INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS OF MICRO-BUSINESSES IN EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study determined the relationship between indigenous entrepreneurial orientation and economic competitiveness of micro-businesses in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between apprentice mentorship and value creation as well as the relationship between apprentice mentorship and customer services of micro-businesses in Ebonyi state. A resource-based theory of the firm by Barney (1991) was adopted for the study. Data were generated using a questionnaire and administered to the respondents using the judgmental (Purposive) sampling technique. Analysis was done with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25 to generate the data frequency, percentages, standard deviation, and means while the hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The study found that there is a significant positive relationship between apprentice mentorship and value creation cum customer services. Based on the findings obtained, it was concluded that trying to replicate the successes of global markets using Eurocentric entrepreneurial orientations might not be feasible as contextual nuances affect businesses vis a viz their sustainability, growth, and success; hence, adoption of indigenous entrepreneurial orientations. The study recommended that indigenous entrepreneurs’ micro businesses in Ebonyi's attention need to be focused on contextual peculiarities in their environments of operation to enable them practice needful and appropriate ideologies to survive and remain economically competitive. It was also recommended that Nigerian indigenous entrepreneurs need to adopt, develop, and practice contextualised ideologies like apprentice mentorship as they were found to enhance business competitiveness as well as sustainability. These attributes can be utilised alongside already existing orientations found useful.