STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL BUSINESS RESTAURAN

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STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL BUSINESS

RESTAURAN

Section 1: Foundation of the Study

Background

Small businesses are important because they provide strength to local economies

(Ribeiro-Soriano, 2017). The major problem is that the failures of small businesses not

only exist in the United States, but worldwide. In the United States, small businesses

account for nearly 50% of businesses (U.S. Small Business Administration Office of

posited that some small business owners are not experienced in designing strategies to

market their product and services. Small business restaurant owners are in need of

effective strategies to maintain their operations beyond 5 years. Because of this widely

common problem, there is a need for research to understand why most small businesses

do not survive outside of the first 5 years of opening so that better strategies are provided

to increase sustainability.

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Problem Statement

Small business owners in the United States create approximately 60% of the new

jobs in the entire nation each year but unfortunately, the success rate of small businesses

is low (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2017). Approximately 50% of small

businesses that start up do not last beyond the fifth year (Turner & Endres, 2017). The

some small business restaurant owners to grow and maintain profitability to sustain

business beyond 5 years. The targeted population consisted of five small business

restaurant owners located in the southeastern region of the United States, who have

grown and maintained profitability to sustain business beyond 5 years. The implication

for social change is small business restaurant owners can grow and maintain profitability

to sustain business beyond 5 years, provide more jobs for the community, and help

stimulate the local economy through revenue circulation. In addition, employees’

selfworth and self-dignity may increase through improved restaurant sustainability

because of new and continuing job and career opportunities.

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Nature of the Study

There are three types of research approaches: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed

methods (Yin, 2018). Quantitative researchers measure relationships and correlations

between and among independent and dependent variables. Qualitative researchers explore

the experiences of those who have experienced the phenomenon (Park & Park, 2016).

When a researcher wants to explore a problem, the use of a qualitative approach is more

and phenomenology. In a narrative design, researchers compile accounts of participants’

shared personal experiences but that is not the purpose of my study. In an ethnographic

design, researchers identify shared patterns or trends of a group’s culture (Muskat et al.,

2018). However, my intention was not to discover patterns among groups’ members.

Phenomenological design includes the experiences of subjects regarding the subject

phenomenon, including the subject’s emotional aspects (Gaete Celis, 2019). Case study is

the preferred design researchers employ when asking how or what questions. I chose to

use a case study design because I wanted to fully explore successful strategies sustaining

small restaurant businesses. More specifically, I chose a multiple case study design

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instead of a single case study design to increase the credibility of my findings through the

account of multiple small business restaurant owners.

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Ludwig von Bertalanffy introduced the general systems theory in 1949 (vonBertalanffy,

2017). For example, in the restaurant industry, if a chef orders too much food, eventually

there will be waste and a cost increase. Similarly, if too little food is ordered, the

restaurant owner may reduce cash outlay but orders will go unfilled and customers may

become upset, which will decrease profits and could negatively affect business

sustainability. Chefs can use the tenets of the systems theory to correct these kinds of

errors.

recent additions to the theory are now relevant for small business owners. Unless small

business restaurant owners are experienced, there are several unpredictable challenges

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they may face. The start-up phase of small restaurant businesses can be challenging so

owners should remain proactive and responsive so they can quickly adapt and as

necessary, revise their business strategies. Small business restaurant owners could benefit

improved, and sustained.

Assumptions are accepted truths that have not been proven (Schoenung & Dikova,

2016). I assumed that all participants would answer the interview questions honestly. I

also assumed that all participants would answer each interview question with adequate

details. My third assumption was that each participant wants to contribute to this

research. Lastly, I assumed that participants would remain neutral (i.e., minimal bias)

when answering questions.

Limitation

based geographical reference.

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Delimitations

Rossman, 2016). The first delimitation of this study is that the focus is on small

restaurant businesses with less than 15 employees. The second delimitation is that

participants of this study are located in the southeastern region of the United States.

Business performance: Business performance refers to the actual business output

regarding financial performance, product performance, and shareholder return measured

against the intended business output (Foley & O’Connor, 2017).

Competitive advantage: Competitive advantage is a business attribute that

system (VonBertalanffy, 1972).

Contribution to Business Practice

There is a vast number of published articles about competitive business practices

for small businesses. If there were a significant number of articles available that address

key specific challenges that small business restaurant owners undergo and important

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management skills to maintain profitability, identifying, and exploring successful

sustainable business strategies would be a helpful contribution. By applying the systems

theory, business owners can improve sustainability rates by assessing each business

strategies regarding strategic planning, leadership, finance, innovation, and marketing

help decrease the failure rate. The results of this qualitative study may help small business

restaurant owners in strategizing more efficiently and effectively remain profitable and

owners can make more effective and efficient business decisions.

Implications for Social Change

There are a couple of advantages to starting or having viable small businesses in

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through the circulation of money spent by consumers, whose spending could enhance the

quality of life and dignity of local citizens.

offer knowledge about the business problem and bridge gaps in literature relating to the

small businesses. I analyzed peer-reviewed articles related to the systems theory, small

businesses, strategic planning, leadership styles and skills, innovation, business

sources for this study, the sources are from an assortment of management and business,

economics, multidisciplinary social and human sciences databases, which includes

EBSCOhost, ProQuest, SAGE Premier, Emerald Management Journals, and government

websites. The keywords and phrases that I used to obtain the literature used in this study

included small business owners, small business success, small business sustainability,

sustainability strategies, leadership strategies, leadership styles, marketing strategies,

social media marketing, innovation, systems theory, contingency theory, grey systems

theory, complexity theory, profitability, small business funding, small business

restaurants, and small business finance. The search phrases that I selected for the

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Holistic Approach

2017).

Systems Thinking

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thinking to concentrate on components of their business and determine the

possible effect on other business components (Fiore et al., 2018).

McMahon (2017) stated that the use of the systems theory is beneficial in

comprehending the connections among the components in a complex system.

and the quality of service increases. By viewing each business component as

interconnected opposed to being attentive to single aspects of the business,

business owners can design and implement more efficient strategies to promote

sustainability (Belinfanti & Stout, 2018).

being out of stock (e.g., ketchup) or the menu being reduced (e.g., “temporary not

available” notices). Another example is hiring an unskilled leader, who may

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negatively affect marketing and finance components because of their lack of

knowledge in those areas. While each function has a different objective, they are

all interconnected. Viewing each as components of a whole helps business owners

Researchers may view phenomena through several approaches. Before confirming

that the systems theory was suitable for this qualitative study, I explored several

perfect, imperfect, defective, or universal. Many of the sustainability theories that

surfaced from research literature contradicted the general systems theory. In the following

this study.

characteristics. According to Fiedler, leadership style is fixed in the contingency theory.

Fiedler recommended that the best leadership style is dictated by the situation (Pratono,

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2016). Using the contingency theory, the success of small businesses is based on the

method of the leader, as opposed to the leader themselves.

Grey Systems Theory

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information (Liu et al., 2016). Essentially, researchers must make assumptions based on

partial information using the grey systems theory. With sufficient information about the

problem, researchers can use the systems theory to properly identify problems and

study because restaurant data will be information will be available and sufficient.

Complexity Theory

patterns and relations of elements. Small business owners can use the complexity theory

to encourage growth and discover sustainability methods, such as networking,

relationship building, and accountability (Han & McKelvey, 2016).

Small business owners may be unable to view their business holistically when identifying

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challenges and utilize critical systems thinking to project how changes in one area may

affect others.

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officials explicitly define small business according to size. The Small Business

Administration officials have listed the limitations of sizes for specific industries on its

website for clarification (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 2018). All small

(less than 50 employees), and medium (less than 500 employees) (Ellis, 2016a). A small

(U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, 2017). There are several

owners who bring in employees from disproportional demographical backgrounds;

(Quartey et al., 2017) More specifically, small business owners have the power to change

al., 2016). Economies benefit from sustainable business strategies as well because

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business owners start their own companies is because they want to be in control of their

own financial destinies. Business ownership is seen as an accumulation of wealth because

of the value and continuous income (Poposka et al., 2016). Although each owner has

(2016) presented another reason for small business failures, which explained that distrust

has a negative influence on performance.

knowledgeable to carry out the entire range of administrative functions. Because the

success of new small businesses may be dependent on the skills and experience of the

The successes or failures of small businesses may depend on the flexibility of the

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will use in this study to explore the strategies that small business restaurant owners used

to sustain their business. The holistic view of the general systems theory will be

appropriate for the study of business activities and strategies that small business

In 2020, a worldwide pandemic occurred that affected all businesses, more

specifically small restaurant businesses. Small business restaurant owners across the

severe symptoms, including death (Centers for Disease Control and Infection, 2020).

However, there were some restaurants that were allowed to continue services such as fast-

contact. Many owners were unprepared for this type of situation because their business

model was based on dine-in service. As a result, there was a significant decrease in the

small restaurant business survival rate and a massive increase in the unemployment rate

(Jennings, 2020).

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orders is that customers can see the full menu, pricing, and available pick-up times

through online ordering. Small business restaurants owners must continuously consider

the wavering demands and changes in the restaurant industry to survive.

resources and possibly were unknowledgeable about how to use available resources.

During this pandemic, small business restaurant owners may benefit from using the

one area affects any other areas and strategically use forecasting to the make adjustments

to remain sustainable.

strategic business planning process to declare their objectives and discover ways to meet

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business owners focus on customer desires, they are likely to forge new markets and

create new products (Suraksa et al., 2016). Small business owners should use innovation

to obtain the competitive advantage and add value to the stakeholders (Kumaza, 2018).

such as monetary compensation, paid travel time to visit conferences, and promotion.

strong, positive link between innovation and business performance, which link could

increase business sustainability (Bortoluzzi et al, 2018). Integrating innovation in

when brainstorming about processes, products, and services. After reviewing the ideas

strategy. Efficient, effective leadership and innovation in small businesses assist in

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(2017) determined that a reputable source of innovation is customers. Business owners

can solicit feedback from their customers through reviews and surveys to employ new

ideas, which are inexpensive.

innovative products, processes, and services because of the widely-diverse users.

Consumers use social media platforms to communicate to businesses about products and

of the business, availability of time and money, environment, business culture, innovation

potential, and position the business leader takes in the market. While small businesses

options available for less costly, yet effective innovation strategies.

Small business owners should take advantage of disruptive innovation because

technologies interrupt and replace the former (Lofsten, 2016). Competition and constant

that occurs when new technology is constructed for new markets or thoroughly changes

conditions in pre-existing ones. Bohnsack and Pinkse (2017) added that radical changes

in business models from established models are driven by disruptive innovation.

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Disruptive innovation is necessary when current technology becomes dated and newer

technology is better suited to satisfy the needs of consumers or when changes occur in the

business environment (Hazlett et al., 2016).

business model. When implementing disruptive innovation, business owners should

examine the extent of disruptiveness to determine whether the change is different from

Sometimes, the result of success or failure in small businesses is dependent upon

the adaptability of the owner to recognize and make changes as the business continues

consider (Batra et al., 2017).

One cause for failure with small businesses is the lack of leadership skills

(Amankwah-Amoah et al., 2018). Small business restaurant owners may have

management knowledge but fail to materialize their vision. Leadership and management

tenets are similar regarding the requisite engagement and involvement of others to

achieve a goal; however, both have specific functions in business (Oltean, 2016). Leaders

consider their influence on others and managers examine resources such as employees,

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data, and other materials that get the day-to-day job done (Vecchiotti, 2018). Small

business restaurant owners may benefit in employing a leader with competent leadership

skills to assist in achieving sustainability beyond 5 years.

postulates leadership as a natural-born characteristic (Miguel, 2017). While there is no

clear-cut definition for leadership because experiences vary across a broad spectrum,

intricate business environments, there is a need for direction. When selecting leadership

styles, small business owners should adopt a style that increases their likelihood of

add to the business; however, transformational leadership may yield more positive results

for small business restaurant owners in their attempt to retain employees and influence

them to commit to the business vision (Megheirkouni et al., 2018).

Among the vast of array of types of leaders are transformational leaders.

transformational leadership style is when there is a distinct focus on transforming and

inspiring. Transformational leaders are usually respected as role models as they give

followers a sense of purpose. The traits of transformational leaders include (a)

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inspirational motivation, (b) influential, (c) strong consideration for others, and (d)

intellectually stimulating. In business, transformational leadership occurs when leaders

influence followers to achieve the business goals through inspirational motivation

may be viewed as an extension of transactional leadership, but this is not to say that one

is better than the other (Megheirkouni et al., 2018). Transactional leaders center their

actions around rewards, incentives, and punishments to get followers to achieve the goal

while transformational leaders provide inspiration (Baškarada et al., 2017). In

transactional leadership, leaders may not closely engage with their employees, which may

cause employees to feel undervalued. Transformational leaders work to identify needed

Leadership skills are crucial for small business owners or the leader they

designate to oversee their business operations (Hockerts, 2017). Dillen et al. (2018)

pointed out that business owners with leadership skills increase sustainability because of

their strategic focus. One example is how well employees respond to those leadership’s

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direction (Javad et al., 2017). Those in leadership positions directly affect business

performance, which may determine the length of business sustainability.

employees to work harmoniously to achieve those goals. Small businesses should be

headed by leaders that continuously think analytically, examine internal and external

share their vision of the company to increase the likelihood of success.

strategic leadership in a way that is simple to understand (Sarfraz, 2017). Bloom’s

fact, ideas, and their links, apply and methods in various ways in current and past

propositioning substitute resolutions; creating a set of criteria certifying the work quality.

Successful business owners create innovative business strategies that include encourage

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business expansion by looking past short-term gains and focusing on sustaining longterm

success (Schoemaker et al., 2018).

of leadership, small business owners are able to create beneficial opportunities such as

cultivating internal and external relationships, implementing strategic ideas, and gaining

Marketing Strategies

Marketing is essential because the process makes consumers aware of products

and services offered from the business. In the case of smaller businesses, marketing is

especially vital to inform consumers of the business’s existence (Resnick et al., 2016).

Small business restaurant owners attract new customers by utilizing marketing strategies

The marketing strategies for small businesses are not similar to those in larger

companies (Miles et al., 2016). Small business owners usually have to select marketing

methods that are less costly because of limited financial resources. Patriotta and Hirsch

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(2016) explained that the cost is expensive to survey new markets through trial and error.

Word of mouth is a strong, effective marketing tool that business leaders use for no cost

(Dadzie et al., 2017). According to Archer-Brown et al. (2017), word-of-mouth

communication takes place 75% of the time face-to-face, 15% of the time on the phone,

and 10% of the time online. To develop inexpensive ways to reach consumers, small

engagement while focusing on inter/intraorganizational partnerships as a part of a

marketing strategy system (Whalen et al., 2016). A strategic marketing system includes a

needs analysis, innovation, positioning, plan development, implementation, evaluation,

and possible adjustments (Janicic & Jankovic, 2014). Strategic marketing is comprised of

approaches that help leaders develop and strengthen intended marketing plans. Marketing

is a valued contribution to customers and shareholders because of the development of

Marketing Mix

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include more Ps, the original marketing mix included 4 Ps: price, promotion, place, and

product (Borden, 1964). Small business restaurant owners may choose to include as many

Ps they feel are appropriate in their marketing mix, along with combining other marketing

(Kazibudzki & Trojanowski, 2020). The marketing mix is an aid for small business

Utilizing the 4Ps marketing mix may not be advantageous for small business

restaurant owners in their attempt to maximize sustainability. Bahadir et al. (2015) tested

concluded that the 4Ps marketing mix is not fitting for all types of markets. Gordon et al.

(2013) acknowledged that the 4Ps of marketing needed to be enhanced for application in

different types of markets. Booms and Bitner (1981) created a service marketing model

that accommodates business leaders who offer do not physical products but a service

instead. The service marketing model is an expansion of the original 4 Ps marketing mix

and includes an additional three Ps: people, physical evidence, and process. The way that

small business owners utilize different types of variables in the marketing mix is a

contribution to small business sustainability (Al Badi, 2018).

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Product. The business product may be the most important business component

because the actual product or service is what the customer purchases. Small business

owners should continuously strive to improve their products and/or services to remain

wings, salads, and alcoholic beverages. By diversifying the product mix, the restaurant

Price. Setting a price for the product is essential because that is how customers

may be affected negatively. Some pricing strategies that may benefit small business

restaurants are peak-load pricing and bundling (Heide, et al., 2008). Peak-load pricing is

price strategizing is when the lamb chops are only available with two side dishes and a

glass of wine. If products are priced too low, the perception of the product’s quality may

be affected negatively. Ultimately, small business restaurant owners should strategically

price their products to achieve competitive advantage and to maintain sustainability.

focus on answering how customers will find and purchase products. Marketers should

strive to understand who their target audience is to effectively choose the most fitting

channel for product distribution. If customers have a difficult time when attempting to

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describing the conceptual framework and significance of my study, I provided a review of

literature for support. In Section 2, I will restate the study’s purpose and provided more

detailed information about the participants and research design and method. I will also

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Section 2: The Project

Purpose Statement

Role of the Researcher

The role of the researcher is to compile and explain the data that is acquired

(Ridder, 2017). In this qualitative study, I will be specific, detailed, and concise. In order

to be detailed and concise, researchers must be diligent during the data collection process

(Kumar & Cavallaro, 2017). As the researcher in seeking sustainable strategies for small

business restaurants, I selected the research methodology and design, theory, and

potential participants. Afterwards, I conducted interviews to collect, analyze, and evaluate

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In a qualitative case study, researchers have a vital task in collecting data through

people who is or have experienced a phenomenon. I followed my interview protocol (see

Appendix A) to ensure transparency and fairness for each interview participant. I used

treated every participant involved in this study professionally. Recognizing and impeding

Protection of Human Subjects of Research (1979), there should be processes to mitigate

any possible ethical issues and protect the privacy of participants during the study. I

study. Also, I treated every participant involved in this study professionally.

The Belmont Report is an outline of ethical principles such as respect,

three principles, alongside a signed informed consent form, are essential for evaluation of

followed each principle to ensure the safety and contentment of every participant.

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small business restaurant owners because I have interacted with several customers

concerning their purchase decisions. Business operators faced with high competition and

limited operating margins gain competitive advantage through excellent customer service

studies to improve accuracy, validity, and credibility. Because of the pliability and open

questions that are asked, semistructured interviews are one the most common types used

their experiences.

participants are representative to the research for validity (Knechel, 2019). Knechel

(2019) also pointed out that researchers have the crucial task to select participants that

can potentially be instrumental in finding a solution to the problem at hand. The process

of recruiting includes actions such as advertising the need for participants, reviewing the

pool, and choosing the most qualified individuals (Marks et al., 2017). The participants

for this study were five small business restaurant owners located in the southeastern

region of the United States, who have grown and maintained profitability to sustain

business beyond 5 years.

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When selecting participants, the eligibility criteria included small business

restaurant owners who sustained their businesses beyond 5 years. I used purposeful

sampling and the Google search engine to locate five small restaurant businesses in the

criteria.

Setting a positive tone and establishing rapport with participants is advantageous

for researchers because how the interview process begins has a significant impact on the

study. However, I maintained communication with each prospective participant via

telephone to establish a positive working relationship. Communicating to participants in

(Hershberger & Kavanaugh, 2017). I thoroughly explained the interview process and

immediately address any concerns in person and via telephone, which helped participants

to feel more comfortable and increase their willingness during the process. When sending

information to prospective participants, I included a request for willingness to participate.

The information on the consent form included detailed information about the research,

possible benefits and risks of study participation, and the requirements of participants

(Roulet et al., 2017).

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Research Method

Researchers should select the most appropriate method and design that best

answers the problem they are exploring (Abutabenjeh & Jaradat, 2018). There are three

types of research methods: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods (Strijker et al.,

2020). I selected a qualitative research method for my study so that I can conduct

In a mixed-methods approach, researchers combine qualitative and quantitative

research methods to answer questions. However, a mixed-methods approach is not

applicable when seeking answers to questions that are specifically qualitative

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(Schoonenboom & Johnson, 2017). The qualitative research method is more applicable

for collecting data to explore sustainable strategies for small business restaurant owners

located in the southeastern region of the United States.

narrative research, (b) ethnography, (c) phenomenology, (d) case study (Petty et al.,

The research design that I chose to address my research question for this study is a

multiple case study design. A multiple case study design is a research method where

researchers examine multiple cases using several data collection methods (Haines, 2017).

Using interviews, researchers have the ability to gather in-depth information from each

case (Schmidt et al., 2018). McKim (2017) posited that a case study design is

advantageous because the data comes from individuals who have experienced and

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overcome issues; this is the reason I am using a multiple case study. A multiple case study

design will be advantageous as I examine the experiences and views of small business

restaurant owners. A multiple case study design is more suitable for this study instead of a

Selecting an appropriate population is critical for the reliability and validity of the

study (Runfola et al., 2017). For this study, I selected small business restaurant owners

who have the appropriate qualifications about the research topic, problem, and purpose.

The eligibility criteria for participants are: (a) has a small business restaurant, (b) at least

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18 years of age, (c) established in the Southeastern region of the United States, (d) has

less than 50 employees, (e) and have grown and maintained profitability to sustain

business beyond 5 years.

qualitative, multiple case study were five small restaurant businesses in the Southeastern

region of the United States, who have grown and maintained profitability to sustain

among the participants.

(Hagaman & Wutich, 2017). Data saturation is confirmation of meticulous data collection

(Constantinou et al., 2017). I ensured data saturation is achieved when no new

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decide to not take part in the interview at any time. Participants who decide not to

participate may contact me via telephone or email to withdraw from the study. I

confirmed the voluntary basis of subjects on the informed consent form (see Appendix

obtained through influence of any kind and the form should be clear and concise for each

participant (Sil & Das, 2017). The purpose of the informed consent is to establish and

involvement, risks and benefits, participant rights, and voluntary basis to each participant.

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maintained the use of the systems theory as the conceptual framework, which grounded

this study while correlating key themes with existing literature to develop a conclusion.

and validity, whereas reliability refers to consistency and validity refers to the value of

truth (Olsen et al., 2016; Maher et al., 2018). Including participants with knowledge of

of qualitative research as dependability, credibility, confirmability, and transferability.

In qualitative research, reliability refers to the dependability of the data in terms of

should be consistent if replicated under similar conditions. In research, dependability is

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Researchers use member checking as a research assistant tool in retaining the reliability

and dependability of studies (Chiumento et al., 2017). I used member checking to ensure

that I transcribe an accurate interpretation of interview responses. Triangulation is another

interview data to verify the trustworthiness of the research conclusions. I used

validity is a combination of the accuracy and truthfulness of collected data, analysis, and

study findings (Dennis, 2018). Similar to reliability, researchers use triangulation for

validity through the use of member checking and data saturation.

participant for their personal, thorough review. Subjects will then inform me of any

necessary corrections. This member checking process enhanced study validity. In

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addition, I used methodical triangulation to focus on all data from the interview and

company documents to avoid biases.

Nowell et al., (2017) stated that confirmability refers to a process where the

research findings can be confirmed by others. In qualitative studies, confirmability

Transferability

study method, design, and geographical limit. I also provided a detailed description of the

techniques of data collection to equip readers with the opportunity to transfer the study

findings to other settings. Lastly, I provided substantial evidence so that the research

findings were applicable to different situations and populations.

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interview participants until their responses were repetitive or no new information was

available.

multiple case study as the most appropriate research method and design. Following is a

Section 3 will also include a discussion on how to apply the study’s findings in business

practices, implications for social change, and recommendations for action. I will end

conclusion.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used

by some small business restaurant owners to grow and maintain profitability to sustain

business beyond 5 years. The targeted population consisted of five small business

restaurant owners located in the Southeastern region of the United States, who have

grown and maintained business profitability to sustain beyond 5 years. I used

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methodological triangulation after collecting data and identifying three emerging themes.

The strategies that participants use to grow and maintain business profitability to sustain

beyond 5 years aligned with VonBertalanffy’s system theory. The recurring themes that I

identified among the small business restaurant owners that participated in this study are:

(a) providing an excellent and non-substitutable customer service experience, (b)

(Appendix) with five small business restaurant owners in the southeastern region of the

United States. Each participant answered 10 open-ended questions about strategies. After

the interviews, I transcribed the audio recordings and provided each transcript to the

corresponding participant for member checking. I used NVivo 12 to organize the

collected data and create nodes to identify recurring themes: (a) providing an excellent

and non-substitutable customer service experience, (b) capitalizing on using social media

effectively, and (c) accentuating the competitive advantages of the restaurant location.

Emerging Theme 1: Providing an Excellent and Non-substitutable Customer

Service Experience

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According to Zaefarian et al. (2017), customers become loyal and repeat buyers

from quality customer service. Each participant spoke thoroughly about providing quality

customer service and how by doing so contributes to their sustainability. By providing

excellent customer service, small business owners can compete with major businesses

because customers enjoy good service (Zaefarian et al., 2017). Small business owners

P1 discussed how during the pandemic that customers were not upset with her

stated: “Providing excellent customer service should be a continuous strategy for all small

businesses to remain competitive.” P4 mentioned the importance of all employees

providing good customer service. He stated: “If I’m the only one upholding my vision

and mission, customers will only want to interact with me. And that would become

extremely stressful.” P3 voiced: “I believe that customer service is the differentiation

technique that sets me apart from my competitors and some large businesses”. The

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participants of the study realized the value of customer service and use the service as a

competitive strategy.

Building relationships helps small business owners to connect with their

customers on a personal level (Iglesias et al., 2020). Most of the participants explained

that they immediately recognized the importance of customer service when starting their

business. P1 stated: “Providing excellent customer service has always been part of my

strategy so that people would trust me and my brand.” P4 mentioned: “It is important to

2020). Customer relations management is useful to cultivate and retain profitable

customers. By providing excellent customer service, business owners set themselves apart

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from their competition, increase customer retention, and gain other customers through

referrals (Brown, 2018).

The result of these findings supports the interrelated components construct

of general systems theory (Appignanesi, 2018) because a business is composed of

several interrelated elements and any issue with one element affects the entire

business. Customer service affects customer retention and customer referrals.

Customer service can also affect pricing. Customers tend to be more content with

the individuality of one component so that business owners could implement more

efficient strategies to promote sustainability.

Emerging Theme 2: Capitalizing on Using Social Media Effectively

Social media is an essential marketing tool for business owners in promoting their

brand and increasing visibility (Singh & Zaki, 2017). Through promoting, business

owners connect with increase their customer reach and have better opportunities to

increase brand recognition and sales (Carnesi, 2020). The goal of promotional marketing

is to inform potential customers of products/services, get them to engage with the

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business, and create profitability. Without a marketing strategy, owners limit their

potential reach. Small business owners can use social media as a marketing tactic to

promote their restaurant, increase visibility, and expand their reach.

Franco (2018) stated that businesses that want brand recognition should develop

strategies to access customers and research implementation methods. P3 said, “It’s not

just about reaching customers, you have to make sure you reach the people you’re trying

to sell to… your target audience.” Most of the participants mentioned they use hashtags

social media (Singh & Zaki, 2017). Four participants emphasized the importance of

responding to comments left on their social media pages. P1 said, “I enjoy responding to

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should take advantage of. According to the participants, online word-of-mouth is a highly

effective driver of customer recruitment, which increases sustainability and profitability.

P5 encourages his patrons to leave reviews and comments on his Facebook page because

he knows that potential customers will read them.

online reviews. Reviews on social media are testimonials that come from customers

informing readers about their experiences. Small business owners should capitalize on

reviews left on social media about their restaurant. Online word-of mouth is an effective

strategy to attract customers and increase profitability. Business owners increase their

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Recommendations for Action

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used

by some small business restaurant owners to grow and maintain profitability to sustain

business beyond 5 years. While analyzing the data for this study, I identified three

emerging themes: (a) providing an excellent and non-substitutable customer service

experience, (b) capitalizing on using social media effectively, and (c) accentuating the

competitive advantages of the restaurant location. I have three recommendations that

could help small business restaurant owners to grow and maintain profitability to sustain

owners should develop strategies with a strong focus on customer satisfaction to forge

relationships and strengthen their brand. Restaurant owners should be more personable

become more proactive than reactive. Through the creation of relationships, small

business restaurant owners will have a better understanding of their customers and how to

best to serve them. The way a business owner treats their customers contributes largely to

the business’s active status (Ward, 2019). Most customers will not support a business

where they are treated badly (Hyken, 2020). Small business restaurant owners must instill

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in all employees that they are service providers; therefore, customer attraction and

retention is crucial.

small business restaurant owners to integrate effective social media tools into their digital

marketing efforts. One way to do so is by incorporating social icons into email templates

that drive consumers to social pages. Secondly, restaurant owners should use social media

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their location, I recommend making aesthetic changes to the location that best align with

the business goals to attract and engage customers.

themes during the data analysis process: (a) providing an excellent and non-substitutable

customer service experience, (b) capitalizing on using social media effectively, and (c)

more specific data on the themes identified. For instance, each participant of the study

placed a strong emphasis on the importance of developing a relationship with their

correlation between profitability and relationships.

I also recommend further research in a broader region because participant

area will increase the generalization of the scope of the study, which increases the study’s

contributed to their closure.

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Reflections

While collecting data for this study, I began to develop a deeper understanding of

the challenges that small business restaurant owners face. I now understand that

providing good customer service is an excellent strategy to retain customers and obtain

customer referrals. In addition, I was able to hear from participants, in detail, on their

strategic use of social media to expand customer reach for their business. Lastly, I learned

the importance of choosing a business location because this element enhances

sustainability efforts. All participants in this study were eager to participate in this study

interviews. Three central themes emerged from the analysis of this study: (a) providing an

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social media effectively, and (c) accentuating the competitive advantages of the restaurant

location. According to the findings of this study, these are the three successful strategies

that small business restaurant owners should use to increase sustainability. Although these

three themes complement the findings of other investigators, the difference and the

research gap fulfilled regards the emphasis on competitive advantage and achieving the

The results of this study have implications for positive social change by providing

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