Here are instructions:

you now need to specify what aspect of leadership are you going to focus on and what theoretical foundations are you going to use to support the specific focus of your study?

Here's my ch 1 of my study:

Problem Statement

The leadership practices used by small business owners in rural Midwest regions, especially Illinois' rural counties, face distinct difficulties that require prompt research. The problem is significant obstacles that prevent small business leaders from learning and applying the leadership skills required for financial success include low educational attainment, insufficient infrastructure, and financial limitations, according to recent research (Nursaid,et al., 2023; Medina, 2023). Despite continuous efforts, the leadership techniques of rural business owners can promote business growth and sustainability, but this ismainly ignored in current research (Kaufman et al.,2006).

Because small Midwest communities are facing growing economic pressures and rapid technological developments that require strong leadership to handle these challenges, this research is both urgent and necessary (Brooks et al.,2016).Prior research frequently discusses the difficulties without going into detail on how effective leadership techniques are or how they contribute to overcoming resource limitations and promoting economic resilience. The need for a targeted investigation of leadership techniques adapted to rural settings is highlighted by this research gap.

Through in-depth interviews with small business owners in rural areas, document reviews of company records and regional economic reports, and direct observation of business activities, the study will employ an exploratory case studymethodology to gather qualitative data. This strategy will guide regional development initiatives targeted at reviving rural economies by revealing the ways in which leadership tactics affect business sustainability. This study's emphasis on leadership strategyattempts to offer practical insights that tackle resource access problems as well as leadership gaps, guaranteeing all-encompassingassistance for rural business owners inattaining economic stability and expansion.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study is to explore the leadership challenges faced by small business owners in rural areas of Illinois and how these challenges affect sustainability and growth, specifically in municipalities with fewer than 10,000 residents (Fanelli, 2021). This study aims to understand challenges associated with limited financial access, high legal and advisory service prices, and lower market size. At least 10 small business owners willparticipate in semi-structured interviews to gather data. Instead ofimmediately creating programs, the findings are meant to provide information that can guide suggestions for projects meant to promote leadership skills and lessen economic gaps between rural and urban areas.

Research Questions/Hypotheses

What leadership challenges must small company owners in rural Midwest towns overcome tomaintain and expand their businesses?

How do resource scarcity and limited market size affect rural business owners' leadership practices and business sustainability?

What leadership support strategies do rural small business owners perceive as most useful for business sustainability and growth?

Conceptual Framework

This study examines how rural entrepreneurs in the U.S. Midwest deal with leadership issues, sustainability, and business growth using an integrated conceptual framework that incorporates the Resource-Based View (RBV), Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Theory, and Social Capital Theory. Every one of these ideas offers a unique perspective forcomprehending the dynamic and interconnected elements that influence entrepreneurship in rural settings.

Theoretical Foundation

Thefocus of entrepreneurial ecosystem theory is how local institutions, infrastructure, and policies can encourage or inhibit entrepreneurial activity (Stam & Spigel, 2017). This theory is essential forcomprehending how the outside world influences the choices and chances that rural business owners have, such as capital availability, regulatoryassistance, and market development programs.

According to Barney (1991), the Resource-Based View (RBV) highlights the importance of internal resources as the foundation for competitive advantage, including knowledge, human capital, and business skills. RBV enables the examination of how small business owners use distinctive internal resources to compete and survive in settings where resources arelimited in the context of rural entrepreneurship.

According to social capital theory, community networks, relationships, and trust are important for gaining access to opportunities and resources (Putnam, 2000;Nahapiet & Ghoshal, 1998). This hypothesis is especially pertinent in rural areas where entrepreneurs depend on unofficial networks for collaboration, marketing, and mentoring due to a lack of institutional support systems.

These three ideas work together to create a trifold lens that offers a more thorough, multifaceted understanding of the experience of rural entrepreneurship. They enable this study to examine the interrelated social, institutional, and individual factors that influence small company performance in rural areas rather than focusing on a single variable (such as resources or policy).

Theories in Practice: Real-Life Examples

An example of social capital theory is when a boutique owner in a small Illinois town joins a local Facebook community for female business owners. She receives comments on suppliers and prices through this trustworthy internet platform. An obvious example of social capital in action, this unofficial network, which is based on mutual support, becomes essential to her businessadaptation (Nahapiet & Ghoshal, 1998).

RBV Example: To foster brand loyalty, a family-owned organic farm in rural Missourileverages the agronomicability and multigenerational reputation of its founders. The farm uses intangible resources tomaintain its market position despite little marketing, illustrating RBV in action (Barney, 1991).

Example of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Theory: Toassist local startups, a municipality in Iowa provides rent-free space in a business incubator. According to ecosystem theory, this public-private ecosystem project promotes growth by lowering barriers to entry and giving entrepreneurs access to mentorship and shared services (Stam & van de Ven, 2021).