Family Business and Entrepreneurship in Eastern Nigeria Report

This report delves into the entrepreneurship culture prevalent among gender-based family businesses in Eastern Nigeria, Nigeria. It examines the concept of entrepreneurship, the region's geography, culture, and language, and the predominant business practices. The report highlights gender issues affecting entrepreneurship, analyzing the interface between business practices and local traditions. It explores the influence of cultural beliefs, economic factors, and political regimes on family businesses. The study emphasizes the importance of equal treatment, open communication, and inclusive decision-making processes within these businesses. The report also proposes strategies to promote entrepreneurship development in Nigeria, specifically addressing the challenges faced in the Eastern regions, including gender-related concerns. It provides an overview of Nigeria's economic landscape, cultural industries, and the impact of socio-economic factors on entrepreneurial activities. Furthermore, it underscores the need for regimental bodies to address gender discrimination and support the growth of family businesses in the region.

Entrepreneurship culture among
gender base family business in eastern
Nigeria

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................4
Concept Of Entrepreneurship Culture In Eastern Nigeria...........................................................5
About Eastern Nigeria: The region, geography, culture and language........................................8
Predominant business practices.................................................................................................11
Gender issues affecting Entrepreneur culture in Eastern Nigeria..............................................13
The interface between business practices and local traditions on gender issues.......................16
SUMMARY...............................................................................................................................18
Research proposal..........................................................................................................................20
Introduction................................................................................................................................20
Aim and Objectives....................................................................................................................20
Research Question.....................................................................................................................20
Project Rational..........................................................................................................................21
Literature review........................................................................................................................21
Research Methodology..............................................................................................................23
Gnatt chart..................................................................................................................................25
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................27

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Gantt chart for the whole research...................................................................................24

INTRODUCTION
Nigeria is an endowed nation with plentiful opportunities of entrepreneurship. Whereas,
with respect to state about its existent potents factors in commencing new businesses is a
thoughtful consideration (Kumar, 2015). It is mainly due to certain influential factors that has
atrociously impacted its subsidized elements of entrepreneurship. It is especially to state about a
pivotal contribution of the regimental bodies of Nigeria where they are the primary bodies to
propagate the plan of entrepreneurship to develop their substantial rural areas. This has been
done with a successive unification of small and medium size businesses (Ayatse, 2013). Nigeria
comprises with some persuasive forces of capitalism where it is supported by two major reasons
of unemployment and a rising component of poverty which is peculiarly covering the rural
regions.
However, there exist some leading non profit organisations where they are striving hard
to dedicatedly promote a momentous sphere of capitalism in Nigeria. According to the conferred
statement of Atiku and Fields, 2016, it has been ascertained that the entrepreneurship culture of
Nigeria is entirely based upon a substantive constituent of necessity with a wide culture of
operating family businesses. A critical role of technical attributes has also played a principle role
in fixing the progression of the Nigerian nations. Adebayo, 2013. It has hereby depicted it to be a
leading root of diminishing the contemporary outlook of the people. Shehu and Mahmood, 2015
have hereby stated the existent infrastructural conditions to be another leading cause of barrier
that has stricken the entrepreneurship of Nigeria. This has resulted in limiting the effectualness
of their capitalism structure that has completely obstructed their successive measures.
A declined state of their economic stipulation in the year 1980 is also considered to be a
responsible factor of such declinations where the business referrals are also required to incur
high charges of establishing their business that duly hampers their affiliated intellect with it
(Munoz, Vicdan and Saran, 2013). In addition to this, the most stricken part of Nigeria in the
matter of entrepreneurship is considered to be its leading Eastern regions with a subsidiary
controversy in their socio-cultural facets as mentioned by (Adeoye, 2015). This in turn has
resulted in diminishing the latent dimensions of gender that has created a conflicted situation
among the males and females of an analogous family. It is thus in regard to this paper where it
has mentioned some analyzed link among the factors of entrepreneurship with that of the socio-
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cultural elements of Nigeria. This is on assessing the directional content of these factors that has
atrociously impacted upon the capitalism development in Nigeria (Saheed, 2013).
It has also examined some major issues of entrepreneurship and thus proposed some
arguable strategies that can promote certain impelling development of entrepreneurship in
Nigeria. It has specifically demonstrated about the Eastern regions of Nigeria where gender
dominance is referred to be a major concern over it (Duflo, 2012). The referred themes are
divided into five leading subdivisions where the foremost topic has evaluated the concept of
entrepreneurship culture with respect to operate family businesses in the locations of Eastern
Nigeria (Husain, Mukerjee and Dutta, 2014). The subsequent theme is to specifically determine
the potent components for promoting the culture of capitalism among gender based family
business in the similar region of Nigeria. It is then followed by a successive finding of some
major issues that are associated with the entrepreneurship culture of family businesses in Nigeria
by consequently ascertaining the impact of gender related issues on business performance
(Lawson and et.al., 2013).
Concept Of Entrepreneurship Culture In Eastern Nigeria
Entrepreneurship is mainly defined to be a significant process of organizing and
subordinating the industrial constituents of production and other related functions to it. This also
includes framing some efficacious decisions to set up a prosperous business enterprise. It is
therefore referred to be a fundamental process of aligning the organisational tactics which meets
out the active market structures of demand and supply (Aderinto, 2015). A precise maintenance
of organisational activities is a leading sense of capitalism requisition with a prime responsibility
of the entrepreneurs to look after it. However, on discoursing the concept of entrepreneurship
culture and family business in Eastern Nigeria, it has been discovered that their capitalism is
enormously stricken by their distinct culture beliefs. It is mainly with relation to define about the
cultural industries of Nigeria with respect to which, they are stated to have an affluent and varied
aggregation of cultural industries with diversified range of goods and services (Lysonski and
Durvasula, 2013). Some above stipulated compositions of poverty with a pessimistic state of
unemployment have forced them to work in family oriented businesses.
Nigeria is populated with over 160 million people where they belong to above 500
different ethnic nationalities with an economy that accounts for over 70% GDP rate of Western
Africa. This has also depicted yet another absolute fact where around 70% of the overall
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production volume in West Africa comes from both the means of legal and illegal trades of
cultural products in Nigeria (Hassan, 2014). On relating it with a general concept of
entrepreneurship culture, it is stated to occur within a motivational environment where its
affiliated entrepreneurial bodies are hereby required to be boosted up for developing new and
invented ideas. It thus includes some leading risks that are required to be taken by the
participatory bodes of the establishment. A fine inculcation of culture is hereby defined to be a
foremost consideration of the corporate bodies in today's modern day era of globalization
(LeBas, 2013). This not only helps them to operate into a systematic manner but together aids in
attaining a productive outcome from the standardized procedurals.
In Eastern Nigeria, there are various factors that promoted entrepreneurship culture
among gender based family business. Entrepreneurship does not appear and grow spontaneously.
There are some elements that affect growth of entrepreneurship Eastern Nigeria. In this context,
Akpan and Amran, 2014 has stated that “economic factor is one of the responsible factor which
promoted entrepreneurship culture based on gender base family business in the cited location”
(Akpan and Amran, 2014). Nigeria is a middle income and run on the concept of the mixed
economy. The major sectors of the nation are financial, service, communication, technology and
entertainment. It is ranking by 21st largest economy in the glob in terms of nominal GDP and the
20th largest in terms of purchasing power parity. In the present time, the GDP per capita in 2015
has 2677 USD. Along with this, the economic growth of Nigeria till the 2015 has 2.7% which
has less as compare to the previous years. In addition to this, Ajibade, McBean and Bezner-Kerr,
2013 has asserted that “economic environment of Eastern Nigeria has mostly influenced
entrepreneurship culture related to gender based family business” (Ajibade, McBean and Bezner-
Kerr, 2013). Industrial policy, labour force by occupation, raw materials availability etc has in
good conditions that endorsed entrepreneurship culture at the cited location to develop gender
base family business. On the other hand, Mohammed and Abdulquadri, 2012 has explored in his
research that “culture factor is one of the most important element as compare to economy that
promote entrepreneurship culture based on gender base business in Eastern Nigeria”
(Mohammed and Abdulquadri, 2012). The culture of the nation is very vibrant and reflects great
changes in inherited traditions and adaptation of imported once.
Culture hence have a dignified strength where it precisely refers to work with a loyal and
striving approach for rendering effective work in order to achieve acquire timely goals and
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objectives. This in turn results in a prior attainment of predefined targets with a rising
profitability ratio with raised sales and revenues of the goods and services (Farré, 2013).
However, on discoursing about the Nigerian culture of entrepreneurship where they mainly
prefer to get into their family businesses, the female family members deals with a terrible
situation over here. This is mainly with reference to a dominant nature of the male family
members where they do not refer to involve the female associates of their respective family units
into their business proposals. As a result to which, they are required to keep themselves away
from framing any business related decisions (Fransen, 2013). Cultural threats with relation to
depict about the present state of Nigeria are such conventional beliefs which in turn lead to affect
their regular life structures as a mean of disrupting in it.
This ultimately leads to be a substantial clause of suppressing the businesses where due to
a stricken state of poverty they also tend to make less investment of funds in establishing a new
set up. This is referred to be yet another deficit reason of a non supportive business that terribly
affects the organizations (Heidenheimer and Langdon, 2012). Some other subsidiary measures
are referred to unstable and non potent political regimes of Nigeria that often stuck their
entrepreneurial businesses. Nigeria is considered to be an authoritarian state with a mandate
imposition of their respective governmental parties over them. Their altering stipulations
therefore make a tremendous impact over the business decisions of the entrepreneurs who are
operating a family business over there. Family businesses in the Eastern regions of Nigeria are
referred to be a driving force of socio- economic development with its two key elements of
entrepreneurial deliberation and leadership (Meneses, Coutinho and Pinho, 2014). These factors
not only builds a reformative generation of succeed business ventures but also supports in
prolonging a competitive approach of operating into their respective fields of business.
A fine implication of entrepreneurial culture is therefore referred to be an important
consideration for each and every enterprise in order to maintain their level of business efficiency.
There exist some vital factors in association to predict a well preserved entrepreneurial
environment with a fine maintenance of culture (Massey, 2013). This focus upon some major
laid down constituents where it gets important for the Eastern Nigerian entities to equally treat
their business partners with full dignity and respect. This should be irrespective of their gender
and other relative factors with it where they should be open access of communication. This is to
fundamentally strengthen their interactive concerns where the females are often dominated by
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the male business associates where they do not refer to any conferred thoughts and ideas of their
female business partners. However, as per the referred statement of (Dumbili, 2014), he has
strongly emphasised on a significant point of letting the team to themselves build their properties
in an effective manner. Another vital part testimonial is to allow the associates to freely
participate into the decision making process with no controlled measures by the higher
management bodies.
On relating all preceding factors it has been concluded that all business partners should
have an equalised position in operating the firm with each other’s support. Furthermore, on
abstracting it with the scrutinised culture of Eastern Nigeria, the male bodies are required to
equally treat their female business associates (Fawole and Olajide, 2012). This will not only
spread an equalized culture of business by motivating the female participants, but will also assist
them to come up with some innovated tactics of performing their respective tasks. However, in
order to address the fact of gender discrimination in Nigeria that directly influences their
business procedurals, it is a chief duty of their regimental parties to look into such faulty means
of their domiciles (Hamza and Shah, 2014. This should be related to some other impeccable
means of improvising the rural sections of Eastern Nigeria where they should also take some
considerable measures of removing the impotent elements of gender discrimination in them.
With reference to which, they should hereby promote the rights of women into those stuck areas
of Nigeria. Into which, they should be given an equal chance of domestic production of goods
and services with paid employment (Omonijo and. et.al., 2013).
They should also refer to defeat the face of male violence from such terrible areas of
Nigeria where the females are extensively suppressed by the males. Some other impacting forces
of entrepreneurship is to link it with the missions and visions of the businesses with that to the
passion and commitment level of the workers and business partners where the females are
largely neglected by the males associates (Agunbiade and Ogunleye, 2012).
About Eastern Nigeria: The region, geography, culture and language
From the research, it has found that societies have been living in Nigeria for more than
twenty five hundred years. It is in West Africa along the eastern coast of the Gulf of Guinea and
just north of the equator. It covers an area of 356,669 square miles. Nigeria can be divided into
three main environmental regions: savanna, tropical forests, and coastal wetlands (Reiter, 2015).
These all highly affect the culture of the people who lives there from the long time. The open and
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dry grasslands of the savanna make the land suitable for cereal farming and herding a method of
life. On the other hand, the wet tropical forests in the south side are good for farming fruits and
vegetables. The major income generator locations of the nation are Yoruba, Lgbo etc. Lijaw and
the Kalabari are some small ethnic groups who are living along the coast (Quisumbing and.
et.al., 2014). They have forced to keep their village small because of lack of dry land. In terms of
political aspects, Nigeria is diving into 36 states and the capital of the country is Lagos. It
contains adequate infrastructure and always a diplomatic centre of the nation in the terms of
financial and commercial viewpoints (Abdullah and. et.al., 2012).
On the other hand, from the geography perspectives, the Eastern region of Nigeria is
geographically located in Southeastern Nigeria. It is bordered by the Nigeria River in the West
and has shared an administrative and culture border with the Northern region of Nigeria to the
north (Kumar, 2015). The eastern boundary lies between the borders of Nigeria and Cameroon
and the along with the Gulf of Guinea which is southern coast. Eastern region of Nigeria has
spread in 29,400 square miles. Till the 1965, the population of this location was about to 12
million people. Most of the persons were living in Owerri, Annangs etc places in West Africa
(Ayatse, 2013). The following region has three kinds of vegetation. The coastal areas in the south
are dominated by mangrove swamps and tidal waterways. On the other hand, in the north side,
tropical rainforest present in the huge amount. There is a Niger Delta in Eastern region of
Nigeria which includes several types of rivers such as Qua Iboe, Cross River, and Imo River.
Obudu Plateau (Atiku and Fields, 2016).
Moving towards demographic aspect of Eastern region of Nigeria, it has found that there
is an ethnically diverse population. The largest ethnic group in this region is lgbos. The trends
and culture of this community are still traditional and they are democratic and individualistic
with their wealth, titles and ages (Adebayo, 2013). These all are being the primary determinants
of the people of lgbos community. In the rural areas of Eastern region of N, lgbo people are
mostly working as a farmers, craftsmen and traders.
While, by considering the culture aspects of Eastern region of Nigeria, it has determined
that culture of people includes the various customers, practices and traditions. With the time,
new concept related to culture is adding with the time either through evolution or outside
influences (Shehu and Mahmood, 2015). The culture of the local community of cited region
includes visual art, language, music, dance forms, cuisine, attire etc. There are various subgroups
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in Eastern region of Nigeria which promote different kinds of culture in the local and national
area. Majority of the lgbo people are Christian but their beliefs are varying as per their opinions
and views related to religion. The tradition and religion of these people known as Odinani. Lgbo
have traditionally believed in reincarnation into families. From the evaluation of the culture of
Eastern region of Nigeria, it has determined that before a relative dies, it has said that the soon to
be dead relative gives clues of who they will revive as in the family (Adeoye, 2015). The same
kind of culture applies at the time of born of a child. Along with this, as per the present tradition
of Eastern region of Nigeria, the children are not allowed to call their elder by their only names.
They have used honorific before the name of elder or older age persons at the time of calling
them (Munoz, Vicdan and Saran, 2013). As per the religion of local community of following
region is the process of entire burials are taking place either in morning or late nights. Further,
the process of marrying includes different stages such as asking the young woman consent,
introducing man and woman to their respective families, testing of character and checking family
background of bride and paying the brides wealth from the groom side. Sometimes, marriage
arranged from the born of the children via negotiation of the two families (Saheed, 2013).
In the context of the economy of Eastern region of Nigeria, trade of palm is the major
dominant feature. The reason of this business is it has provided fronds for roofing of the houses
in the villages, palm wine for alcohol and palm kernels as source of foreign exchange of income
for the local community (Duflo, 2012). After this, employment in farming has also a major
source of income generation for the people of Eastern region of Nigeria. In the present time,
there are many residents engaging in yam farming and fishery. As per the research of Husain,
Mukerjee and Dutta, 2014, it has found that after 1960s, the government has promoted rubber,
cocoa and palm grove schemes in order to increase the output of cash crops. Along with this, the
state government has been established farm settlements at various regions of Eastern region of
Nigeria such as Ohaji, Igbariam, Boki, Ulonna, Erei, Uzo-Uwani and Egbema to promote
agriculture (Husain, Mukerjee and Dutta, 2014).
Apart from this, Eastern region of Nigeria has trade some goods which also a major part
of regional economy (Lawson and et.al., 2013). Dried fish, motor parts, textiles, local food stuff
etc are some goods that imported by the state time to time. After the first republic, Eastern region
of Nigeria has operated under the parliamentary system of government. There is also a local
government modelled which has based on the concept of English system. In the Nigerian
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government, there are three tiers within the system: the country and urban districts, the
municipalities and the local councils. In the context of local government, it has represented in the
region into three phases (Aderinto, 2015). On the other hand, in the context of education in
Eastern region of Nigeria, there are many village schools run in different parts of the state. Many
of the people of the community have given money on voluntarily basis for the erection of school
buildings. Rich and wealthy families have sometime encouraged the education by sponsoring to
the younger once that are unable to afford the school or college fee because of living under
poverty levels. Many of the primary and secondary schools have managed by voluntary agencies
and Christian missions (Lysonski and Durvasula, 2013).
Predominant business practices
In Eastern Nigeria, there is a more than 140 million population, 250 different ethnic
groups and more than 500 different languages. The western African country business
environment is at the stage of booming and a good place for the investment to the business
investors (Hassan, 2014). The major regions in which the entrepreneurs are ready to doing new
venture are Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. With productive and prosperous businesses
offering, there is an ample opportunity for the new business man to invest in this region.
Nigerians living in the east side of the country are friendly and speak very politely regarding
their inquiries. Here, people prefer to develop personal relationships at the time of conducting the
business (LeBas, 2013). It is a predominant business practice of Eastern region of Nigeria is
during the first meeting with the business partners, it is important for other party to expect to
devote a decent period of time getting to know them on a personal level. This process may take a
longer period to understand each other but it is a good thing and essential before starting a new
venture or expands a business (Akpan and Amran, 2014).
In the above context, handshakes are the most common predominant business practices in
Eastern region of Nigeria business industry. It is a most common thing of greetings. In the case
of to greet a woman in the Nigerian culture, another person needs to wait for a female to extend
her hand first (Ajibade, McBean and Bezner-Kerr, 2013). As the culture of the following region
shows that there should be an honorific before calling a name of elder name. The same major
business practice applies Eastern region of Nigeria business culture. Business associates should
be addressed by their honorific and academic or professional titles should be followed by their
surnames. On the other hand, the etiquette of giving and receiving business cards is quite strict.
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The business persons should use their right hand at the time of receiving or giving gift to each
other. Along with this, there is unacceptable to overwrite or write new information on the
business card if any information changes due to any reasons (Mohammed and Abdulquadri,
2012).
By coming at business culture of Eastern region of Nigeria, there are many numbers of
variable forces along with foreign owned multination companies. On the basis of this, business
etiquette demands that these should be remain flexible and experts should always be willing to
improve in the business practices over the time (Farré, 2013). As per the culture of Eastern
region of Nigeria, at the time of working on business relationships with associates, it is important
to keep patients and wait for to develop trust between each other. In this context, management
style is also major business practices of the following state. In the Nigeria, the management style
is typical hierarchical. In this, the boss of the company always expect to receive respects from his
workers and never be publically criticized them on any aspects (Picard, 2014). It is not important
in the current management style that all decisions are always made by top and always followed
by middle and lower level staff. In Eastern region of Nigeria, business relationships are
extremely significance for every kind of business sectors. Nigerian business leaders tend to very
strong and always give instructions to employees and it is expected from them to following those
guidelines very closely. Ability to work together towards the defined goals are considering as
more valuable assets in Nigeria business culture rather than independent thinking or
individualistic efforts (Fransen, 2013).
On the other hand, Nigerians of Eastern area are famous because of their friendly and
hospitable who take authentic attention in the lives and experiences of foreigners. The reason of
doing this is they are always ready to learn from the other person experience (Heidenheimer and
Langdon, 2012). By doing this, they can apply those learning into the practical aspects and
improve the business process and other operational aspects in more effective manner. For
example, if one foreigner person makes an effort to get to know about Nigerian people life then
local community welcome and show friendly nature towards him.
Apart from this, bribery and corruption has affected the image of Nigeria in the whole
world. It is a major problem in the nation which put the impact on the business performance of
the state. It has been observed that highest levels of government to the lowest level of street sales
have created many issues of bribery and corruption in various service sectors. This situation has
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