Taylor-Lewis, D (2012) Entrepreneurial support for black (afro-caribbean) and Asian construction businesses: Can it enhance their growth? PhD thesis, Oxford Brookes University, UK.
Abstract
This thesis investigates challenges encountered by UK Black (Afro-Caribbean) and Asian Construction Businesses (BACBs). It focuses on the effects of UK policies that offer entrepreneurial support to assist BACBs' survival and growth. Despite significant interest and intensive debates, empirical research has been inconclusive with regards the effectiveness of the implementation of such policies on the survival and growth of BACBs. Moreover, there was no conceptual model or theoretical framework that had been applied in order to aid the understanding of their survival and growth. Hence, the aim of this study is to close this research gap by developing a framework, and to make recommendations for more appropriate support mechanisms to assist in the survival and growth of BACBs. A critical literature review of the effectiveness of support offered by the UK Government led to the development of an integrated model of growth factors that informed both the pilot study and the main questionnaire design. Some of these growth factors were contextual, and so necessitated a qualitative approach. However, because the model was validated through in-depth case studies, the pilot study, main questionnaire and case studies were all undertaken and analysed within an ontology that leaned towards an objective-constructivist perspective, and an interpretivist epistemology. A mixed methodology (qualitative and quantitative) approach was also employed, in order to get a better understanding of the relationships and for robust analyses. The findings indicated that support take-up by the respondents was extremely low. However, support mechanisms of networking and continuous professional development assisted the respondents' growth. Therefore, when constructive, well organised public support is offered, there is a high probability that it will be taken-up. Policy should be targeted to assist in areas (growth intentions, innovative practices and good human resource management) which impacted on turnover and profits in order to provide sustained growth.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | integrated model, professional development, case study, support mechanism, qualitative approach, effectiveness, epistemology, implementation, survival, turnover, Caribbean, networking, literature review, human resource management, profit, ontology, methodology, questionnaire |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, data analysis and analytics, communication, knowledge theory, professional development, performance management, education and knowledge transfer, management, organization, economic analysis, analytical methods, contractual arrangements, environmental science, business management, research methods, physical geography and landforms |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Information Management, Research Practice, Digital Applications, Human Resources, Geographical Context, Sustainability, Procurement, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here