The effect of managerial characteristics and risk perception on the planning response of small and medium enterprises.

Abstract

There has been much research done regarding Task Environment, Risk Perception, and the Planning Response of firms. The concepts of Entrepreneurial Orientation, Market Orientation and Performance Goal Orientation have also been concepts of interest to academia and businessmen alike.

However, studies have not been rigorous in consolidating these concepts into a single framework. In light of this knowledge gap, this project aims to engage a longitudinal qualitative research approach and utilizes the multiple case study design to find out how separate frameworks can be put together to form a new framework. This is likened to the formation of the traditional Nonya Nine-Layered Kueh.

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Resource Dependence Theory, Contingency Theory, and D’Amboise and Muldowney (1988)’s framework served as the foundational theories for this project. They were the building blocks, which provided theoretical guidance to prove the Planning Response framework on the “Four Strategic Managerial Types” by Mazzarol and Reboud (2009).

Ideas and themes from Yin (2009) and Miles and Huberman (1994) were also adapted, to create a research framework to meet the project objetives. Research methodology was also developed to provide future research with greater knowledge on the behavior of firms in this uncertain environment. This research enables organizational stakeholders to be able to make more informed and well-timed decisions, and external stakeholders to better understand the industry.