This descriptive study of 184 small firms identified strategies most frequently used by their managers. These strategies were identified using the Entrepreneurial Strategy Matrix, a situational model in which the identification of levels of innovation and risk lead to prescriptions of...

Often small business owners/managers feel they have inadequate time for formal forecasting and/or that they lack the expertise to do so. Since forecasting is an important decision-aiding tool, managers in small retail establishments can benefit by implementing a simple forecasting process. Doing...

This paper examines the sources of competitive advantage from a cross-functional perspective and presents a dynamic, general model of the tangible and intangible factors that lead to superior firm performance. We argue that superior performance results from the development of a complex,...

Outsourcing is the strategic use of outside resources to perform activities that are usually handled by internal staff and resources. By using a well-managed outsourcing agreement, companies can gain in markets that would otherwise be uneconomical. This study was designed to explore why...

A procedure to assess organizational effectiveness is proposed in this paper. An OE ÒmenuÓ of options is set out by which organizational performance can be measured. By using such a menu, managersÕ decision making, planning, and communicating with internal and external constituencies can be...

A study was conducted among small to medium sized advertisers in the midwest United States. The respondents in this study rated local agencies high in overall performance. Agencies received particularly high ratings in the areas of flexibility, creativity, meeting deadlines, and adaptability....