The Uncertainty of Knowing: An Analysis of the Nature of Knowledge in a Small Business Context

Abstract

Experiencing and coping with uncertainty is common to most small businesses. The knowledge that is generated and applied as a result is a product of and a response to this condition, and so can be considered as knowing in and through practice. A consideration of knowledge as contingent upon unpredictable internal and external factors leads to the identification of multiple types of knowledge-asknowing. As such, knowledge within small businesses can be characterized as contextualized ‘bundles’ of knowing that are shaped by, and in turn shape, the business and the uncertainty of its internal dynamics and external environment.

The Impact of Organizational Goal Setting on the Industrial Munificence-Goal Attainment Relationship

“…This study follows a middle path between these two views by integrating an important strategic tool, organizational goals, into the relationship between environments and organizational performance. Our key assertion is that while the level of industrial munificence may serve as a defining contextual factor for organizations, especially for smaller organizations (Atherton, 2003), goal type complexity facilitates the process by which organizations recognize and utilize the support afforded them by environmental conditions and thereby helps them to attain their goals.…”

Farmers’ perception of opportunities for farm development

“…Another business owner in a comparable situation may or may not 'see' the same opportunities as viable. In the enactment of business development, a small business owner influences and is influenced by the context in which the businesses operate (Atherton 2003). The subjective perception of opportunities in the context of farm development is supported by the different ways of enactment of farms, or farming styles, that were found in relation to the context of labour requirements and product markets (Ploeg et al 2009).…”

“…However, as described in paragraph 2.2, family farms do share important characteristics with small businesses as the farmer needs to fulfil different roles in the business in a complex combination of tasks and responsibilities combining the entrepreneurial, managerial and technical role as craftsman (Chandler and Jansen 1992). Farmers personally learn from the experience of running the farm, as do small business owners (Atherton 2003). This supports the plausibility that the personal views and preference of the business owner is as well most the influential driver for non-farming family run small business.…”

“…Family farms share important characteristics with small businesses, as the family farm is an independent business, managed by its owner or part owners and has a small market share (Culkin and Smith 2000). Like small business owners, farmers of family farms operate a complex combination of tasks and responsibilities, as they need to combine the entrepreneurial, managerial and technical role as a craftsman (Chandler and Jansen 1992) and farmers learn personally from the experience of running the farm (Atherton 2003). The farmer, as owner-manager of a small business, is the actual decision-maker, when it comes to selecting a development strategy (Jocumsen 2004;Hang and Wang 2012;Culkin and Smith 2000;Pietola and Lansink 2001).…”

“…The farmer needs to fulfil different roles in the business as do small business owners (Chandler and Jansen 1992) and the farmer personally learns from the experience of running the business (Atherton 2003). In the context of the case study, the farmers operate in a context with high natural and cultural-historical value and are confronted by changing societal demand on rural and farm development, a context that is the case for many farmers (Wästfelt et al 2012).…”