The Influence of Strategic Focus & Gender on Performance: An Examination of Small Businesses

Authors

  • Shanan G. Gibson East Carolina University

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which strategic focus (internal versus external) and the gender of small business owners are predictive of perceived organizational performance. Utilizing a sample of 237 small business owners in the southeastern region of the U.S., a factorial ANOVA was used to test hypotheses related to both constructs. Results indicate that a main effect exists for organizational strategic focus, but not for gender. While female business owners who utilize an internal strategy had the highest levels of perceived performance, the interaction effect was not statistically significant.

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Published

2010-05-21

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How to Cite

The Influence of Strategic Focus & Gender on Performance: An Examination of Small Businesses. (2010). Journal of Small Business Strategy (archive Only), 21(2), 47-58. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/147