The Igbo Apprenticeship Model: Promoting Innovation in SMEs Through Clustering

Simon Ayo Adekunle () and Mirhiga Peter Okuwhere
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Simon Ayo Adekunle: University of Benin
Mirhiga Peter Okuwhere: Coventry University

Chapter Chapter 14 in The Palgrave Handbook of Decolonising Entrepreneurship, 2025, pp 347-377 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Purpose This paper aims to model the Igbo apprenticeship to promote innovation in Nigeria’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The study examined how the Igbo apprenticeship practice could be modernised and sustained to boost SMEs’ innovation. Design /methodology/approach—A structured questionnaire was designed using quantitative research to obtain data from SMEs drawn from manufacturing, retailing, and services firms in the Nwewi Automotive cluster. A total of 438 questionnaires were administered, of which 409 were retrieved and 395 were usable. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings—The result showed that the major barriers to introducing or expanding technological innovation for the sampled SMEs are lack of government policy and regulation, lack of technological and market information, inadequate research and development, high cost of innovation, organisational culture, size of the enterprise, lack of skilled personnel, lack of finance and absence of cooperation. Research limitations/implications—The results obtained from this study have various practical implications for both SMEs and the managers of these enterprises. Policymakers should invest in modernising apprenticeship systems and strengthening SME support through improved infrastructure, financial incentives, and digitalisation initiatives. Future research could take a broader approach by investigating the viability of Igbo apprenticeships in diverse cultural contexts and sectors in various regions or countries. Originality/value—This study broadly analyses the promotion of SMEs’ innovation in Nigeria using the Igbo apprenticeship system for entrepreneurial development. It also provides a comprehensive assessment of the sustainability of the Igbo apprenticeship system by promoting business modelling and incubation for SMEs’ growth.

Keywords: Development; Igbo apprenticeship; Innovation; Nigeria; Small and medium enterprises (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-031-92310-4_14

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-92310-4_14

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