ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses interpretations of the regression analysis findings conducted for small organizations and examines limitations and contributions of the study. The results suggest that for small landscape firm samples, strategist's interpretations of specific economic issues are a significant predictor of their subsequent data gathering behaviors. The results, while providing support for the threat-rigidity thesis, also provide a somewhat conflicting picture of landscape strategist's data gathering responses to the issues presented. Firm size was a significant predictor of data gathering behavior in all but one of the regression models. Strategists in small landscape firms that are not members of the Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association (WLCA) gather less data when determining how to respond to economic issues than the strategists in WLCA member firms. The information disseminating role of the WLCA appears to facilitate a predictable data gathering process. Multivariate data analysis techniques that examine the combined effects of numerous possible determinants of data gathering activities need to be used.
