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.