I., & Reinmoeller, P. (2017). Knowledge Creation creation and Utilizationutilization: Promoting Dynamic dynamic Systems systems of Creative creative Routinesroutines. In M. A. Hitt, R. Amit, C. E. Lucrier, & R. D. Nixon, Creating Value: Winners in the New Business Environment (pp. 103-126). Wiley. doi:10.1002/9781405164092.ch6

North, K., & Kumta, G. (2018). Knowledge Managementmanagement: Value Creation creation Through through Organizational organizational Learninglearning. Berlin: Springer.

Ocampo, L., & Ocampo, C. O. (2015). A Proposed proposed Sustainable sustainable Manufacturing manufacturing Strategy strategy Frameworkframework. Business Systems and Economics, 5(1), 87-98. doi:10.13165/VSE-15-5-1-08

Ode, E., Rigby, J., & Proudlove, N. (2017). How Knowledge knowledge Management management Processes processes Increase increase Customer customer Value value and Firm firm Performance performance Through through Value value Coco-Creationcreation. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3148453

Oltmann, S. M. (2016). Qualitative interviews: A methodological discussion of the interviewer and respondent contexts. In Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 17( (Vol. 17, No. 2). doi: 10.17169/fqs-17.2.2551, p. 1).

Onen, D. (2016). Appropriate conceptualisation: The foundation of any solid quantitative research. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 14, 28-38. Retrieved from http://www.ejbrm.com

Opoku, A., Ahmed, V., & Cruickshank, H. (2015). Leadership, Culture culture and Suistainable suistainable Built built Environmentenvironment. Built Environment Propject and Asset Management, 5(2). doi:10.1108/BEPAMbepam-11-2014-0058

Othman, R., Arshad, R., Aris, N. A., & Arif, S. M. M. (2015). Organizational resources and sustained competitive advantage of cooperative organizations in Malaysia. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 170, 120-127. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.021

O’Reilly, M., & Parker, N. (2018). ‘Unsatisfactory saturation’': A critical exploration of saturated sample sizes in qualitative research. Qualitative Research, 13(2), 190-197. doi:10.1177/1468794112446106

Pophal, L. (2015). Small business and content marketing. Econtent, 38(3), 6-8. Retrieved from http://www.econtentmag.com

Porter, M. E. (2008). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful Sampling sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533-544. doi:10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y

Parvaresh-Masoud, M., & Varaei, S. H. (2018). Electronic Interview interview in Qualitative qualitative Researchresearch. Iran Journal of Nursing, 31(112), 1-5. doi:10.29252/ijn.31.112.1

Paulus, T., Woods, M., Atkins, D. P., & Macklin, R. (2017). The discourse of QDAS: reporting practices of ATLAS.ti and NVivo users with implications for best practices. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 20(1), 35-47. doi:10.1080/13645579.2015.1102454

Piekkari, R., Plakoyiannaki, E., & Welch, C. (2015). ‘Good’ case research in industrial marketing: Insights from research practice. Industrial Marketing Management, 39(1), 109-117. doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2008.04.017

Porter, M. E. (2008). Competitive Strategystrategy: Techniques for Analyzing analyzing Industries industries and Competitorscompetitors. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Poveda, C. A., & Young, R. (2015). Potential benefits of developing and implementing

environmental and sustainability rating systems: Making a case for the need for diversification. International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment, 4(1), 1-11. doi: HYPERLINK "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2014.12.003" \t "_blank" \o "Persistent link using digital object identifier" 10.1016/j.ijsbe.2014.12.00310.1016/j.ijsbe.2014.12.003.

Pringle, P. L., Collins, C., & Santry, H. P. (2013). Utilization of morning report by acute care surgery teams: Results from a qualitative study. The American Journal of Surgery, 206(5), 647-654. doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2013.07.012

Rallis, S. F., & Lawrence, R. B. (2017). Integrity Is is More more Than than Validityvalidity: Seeking Crediblecredible, Usableusable, and Ethical ethical Researchresearch. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2017(174), 25–38. doi:10.1002/ir.20218

Rashid, N., Jabar, J., Yahya, S., & Samer, S. (2015). State of the Art of Sustainable Development: An Empirical Evidence from Firm’s Resource and Capabilities of Malaysian Automotive Industry. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 165, 463-472.

Rhee, Y. P., & Park, C. (2018). Knowledge Creation creation Capability capability and Innovation innovation in Global global Consulting consulting Firmsfirms. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2018(1) , 17919. doi:10.5465/ambpp.2018.17919abstract.

Rhodes, J., Bergstrom, B., Lok, P., & Cheng, V. (2014). A framework for stakeholder engagement and sustainable development in MNCs. Journal of Global Responsibility, 5(1), 82-103. doi:10.1108/JGR-02-2014-000

Rimando, M., Brace, A. M., Namageyo-Funa, A., Parr, T. L., Sealy, D. A., Davis, T. L., ... & Christiana, R. W. (2015). Data collection challenges and recommendations for early career researchers. The Qualitative Report, 20, 2025-2036. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol20/iss12/8.

Rothaermel, F. T. (2015). Strategic Management (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Rowe, M., Rosenheck, R., Stern, E., & Bellamy, C. (2014). Video conferencing technology in research on schizophrenia: A qualitative study of site research staff. Psychiatry: Interpersonal & Biological Processes, 77(1), 98-102. doi:10.1521/psyc.2014.77.1.98

Rothaermel, F. T. (2015). Strategic Management management (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. (2014). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Ruivo, P., Oliveira, T., & Neto, M. (2015). Using resource-based view theory to assess the value of ERP commercial-packages in SMEs. Computers in Industry, 73, 105–116. doi:10.1016/j.compind.2015.06.001

Sandada, M. (2015). Strategic planning dimensions in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa: Their relative importance and variations in selected demographic variables. Ecoforum, 4(1), 59-68. Retrieved from http://ecoforumjournal.ro/index.php/eco/article/download/71/81

Sargeant, J. (2015). Qualitative research part II: Participants, analysis, and quality assurance. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 4(1), 1-3. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-11-00307.1

Sarros, J. C., Luca, E., Densten, I., & Santora, J. C. (2014). Leaders and their use of motivating language. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 35(3), 226- 240. doi:10.1108/LODJlodj-06-2012-0073

Shenton, A. K., & Hayter, S. (2014). Strategies for gaining access to organisations and informants in qualitative studies. Education for Information, 22(3-4), 223–231. doi:10.3233/efi-2004-223-404 22, 223-231. ISSN-0167-8329.

Sherchand, J. B. (2017). Mission of institutional review board/ethical review committee. Journal of Institute of Medicine, 39(1), 1-2. Retrieved from http://www.jiom.com

Shields, J., & M.Shelleman, J. (2015). Integrating Sustainability into SME Strategy. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 25(2), 59-76. Retrieved from https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/561 Comment by J Mayo: Doi or journal homepage

Stahl, G. (2016). Relationship-building in research: Gendered identity construction in researcher-participant interaction. In M. R. Ward, Gender identity and research relationships (Studies in qualitative methodology, Volume 14) (pp. 145-165). Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Stincelli, E., & Baghurst, T. (2014). A grounded theory exploration of informal leadership qualities as perceived by employees and managers in small organizations. International Journal of Business Management & Economic Research, 5(1), 1-8. Retrieved from http://ijbmer.com/

Subramony, A., Hametz, P. A., & Balmer, D. (2014). Issues in the care of children and

adolescents: Family-centered rounds in theory and practice: An ethnographic case

Study. Academic Pediatrics, 14(2), 200-206. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2013.11.003

Szczepańska-Woszczyna, K., & Kurowska-Pysz, J. (2016). Sustainable business development through leadership in SMEs. Economics and Management, 8(3), 57-69. doi: 10.1515/emj-2016-0024

Taherdoost, H. (2016). Sampling methods in research methodology: How to choose a sampling technique for research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management, 5(2), 18-27. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3205035

Tai, J., & Ajjawi, R. (2016). Undertaking and reporting qualitative research. The Clinical

Teacher, 13(3), 175-182. doi:10.1111/tct.12552

Tetnowski, J. (2015). Qualitative case study research design. Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders, 25(1), 39-45. doi: 10.1044/ffd25.1.39

Thomas, S. (2015). Exploring strategies for retaining information technology

professionals: A case study (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3681815)

Trivedi, K., Trived, P., & Goswami, V. (2018). Sustainable Marketing marketing Strategiesstrategies: Creating creating Business business Value value by Meeting meeting Consumer consumer Expectationexpectation. International Journal of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, 186-205. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10419/18078. Comment by J Mayo: Please review APA 6th edition chapter 6

Turner, S., & Endres, A. (2017). Strategies for enhancing small-business owners' owners’ success

Ratesrates. International Journal of Applied Management & Technology, 16, 34-49.

doi:10.5590/IJAMTijamt.2017.16.1.03

Turner, S. F., Cardinal, L. B., & Burton, R. M. (2017). Research design for mixed

methods. Organizational Research Methods, 20(2), 243-267.

doi:10.1177/1094428115610808

United Nations Industrial Development Organization. (2017). Industrial Development development Report report 2018. Demand for Manufacturingmanufacturing: Driving Inclusive inclusive and Sustainable sustainable Industrial industrial Developmentdevelopment. Vienna: United Nations Industrial Development Organization.Retrieved from https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/files/2017-11/IDR2018_FULL%20REPORT.pdf Comment by J Mayo: Check capitalization and spacing

Upstill-Goddard, J., Glass, J., Dainty, A. R., & Nicholson, I. (2016). Implementing sustainability in small and medium-sized construction firms: the The role of absorptive capacity. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 23(4), 407-427. Doidoi: 10.1108/ECAMecam-01-2015-0015.

Ussahawanitchakit, P. (2017). Management control systems and firm sustainability: Evidence from textile and apparel businesses in Thailand. Asian Academy of Management Journal, 22(2), 185–208. doi: 10.21315/aamj2017.22.2.7

U.S. Small Business Administration. (2014). Small business, big impact. Retrieved from

https://www.sba.gov/blogs/small-business-big-impact-celebrating-our-countryand-small-businesses.

U.S. Small Business Administration. (2017). The United States small business profile.

Retrieved from https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/advocacy/United_States_1.pdf

Van van den Berg, R., & Ma, W. J. (2014). “Plateau” related summary statistics are uninformative for comparing working memory models. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 76(7), 117-135. doi:10.3758/s13414-013-0618-7

Varpio, L., Ajjawi, R., Monrouxe, L. V., O’Brien, B. C., & Rees, C. E. (2017). Shedding the cobra effect: problematising thematic emergence, triangulation, saturation and member checking. Medical Education, 51(1), 40–-50. doi:10.1111/medu.13124. Comment by J Mayo: Please use a consistent en dash, em dash, or hyphen

Wagstaff, C., & Williams, B. (2014). Specific design features of an interpretative

phenomenological analysis study. Nurse Researcher, 21(3), 8-12.

doi:10.7748/nr2014.01.21.3.8.e1226

Wallace, M., & Sheldon, N. (2015). Business Research research Ethicsethics: Participant Observer observer Perspectivesperspectives. Journal of Business Ethics, 128(2), 267–277. doi:10.1007/s10551-014-2102-2

Wang, H., Han, P., & Liu, W. (2018). How to Improve improve Sustainable sustainable Competitive competitive Advantage advantage from the Distributor distributor and the Supplier supplier Networksnetworks: Evidence from the Paperpaper-Making making Industry industry in China. Sustainability, 10(20386), 20381-13. doi: 10.3390/su10062038

Weerawardena, J., & Salunke, S. (2017). Resolving the market learning-firm Competitive advantage debate, an empirical investigation: An abstract. Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science, 699–699. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47331-4_133Weerawardena, J., & Salunke, S. (2017). Resolving the Market Learning-Firm

Competitive Advantage Debate, an Empirical Investigation: An Abstract. In P. Rossi, Marketing at the Confluence between Entertainment and Analytics. Developments in Marketing

Wu, K.-J., Liao, C.-J., Tseng, M.-L., & Chou, P.-J. (2017). Understanding Innovation innovation for Sustainable sustainable Business business Management management Capabilities capabilities and Competencies competencies under Uncertaintyuncertainty. Sustainability, 7(10), 13726-13760. doi:10.3390/su71013726

Yates, J., & Leggett, T. (2016). Qualitative research: An introduction. Radiologic

Technology, 88, 225-231. Retrieved from http://www.radiologictechnology.org

Yilmaz, K. (2016). Comparison of quantitative and qualitative research traditions: epistemologicalEpistemological, theoretical, and methodological differences. European Journal of Education, 48(2), 311-325. doi: 10.1111/ejed.12014

Yildiz, S., Basturk, F., & Boz, I. T. (2015). The effect of leadership and innovativeness on business performance. Procedia –Social and Behavioral Sciences, 150, 785 793. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.064

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Zeuli, K., & O'Shea, K. (2017). Small business growth. Economic Development Journal,

16, 15-21. Retrieved from http://www.iedconline.org

Zyphur, M., & Pierides, D. (2017). Is quantitative research ethical? Tools for ethically

practicing, evaluating, and using quantitative research. Journal of Business Ethics,

143(1), 1-16. doi:10.1007/s10551-017-3549-8

The interview protocol will comprise of the following steps:

(a) Ensure receipt of informed consent; greet the participant; make an opening statement; turn on audio recording device.

(b) Ask the interview questions as follows:

How does your company define sustainable business development practices?

How does your company identify sustainable business development practices?

What are some of the sustainable business strategies you have adopted to ensure sustainability?

What implementation processes are used by your business to ensure that sustainable business development practices are successful?

What were the key barriers to implementing the strategies your organization used to ensure its sustainability?

How did you overcome the key challenges that you encountered while implementing the sustainability strategies?

How did you assess the effectiveness of your strategies for sustainability?

What other information would you like to share regarding business sustainability?

(c) Ask probing questions for additional information and clarity.

(d) Ask participants to verify themes and codes noted during the interview.

(d) Follow-up with additional questions as needed for clarity regarding themes.

My name is__________ and I am a student at________. I am inviting you to participate in an academic research study. Involvement in this study is voluntary, so you may choose to participate or not. A description of this study follows an unstructured questionnaire regarding your views on the success of small businesses. I am interested in learning more about sustainability strategies for small businesses. My learning objectives are related to my formal education pursuits. This information will be used in a business proposal for my Degree of Doctor of Business Administration.

The subject of the academic research is understanding some of the sustainability strategies that small businesses employ to remain in business for more than 5 years. Answering the research questions will not take more than one hour. There are no risks involved while participating in this study.

If you no longer wish to continue, you have the right to withdraw from the study without penalty at any time. All information of this study will be kept anonymous and confidential. I will be the only person who has access to the raw data.

I have been assured that the information I provide in this study will be destroyed after the researcher consolidates data. There will be no permanent record of my participation in this study.

I________________ am willing to participate in this study (name of participant).

Signature of participant_____________ Comment by J Mayo: A signature line is not required if the respondent is replying within an email Please discuss with your chair or consider an IRB office hours session

Date________________________

Print name of participant________________

Signature of researcher_____________________

Date______________________

Print name of researcher_________________