Methodology
The collection of primary data to support the secondary data identified in the literature review is critical to prove or disapprove the hypothesis. The projects aim is to establish the challenges that make small companies refrain from expanding their operations. For this proposal, the quantitative methodology will be appropriate because it helps in the collection of primary data to provide answers to the research questions. It is suitable for evaluating the cause and why of phenomena. The researcher will, therefore, be able to collect objective data that will help to support the hypothesis. The population selected for this study will comprise of people who run small businesses and who are affected by various factors that have continued to affect their growth possibilities. Apparently, this individual will help the research gather valuable information that would assist in understanding the problem under analysis and suggest a suitable solution address the problem that has continued to affect small business.
Population and Sample Size
The sample population for the study will be comprised of owners of the small business. The sample size for the study will be comprised of 50 individuals particularly business owners and entrepreneurs. The sample size for the study will be determined through the use of stratified random sampling. When using this approach, all the small business entrepreneurs from the selected firms and companies had an equal opportunity of being included in the study. Additional, the researcher will able to ensure that the sample size was a representative and comprises of both the males and females. It will help to minimize on the possibilities of research bias that might affect the quality of the study. The sample size is big enough to gain the insight of the problem and respond adequately to the research question. The size will further enable the research to gather different but relative perspective on how the growth of small businesses has continued to be affected by various factors. The reason for interviewing the business owner was ultimately based on the aspect that they clearly understand factors that have been affecting the business since they oversee the overall business operation.
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Research Instrument
The most appropriate tool that was employed so as to gather information for this study will be interview by the small business owners. The interview instrument that will be used collect information in the course of this study is extremely flexible, implying that they can gather data on all types of phenomena, depending on the researcher’s interests. The instrument selected in this case will allow the researcher to collect the ideas, feelings, and experiences of all of the participants. The other important reason for using the interview to gather information is that interview questions can be adjusted depending on circumstances to collect a particular nature of data for the study. The number will establish, without a doubt, the best way to expand businesses without experiencing many difficulties along the way. Personal interviews will thus make sense to these groups under investigation and will thus give them the opportunity to express their views and what they feel.
Procedure for collecting data
The participants will be required to complete the interview in a span of 30 minutes. The first step taken during this research will be to obtain consent from the respondents to make sure that they are willing to participate in the study. The researcher further will have to receive approval from the small company’s management to ensure that they are prepared to be interviewed. Upon getting the go-ahead from the concerned department, the researcher will identify an appropriate location in which the interview will be conducted. The research will also be required to communicate to all of the eligible respondents, informing them of their role in the study. They will be taken through the questionnaire to ensure that they all understand the questions posed beforehand. Confidentiality of the participants is vital; therefore, the researcher must assure them that their information will be treated confidentially and that it will not be published under their names. Discussions amongst the participants will be discouraged allowing the researcher to gather diverse opinions and ideas towards challenges facing small businesses.
Research Questions
Many factors affect the possibilities of business growth in the economy. Failure to identify them would mean that the company will remain in their current state, run small operations which would further mean low revenue generation. The research question for this proposal include
What is the biggest problem facing the growth of your business?
What do you think you should have for you to expand the business?
Does competition from large and well-established business affect your business operation?
What should the government do to ensure that small business operates efficiently?
Are there unknown circumstances that have continued to affect the possibilities of your business expansion?
What is the critical resource that the company lacks that would have driven growth?
What are your competitions doing better that you are not doing and has given an edge over your business?
What role have employees done to improve the growth of the firm?
What can you say about the brand's quality and its effect on the firm's growth?
Are your customers satisfied with the nature of services they receive from your business?