What do small business owner-managers do? A managerial work perspective

Abstract

This article proposes management styles to small business owner-managers based on the two most important approaches to managerial work. The managerial work performance of small business owner-managers was analyzed from different perspectives. An important perspective, known as small business owner-manager behavior studies, is founded on the manager's functions (process approach) and roles (roles approach). This perspective is based on studies on the work of the manager of large businesses. Even if on the one hand this transfer of concepts from large to small business reveals problems, on the other hand it has proven to be a rich opportunity for research. This research applied a survey methodology that asked small business owners to answer a questionnaire. The results indicated that both approaches -process and roles -are useful to characterize the work of small business owner-managers. Four managerial styles were identified: (1) activity structuring (2) public relations (3) supervision and leading, and (4) conflict solver. Regarding the four different styles, we believe our paper can contribute to the development and improvement of specific theories about small business management, based on the study of the nature of managerial work.

Identifying SME mortality factors in the life cycle stages: an empirical approach of relevant factors for small business owner-managers in Brazil

“…Mortality factor experience in industry sector and managerial work (b) influences the performance of SME and confirms the literature review (Duchesneau and Gartner 1990;Lussier 1996;Lussier and Pfeifer 2001;Lussier and Halabi 2010;Radas and Bozic 2012;Franco-Ángel and Pulido 2010) and it is also a important part of SME contemporary studies (Collett et al 2014;Filion 1996;Franco-Ángel and Pulido 2010;Loane et al 2014;de Oliveira et al 2015). Sample shows that experience in the industry sector is important at all stages (0, 1 and 2) and managerial experience in stage 2, as the SME grows and the owner-manager begins to step away from operational activities.…”

How Do Entrepreneurs Feel Bankruptcy?

“…Their key management styles are related to proper management of resources, a better relationship with external communities, supervise and lead the business towards the right direction. Also to deal with routine and unexpected problems to find the solutions to keep the business operation smooth and away from negative environmental effects (de Oliveira et al, 2015). This again highlights managers and owners in the small business are the key persons who take decisions, plan, and executive orders.…”

The Organisational Life Cycle Scale: An Empirical Validation

“…However, this theory has gained considerable currency among scholars and practitioners for several reasons. First, its applicability has been empirically confirmed by a large number of researchers during the last three decades within different contexts (e.g., de Oliveira et al, 2015a, b; Dodge & Robbins, 1992; Eggers et al, 1994; Gupta & Chin, 1991; Hanks, 1990; Hanks et al, 1994; Kiriri, 2002; Lester et al, 2003; Masurel & Van Montfort, 2006; Miller & Friesen, 1984; Moores & Yuen, 2001; Perényi et al, 2011a, b; Shirokova, 2009; Smith et al, 1985). Second, the face validity of OLC theory has been confirmed by Eggers et al (1994) and Massey et al (2006) as all of the executives/owners of the firms who participated in these two studies found that the notion of OLC was meaningful and they were able to unambiguously categorise their firms into one of the five OLC stages.…”