Understanding the Educational Needs of Small Business Owners‪.‬

INTRODUCTION In today's competitive market environment running a small business professionally isn't just a good idea, it's a requirement for survival (Ehrenfeld, 1995). While small businesses account for 97% of U.S. enterprises and 58% of the workforce (Keats and Bracker, 1988), many are struggling to transform themselves in the face of their larger competitors (Ehrenfeld, 1995). In an effort to strengthen themselves against growing competition, small business owners look to a variety of sources. One important source of professional training for small businesses is colleges and universities. However, in a study conducted by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, small business owners ranked college or university teachers last on a list of five potential sources of management advice, in terms of trusting their advice to be helpful (Jagemann, 1990). The purpose of the present research was to examine the reported needs of small business owners, and to use that information to help determine how a regional university in a metropolitan setting might best meet the needs of current business owners and train students who are preparing for the small business workforce and ownership. This paper suggests that the development of a client based small business education program can enhance the perceived and real effectiveness of such programs.