Here's instructions:

Revise problem statement. use citations and references

You have identified an important topic; however, your current problem statement needs further development to frame a clear and researchable problem for qualitative inquiry. Right now, it reads more like a general description of issues facing rural small businesses, rather than a defined leadership or management problem. I recommend narrowing the focus to specify who experiences the problem (such as rural small business owners), where (define a geographic region), and what leadership challenges they face in sustaining and growing their businesses. Since you are proposing a qualitative study, an exploratory case study design would be a good fitbe sure to also identify three data sources (such as interviews, document review, and observations). This will help you build a strong, aligned foundation for your study. You are on the right track. Keep going! See/apply my feedback comments in this document and if you have questions, please let me know.

Here's my problem statement:

The leadership challenges that small business owners in rural Illinois counties experience are investigated in this study. Among the difficulties are:

Managing budgetary limitations

Managing inadequate infrastructure

Overcomingbarriers brought on by poor educational attainment

Preparingfor economic downturns

To increase access to infrastructure, advising, and financial resources, it is crucial to comprehend these leadership gaps (Kato, 2024). The research will gather information through in-depth interviews, document reviews, and direct observation using a qualitative exploratory case study in order to offer insights for regional economic development.