Business Success Factors
Tricia Vilkinas
Greg Cartan
Judith Saebel
Report
79 2011
Business Success Factors
Tricia Vilkinas
Greg Cartan
Judith Saebel
II Ninti One Limited Business Success Factors
Contributing author information
Tricia Vilkinas is the Foundation Professor of Management at the University of South Australia. Her research focuses on understanding
leadership in a variety of settings, including desert Australia.
Greg Cartan has published in numerous academic journals and has written several book chapters. He has also published over 50 4WD
travel stories in popular magazines. Greg has held a number of academic appointments and has over 30 years’ experience in education
and management consultancy. He is currently enrolled in a PhD program. The focus of Greg’s project is on aspects of tourism in desert
Australia.
Judith Saebel holds a PhD (Psychology) from the University of South Australia. She has a strong background in various statistical
techniques.
Desert Knowledge CRC Report 79
ISBN: 978 1 74158 204 8 (Web copy)
ISSN: 1832 6684
Citation
Vilkinas T, Cartan G and Saebel J. 2011. Business Success Factors. DKCRC Research Report 79. Ninti One Limited,
Alice Springs.
For additional information please contact
Ninti One Limited
Publications Officer
PO Box 3971
Alice Springs NT 0871
Australia
Telephone +61 8 8959 6000 Fax +61 8 8959 6048
www.nintione.com.au
© Ninti One Limited 2011
Acknowledgements
The authors, Professor Tricia Vilkinas, Greg Cartan and Dr Judith Saebel would like to acknowledge significant
contributions made to this project Ms Louise Moylan who persisted and persisted with the task of finding respondents for
the survey. The work she did is a credit to her.
We would also like to thank all the individuals who agreed to participate in the study and the Desert Knowledge CRC for
the financial support that contributed to some of the expenses associated with the data collection.
The work reported in this publication was supported by funding from the Australian Government Cooperative Research
Centres Program through the Desert Knowledge CRC. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views
of Desert Knowledge CRC or its Participants. The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (2003–2010) was
an unincorporated joint venture with 28 partners whose mission was to develop and disseminate an understanding of
sustainable living in remote desert environments, deliver enduring regional economies and livelihoods based on Desert
Knowledge, and create the networks to market this knowledge in other desert lands.
Business Success Factors Ninti One Limited III
Contents
Executive summary.............................................................................................................................. ......................... 1
Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................................... ......................... 3
1.1 Background ................................................................................................................... ......................... 3
1.2 Purpose of the study ...................................................................................................... ......................... 3
1.3 Importance of the study................................................................................................. ......................... 3
Chapter 2: Background to study .......................................................................................................... ......................... 6
2.1 Overview....................................................................................................................... ......................... 6
2.2 Business success............................................................................................................ ......................... 6
2.3 Factors important to the success of the business........................................................... ......................... 8
2.4 Leadership effectiveness............................................................................................... ......................... 8
2.5 Location......................................................................................................................... ....................... 10
Chapter 3: Study’s approach and methodology ................................................................................... ....................... 12
3.1 Overview....................................................................................................................... ....................... 12
3.2 Study 1: Personal interviews......................................................................................... ....................... 12
3.3 Study 2: Online Survey ................................................................................................. ....................... 12
Chapter 4: Results................................................................................................................................ ....................... 20
4.1 Overview....................................................................................................................... ....................... 20
4.2 Study 1: Face-to-face interviews................................................................................... ....................... 20
4.3 Results of Study 2: Online survey................................................................................. ....................... 21
Chapter 5: Discussion .......................................................................................................................... ....................... 31
5.1 The businesses............................................................................................................... ....................... 31
5.2 Recent success of the business...................................................................................... ....................... 31
5.3 Factors used to measure business success..................................................................... ....................... 31
5.4 Factors important to the success of the business........................................................... ....................... 33
5.5 Importance of leadership roles ..................................................................................... ....................... 34
Chapter 6: Conclusions........................................................................................................................ ....................... 35
6.1 Overview....................................................................................................................... ....................... 35
6.2 Summary of key findings.............................................................................................. ....................... 35
6.3 Strengths and limitations of the study........................................................................... ....................... 36
6.4 Future studies................................................................................................................ ....................... 37
6.5 Implications................................................................................................................... ....................... 38
6.6 Recommendations......................................................................................................... ....................... 38
6.7 Conclusions................................................................................................................... ....................... 38
References............................................................................................................................................ ....................... 39
Appendix 1: Survey items.................................................................................................................... ....................... 41
Owner–Manager Version (Wave 1)........................................................................................... ....................... 41
Owner–Manager Version (Wave 2)........................................................................................... ....................... 45
Manager Version (Wave 1) ....................................................................................................... ....................... 50
Manager Version (Wave 2) ....................................................................................................... ....................... 53
Appendix 2: Follow-up Wilcoxon tests for factors important to business success.............................. ....................... 58
Appendix 3: Follow-up Wilcoxon tests for availability of factors important to business success...... ....................... 62
Appendix 4: Follow-up Wilcoxon tests for importance of leadership roles........................................ ....................... 69
IV Ninti One Limited Business Success Factors
Figures
Figure 1.1: Papunya Tula Artist advertisement for a New York exhibition......................................... ......................... 4
Figure 1.2: Kunawarritji’s geographical location ................................................................................ ......................... 5
Figure 2.1: Conceptual framework for business success..................................................................... ......................... 6
Figure 2.2: Integrated Competing Values Framework......................................................................... ......................... 9
Figure 2.3: The geographical position of Kiwirrkurra......................................................................... ....................... 11
Figure 3.1: Type of business interviewees