Management by Apprenticeship

As the need for the internationalization of business curriculum has blossomed in academic institutions, many business instructors have found it challenging to include Africa in such discussions. This is because of inadequate business materials based on African business perspectives. While materials on African politics, religion, agriculture, social systems, and economic structures abound, there are few materials on actual African business practices. From a distant one is left with the impression that Africans have no distinctive business practices worthy of research. This view is in sharp contrast with the volumes written on the distinctive business practices of Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. If anyone is to be blamed for this dearth of business research and information, it is the African-born business scholars who have not brought their business environment into the international educational arena, through research and publication. Like people the world over, Africans depend on market forces for the production and distribution of goods and services in their communities. Over the centuries, they have evolved unique systems of commercial interaction, some of which are readily obvious, while others could only be noticed after a close examination. This book is an attempt to bridge the informational gap by providing an insider's view of the organization and operation of businesses in a specific African community.

The need for a book such as this evolved from interests expressed by students, teachers, indigenous and foreign businessmen for a more realistic information on business practices in the African market environment. As one of the few indigenes of the subject-community who has chosen education over commerce, the author became a sort of depository of information for relatives and friends who wanted to ensure that the indigenous business customs and traditions are preserved in writing and passed on to the next generation. Participants may have been motivated by a sense of patriotism or ethnocentrism. Whatever their motivation, in a society besieged by so many imported economic, social, political, and religious fads, many of which have depreciated the quality of life of the citizens, the natives are desperately holding on to whatever is left of their traditional lifestyles, especially their most successful indigenous innovations. Documenting these managerial innovations not only helps current practitioners to reflect on their own strategies, but also provides additional educational materials for those who are contemplating a career in the business sector.

The author has selected the business practices of a specific community, in relation to specific product lines, not only because of access to data from these areas, but because of access to additional resources that will allow him to go beyond the obvious in his data interpretation. Frequently, writers on similar subjects stop at what was observed at the storefront. As the saying goes "looks could be deceiving". In this book, attempts have been made to go behind the scene in order to explain the why, how, where, when, and who of what is observed at the storefront. This approach, although tedious, may be especially useful for researchers doing comparative studies, and also to businessmen who are searching for the most effective entry strategy into these territories. This book is also written for recreational readers who just want to learn more about the social and business practices of the community described in this book.

Students and researchers will find the description of individual roles, organizational structures, market strategies, product lines, and formal and informal organization behavior, using local terms, especially useful in comparing equivalent concepts from other organizations. Such findings could be useful to those seeking ways for assisting struggling African communities to overcome their economic inertia. This book is equally useful to indigenous African scholars and researchers that may not have the resources to undertake a full-blown primary research in the geographical areas covered by this project. The findings of this book could become the foundation for further research and case studies aimed at determining additional factors that affect the performance of businesses in the region.

This book is useful to foreign investors and businessmen because a complete understanding of the African market environment facilitates those planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling activities required in a successful international operation. This observation is especially important because of the openness to foreign investment and the acceptance of free market philosophy in this part of Africa. It is worth noting that despite numerous forays into socialism by many African governments, Nigerian has remained staunchly capitalistic, with a minimally regulated private sector. There are, therefore, numerous profitable opportunities for investors who not only understand the natural operations of this African market, but are willing to invest in it.

Recreational readers will find many chapters of this book interesting and insightful. Several attempts were made to describe in detail the traditional rituals and customs which were aimed at facilitating commercial activities. Tales of achievements and rivalry between groups, and the collective actions of the community provided entertaining readings for those who delight in such topics. In addition to contemporary accounts, historical accounts of events with significant bearing on the subject matter were presented.