AN INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE INFORMATION-SEARCH ACTIVITIES OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGERS

This study surveyed small business owner/managers to identify the info rmation sources they used to deal with various issues and to determine the factors that affect their choice of sources. The results suggest that the more important the decision and the more the manager perceive s himself or herself to be effective in making a particular type of de cision, the greater the intensity of the information search, and the g reater the use of external information sources during decision-making.