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AJBER vol 4 No 1 2009

About This Edition

ISSN : 1750-4562(print)/17504554 (online)

ISBN : 9781906704551

Table of Contents :

Editorial
John O. Okpara4

An Empirical Evaluation of Barriers Hindering the Growth of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in a Developing Economy
John O. Okpara & Jean D. Kabongo7

Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) are key to economic development due to their recognized role in wealth and job creation.However SMEs face enormous challenges in developing quality products and services to enhance their competitiveness as compared to larger and more well-established companies. Because of their flexibility and quick adaptability to change, SMEs are viewed as instruments capable of responding to globalization and poverty alleviation in Africa. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the factors constraining the growth and success of small businesses in Nigeria. A survey method was used to gather data from 311 small businesses in Nigeria. Several statistical analyses were conducted to identify the factors constraining the growth of small businesses Nigeria. Results reveal that the most common factors hindering small business growth in Nigeria include lack of financial support, poor management, corruption, poor infrastructure, demand for products and services among others.

Key words: Africa, Nigeria, SMEs, barriers, corruption, infrastructure

Strategic Management in Small Business Enterprises (SBEs): Empirical Evidence from Nigerian SBEs
Linus Osuagwu22

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strategic management practices of Nigerian small business enterprises (SBEs), influences on such practices and the associated efficacy. A survey research method was used to collect data from a sample of Nigerian small business enterprises, to investigate the extent of strategic management practices and other cognate issues. Results show that product, competition-focused and organic business functions strategies are the major strategic management practices of Nigerian small business enterprises. Infrastructural, macro-environmental and socio-cultural factors influence the strategic management practices of Nigerian SBEs, while the strategic management practices of Nigerian SBEs show effectiveness in both quantitative and qualitative measures of performance. The research findings provide insights regarding managerial tendencies and governmental policies and interventions that would assist the growth and development of Nigerian SBEs.

Key words: Strategic management, business environment, SBEs, Nigeria, Africa.

Business Profiles of Women Entrepreneurs in Nigeria: The Challenges Facing a Growing Economic Force in West Africa
Daphne Halkias, Chinedum Nwajiuba, & Sylva Caracatsanis 45

Productivity and employment issues are central to West Africa’s social and economic life with recent literature noting that the two constitute a vicious circle that highlights the nature of poverty in its developing national economies, such as Nigeria. While women in Nigeria are generally considered to be at the bottom of the poverty ladder, they have been engaged in the country’s commercial activities in the pre-colonial era, primarily to supplement their family’s income. From the 1980s and on women’s basic survival needs once again led many to entrepreneurial activities as a means of supporting themselves and their families. This study examines the business profiles of sixty seven women entrepreneurs in three regions of Nigeria in order to identify patterns of entrepreneurship and economic challenges facing Nigerian women business owners.

Are Higher Education Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa Seeking to Make Students More Enterprising?
Jean D. Kabongo & John O. Okpara 57

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which higher education institutions (HEIs) in sub-Saharan Africa are seeking to make students more enterprising. To do this, the paper investigates the state of entrepreneurship course offerings, examines the opportunity to specialized studies in the area, and identifies entrepreneurship centers in business administration/management curricula. The results of the study demonstrate that most of the HEIs in the sample offer courses in entrepreneurship and/or small business management. Few institutions offer a specialization in the area of entrepreneurship. Newly created institutions are more likely to report entrepreneurship courses and specializations than traditional ones. A very small number of institutions operate university-based entrepreneurship centers. The findings of this study are consistent with the environmental school of entrepreneurial thought. The paper will assist researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders of higher education institutions in strengthening the discussion between enterprise and entrepreneurship education in sub-Saharan business programs.

Keywords: entrepreneurship education, business programs, traditional, sub-Saharan Africa.

Moral Embeddings of Trade Relations between Nigerian and Chinese SMEs: Implications for Firm Internationalization
Anayo D. Nkamnebe, Elizabeth Onyedinma Ezenweke, & C.N. Anionwu73

This paper examines the perception and motivation of inwardly internationalized Nigerian SME entrepreneurs towards the importation and distribution of imitation, fake, counterfeit, and sub-standard products from China, the disposition of Nigerian consumers towards such fake and sub-standard products, and factors that sustain counterfeit trade in Nigeria. Direct participation was triangulated with key informant technique and depth interviews to extract relevant information from Nigerian SMEs importers and consumers. Among the major findings include that the prevailing counterfeit market existing between Nigerian and Chinese SMEs is being propelled by institutional weaknesses in both countries, and the individualistic tendencies among operators in this market. The fact that primary data was not collected for the Chinese SMEs may restrict the generalization of the conclusion. The paper argues that uncontrolled development counterfeit imports from China would have obvious potential negative effects on Made-in-China as a country-of-origin. Management and policy implications were discussed.

Keywords: Nigeria, China, ethics, small business, entrepreneurship, internationalisation

Effect of Gender, Age, and Religion on Choice of Conflict Management Style in Nigerian Organizations
Hilda E. Osisioma 90

This study seeks to determine the effect of gender, age and religion on the choice of conflict management style in Nigerian organizations. One research question and three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. An instrument containing forty-seven questions was administered on Nigerian executives in manufacturing and service organizations. The t-test of difference between means and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data for the. Results show that the dominant conflict handling style in organizations surveyed for this study is the integrating style, offering the hope that organizational conflicts in Nigeria will not be allowed to be destructive and crippling.

Key words: Nigeria, conflict management gender, age, religion, integrating style.

Attitude of Low Income Households towards Consumption of Soybean Products in South East Nigeria
G. E. Ugwuonah & Francis O. Odo 106

This paper examines the attitude of low income households towards consumption of soybeans products in South East of Nigeria. Ninety households were purposively selected for the study in which case; the household heads (husband or wife) were interviewed using direct distribution and retrieval of the questionnaires. The results show that greater percentage of the respondents were females (83.33%) while the males were 16.67% Majority of the responding household heads attained secondary and tertiary levels of education (73.0%) indicating that they knew better about soybeans and its uses due to their educational level and exposure. Consumers favored the consumption of soymilk (80%) and soy powder made from roasted soy beans (76.66%) and then consumed them in combination with Tea/Beverages (32.53%) and pap (30.12%).. Majority of respondents also preferred the consumption of soybeans for its nutritional value alone (46.67%), followed by a combined reason of soybeans nutritional value and other health reasons (20.00%) which are the non cholesterol constitution of soybean The results also show the existence of a strong relationship following a chi-square value of 24.1 and P-value of 0.003(at P£.0.05 confidence interval.) This is an indication of favorable positive consumer attitude towards soybeans, considering that other food items share from the same budget estimate.

Key words: Attitude, Consumption, low income, South East Nigeria, soyabeans

[abstract]


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