SRP Year
1984-1985
Principal Investigator(s)
Arne Kalleberg
Study Description
This study examined the nature of small businesses and their owners in relation to entrepreneurship. A random sample of companies in three industries (eating and drinking, computers, and health) were drawn from five Indiana cities (Bloomington, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, and Terre Haute). Through computer-assisted telephone interviews with the owner-operators of these businesses, the research team gathered information on types of products and services, business problems, competition, changes and innovations in the industry, and company performance. The data were used to examine the nature of small businesses and their owners along a variety of dimensions: characteristics of the industries, companies, and owners; entrepreneurial outcomes such as innovation; and company and personal success.
Research Team
Suzanne Berling
Norma Shepelak
William Berling
George Bevins
Kevin Leicht
This study was conducted with support from the staff at the Center for Survey Research at Indiana University and used the Center's centralized telephone interviewing facility located on the Bloomington campus. CSR interviewers assisted in data collection.
Sources of Support
This study was supported by funding from the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University-Bloomington.