Exploration of the Lived Experience of Micro Entrepreneurs in the Food Processing Business Using a Phenomenological Approach

Authors

  • Gerry Z. Laggui

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is not just a business but a state of mind and it is often touted as the best way to live a life. The entrepreneur often wears many hats and lay out the plans and pursue the steps needed to make the business a success. On the other hand, entrepreneur faces tremendous challenges as he operates his business. The number of entrepreneurs has risen and the numbers are continuously growing. However, there is a scarcity of qualitative literature on lived experiences of micro entrepreneurs in the food processing business. Hence, this study aimed to determine what are the lived experiences and personal competencies of micro entrepreneurs and how do they cope with the demands and challenges in the food processing business in the province of Isabela, Philippines. The study employed an in-depth semi-structured survey questionnaire and conducted with 15 participants who had operated a food processing enterprises for 5 years or more. The design of the study is psychological phenomenology. The research study concludes that the success of an entrepreneur can be contributed to his entrepreneurial competencies which may be innate to him, enhanced from learnings or derived inspirations from experiences of other successful entrepreneurs. Also, the entrepreneurs recognized that there is a divine intervention in their business endeavors because of their faith to God. Finally, entrepreneurs are personally driven by their passion to persevere and love what they do.

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Published

2020-03-27

Issue

Section

Articles