The Impact of Org Culture on Erp System Implementation

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5.1 Discussion of the findings in relation to the original objectives

5.1.1 Mintzberg’s Roles

5.1.2 Findings in relation to the Literature Review

6.0 Recommendations and Conclusions

6.1 Recommendations

6.2 Conclusions

References

Appendices

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

List of Tables and Figures

Figure 2.2.1 The Manager’s Working Roles…………………………………………….11

Figure 2.2.2 The Tasks of Managing…………………………………………………….14

Figure 2.3.1 Action-Centred Leadership Model………………………………………...16

Table 2.4.1 Business Type Definitions…………………………………………………..20

Figure 6.2.1 adaptation of Figure 2.2.2. The Tasks of Managing…………………….50

Figure 6.2.2 The Journey of the One-Person Business……………………………….51

List of Abbreviations

SME Small to Medium Size Enterprise

PSL Preferred Supplier List

USP Unique Selling Point

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Summary of Chapters

Chapter 1

The opening chapter introduces the background to the study and lays out the aims and objectives while briefly discussing the research approach and limitations of the study.

Chapter 2

This chapter initially lays out the areas that the literature review will cover; Management, Leadership, Entrepreneurship and growth. This chapter ends with a conclusion of the literature and the areas identified for study.

Chapter 3

In this chapter the research objectives are detailed along with the questions identified from the literature review. The type of research best suited to this research project were outlined and discussed together with the justifications for the selected methods. This chapter also provides profiles of the business involved in the study. Finally the ethical considerations are noted.

Chapter 4

Initially this chapter introduces how the data was analysed followed by the analysis and discussion of how the primary data was collected though the interviews with local businesses.

Chapter 5

A discussion of the findings in relation to the analysis is detailed in this chapter together with the findings related back to the literature review. This section includes the researchers’ interpretation of Mintzberg’s managers working roles adapted to suit the one-person business.

Chapter 6

This final section lays out the recommendations by the author detailing ideas that would be of benefit to one-person business owners as well as government bodies that are specifically aimed at small business development. In addition, this chapter proposes a number of other areas for further research. This chapter ends with the researchers final conclusions of the paper.

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1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background to the study

Management Theory has tended to focus attention on the manager working in a large organisation and the manager in a small company becomes insignificant and is perceived as that of an amateur (Stokes, 1995). Stokes continues on to describe a revival that started in the 1970’s and 1980’s where high expectations were placed on the ‘new saviours of the failing economy’ due to a hard recession. Increasing unemployment turned many people into ‘reluctant entrepreneurs’ (Stokes, 1995). As literature increased it was more common to see advice directed at the small business owner (Stokes, 1995). However, Curran and Blackburn (2001) state that the research carried out on small businesses has been difficult and disconnected due to the inability of researchers to construct a large enough sample of such businesses to study.

The area of interest for this dissertation is in the study of the management function within a business owned and operated by one person. Through initial consultations with a one-person business the researcher identified a need for further understanding of the enormous step in the life of a business to grow from one-person (owner/manager) to two (bringing in a member of staff) and the considerations that the owner must make in order to do this. Clarity surrounding the correct term for somebody operating in a business without any employees is something that the researcher will establish throughout the study.

This paper will also focus on that period following the initial start-up phase which of the business. This is considered a major step for an entrepreneur who has set up their own business, it is personal growth as well as a business one. In terms of the level of growth it is doubling the size of the company, even if that is from only one to two people. The cost of adding staff can be as much as 30% annually due to the requirements of National Insurance, basic wages, sick pay holiday pay. (Butler, 2006). The researcher wishes to focus the study on purely the management role and process of transforming a one-person business into a micro-firm. Areas of leadership may well be identified in this process as well some entrepreneurial and operational aspects.

The research will provide perspective and evidence on the issue of growth that could benefit the business owners who have recognised their growth need, that of adding employees to their current business structure. Another area of this research lies in the roles that the owner-manager within a one-person