Affiliations: The Citadel School of Business Administration,
Charleston, SC, USA | DJM Consultants, Inc., Sullivan's Island, Charleston,
SC, USA | Organization Development, CA, Islandia, NY, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dorothy Perrin Moore, Ph.D, 2857
Jasper Blvd, Sullivan's Island, Charleston, SC 29409-6190, USA. Tel./Fax: +1
843 883 3089; E-mail: dot.moore@comcast.net
Abstract: This study reports findings from field research on the perceptions
of small business owners and managers of the impact of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) on their firms. Binary Logistic Regression analyses
indicate that the majority of owners have positive attitudes toward the act and
exhibit high levels of compliance. Firm support for the ADA and participation
in carrying out its requirements is driven by both positive and negative
factors and extends well beyond the group of businesses that under the law are
required to comply with Titles I and III of the legislation. The results
suggest strongly positive impacts of the ADA in the areas of accommodating
customers with disabilities and disabled employees who are already on the job.
Specific factors influencing compliance decisions and accommodations spending
are incorporated in a proposed model of firm behavior.
