Title: Creation of a step-by-step process in the pre-startup of a micro business

Authors: Dan-Ching Huang; Tzong-Ru Lee; Per Hilletofth; Ching-Kuei Kao

Addresses: Department of Marketing, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan, Republic of China ' Department of Marketing, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan, Republic of China ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, Jönköping University, Jönköping SE-551 11, Sweden ' Department of Business Administration, Hsing-Kuo University of Management, No. 600, Sec. 3, Taijiang Blvd., Annan District, Tainan 709, Taiwan, Republic of China

Abstract: his study proposes a systematic process in the pre-startup stage of establishing independent and franchised catering micro businesses. A questionnaire based on the key success factors (KSFs) affecting the establishment of a micro business was developed. Grey relational analysis (GRA) was performed to determine KSFs that can affect the start of a catering micro business, while interpretive structure modelling (ISM) was used to establish the pre-startup process. Studies show that GRA and ISM results were different in the two types of catering businesses. Therefore, business starters ought to investigate their industry of interest and determine the startup process prior to establishing their respective businesses.

Keywords: catering industry; micro businesses; micro firms; micro enterprises; grey relational analysis; GRA; interpretive structure modelling; ISM; critical success factors; CSFs; pre-startup stage; catering franchises; business startups; new ventures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2016.075874

International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 2016 Vol.15 No.1, pp.43 - 60

Received: 28 Feb 2015
Accepted: 20 Sep 2015
Published online: 10 Apr 2016 *

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