Observando a pequena empresa americana: a história se repete em todos os lugares?

SMALL business management; ENTREPRENEURSHIP; EMPLOYMENT agencies; BUSINESS failures; AMERICAN business enterprises

This article is based on a year-long field research observational study made by the author of a small entrepreneurial business located in downtown Washington, DC. The main objectives of the study were to examine the managerial characteristics and behaviors of the founder-entrepreneur who was also owner-manager of the business and then to compare and contrast them with those found in the literature of the field of study. In addition, marketing, competition, staffing, and business location were reviewed in relation to challenges of changing business environments like the one the subject business experienced. The author found support for many of the personal characteristics, management styles, financial inadequacies, and environmental circumstances that often lead to small business failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este artigo é baseado em trabalho de um ano de observação e pesquisa de campo realizado pelo autor em uma pequena empresa empreendedora localizada em Washington, DC. O principal objetivo do estudo foi examinar as características gerenciais e os comportamentos do fundador e empreendedor que era também o proprietário e gerente do negócio, e compará-los e contrastá-los àqueles encontrados na literatura deste campo de estudos. Adicionalmente, aspectos de marketing, competição, recursos humanos e localização foram revisados em relação aos desafios de um ambiente em constante mudança como o experimentado por esta empresa. O autor encontra suporte para a idéia de que algumas características pessoais, estilo de gerência, insuficiências financeiras e circunstâncias ambientais freqüentemente levam a situações de falhas típicas dos pequenos negócios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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