Description:
Prior studies raise the question of how business advisors’ knowledge affects the provision of advice to small business. This paper recognises there is limited understanding of ‘how knowledge is connected to action’ and asks the question of how to research such an issue. A conceptual framework is derived from the literature to guide future empirical analysis exploring small business advisor knowledge and its transference. Two theories underpin this framework and illustrate the important role external advisors play in small business knowledge development - the theory of outside assistance as a knowledge resource, and theory of guided preparation as a guide to action based on advisor knowledge. The framework is underpinned by a critical realist methodology that allows actors (i.e. small business advisors) to operate in a changing environment. This critical realist philosophical lens enables the framework to uncover causal relationship between professional small business advisor knowledge foundations and knowledge transference.
Description:
Prior studies raise the question of how business advisors’ knowledge affects the provision of advice to small business. This paper recognises there is limited understanding of ‘how knowledge is connected to action’ and asks the question of how to research such an issue. A conceptual framework is derived from the literature to guide future empirical analysis exploring small business advisor knowledge and its transference. Two theories underpin this framework and illustrate the important role external advisors play in small business knowledge development - the theory of outside assistance as a knowledge resource, and theory of guided preparation as a guide to action based on advisor knowledge. The framework is underpinned by a critical realist methodology that allows actors (i.e. small business advisors) to operate in a changing environment. This critical realist philosophical lens enables the framework to uncover causal relationship between professional small business advisor knowledge foundations and knowledge transference.
Description:
Based on research seeking to understand mechanisms affecting the provision of small business advisory services in a Regional (non-metropolitan) Australian setting, by what are called Professional Business Advisors (PBAs), an emergent theme identifies government business programs and initiatives as significant conduits for regional business knowledge transmission. However, those programs and initiatives are also perceived to impose substantial constraints for PBAs providing services in regional communities. The identified constraining factors include issues of financial viability for PBAs, ineligibility of many regional small businesses to access government funded initiatives, capriciousness of government programs, and clash between technology utilisation and infrastructure reliability in some non-metropolitan regional areas. Regional Australian PBAs service a heterogeneous collection of businesses across large geographic areas. Yet, the potential influence that these PBAs have in the process of knowledge transmission is severely constrained by current government programs aimed both at start-up regional businesses and those pursuing organisational growth. Such constraints raise concerns that have regional policy implications.
Description:
Based on research seeking to understand mechanisms affecting the provision of small business advisory services in a Regional (non-metropolitan) Australian setting, by what are called Professional Business Advisors (PBAs), an emergent theme identifies government business programs and initiatives as significant conduits for regional business knowledge transmission. However, those programs and initiatives are also perceived to impose substantial constraints for PBAs providing services in regional communities. The identified constraining factors include issues of financial viability for PBAs, ineligibility of many regional small businesses to access government funded initiatives, capriciousness of government programs, and clash between technology utilisation and infrastructure reliability in some non-metropolitan regional areas. Regional Australian PBAs service a heterogeneous collection of businesses across large geographic areas. Yet, the potential influence that these PBAs have in the process of knowledge transmission is severely constrained by current government programs aimed both at start-up regional businesses and those pursuing organisational growth. Such constraints raise concerns that have regional policy implications.
Description:
This study seeks, through the perspective of Professional Business Advisors (PBAs), to understand how government business programs help and/or hinder the provision of small business advisory services in a regional (non-metropolitan) Australian setting. An emergent theme identifies such programs as significant conduits for regional business knowledge transmission. However, those programs are also perceived by PBAs, who deliver such programs, as imposing substantial constraints for provision of such services. The identified constraining factors include issues of PBAs’ financial viability, ineligibility of businesses to access such programs, capriciousness of programs, and clash between technology utilisation and infrastructure reliability in some non-metropolitan regional areas. Regional Australian PBAs service a heterogeneous collection of businesses across large geographic areas. Yet, the potential for PBAs to support the process of knowledge transmission is severely constrained by current government programs aimed at start-up businesses, but ignoring organisational growth. Such constraints raise concerns that have regional policy implications
Description:
This study seeks, through the perspective of Professional Business Advisors (PBAs), to understand how government business programs help and/or hinder the provision of small business advisory services in a regional (non-metropolitan) Australian setting. An emergent theme identifies such programs as significant conduits for regional business knowledge transmission. However, those programs are also perceived by PBAs, who deliver such programs, as imposing substantial constraints for provision of such services. The identified constraining factors include issues of PBAs’ financial viability, ineligibility of businesses to access such programs, capriciousness of programs, and clash between technology utilisation and infrastructure reliability in some non-metropolitan regional areas. Regional Australian PBAs service a heterogeneous collection of businesses across large geographic areas. Yet, the potential for PBAs to support the process of knowledge transmission is severely constrained by current government programs aimed at start-up businesses, but ignoring organisational growth. Such constraints raise concerns that have regional policy implications
Description:
This thesis specifically examines the relationship between professional business advisor (PBA) knowledge and the knowledge transmission actions undertaken by such advisors when addressing the knowledge requirements of businesses, specifically Regional Australian small businesses. The thesis adopts a qualitative research approach to explore perceptions of individuals who provide advisory services to small businesses, within the context of Regional Australia. The analysis undertaken is a practical application of the critical realist research paradigm to explain how human agency, social structures, and mechanisms interact in the process of creating a knowledge transmission event by PBAs. The conceptual framework developed in this thesis brings together key concepts from scholarly research disciplines of knowledge management, information management, communications, services marketing and business advice. The conceptual framework reflects the research aims and provides the basis for the research methodology. The framework is of a unique critical realist research design that allows the study to progress through sequential world views. Each world view allows the continual broadening of the reality being studied, enabling more focused answers to the research questions posed. This study focuses on PBAs who service small businesses operating in four inner regional and two outer regional locations within the State of Victoria. Over the six regions, a total of 29 face-to-face interviews were conducted, along with one focus group in each region. The findings from this database, using the conceptual framework as a guide, identified a complex, heterogeneous, open environment in which PBA knowledge transmission occurs. This research process recognises PBAs as social structures with causal powers whose knowledge stock is the primary mechanism through which these powers are exercised to generate a knowledge transmission event. A significant conclusion emerges that PBA tacit (and not explicit) knowledge is a conditional mechanism which gate-keeps whether the PBA knowledge transmission event is enacted.
Description:
This thesis specifically examines the relationship between professional business advisor (PBA) knowledge and the knowledge transmission actions undertaken by such advisors when addressing the knowledge requirements of businesses, specifically Regional Australian small businesses. The thesis adopts a qualitative research approach to explore perceptions of individuals who provide advisory services to small businesses, within the context of Regional Australia. The analysis undertaken is a practical application of the critical realist research paradigm to explain how human agency, social structures, and mechanisms interact in the process of creating a knowledge transmission event by PBAs. The conceptual framework developed in this thesis brings together key concepts from scholarly research disciplines of knowledge management, information management, communications, services marketing and business advice. The conceptual framework reflects the research aims and provides the basis for the research methodology. The framework is of a unique critical realist research design that allows the study to progress through sequential world views. Each world view allows the continual broadening of the reality being studied, enabling more focused answers to the research questions posed. This study focuses on PBAs who service small businesses operating in four inner regional and two outer regional locations within the State of Victoria. Over the six regions, a total of 29 face-to-face interviews were conducted, along with one focus group in each region. The findings from this database, using the conceptual framework as a guide, identified a complex, heterogeneous, open environment in which PBA knowledge transmission occurs. This research process recognises PBAs as social structures with causal powers whose knowledge stock is the primary mechanism through which these powers are exercised to generate a knowledge transmission event. A significant conclusion emerges that PBA tacit (and not explicit) knowledge is a conditional mechanism which gate-keeps whether the PBA knowledge transmission event is enacted.