Source: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOOD AND FIBER-RELATED BUSINESS VENTURES: ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN IOWAÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¢ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿S SMALL AND RURAL COMMUNITIES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1011802
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Dec 21, 2016
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2021
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
2229 Lincoln Way
AMES,IA 50011
Performing Department
Apparel, Educational Studies, & Hospitality Mgmt.
Non Technical Summary
Rural communities and businesses, including those in Iowa, face a multitude of overlapping and interrelated sources of change. The mainstay of many rural communities, agriculture, now involves fewer people to produce increasingly higher yields. Similarly, rural manufacturing, an economic engine that many communities turned to in earlier years, faces globalization and a situation where these communities no longer have advantages over world players. Communities that have not found alternative economic opportunities continue to lose their tax base and population. With these losses, further erosion of the community economic base continues among the retail and service sectors. Growth in numbers of new small rural businesses remains low and existing businesses have experienced limited growth.However, small retailing, hospitality, and tourism businesses have helped to diversify and strengthen the economic base and character of many rural communities. Nationally, retailing represents the largest category (14%) of all small business activity. In fact, the number of retail trade and accommodations/food service small businesses resulted in the third and fifth place rankings among 20 Iowa industry sectors in 2015. Many retail trade businesses are food- and fiber-related; examples are specialty food, grocery, and convenience stores; and apparel, fashion accessories, and home furnishings stores, respectively. These data support the importance of food- and fiber-related small businesses to Iowa.A thriving rural community includes food- and fiber-related small businesses across the supply chain from agricultural producers (e.g., dairy goat or alpaca farmers), to small manufacturers of value-added products (e.g., cottage foods producers, microbreweries, t-shirt printers), and ending with retail/consumer experiences (e.g., agritourism events, wineries, local restaurants, and quilt shops). This array of food- and fiber-related small businesses provides livelihoods for their owners and employees, desired amenities for a community of residence, and/or a "sense of place" that attracts tourists to rural communities.This research project will focus on enhancing the entrepreneurial potential of two sizeable but underserved Iowa population groups, women and older residents ages 50+, to engage in the start-up of food/hospitality-related (e.g., restaurants, local food vendors) and fiber-related (e.g., textile and apparel soft goods) retail and service-based businesses. The proposed project is timely in that interview and survey research will focus on identifying needs, opportunities, barriers, and targeted forms of assistance for these groups of would-be and existing rural small business owners. Information gained from this research will be of value to rural entrepreneurs, business assistance sources (e.g. SBDCs), Extension specialists, and economic and community development organizations, and state and federal government programs. The scope of this research also covers identifying effective strategies for the development, marketing, and retailing of food and fiber-related products, services, and/or experiences that enhance well-being and socioeconomic development of individuals, families, communities, and businesses in Iowa.The economic recession of 2007-2009, and business challenges since then, has increased the need to better understand rural small business ownership (e.g., types of assistance needed, strategic options, new ways to compete in today's marketplace), particularly for underserved Iowa populations, including women and older residents ages 50+. Over one-third (34%) of all Iowans are 45-74 years of age.In rural areas, roughly half (50.3%) of Iowa's rural residents are female and 63.1% of all households were female headed with children under 18 years of age. Overall, women are substantially less likely to start a business than men.Successful locally-owned businesses can enhance rural development and improve quality of life through their catalytic activities associated with economic development, entrepreneurship, and the development, marketing, and distribution of consumer-related offerings. Small rural businesses are commonly found in food- and fiber-related hospitality, tourism, and retailing sectors. This project also bridges our research with practice by providing service-learning opportunities for college students. These learning experiences entail targeted assistance to rural Iowa businesses in the areas of retail, hospitality, and tourism, as well as exposure to entrepreneurial career opportunities in Iowa through research-informed outreach projects.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
6086050301020%
6046299310040%
8016010301040%
Knowledge Area
608 - Community Resource Planning and Development; 801 - Individual and Family Resource Management; 604 - Marketing and Distribution Practices;

Subject Of Investigation
6010 - Individuals; 6050 - Communities, areas, and regions; 6299 - Marketing, general/other;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics; 3100 - Management;
Goals / Objectives
This research project will focus on enhancing the entrepreneurial potential of two sizeable but underserved Iowa population groups, women and older residents ages 50+, to engage in the start-up of food/hospitality-related (e.g., restaurants, local food vendors) and fiber-related (e.g., textile and apparel soft goods) retail and service-based businesses. The primary goals of the project include identifying needs, opportunities, barriers, and targeted forms of assistance for the noted groups of would-be and existing rural small business owners. Additional goals include the identification of effective strategies for the development, marketing, and retailing of food and fiber-related products, services, and/or experiences that enhance well-being and socioeconomic development of individuals, families, communities, and businesses in Iowa.Specific objectives for the project include:Determine environmental factors (e.g., community support, industry readiness and competition, available business assistance, and business/technology infrastructure) that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber-related business ventures for women and individuals age 50+, both underserved populations in Iowa.Identify individual factors (e.g., personal attributes, motivations, family support) that are perceived to support or discourage business start-up for women and individuals age 50+ in Iowa.Develop research-based information regarding business assistance needs of entrepreneurs engaged in food and fiber-related businesses in rural communities in the central region of the U.S., including Iowa. This will include connecting underserved entrepreneurs with the information needed to identify, assess, and develop new products, services, experiences, markets, customers, and venues for small brick and mortar, multi-channel, and omni-channel business operations.Apply knowledge from academic courses (e.g., entrepreneurship, retailing, hospitality management) through community and business outreach projects to help students assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs.
Project Methods
Project Years 1-2:Objective 1. Determine environmental factors (e.g., community support, industry readiness and competition, available business assistance, and business/technology infrastructure) that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber-related business ventures for women and individuals age 50+, both underserved populations in Iowa.Objective 2. Identify individual factors (e.g., personal attributes, motivations, family support) that are perceived to support or discourage business start-up for women and individuals age 50+ in Iowa.To meet project objectives 1 and 2, our research team will first engage in the collection of focus group data from two groups: Iowa business assistance sources (SBDC's, Main Street programs, community colleges entrepreneurship directors) and would-be and new small business owners (women and ages 50+). We will examine (a) their perceptions of the need for technology and IMS-related resources/training, (b) the availability of IMS-related resources/training from the services, and (c) the perceived importance of customization of IMS resources/training for these underrepresented groups (e.g., women, 50+). Findings from the business assistance focus groups will aid in the development of focus group interview questions for would-be and new small business owners. Participants will either be interested in starting a business or have recently launched a small business.Project Years 2 and 3: Our efforts during these years will addresses Objectives 1 and 2. Findings from the business assistance sources and entrepreneur focus groups will be used to (a) identify the challenges and opportunities of business start-ups, including the availability and suitability of existing business assistance resources and materials in order to identify gaps in available resources and provide suggestions for adjustments in the preferred mode of delivery of such resources, and (b) develop and administer a quantitative multi-state survey, pilot tested in Iowa, to assess challenges and opportunities associated with business start-ups and perceptions of business assistance sources of women and 50+ individuals in rural and small communities.A quantitative survey instrument will be employed to assess environmental factors such as community support, industry readiness and competition, available business assistance, and business/ technology infrastructure that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food- and fiber-related business ventures for women and individuals ages 50+. We will launch the survey instrument in Iowa first in Year 2 and then a multi-state region of the central United States will be targeted in Year 3. Modified or new survey scales will be used to assess: (a) individual-level demographics, (b) description of the envisioned or existing business, and (c) business assistance resources needed and preferred method of delivery. We will also evaluate: (a) entrepreneurs' use of multi-channel strategies and existing and emerging technologies (e.g., e-commerce, m-commerce, social networks) and (b) the impact of business resources and strategies on rural small business performance.Project Years 4 and 5: Our efforts will address objectives 3 and 4 in the final years of the project.Objective 3. Develop research-based information regarding business assistance needs of entrepreneurs engaged in food and fiber-related businesses in rural communities in the central region of the U.S., including Iowa. This will include connecting underserved entrepreneurs with the information needed to identify, assess, and develop new products, services, experiences, markets, customers, and venues for small brick and mortar, multi-channel, and omni-channel business operations.Objective 4. Apply knowledge from academic courses (e.g., entrepreneurship, retailing, hospitality management) through community and business outreach projects to help students assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs.In years 4 and 5 analysis of data collected at the state (Iowa) and regional (multi-state) levels will provide a clearer picture of both environmental and individual factors that support or discourage Iowa women and older residents (50+) from starting a business. In addition, the regional study will provide a comparative analysis of Iowa and other states located in the central region of the United States, a broader generalization of findings, and identification of available state and regional resources of appropriate business assistance. Findings from the state level and regional studies will provide preliminary data that can be leveraged for larger external grant proposals concerning environmental and individual factors that impact business start-up for underserved population groups.Our results will also be used to develop research-based information (i.e., white papers) for Iowa business consultants and food- and fiber-related entrepreneurs through service learning projects. This will include connecting these underserved entrepreneurs (women, ages 50+) with the information needed to identify, assess, and develop new products, services, experiences, markets, customers, and venues for small brick-and-mortar, multi-channel, or omni-channel business operations. Empirical models containing these variables will provide research-based support for the dynamics underlying progress towards and actual starting of a rural small business by rural females and/or age 50+ residents. The identified factors that frequently foster or derail the process for these individuals looking to start a business will guide recommendations for outreach programming tailored specifically to their needs. In addition, the impact of the entrepreneurial activities undertaken on their life quality and rural communities over time will be identified.We will continue to use our findings from this research project to enhance information contained in academic courses (e.g. entrepreneurship, retailing, hospitality management). Knowledge gained from these courses will provide students with opportunities to assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs through service learning-based outreach projects. We will evaluate student learning outcomes and perceived benefits of outreach project participation with Iowa entrepreneurs.

Progress 12/21/16 to 09/30/21

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for this project included fiber-related and fashion-based start-up business owners and higher education instructors, food-service industry business owners, Iowa residents/consumers, agritourism events practitioners in Iowa, Iowa Business Assistance Providers (e.g., Chamber of Commerce Directors and Small Business Development Center Directors), and Iowa small business owners. This project also engaged college students in business assistance outreach projects in collaboration with the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Association. Additionally, under-represented direct sellers, including individuals who are ethnic minorities (i.e., Latinx) and live in rural areas, were also included during the current reporting period for the project. Changes/Problems:Given the Covid-19 Pandemic, our data collection for the final stages of the project (2020-2021) did now occur as planned. We followed the data collection procedures allowed by Iowa State University, given the current circumstances surrounding the pandemic and adjusted the project accordingly. Given the current small business climate due to the pandemic that began in 2020, our research team was not able to collect full quantitative survey data from small business owners, as originally planned. Rather, we decided it would be more beneficial to go back to the business assistance providers that we collected focus group data from two years ago (prior to Covid) to get an updated view of what the business assistance needs are for these small businesses, given the shifts and changes they have had to make in their businesses due to COVID-19. Findings from this study will support several manuscripts and conference presentations and provide preliminary data for a larger project proposal regarding the barriers and opportunities for both existing and emerging entrepreneurs. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided our research team members and graduate assistants the opportunity for refining literature search techniques, developing secondary data analysis skills including data preparation, data transformation, and statistical analyses appropriate for this special type of data. Research team members have developed stronger linkages with Extension through the small-scale food producer grant and will impact entrepreneurs/residents of Iowa through the planned video-based virtual workshops. The USIEF-funded project, which involved collaborations between Indian and US faculty, strengthened our knowledge of retailing practices and enhanced our awareness of cultural differences between the US and India. The data collection procedure used to collect focus group data used a virtual technology methodology, which allowed the researchers to learn and refine their data collection skills using a technique that allows for data collection of geographically disperse participants. This data collection methodology was shared at a professional conference to an audience of approximately 20 other academicians, where the research methodology was well received. Additionally, the DSEF-funded project provided team members and graduate assistants the opportunity for developing secondary data analysis skills including data preparation, data transformation, and statistical analyses appropriate for this special type of data. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results have been disseminated at professional conferences to apparel and textiles faculty, retail and business management educators and students, as well as faculty and professionals in the area of small business and entrepreneurship. In terms of the USIEF project, a website was developed that disseminates the seven educational modules in a condensed, user-friendly form for small business owners. The research team completed the USIEF research project and will continue to disseminate the findings through academic conference presentations. Additionally, our research team held an informational meeting with Jim Patton, a small business consulting resource in the Ames, Iowa area. During this meeting the team brainstormed ideas on how our research team could partner/collaborate with him and the work he is doing to help small businesses (new start-ups and existing). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Through refereed and invited presentations, publications, grant proposals, and student-learning activities, the team increased knowledge and provided strategic information to academic researchers, business/economic development specialists, and businesses owners about new approaches for improving economic well-being and business sustainability in rural Iowa communities. Objective 1. Determine environmental factors (e.g., community support, industry readiness and competition, available business assistance, and business/technology infrastructure) that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber- related business ventures for women and individuals age 50+, both underserved populations in Iowa. Research looking at factors affecting Latin X entrepreneurs in Iowa has identified challenges/ barriers (e.g., language, limited business-related education, recognizing importance of customer service) and opportunities for business sustainability (e.g., selling cultural products) along with the contributions these businesses make to communities and economic development. Looking at Iowa small rural retail businesses in general, our research confirms their multiple uses of social media, but also the existence of barriers to its adoption (e.g., lack of time or knowledge regarding administration of social media). In terms of other technology used in retailing, we validated a scale capturing consumer preference for technology applications within small retail shops; this scale may assist retailers in gathering data to make the right consumer technology choices. Other environmental factors that likely facilitate success among entrepreneurs/small business owners, particularly small retailers, include the employment of big data in decision making and business networking resources. One important factor, mentoring, appears to be hard for these entrepreneurs to find. Our research also examined the viability of two specific forms of small businesses. First, our research revealed that the (a) motivations of women representatives of appearance-related direct selling companies and (b) forms of company support (e.g., product buy-back option) have an impact on individual seller's job satisfaction and performance. Second, the acceptance of a new retail format (small inventory-free stores) may also contribute to the success of start-ups, particularly for fashion-related businesses. Dissemination of the results of these studies has been through peer-reviewed conference papers and posters, as well as Extension programming. Objective 2: Identify individual factors that are perceived to support or discourage business start-up for women and individuals age 50+ in Iowa. Our research team conducted two studies focusing on appearance-related direct selling companies and individual direct sellers who are typically self-employed women and known as lifestyle entrepreneurs who involve in a business they enjoy and one that provides flexibility with other life domains (Marcketti, Niehm, & Fuloria, 2009). Both studies utilized national secondary datasets collected by the Direct Selling Association. Our first study confirmed the positive effect of motivation of these lifestyle entrepreneurs on the amount of time they invest in their businesses, which has a positive association with their job performance. Our findings further highlighted that appropriate support provided by direct selling companies (e.g., training, inventory buyback policies) that fall in with these entrepreneurs' personal goals help amplify the effectiveness of their efforts and help them be more successful. The finding of this study was presented at 2019 ITAA conference. Previous research (e.g., Tan & Niehm, 2018) suggest Latinx entrepreneurs need more support in a number of areas, including knowledge of how to link with business networks and suppliers, identifying customers and growing beyond personal networks, and using technology to better connect with potential and current customers. Our findings indicated that direct selling companies that employ a variety of digital marketing strategies and provide tools to assist in selling activities are more likely to attract individuals who identify as a female, Latinx, and first-generation immigrant. This second study, presented at the US Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), won the DSEF Best Research Paper Award, recognizing the rigorous of the study and the impact of the findings for the direct selling industry. Objective 3: Develop research-based information regarding business assistance needs of entrepreneurs engaged in food and fiber-related businesses in rural communities in the central region of the U.S., including Iowa. First, through the multi-institutional US-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) funded project, the team members have developed research-based information, which offers foundational knowledge (e.g., educational modules) and assists small fashion-related (fiber) business owners in practice. The educational modules were delivered through two courses taught at ISU and at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in India and a public presentation at the India Fashion Forum. Around 200 individuals benefited from these educational modules. The courses and presentations were further disseminated to business operators through the collaborative efforts of ISU, Oklahoma State University, University of North Texas, and India's NIFT. Second, through the Human Sciences Extension and Outreach (HSEO) funded grant project, the research team has provided small food operators of Iowa with educational resources to help address their competitive needs in the early years of operation. In-depth interviews with the emphasis of the underserved groups' needs on education, training, and assistance were conducted with four small food business operators in Fairfield, Iowa. Interview data was assessed and adopted to create training videos. Videos were initially delivered in either face-to-face or online sessions with 10 business operators attended. The training videos has been accessible later to Extension professionals and residents across the 99 counties of Iowa. Third, the research team developed a research project which aims to investigate factors leading to revisit intentions toward the agritourism activities in rural areas of Iowa. Objective 4. Apply knowledge from academic courses (e.g., entrepreneurship, retailing, hospitality management) through community and business outreach projects to help students assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs. Business outreach and assistance projects were conducted in small Iowa communities each year of the project 2016-2021, except for 2020 due to COVID-19. Projects were conducted in collaboration with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach and Chambers of Commerce in participating Iowa communities. Two community site visits were by student teams to conduct business needs assessments. Projects included marketing plans and the development of customized business strategy tool-kits, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and performance of the small rural retail businesses. Final student team presentations were given in the community setting to business to consulting clients and local community leaders. A total of 260 students (250 undergraduate and 10 graduate) participated in the outreach projects from 2016-2021, serving 49 businesses, in 8 small Iowa communities during the project period. Student teams also participated in the ISU College of Human Sciences Entrepreneurship Showcase in the spring of each project year, where they presented their final business outreach and assistance projects to students, faculty, staff, business owners, university leaders, and community members. Two presentations about the outreach projects were delivered at the ISU Day at the Iowa Capitol in 2019 and 2020 to state legislators, the Governor, and other state leaders.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Shane-Nichols, A., Damhorst, M. L., & Fiore, A. M. (2020). Female consumers symbolic expression of identity through Harley-Davidson apparel. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Denver, CO, November 17-21.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: McKinney, S., Schumm, Z., Niehm, L., Fiore, A. M., Olson, E., Hurst, J., & Shane-Nichols, A. (2020). Scale development of consumer-focused technology features important to shopping experiences in small retail businesses. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Denver, CO, November 17-21.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Kim, K., Kim, J. & Fiore, A. M. (2020). Lifestyle segmentation for older fashion consumers using latent class analysis. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Denver, CO, November 17-21.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Lee, A., & Fiore, A. M. (2020). Motivation and technology acceptance model (tam) variables affecting social media usage by market mavens for fashion-related information provision. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Denver, CO, November 17-21.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Hurst, J., Niehm, L. Fiore, A. M., Shane-Nichols, A., Lee, A., & Rajagopal, M. (2020). Using a program-based store for retail and entrepreneurship education: Integration of a retail learning lab as a capstone experience. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Denver, CO, November 17-21.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Shane-Nichols, A., Damhorst, M. L., & Fiore, A.M. (2021). Female Harley-Davidson consumers symbolic expression of identity through apparel. Popular Culture Association Conference. June 2-5 (Virtual conference).
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Niehm, L.S. Distinguished Scholar Award 2020, International Textiles and Apparel Association (ITAA). Award presented at the 2020 ITAA Virtual Annual Meeting, November 18, 2020.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Son, J., & Niehm, L. S. (2021). Using social media to navigate changing rural markets: the case of small community retail and service businesses. Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 1-19.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: McKinney, S., Hurst, J., Niehm, L., Fiore, A.M.& Chung, T-L. (2021). A good mentor is hard to find. American Marketing Association/American Collegiate Retailing Association Conference. March 25-26 (Virtual conference).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Chung, T., Kim, K., Lee, A., Hurst, J., Niehm, L.S., Fiore, A.M., Rajagopal, M., Tang, L. Empowering Minorities and Women Direct Sellers through Integrated Digital Marketing Strategies: An Intersectionality Perspective. Journal of Business Diversity, 20(4).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Slaton K. & Niehm, L.S. Reimagining the Luxury Department Store: Investigating the Millennial Luxury Consumer and the Luxury Department Store from a Systems Perspective. Journal of Textile Science and Fashion Technology, 4(5), JTSFT.MS.ID.000600. DOI: 10.33552/JTSFT.2020.04.000600.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Spurgeon E.E. & Niehm L.S. An Exploratory Study of Consumer Satisfaction and Purchase Behavior Intention of Fashion Subscription Based Online Services (SOS). Journal of Textile Science and Fashion Technology, 5(1): 2020. JTSFT.MS.ID.000601. DOI: 10.33552/JTSFT.2020.05.000601.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Schumm, C.Z., McKinney, S., Niehm, L.S. Fiore, A.M., Chung, D., Hurst, J.L., and Shane-Nichols, A. The Friendly Shak Tank: Mentoring Student Entrepreneurs Using Product Pitches. Research presentation at the 78TH Annual International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Virtual Conference, November 2-5, 2021.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Schumm, C.Z., Schrimpf, E., & Niehm, L.S. Active Entrepreneurial Learning: An Industry-specific Consulting Experience for Apparel and Hospitality Students. Research presentation at the 78TH Annual International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Virtual Conference, November 2-5, 2021.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sponder Testa, D., Niehm, L.S. & Hurst, J.L. Who are the Business Influencers? The Underlying Relationship between Employees and Strategic Retail Change. Research presentation at the 78TH Annual International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Virtual Conference, November 2-5, 2021.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Hurst, J., Niehm, L.S., Fiore, A.M., Shane-Nichols, A, Lee, A., & Rajagopal, M. Using a Program-Based Store for Retail and Entrepreneurship Education: Integration of a Retail Learning Lab as a Capstone Experience. Research presentation at the 77TH Annual International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Virtual Conference, November 18-20, 2020.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: McKinney, S., Schumm, Z., Niehm, L.S., Fiore, A.M., Olson, E. Hurst, J., & Shane-Nichols, A. Scale Development of Consumer-Focused Technology Features Important to Shopping Experiences in Small Retail Businesses. Research presentation at the 77TH Annual International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Virtual Conference, November 18-20, 2020.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Niehm, L.S. From Classroom to Community: The Power of Integrative Research. Distinguished Scholar and Opening Reception Lecture at the 2020 ITAA Virtual Annual Meeting, November 18, 2020.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Slaton, K. & Niehm, L.S. Exploring the Role of Intrapreneurs in the Luxury Department Store Context: Navigating Impacts of Industry Disruption and Millenial Consumer Behavior. Research presentation at the 77TH Annual International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Virtual Conference, November 18-20, 2020.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Chung, D., Kim, K., Lee, A. Hurst, J., Niehm, L.S., Fiore, A.M., Rajagopal, M., & Tang, L. Empowering Minorities and Women Direct Sellers through Integrated Digital Marketing Strategies: An Intersectionality Perspective. Research presentation at the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA January 4-7, 2020.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Gemma (Chen-Chin) Yu (2021). Small retail business models, Creative Research Component, Iowa State University.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Niehm, L (2021). Represented College of Human Sciences at the Iowa State Fair for ISU Week, Ignite Innovation Showcase: On the Road. Also presented with student for Innovate 1858 segment.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Jeon, J., & Tang, L. (2021). Examining the impact of food delivery apps on consumers in difference generations during COVID-19. Proceedings of 26th Annual Graduate Education & Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism, Houston, TX, US, Jan 8-9, 2021.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Malvika Rajagopal (2020). Social media marketing and the new normal for small retail businesses, Creative Research Component, Iowa State University.


Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for this project included fiber-related and fashion-based start-up business owners and higher education instructors, food-service industry business owners, Iowa residents/consumers, agritourism events practitioners in Iowa, and Iowa small business owners. This project also engaged college students in business assistance outreach projects in collaboration with the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Association. Additionally, under-represented direct sellers, including individuals who are ethnic minorities (i.e., Latinx) and live in rural areas, were also included during the current reporting period for the project. Changes/Problems:Given the Covid-19 Pandemic, our data collection for the reporting period did now occur as planned. We will follow the data collection procedure allowed by Iowa State University, given the current circumstances surrounding the pandemic and adjust accordingly. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?For the current reporting period, this project has provided our team members and graduate assistants the opportunity for developing secondary data analysis skills including data preparation, data transformation, and statistical analyses appropriate for this special type of data. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Yes, research results of the current project have been disseminated at professional conferences to apparel and textiles faculty, retail and business management educators and students, as well as faculty and professionals in the area of small business and entrepreneurship. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Given the current business climate due to the pandemic that began in 2020, our research team plans to go back to the business assistance providers that we collected focus group data from two years ago to get an updated view of what the business assistance needs are for these small businesses, given the shifts and changes they have had to make in their businesses due to COVID-19. Additionally, focus group data collection with underserved food and fiber-related entrepreneurs who are female and/or ages 50-plus will be collected during the next reporting period. Findings from this study will support several manuscripts and conference presentations and provide preliminary data for a larger project proposal regarding the barriers and opportunities for both existing and emerging entrepreneurs.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Overall impact statement: This research project focuses on how to enhance the entrepreneurial potential of two underserved population groups Iowa in Iowa: women and older residents ages 50+. Through refereed and invited presentations, publications, grant proposals, and student-learning activities, the team increased knowledge and provided strategic information to academic researchers, business and economic development specialists, and businesses owners about new approaches for improving economic well-being and business sustainability in rural Iowa communities. Objective 1: Determine environmental factors that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber-related business ventures for women and individuals age 50+, both underserved populations in Iowa. Environmental factors examined in research during the past year include education, new retail formats, motivations of direct seller, and company support for direct sellers. Research by Testa and Fiore, presented as a poster at the International Textiles and Apparel Association conference (Oct. 2019), illustrated that education, in the form of a specially-designed trend forecasting course, enhances knowledge, application, evaluation, and creation of trend forecasts. Better trend forecasting may contribute to the success of women's start-ups across a range of business types and for fiber-related, fashion-based businesses in particular. New retail formats may also contribute to the success of start-ups, particularly for fashion-related businesses. Slaton et al.'s (2020) findings introduce a retail format alternative -- small, inventory-free stores -- that may allow more women to own retail operations and do so with financial constraints, because of the smaller up-front investment required for inventory-free stores. This store format was found to be successful at building brand equity and foster purchase intentions, which may help ensure business success as well. More than 75 people attended the presentation of this research at the International Textiles and Apparel Association conference (Oct. 2019). IAHEES members completed a Direct Selling Education Foundation (DSEF) research project and presented their research findings at two conferences: International Textiles and Apparel Association conference (Oct. 2019; over 20 researchers in attendance) and USASBE (Jan. 2020; over 30 researchers in attendance). One of the two studies, entitled "To sell or not to sell: The influence of motivation and company support on appearance-related direct selling representatives' performance", was presented at the ITAA conference. This study examined two types of support provided by direct selling companies to individual sellers, and the support's influence on job satisfaction and performance of the sellers. The findings may aid direct sellers in developing resources that will potentially lower turn-over of employees and enhance women direct sellers' success. Objective 2: Identify individual factors that are perceived to support or discourage business start-up for women and individuals age 50+ in Iowa. Another study in the direct selling (DSEF) project, entitled "Empowering minorities and women direct sellers through integrated digital marketing strategies: An intersectionality perspective", utilized an intersectionality theoretical perspective to examine how digital marketing could be used as a tool for empowering under-represented direct sellers, including those who live in rural areas and those who are ethnical minorities. The findings reflected how the digital marketing tools may be used effectively by direct sellers with intersectional identities (i.e., individuals who identify with more than one under-represented groups, such as Latina immigrants). This study, presented at the US Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), won the DSEF Best Research Paper Award, recognizing the rigorous of the study and the impact of the findings for the direct selling industry. Objective 3: Develop research-based information regarding business assistance needs of entrepreneurs engaged in food and fiber-related businesses in rural communities in the central region of the U.S., including Iowa. IAHEES project members (Drs. Tang, Hurst, Niehm, and Fiore) published an agritourism paper in the Journal of Event Management. Businesses that have repeat customers are more likely to succeed; therefore to further investigate the success of agritourism events and festivals, which significantly contribute to economic development in rural communities, this study investigated factors leading to revisit intentions toward these tourism activities. This study provides an innovative theoretical foundation for future research investigating service quality, and suggests strategies that business assistance providers, business owners and marketers can use to effectively enhance experiential offerings for visitors at agritourism events. Objective 4: Apply knowledge from academic courses through community and business outreach projects to help students assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs. Forty students in the AESHM 474 Entrepreneurship in Human Sciences course completed business assistance outreach projects for six businesses in Ames, Iowa during the reporting period. Projects in fall 2019 involved two site visits by students to small local businesses, as identified in collaboration with the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Association. The students worked in teams to conduct business need assessments. Projects included marketing plans and the development of customized business strategy tool-kits, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and performance of small community retail businesses. Final presentations by the students were given at the university in November 2019. Each student team presented to their designated small business client, faculty members, and external judges, comprised of business owners and business assistance providers. No consulting and outreach projects were conducted in spring 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Additionally, two members of the research team (Drs. Linda Niehm and Jessica Hurst) and one PHD student (Steven McKinney) were invited to present at the 2020 ISU Day at the Capitol, in Des Moines, Iowa on March 5, 2020. The team was invited to present because our work on this IAHEES project and the Iowa Retail Initiative, as both provide assistance to small Iowa businesses. Groups participating in the ISU Day at the Capitol were also selected based on demonstrated entrepreneurial and innovative efforts in their work at the university. Approximately 200 members, serving in various roles in State of Iowa government, attended the event including the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Chung, T-L., Lee, A., Hurst, J.L., Niehm, L.S., Rajagopal, M., Fiore, A.M., & Tang, L. (2020). Empowering minorities and women direct sellers through integrated digital marketing strategies: An intersectionality perspective. USASBE 2020 Conference, New Orleans, LA, January 4-6. One of four Direct Selling Educational Foundation BEST PAPER awards.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lee, A., Rajagopal, M., Chung, T-L., Hurst, J., Fiore, A. M., Niehm, L., & Tang, L. (2019). To sell or not to sell: The influence of motivation and company support on appearance-related direct selling representatives performance. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Las Vegas, NV, October 25-29.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Slaton, K., Testa, D., Bakhshian, S., & Fiore, A.M. (2020). The impact of the small, inventory-free store experience on consumer-based brand equity and purchase intention. Journal of Retail and Consumer Services, 57, 1-10.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Slaton, K., Testa, D., & Fiore, A. M. (2019). The small, inventory free retail format: The impact on consumer-based brand equity and purchase behavior. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Las Vegas, NV, October 25-29.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Tang, L., Hurst, J., Niehm, L., Fiore, A., Dorie, A., Jablon-Roberts, S. (2020). Reconceptualizing the hierarchical service quality model: the case of agritourism events. Event Management, 24(2-3), 389-407.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Testa, D. & Fiore, A. M. (2019). A fashion trend forecasting course as a gateway to career discovery. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. Las Vegas, NV, October 25-29.


Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for this project included Iowa small business assistance providers (i.e., Small Business Development Centers and Chambers of Commerce), small business owners (existing and emerging), Iowa residents/consumers, community leaders, Extension specialists, and business consultants. This project also engaged college students in outreach projects aimed at building the competitiveness of small food and fiber-related businesses in Iowa, as well as in India. Additionally, individuals who are representing direct selling companies in rural and urban areas in Iowa and beyond. In addition, the findings of the DSEF project are informational to individuals who are inspired to be entrepreneurial through direct selling in rural and urban Iowa communities and beyond. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The USIEF-funded project, which involved collaborations between Indian and US faculty, strengthened our knowledge of retailing practices and enhanced our awareness of cultural differences between the US and India. The data collection procedure used to collect focus group data used a virtual technology methodology, which allowed the researchers to learn and refine their data collection skills using a technique that allows for data collection of geographically disperse participants. This data collection methodology was shared at a professional conference to an audience of approximately 20 other academicians, where the research methodology was well received. Work on objective 2provided team members and graduate assistants the opportunity for developing secondary data analysis skills including data preparation, data transformation, and statistical analyses appropriate for this special type of data. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results have been disseminated at professional conferences to apparel and textiles faculty, retail and business management educators and students, as well as faculty and professionals in the area of small business and entrepreneurship. In terms of the USIEF project, a website was developed that disseminates the seven educational modules in a condensed, user-friendly form for small business owners. The research team completed the USIEF research project and will continue to disseminate the findings through academic conference presentations. Our research team held an informational meeting with Jim Patton, a small business consulting resource in the Ames area. During this meeting the team brainstormed ideas on how our research team could partner/collaborate with him and the work he is doing to help small businesses (new start-ups and existing). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Focus group data collection with underserved food and fiber-related entrepreneurs who are female and/or ages 50-plus will be collected during the next reporting period. Findings from this study will support several manuscripts and conference presentations and provide preliminary data for a larger project proposal regarding the barriers and opportunities for both existing and emerging entrepreneurs.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Overall impact statement: This research project focuses on how to enhance the entrepreneurial potential of two sizeable but underserved Iowa population groups, women and older residents ages 50+. Through refereed and invited presentations, publications, grant proposals, and student-learning activities, the team increased knowledge and provided strategic information to academic researchers, business and economic development specialists, and businesses owners about new approaches for improving economic well-being and business sustainability in rural Iowa communities. Objective 1: Determine environmental factors that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber-related business ventures for women and individuals age 50+, both underserved populations in Iowa. Niehm and Son published research regarding social media use by small rural retailers, focusing on facilitators and barriers to its adoption. Strategic implications were made for Extension program development with small rural businesses. Niehm and McKinney gave a presentation to approximately 40 academic professionals at the US Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship regarding big data use for decision making regarding business start-ups in rural market locations. This work is related to Niehm's funded USDA research project on big data use for rural community and business opportunity matching. The seven IAHEES project team members contributed to a conference presentation concerning challenges, opportunities, and business needs in the changing retail environment and how to assist underserved retail entrepreneurs through network resources. Delivered by Niehm, approximately 70 academic professionals attended this presentation. At the same conference, Niehm presented research conducted with Tan on Latino retail entrepreneurs' contributions to community and economic development in Iowa, attended by approximately 50 academic professionals. In total this body of work adds significantly to our understanding of factors that facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber-related businesses for underserved populations in Iowa. Objective 2: Identify individual factors that are perceived to support or discourage business start-up for women and individuals age 50+ in Iowa. The research team received permission to use secondary data collected through surveys disseminated by the Direct Selling Association.The research team conducted two research studies using secondary datasets focusing on appearance-related direct selling companies and their sellers who are typically self-employed women. The first study examined two types of support provided by direct selling companies to individual sellers, and the influence on direct sellers' job satisfaction and performance. The findings from this study were informative to direct sellers for developing supports that will help women direct sellers be more successful and lower the direct seller turn-over rate. The second study utilized an intersectionality theoretical perspective to examine how digital marketing could be used as a tool for empowering under-represented direct sellers, including those who live in rural areas and those who are ethnical minorities. The findings reflected how the digital marketing tools may be used effectively by direct sellers with intersectional identities. These two studies were accepted for oral presentations at two conferences that will be included in the next annual report. Objective 3: Develop research-based information regarding business assistance needs of entrepreneurs engaged in food and fiber-related businesses in rural communities in the central region of the U.S., including Iowa. In Feb 2019, our research team received a request for consulting from Mrs. Mari Marvin, ISU extension coordinator and Mr. John Schroeder, executive director of Davis County Development Corporation. Van Buren County community group, a non-for-profit organization of Davis County purchased the historic Hotel Manning in Keosauqua. The group planned to refurnish the hotel and develop a marketing plan for the future five years. However, since they were lack of relevant entrepreneurship and marketing knowledge and skills, they contacted our research team for help. Based on their expectations, we offered a sample marketing plan for their reference and gave them specific suggestions and guidance. Fourproject members were involved in a multi-institutional US-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) funded project that has resulted in the development of research-based information to assist small fashion-related (fiber) business owners. This year, the team developed content for a website, Practices for Enhancing Your Small Retail Business, which included seven modules designed to provide small business operators with key points on topics of importance to retailers along with examples and exercises to apply the information to a small business operation. The seven module topics arecultural diversity, retail entrepreneurship, assortment planning, triple bottom line, promotional strategies, experiential marketing, and omni-channel retailing. The online modules are in English and in Hindi. (https://usiefgrantretailing.wixsite.com/mysite/module-1). The project was funded by the US-India Educational Foundation. Objective 4: Apply knowledge from academic courses through community and business outreach projects to help students assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs. Sixty students in the AESHM 474 Entrepreneurship in Human Sciences course completed business assistance outreach projects for 12 businesses in two rural Iowa communities (Manning and Gowrie) during the reporting period. Projects involved two site visits to the communities by students who worked in teams to conduct business needs assessments. The projects included marketing plans and the development of customized business strategy tool-kits, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and performance of the small rural retail businesses. Final presentations by the students were given in the community setting with approximately 30 business consulting clients and local community leaders present in each community. Additionally, during spring 2019, students were involved in the College of Human Sciences Entrepreneurship Showcase, where they presented their final business assistance project to students, faculty, staff, business owners, and community members. Additionally, two members of the research team (Drs. Linda Niehm and Jessica Hurst) and one of our PHD students (Steven McKinney) were invited to the 2019 ISU Day at the Capitol event on March 6, 2019 because our work on this IAHEES project and the Iowa Retail Initiative project demonstrates entrepreneurial and innovative efforts across the university.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Son, J., Niehm, L. S., Russell, D., & Lee, J. (2019). Assessing the social media use and needs of small rural retailers: Implications for extension program support. Journal of Extension, 57(2), 2RIB2.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hurst, J.L., Mckinney, S., Niehm, L.S., Chung, D., Fiore, A.M., Tang, R., & Bakshian, S. (2019). Using virtual meeting technology to collect focus group data in geographically dispersed retail markets. Research presentation at the American Collegiate Retailing Association (ACRA) Annual Conference, Tucson, AZ.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Niehm, L. S., McKinney, S., Carpenter, C., Dudensing, R., & Loveridge, S. (2019). Using big data for rural decision making and economic development: Opportunity matching for small businesses and communities. Research presentation at the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Annual Conference, Saint Petersburg, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Niehm, L. S. & Thorsson, P. (2019). Is there a best amount of planning? A discussion and research review. Research presentation at the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Annual Conference, Saint Petersburg, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Niehm, L. S., McKinney, S., Bakhshian, S., Hurst, J., Chung, T., Fiore, A.M., & Tang, L. (2018). Challenges, opportunities, and business needs in the changing retail environment: Assisting underserved retail entrepreneurs through business networks. Research presentation at the International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Annual Conference, Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Tan, H. & Niehm, L. S. (2018). Latino retail entrepreneurs' contributions to community and economic development in Iowa: A community leader perspective. Research presentation at International Textiles & Apparel Association (ITAA) Annual Conference, Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Dorie, A., Chung, T-L., Fiore, A. M., & Froelich, A. (2018). Actions speak louder than words: Scale development for consumer-to-consumer social interactions. Research presentation at AMA/ACRA Triennial Conference, Toronto, Canada.
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Carpenter, C., Dudensing, R., Loveridge, S, & Niehm, L.S. (2017-2021). Mapping economic opportunity in rural America: Mining big data for decision making in business development. USDA AFRI Foundational Grants Program, (Iowa PI: L.S. Niehm SPONSOR: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, Award #: 06M1702001KC AWARD #: 017299-00001) ISU Subaward $40,000; Total Award, $499,999, Co-principal Investigator.
  • Type: Websites Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Fiore, A.M., Hurst, J.L, Niehm, L.S., Chung, D. (in collaboration with faculty from NIFT in India, Oklahoma State University and University of North Texas in the U.S.). (2019). Practices for enhancing your small retail business as a part of the United States-India educational foundation funded project (A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Meet 21st Century Retailing Education and Industry Challenges for India). English and Hindi versions. https://usiefgrantretailing.wixsite.com/mysite
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Niehm, L.S., Hurst, J.L., & McKinney, S (2019). AESHM Retail Initiative. Invited presentation at the 2019 ISU Day at the Capitol, Des Moines, IA on March 6, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Slaton, K., Testa, D., Bakhshian S., Reid, S., Fiore, A. M. (2018). The new face of retailing: Small, inventory-free stores and the brand experience. Research presentation at International Textiles and Apparel Association Annual Conference. Cleveland, OH.
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lee, S.J., Niehm, L. S., & Jang, J. The impact of volunteers on sustainable rural community development. Research grant through the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD), Michigan State University, $25,000. October 1, 2018-August 30, 2019. Co-Principal Investigator. Funded.
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Margrett, J. Chandra, A., Chang, C., Hurst, J., Kohut, M., Kreiser, P., Lee, Y. A., Martin, P., Niehm, L., & Fiestas, M. I. L. (2017-2020). Capitalizing on booming opportunities: Innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship to support optimal aging. Venture Well faculty grant (#15462-16), $23,400, funded.


Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for this project included Iowa small business assistance providers (i.e., Small Business Development Centers and Chambers of Commerce), small business owners (current and would-be), Iowa residents/consumers, community leaders, Extension specialists, and business consultants. This project also engaged college students in outreach projects aimed at building the competitiveness of small food and fiber-related businesses in Iowa, as well as in India. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Research team members have developed stronger linkages with Extension through the small-scale food producer grant and will impact entrepreneurs/residents of Iowa through the planned video-based virtual workshops. The USIEF-funded project involved collaborations between Indian and US faculty to learn differences in cultures and retailing practices between the US and India during the joint development of educational modules and traveling of faculty to the US or India. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results have been disseminated at professional conferences to apparel and textiles faculty, family and consumer sciences educators and students, as well as faculty and professionals in the area of small business and entrepreneurship. In terms of the USIEF project, two conference presentations were given and a peer-reviewed paper was published. Other papers were published or presentation were given related to experiential marketing and online marketing, two of the topics of the seven educational modules. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next reporting period, a website will be developed that disseminates the seven educational modules in a condensed, user-friendly form for small business owners. The research team will complete the research project and disseminate the findings through academic conference presentations. Focus group data collection with underserved food and fiber-related entrepreneurs who are female and/or ages 50-plus will be collected during the next reporting period. Findings from this study will support several manuscripts and conference presentations and provide preliminary data for a larger project proposal regarding the barriers and opportunities for both existing and would-be entrepreneurs.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Overall impact statement: This research project focuses on how to enhance the entrepreneurial potential of two sizeable but underserved Iowa population groups, women and older residents ages 50+. Through refereed and invited presentations, publications, grant proposals, and student-learning activities, the team increased knowledge and provided strategic information to academic researchers, business and economic development specialists, and businesses owners about new approaches for improving economic well-being and business sustainability in rural Iowa communities. Objective 1. Determine environmental factors that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber-related business ventures for women and individuals age 50+, both underserved populations in Iowa. Virtual focus group interviews were conducted in fall 2017 with small retail business assistance providers (i.e., Small Business Development Center [SBDC] Regional Directors, Chamber of Commerce Directors), located in rural and urban areas in Iowa. Upon completion of data collection, data were analyzed. Phase one of data analysis consisted of manual data coding to identify key themes in the data. Next, phase two utilized MAXQDA software for qualitative data analysis to identify emergent themes. Interpretation and further analysis of these themes is currently underway. Interviews with underserved entrepreneurs are planned for spring/summer 2019. In addition, Dr. Linda Niehm advised a doctoral student's dissertation research addressing Latino female entrepreneurs in Iowa. The study addressed challenges, barriers, and opportunities for Latino business development in creative industries (apparel, textiles, retail, food) in rural and urban areas of Iowa. Two conference presentations have been given related to this study and manuscripts are in progress. Objective 2. Identify individual factors that are perceived to support or discourage business start-up for women and individuals age 50+ in Iowa. IAHEES project members received funds for a research project from the Direct Selling Education Foundation for a period of eight months (Aug. 2018- March 2019). The project aims to examine how a direct selling company's digital presence influences the individual contractors' sales performance, using secondary data collected through surveys disseminated by the Direct Selling Association. The respondents in one of the datasets were primarily women who were self-employed sellers representing a direct selling company. Within the research scope, the research team will examine individual sellers usage of business-related technology usage and compare its effect on the sales performance of individual female sellers by age groups, geographic locations (I.e., rural versus urban regions), and ethnic groups. Objective 3. Develop research-based information regarding business assistance needs of entrepreneurs engaged in food and fiber-related businesses in rural communities in the central region of the U.S. Two major projects focused on fiber or food products. Four IAHEES project members were involved in a multi-institutional US-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) funded project that has resulted in the development of research-based information to assist small fashion-related (fiber) business owners. The information consisted of seven educational modules (e.g., Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Retail Strategy Analysis, Omni-Channel Retailing) that provide foundational knowledge and outlined current business practice for small business owners, including those aiming to sell goods to Indian consumers. The educational modules were disseminated through a two-week distance and on-campus graduate level course at ISU (10 students enrolled), a similar graduate course taught at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in India (100+ students attended from six campuses across India), and a public presentation at the India Fashion Forum (75+ audience members). Collaborations among ISU, Oklahoma State University, University of North Texas, and India's NIFT were involved in the dissemination of the two courses and India Fashion Forum presentation to business operators. In fall 2017, the research team collaborated with event management and hospitality faculty through a Human Sciences Extension and Outreach (HSEO) funded grant project. The purpose of the project was to aid small food operations in Iowa, with emphasis on underserved populations. The target county for the project was Jefferson County (Fairfield, IA), which has growing immigrant and refugee populations. Small food operations typically face failure during the startup process as they may face challenges that can threaten their survival in early years of operation. The project will provide Iowa food operations with educational training and resources to help address their competitive needs. Depth interviews were conducted with four small food business operators in Fairfield, Iowa. This proposal addressed two major research questions: (a) What are the educational, training, and assistance needs of local, small food operators in Iowa; and (b) What are the needs of small food entrepreneurs from underserved groups in rural Iowa, including immigrants and refugees? Interview data was subsequently analyzed and used to develop training videos in spring 2018. Videos were initially presented during an online and face to face watch session (attendance totaled 10 business operators). The videos were delivered via distance technology through collaboration with ISU Extension and Outreach. Ongoing access to the training videos will be available to Extension professionals and residents across Iowa's 99 counties. Two team members developed two presentations that were video-recorded and included in the HSEO funded video workshop for small food operations in underserved communities. The topics for the presentations were related to marketing (i.e., experiential marketing and social media marketing strategies). Objective 4. Apply knowledge from academic courses through community and business outreach projects to help students assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs. Seventy students in the AESHM 474 Entrepreneurship in Human Sciences course completed business assistance outreach projects for 12 businesses in two rural Iowa communities (Garner and Jewell) during the reporting period. Projects involved two site visits to the communities by students who worked in teams to conduct business needs assessments. The projects included marketing plans and the development of customized business strategy tool-kits, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and performance of the small rural retail businesses. Final presentations by the students were given in the community setting with business consulting clients and local community leaders present. Additionally, graduate students involved in the two-week distance/on-campus graduate level course at ISU (outcome of the USIEF funded project discussed in Objective 3) completed a final group project providing business assistance to three businesses on Main Street in Ames, IA.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Chen, W-C., & Fiore, A. M. (2017). Factors affecting consumer responses toward pop-up retail in Taiwan. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 29 (2), 370-392.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Submitted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Tan, H. S., "Identifying opportunities for Latino bi-cultural entrepreneurship in Iowa: A community capitals approach to economic development" (2017). Major Professor: Linda S. Niehm. Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 16227. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/16227
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Fiore, A.M. Topics and trends affecting small independent retailers: Experiential Marketing, India Fashion Forum, March 14, 2018, Mumbai, India. Approximate number in attendance= 75.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Niehm, L.S. Topics and trends affecting small independent retailers: Retail Entrepreneurship, India Fashion Forum, March 14, 2018, Mumbai, India. Approximate number in attendance= 75.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Hurst, J.L. A multi-dimensional approach to meet 21st century retailing education and industry challenges for India and the U.S. AAFCS-IA Affiliate Fall Workshop, Ankeny, IA (October 7, 2017).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Cho, E. Fiore, A. M., Yu, U. (2018). Impact of fashion innovativeness on consumer-based brand equity. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 35 (3), 340-350.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Dorie, A. Peng, F. Chung, D. Hurst, J., Niehm, L., & Fiore, A. M. (2017). Growing pains: An exploration of Etsy policy and seller satisfaction. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. St. Petersburg, FL, November 14-18.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Cho, E., Son, J., & Fiore, A. M. (2017). Influence of social connectedness on apparel purchases through social commerce. International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference. St. Petersburg, FL, November 14-18.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Chung, T. Display with the Pro: A service-learning project with Ames Main Street Cultural District. Term project for the course, AMD377.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Fiore, A. M., Hurst, J., Niehm, L., Chung, T., Sadachar, A., Pookulangara, S., Armstrong, C. & Testa, D. Addressing opportunities and challenges for retail entrepreneurship in the US and India: Innovative learning modules for a synchronous online graduate course. U.S. Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Conference, Los Angeles, CA, January 10-14.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Sadachar, A. & Fiore, A. M. The path to mall patronage intentions is paved with 4E-based experiential value for Indian consumers. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 46 (5), 444-465.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Fiore, A. M., Hurst, J., Niehm, L., Chung, T., Karpova, E., & Testa, D. (2018). Global and entrepreneurial perspectives for enhancing retailing education: Development of a hybrid graduate course focused on U.S. and Indian small businesses. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 18 (3), 11-25.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Jeong, S-W., Chung, J-E., & Fiore, A. M.(2018). The effects of shopping motivation and an experiential marketing strategy on consumer responses to small apparel retailers. Fashion, Industry, and Education, 15 (2), 52-65.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Li, R., Chung, T., & Fiore, A.M. (2017). Factors affecting consumer attitude toward e-auctions in China: An extended TAM study. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 34, 19-29.


Progress 12/21/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Academic researchers focused on small business, rural retailing, and entrepreneurship; rural Iowa community leaders and business owners; economic development and Extension specialists; and students. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Research team members have developed stronger linkages with Extension through the small-scale food producer grant and will impact entrepreneurs/residents of Iowa through the planned video-based virtual workshops. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated at professional conferences to apparel and textiles faculty, as well as faculty and professionals in the area of small business and entrepreneurship. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Data collection is ongoing with underserved food and fiber-related entrepreneurs who are female and/or ages 50-plus. Findings from this study will support several manuscripts and conference presentations and provide preliminary data for a larger external grant proposal.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Overall impact statement: Rural communities that have not found alternative economic opportunities continue to lose their tax base and population. Through refereed and invited presentations, publications, grant propsals, and student-learning activities, our project team provided strategic information to academic researchers, business and economic development specialists, and businesses owners about new approaches for improving economic well-being and business sustainability in rural Iowa communities. Objective 1. Determine environmental factors that are perceived to facilitate or deter the start-up of new food and fiber-related business ventures for women and individuals age 50+, both underserved populations in Iowa. Our planned research design includes focus group interviews with business assistance providers and interviews with entrepreneurs including women and individuals 50-plus. In summer 2017, business assistance provider participants were recruited in Iowa. Virtual focus group interviews were conducted in fall 2017 and data analysis is underway. Interviews with underserved entrepreneurs groups are planned for 2018. Objective 2. Identify individual factors that are perceived to support or discourage business start-up for women and individuals age 50+ in Iowa. Our research team collaborated with ISU Extension to develop a grant proposal concerning business and technical assistance for small scale food producers in Iowa. The proposal was successfully funded. Literature search and development of interview scripts took place in spring 2017. In summer and fall 2017, interviews were conducted with small scall food entrepreneurs in the central Iowa region. Objective 3. Develop research-based information regarding business assistance needs of entrepreneurs engaged in food and fiber-related businesses in rural communities in the central region of the U.S. Our research team submitted a paper titled "Re-conceptualizing the hierarchical service quality model: the case of agritourism events" in fall 2017. Other esearch on Etsy, an online outlet for selling handmade products, helps entrepreneurs in rural areas understand the potential of this retailing outlet. Seven educational modules on retail entrepreneurship were developed for a 10-student graduate course. The modules will help rural business operators recognize new ways to merchandise and promote their products and stores. Objective 4. Apply knowledge from academic courses through community and business outreach projects to help students assist and learn from Iowa entrepreneurs. A service-learning project that involved visual merchandising students and 10 local businesses in the Ames Main Street Cultural Distric in Spring 2017. Forty students in the AESHM 474 Entrepreneurship in Human Sciences course completed business assistance outreach projects in two rural Iowa communities in 2017. Entrepreneurs served in the project were all females, ages 50-plus. These outreach projects allow for direct contact with the focal population for our research and direct application of content and findings.

Publications