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AJBER vol 4 No 1 2009

About This Edition

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

ISBN : 9781906704551

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I am delighted to present this issue of African Journal of Business and Economic Research (AJBER). This is the first issue of AJBER under a new Editor and Editorial Review Board. AJBER intends to maintain its current image as one of the leading academic journals in Africa. The Editorial Board is committed to taking the journal to a new level by building AJBER into an internationally ranked journal that rivals its peers in other parts of world. To achieve this goal, two important changes have been made. First, the journal’s masthead will show a new Editorial Board structure led by the Editor-in-Chief. The second set of changes relates to the Editorial Board. The Editorial Review Board team has been expanded to include internationally renowned scholars and management practitioners. The third set of changes relates to the publication of special issues. We will publish special issues edited or co-edited by leading scholars and practitioners in the field.

The seven articles in this issue address growth constraints of small and medium sized enterprises, strategic management practices of Nigerian small business enterprises, business profiles of women entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship education in sub-Saharan Africa, trade relations between Nigeria and China, effect of gender, age, and religion on choice of conflict management style, and attitude of low income households towards consumption of soybean products.

In the first article, Okpara and Kabongo studied selected small businesses in Nigeria to determine the key factors hindering their success and growth. Results of their investigation reveal that the most common factors hindering small business growth in Nigeria include lack of financial support, poor management practices, corruption, poor infrastructure, and low demand for products and services. The authors’ findings should benefit entrepreneurs planning to start businesses in Nigeria and similar sub-Saharan African countries. The authors offer useful suggestions on how to overcome the obstacles hampering small business growth in Nigeria.

Osuagwu, in the second article investigates the strategic management practices of small business enterprises in Nigeria. Results show that competition, infrastructure, macro-environmental, and socio-cultural factors are among the key strategic management practices used by the small firms surveyed for this study. The author’s findings provide some insights regarding managerial actions and governmental policies that would assist the development and success of small businesses in Nigeria.

In the third article, Halkias, Nwajiuba, and Caracatsanis examine 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 entrepreneurs. Based on their interview, the authors conclude that female entrepreneurship is largely influenced by micro-financing and family circumstances. Female entrepreneurs who want to start small business operations in Nigeria should be aware of the unique challenges facing women business owners.

Kabongo and Okpara, in the fourth article, investigate the state of entrepreneurship course offerings in higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. The results of this study show that most higher education institutions in the sample offer courses in entrepreneurship and/or small business management. A small number of institutions offer a specialization in the area of entrepreneurship. The authors conclude that newly created institutions offer more entrepreneurship courses and specializations than traditional institutions do. A very small number of institutions operate university-based entrepreneurship centers. The findings of this paper will assist researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders of higher education institutions in developing and strengthening entrepreneurship education in sub-Saharan Africa.

In the fifth article, Nkamnebe, Ezenweke, and Anionwu examine the motivation of Nigerian entrepreneurs towards the importation and distribution of counterfeit and sub-standard products from China. They also examined the reasons why Nigerian consumers purchase such sub-standard products, and the factors that sustain counterfeit trade in Nigeria. Their findings show that the counterfeit trade is a result of lack enforcement of counterfeit laws in both countries, and the entrepreneurs’ willingness to perpetuate these unethical practices. The authors conclude that uncontrolled development of counterfeit imports from China is having negative effects on goods made in China because Nigerian consumers are beginning to associate the inferiority of the counterfeit goods with all goods that are made in China.

Osisioma, in the sixth article, investigates the effect of gender, age, and religion on the choice of conflict management style in Nigeria. The findings of this study show that the dominant method of handling conflicts is the integrating style. The author concludes that this style of conflict management offers hope that organizational conflicts in Nigeria will not be allowed to be destructive and crippling.

In the final article, Ugwuonah and Odo examine the attitude of low income households towards consumption of soybean products in southeastern Nigeria. Ninety households were interviewed for the study. Findings show that consumers favored the consumption of soymilk and soy powder made from roasted soy beans. In addition, some respondents preferred the consumption of soybeans for their nutritional value. The authors suggest that the producers of soybeans should take family budget into consideration in determining the price of soybeans because the consumption of other food items is made from the same family budget.

We thank the authors and the reviewers for this issue. With your continued support via your quality research, comments, and suggestions, AJBER will continue to be the leading journal for African business and economic research.

John O. Okpara, Ph.D

Editor-in-Chief

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