Shirley Brennan is a Research Officer and Marie McHugh is a Lecturer at the University of Ulster; Northern Ireland. This research note reports findings from an exploratory study which investigated the impact of recession upon decision making, personality and stress among 30 small business owners in Northern Ireland. A case study approach was adopted; participants took part in a semi-structured interview and completed two psychological tests. Findings highlight the personal impact of the recession on small business owners. They are discussed in terms of their potentially negative impact on key entrepreneurial characteristics, future activities and long-term prospty.
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