Phenomenology of the financial dimensions of startups with the aim of providing a model for entrepreneurship development

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Accounitng, Faculty of Economic and Management, University of Tabriz, Tabriz

2 Department of Accounting, Faculty of Economic and Management, University of Tabriz, Tabriz

10.22059/jed.2024.365272.654263

Abstract

Objective: In today's advanced world, it may seem easy and simple for many entrepreneurs to launch a
start-up business, but having a great business idea is not enough for entrepreneurs to survive and succeed. During the development life cycle of a start-up business, there are various challenges which emerge from different sectors such as finance, marketing, human resources and information technology and the main root of the most of these obstacles and challenges is financial and accounting issues. Financial and accounting issues such as financing, Investments, working capital, taxes, cash flow management, recording financial events, reporting procedures and capital budgeting are specialized and complex decisions that are beyond the control of entrepreneurs in the most cases, Therefore, the aim of the current research is to know the views and lived experiences of entrepreneurs about the financial dimensions of startups with the aim of providing a model for entrepreneurship development.
Method: This research is practical in terms of purpose, and in terms of data collection, it is a qualitative research of the phenomenological type. In this research, the central phenomenon is the view of entrepreneurs in relation to various financial and accounting dimensions governing the activities of start-up businesses. On the other hand, considering that the present research is in a way that requires exploring and examining the ideas and views of the research participants, the phenomenology method, which is one of the types of qualitative research methods, has been used. In this regard, the experiences, feelings, opinions and views of the participants were carefully evaluated and analyzed. The statistical population of this research includes two groups of entrepreneurs and managers of successful and unsuccessful start-up businesses. The first group consists of successful entrepreneurs and managers. The start-up businesses created by these entrepreneurs are currently active and have reached the stage of supply from the idea stage. The second group consists of unsuccessful entrepreneurs and managers. Businesses created by this groups have mostly failed due to various reasons including financial issues after establishment. The participants of this study were 26 entrepreneurs (including 12 unsuccessful entrepreneur and 14 successful entrepreneur) and were selected using the purposeful sampling method. In collecting the required data, a semi-structured interview method was used until reaching theoretical saturation. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data and the four concepts of credibility, transferability, confirmability and transferability were used to check the validity and reliability of the interviews.
Results: The findings of the research show that from the point of view of entrepreneurs and managers of failed and successful businesses, financial and accounting issues are considered to be the main challenges and obstacles to entrepreneurship development. The results indicate the identification of 3 main themes of obstacles and challenges of the start-up stage, obstacles and challenges of the growth stage and solutions to improve the financial dimensions of start-up businesses. In general, according to the experiences of 
entrepreneurs, 7 unique sub-theme were extracted with 173 different narratives. The classified themes of financing, investment, working capital, budgeting, pricing, operational, accounting and reporting are among the financial dimensions of start-up businesses. Also, according to the opinions and suggestions of entrepreneurs, several codes such as income management through pre-receipt, business plan financial indicators, credit sales management, understanding the structure of fixed and variable costs, ignoring unrelated costs in decision making, internal controls and audit issues are the key findings of present study, because the research literature has not directly mentioned these codes. The results also show that unsuccessful entrepreneurs emphasize financial issues more than successful entrepreneurs in continuing their businesses. In addition, the growth stage in the life cycle of start-up businesses has the most financial and accounting challenges and obstacles.
Conclusion: The findings of the research indicate the important role of financial and accounting issues in the success of start-up businesses, therefore, financial management training and its techniques are suggested in the development of entrepreneurship in the country. The need for financial and tax advice is one of the most important issues raised by entrepreneurs. In this context, it is necessary for financial advisors to adjust their approaches and services according to the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs. These services may include adopting guidelines for budgeting, cash flow management, debt management and financing. The results of the research show that entrepreneurs consider the lack of accounting software suitable for start-up businesses as one of the challenges of recording and reporting their financial events, therefore accelerating the launch and development of software specific to start-up businesses at a reasonable price can solve this challenges.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects


دلاور، علی (1389). روش‌شناسی کیفی. فصلنامه راهبرد، 18 (1)، 307-329. 20.1001.1.10283102.1389.18.1.11.6
سلام زاده، آیدین و تاج پور، مهدی (1399). شناسایی چالش‌های شکل‌گیری شرکت‌های نوپای رسانه‌ای در ایران. فصلنامه علمی پژوهشی توسعه کارآفرینی، 13(4)، 561-580.  DOI: 10.22059/jed.2020.307214.653424
قیاسی فرد، نصراله، محبی، حسین و نبی میبدی، مرتضی (1402). تحلیل موانع توسعه کارآفرینی در مناطق محروم با استفاده از روش دلفی و فرآیند تحلیل شبکه‌ای، فصلنامه علمی پژوهشی توسعه کارآفرینی، 16(1)، 61-76. DOI:  10.22059/jed.2023.348813.654053
نقدی، سجاد و جدی، رقیه  (1402). کاوشی پدیدارشناسانه از تجارب زیسته داوطلبان از شرکت در آزمون حسابدار رسمی، مطالعات تجربی حسابداری مالی، 20(79)، 205-243. https://qjma.atu.ac.ir/article_16560.html
Agyei-Mensah. (2011). Financial management practices of small firms in Ghana: An empirical study. Africa Journal of Business Management, 5(10), 3781 - 3793. DOI.org/10.5897/AJBM09.285
Anitha, M., & Dr.Veena. M. (2022). Challenges faced by startup entrepreneurs- a review study. EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR), 8(4), 188-190. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra9946.
Baba G.K. (2013). The Challenges of Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria and Way Forward, Journal of Business and Organizational Development, 5(1), 54 – 64. DOI: 10.4236/jss.2019.76012
Banudevi, P.B., & Shiva, G. (2019). Understanding the financing challenges faced by startups in India. Journal Management and science, 9(4), 284–288. DOI: 10.26524/jms.2019.34
Bhimani A. (2022). Financial Management for Technology Start-ups,2ND Edition, London, U.K., Kogan
Page Limited.

Braun V & Clarke V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology; 3(2): 77-101. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Bruce E., Shurong Z., Akakpo A., & Oppong J. (2022). Impact of social media on start-up survival: Qualitative evidence from Ghana. Journal of Management, Economics, and Industrial Organization, 6(2), 48-69. https://ouci.dntb.gov.ua/en/works/7p6N32xl/

Davila, A., & Foster, G. (2005). Management Accounting Systems Adoption Decisions: Evidence and Performance Implications from Early‐Stage/Startup Companies. The Accounting Review, 80 (4), 1039–1068. https://doi.org/10.2308/accr.2005.80.4.1039.
Delavar A. (2010). Qualitative methodology. Rahbord; 19(54): 307-329. (In Persian)
Dinka, S. T. (2017). Assessment of Financial Management Practices: A Case Study on Small Businesses in Sokoru District, Ethiopia. Research Journal of Finance and Accounting, 8(19), 18-29. DOI:10.140.5.162//handle/123456789/2394
Egiyi, M. A. (2023). Financial Management in Startups: Analysing Unique Accounting Challenges and Strategies. Contemporary Journal of Management, 5(4), 64-80. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.10440639
Federal Reserve Banks. (2023). Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2022 Small Business Credit Survey. Small Business Credit Survey. DOI: 10.55350/sbcs-20230308.

Ferdiana R, Sulistyo S. (2019). The role of information technology usage on startup financial management and taxation. Procedia Computer Science, 161, 1308–1315. DOI 10.1016/j.procs.2019.11.246

Gowri, K. (2020). Indian Startups- Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities, AEGAEUM Journal, 8(8), 1780-1789. DOI:16.10089.AJ.2020.V8I8.285311.4084.
Giorgi, A. (1975). An application of phenomenological method in psychology. Duquesne Studies in Phenomenological Psychology. (2), 82-103. https://doi.org/10.5840/dspp197529.
Isaga, N. (2019). Start-up motives and challenges facing female entrepreneurs in Tanzania, International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 11(2), 102-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-02-2018-0010.
Jegadeeshwaran, M., & Kaleeshwari, S. (2021). Indian Startups – Challenges and Opportunities. International Journal of Research in Engineering, Science and Management, 4(8), 158–160. Retrieved from https://journal.ijresm.com/index.php/ijresm/article/view/1206.
Jindrichovska, I. (2013). Financial Management in SMEs. European Research Studies Journal, 16 (Special Issue on SMEs), 79-96. DOI:10.35808/ersj/405.
Karanović, B., Nikolić, G. i Karanović, G. (2019). Examining Financial Management Practices in the Context of Smart ICT Use: Recent Evidence from Croatian Entrepreneurs. Zagreb International Review of Economics & Business, 22, 107-123.https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/zireb-2019-0008.
Qamar, U., Ansari, N. G., & Tanveer, F. (2021). Entrepreneurial Finance: Exploring the Drivers and
Challenges Faced by Young Pakistani Entrepreneurs. Journal of Management and Research, 8(2), 33–61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29145/jmr/82/02.
Qiyasi Fard, N., Mohebbi, H., & Nabi Meybodi, M. (2023). Analysis of barriers to entrepreneurship development in deprived areas using Delphi and ANP methods. Journal of Entrepreneurship Development16(1), 61-76. doi: 10.22059/jed.2023.348813.654053 (In Persian).
Mulyawan, F., Dhewanto, W., & Aldianto, L. (2023). The Impact of Business Ecosystem and Lifecycle on Start-up Creation Process – A Case Study of Indonesian Software Technology Start ups. International Journal of Applied Business Research, 5(02), 141-151. https://doi.org/10.35313/ijabr.v5i02.294.
Naghdi, S., Jeddi, R. (2023). Phenomenological Exploring of the Lived Experiences of Candidates Participating in the CPA Exam. Empirical Studies in Financial Accounting20(79), 205-243. doi: 10.22054/qjma.2023.76235.2505 (In Persian).
Pasumarti, S.S. & Patnaik, A. (2020). Challenges in Obtaining Finance for SME Startups, High
Technology Letters, 26(9), 972-979. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.2.6.31.
Pallathadka, H. (2022). Challenges for Financing Startups in China: A Quantitative Investigation of Small and Medium Ventures. Integrated Journal for Research in Arts and Humanities, 2(6), 232–238. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.2.6.31.
Patel, R.S. (2019). Startup India – Opportunities and Challenges, GAP Interdisciplinarities- Open Access Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(1), 220–224. https://www.gapinterdisciplinarities.org/res/articles/Paper%2030.pdf
Rahman, N. A., Yaacob, Z., & Radzi, R. M. (2014). Determinants of Successful Financial Management among Micro Entrepreneur in Malaysia. Journal of Asian Scientific Research, 4(11), 631–639. Corpus ID: 3145113.
Rowe, A (2021) Start-up failure rates: Why so many fold and how to save yours, available at https://tech.co/digital-marketing/start-up-failure-rates (archived at https://perma.cc/YC69-8CG2)
Salamzadeh, A., & Kawamorita K. (2015). Startup Companies: Life Cycle and Challenges (2015). 4th International Conference on Employment, Education and Entrepreneurship (EEE), Belgrade, Serbia. DOI:10.13140/RG.2.1.3624.8167
Salamzadeh, A., & Tajpour, M. (2021). Identification of the Challenges of Media Startup Creation in Iran, Journal of Entrepreneurship Development13(4), 561-580. (In Persian).
Sarigul, S, S. (2021). Financial Problems of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Solution Suggestions, Turkish Journal of Management & Economics Research, 2(1), 1-16. DOI:10.51243/SAKA-TJMER.2021.6
Salazar, A. L.; Soto, R. C.; and Mosqueda, R. E. (2012). The Impact of Financial Decisions and Strategy on Small Business Competitiveness, Global Journal of Business Research (GJBR), 6(2), 332-349. Corpus ID: 54813758
Smith, W. L., Schallenkamp, K. & Eichholz, D. E. (2007). Entrepreneurial Skills Assessment: An Exploratory Study, International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 4(2), 179-201. DOI:10.1504/IJMED.2007.011791.
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods, (Vol. 5): sage. https://books.google.com/books/about/Case_Study_Research.html?id=k0WrN3rBz_sC.