METHODOLOGY

This is a case study in which the researchers will gather information from the lived

experiences of small hardware shop owner during and after the challenges the business owner

faced. This study sought to explore the happenings and the impacts the problems had on the

business owner. This section includes the research design, research setting, research

participant/s, data collection, data analysis, ethical consideration and researchers’ reflexivity. The

qualitative research method had been adopted in this study for it allowed the researchers to delve

into the participant’s perspective and understanding from his experiences from the business

failure. By employing the qualitative inquiry, this allowed the exploration on the business

owner’s background and dilemma through an in-depth investigation which in return provided a

deeper and clearer understanding regarding what happened during and after the challenges. By

studying the perspective of a participant, the data gathered were analyzed. It will serve as a

background for the community and the aspiring entrepreneurs to add an augment to their mindset

in order to provide immediate actions in forthcoming situations and for them to provide

appropriate solutions to their problems.

Research Design

The researchers utilized a descriptive research design in this study to obtain information

about the present situation and to gain understanding about the challenges that small enterprises

are facing. This type of design helps the researchers to provide answers to the questions of who,

what, when, where, and how questions associated with a particular research problem (Library

Sacred Heart, 2020). It also involves observing and describing the behavior of a subject without

influencing it in any way (Explorable, n.d.).

 According to Wickford (2020), the fundamental goal of this design is to understand a

specific set of variables in a group of individual specifically small business owners. To achieve

the goal of a descriptive research design, the researchers must develop their own understanding

of the phenomena (challenges and struggles that small business owners are dealing with).

Research Setting

This study will be held at Liloan Cebu City, a first class municipality in Region VII

nestled in the heart of Cebu City. Liloan, Cebu City. It is a big city which comprises a total land

area of 45.92 square kilometers and a population of 118,753 according to the 2015 Census of

Population by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The researchers chose this setting due to the reason of easy access to both researchers and

the participant/s. Also, the chosen setting was convenient for the researchers in gathering data

due to the fact that there are underlying small business owners there.

Research Participants

The researchers conducted an interview with a small business owner that lives in Liloan,

Cebu City. In choosing participants for the study, the researchers used a method of purposive

sampling. According to Canlapan (2015), purposive sampling is done with a purpose in mind. It

focuses on a sample which is taken based on the judgment of the researcher. With the use of this

sampling technique, it carefully chooses the members of a population which are best fitted in the

study.

This study completely and strictly adhered to the prescribed ethical mandates in

conducting research. In order to avoid future dilemma, it is important to remember the

confidentiality of each participant. The precautions are taken in order to establish ethical
guidelines are in conducting this research. The response used was kept with utmost

confidentiality and assurance was given that the data was for research purposes only.

Data Collection

Before the actual gathering of data, the researchers received the approved transmittal

letter signed by the principal of the University of Cebu – Banilad Senior High School

Department corresponding that allowed researchers to conduct the study outside the vicinity of

the university. Then, the researchers asked permission of the chosen small business owner which

will be chosen for the interview.

This study made use of a structured interview to understand thoroughly the challenges that

small enterprises are facing. A structured interview is an interview that strictly adheres to the use

of an interview protocol to guide the researcher. It is a more rigid interview style, in that only the

questions on the interview protocol are asked. It is advantageous for researchers to use this type

of qualitative research interview because when researchers have a comprehensive list of

interview questions, it helps target the specific phenomenon or experience that the researcher is

investigating. Before the interview started, the participant were informed on the purpose of the

study. Participation of the study was voluntary. The participant is not coerced to participate

therefore, they have the right to choose to participate or not in the study with their written

consent.

After the data collection, the audio recordings were carefully transcribed by the

researchers. To avoid errors in the data transcription and to ensure the accuracy of the ideas, the

researchers have undergone a member checking.

QUESTIONNAIRES

1. How did the business owner manage to uplift the business?

 How do you minimize your expenses? Explain.

 Does selling some of your properties help you in saving the business? Explain.

 What are the things you set aside for you to save the business? Explain.

 Were they valuable to you?

 What are your plans of action to avoid this kind of situation again? Explain.

 Do you think asking for help to your relatives is a good option? Why or why not?

 If you asked for help, who did you ask and why?

 How were you able to handle stress knowing the business is not in a good state?

Explain.

 Were you still able to provide salaries to your employees?

 How? In what way?

 How many sacrifices you have made for the business? Explain.

 Were those sacrifices worth it?

 What are the reactions of your employees when they knew that the business is dying?

 How did you manage their response?

 What are your ways to keep up your payments? Explain.

 Did you receive support from other people?

 If yes, in what way does it help you?

 How were you able to manage your time with your family?
2. What are the experience of the business owner in managing the business in terms of:

a. Initiation of the business owner

b. Challenges/ Struggles in business management

c. Turning point of the business

d. Success in managing the business

e. Present experience in management

 What consequences did you get from pursuing to save the business?

 Did these consequences cost you a lot?

 If so, in what way?

 What are the things that refrain you from giving up? Explain.

 If you were to continue, how would things be in the long run?

 Are your customers raving about your product or service? Why or why not?

 Does it help you in keep going?

 In what way?

 Is the business destroying your personal life?

 In what way?

 Are you willing to suffer for the success of the business? Why or why not?

 If you come up with a decision to give up the business, do you consider the results

once you give up the business? How?

 If you decide to give up the business, does your family agree with it? Why or why

not?
  What keeps you going when the business is on the merge of giving up? Explain.

 How long do you stick to an idea before giving up?

 What sacrifices have you made to get successful in the business? Explain.

 Do these sacrifices involve your personal life?

 How did you overcome the struggles? Explain.

 Was it hard for you and your family?

 Is your business doing well now?

 In what way?

 Is there a point in your life where your family decided to just give up the business?

 How were you able to handle it?

3. What are the experience of the business owner while running the business?

 What are the things you do in order not to be eaten by loneliness due to the problems?

Explain.

 How does it help you in taking the responsibility in managing the business? (In

connection with the first question)

 Does your family help you overcome such situation?

 How? In what way?

 Is changing or improving your perception of events help you in coping with stress?

 In what way?

 Does expressing your emotions help you?

 And how do you express your emotions? Explain.

 Are you letting stress hold you back in your business? Why or why not?
 How did you manage your emotions? Explain.

 Are there things or activities that made you forget the stress?

 What are they? Explain.

 Do you think avoiding the problem is an effective way to forget? Why or why not?

 How does stress affect your performance while you are in the process of uplifting the

company?

 How were you able to overcome it?

 What is your smartest way to overcome in this kind of situation? Explain.

 How did you come up with that way?

 Do you think other significant person can help you overcome this problem? Why or

why not?

 What is your most powerful weapon to fight this kind of situation?

 How does it help you?

 How did you manage to take care of your family while facing the responsibility to

manage the business?

 How does this situation affect your relationship with your family?

 Cite instances where the situation greatly affected your family.

 What are the things that you do in order to avoid negative effects to your family?

 Do you still have time to take care of yourself after all the tragedies that happened?

 In what way?