ABSTRACT
This study is basically concerned with the analysis of entrepreneurial drive as a motivating factor in small sca1e enterprises establishment and operations. The attempts made by various personalities and institutions towards explaining the phenomenon was given appreciable attention. Moving ahead the researcher in his efforts aimed at carrying out a well articulated  research  made use  of  various methods/instruments of  data sourcing and. analysis, that comprised of primary and secondary sources of data which included face to face discussions, oral interviews, questionnaires and the use of relevant textbooks, magazines, journals, libraries, internet, e.t.c. The research was conducted with a known total population of one thousand and sixty-two persons and .a determined sample size of one hundred and fifteen relevant persons. Equally, some research questions were put forward to direct investigation in carrying out the research, while tables together with percentages were employed to provide comprehensive data presentation and analysis. The findings from the study revealed among other things, SSEs act as a catalyst for poverty alleviation and eradication, as well as that entrepreneurial drive is the most significant factor propelling the establishment of SSEs.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The concentration of large industrial concerns in the urban cities has long been criticized because of the rural- urban drift which has generated imbalance between the rural and the urban areas in Nigeria today Leon (1998:13). Faced with this kind of problem and given the constraints economic thinkers are now focusing attention on Small Scale Enterprises (SSEs). Small Scale Enterprises consist of endeavours in manufacturing, handicraft and small pockets of maintenance and repair.
In effect the definition of SSEs may vary from place, time . and purpose, the commonest criteria used according to Ihyembe (2000:42) include the number of employees, sales (or turnover), financial strength (mainly in terms of capital outlay and working capital) as well as the structure of the ownership. The SSEs concept evolves from the type of opportunities available in the market which is matched with the locally available skills and financing. This type of industry is one that is characteristically managed as a small business either by a
sole proprietor or a combination of small investors who have gathered their resources together.
The Nigerian economy appears to have been reaping the advantages obtainable from Small Scale Enterprises. These include stimulation of indigenous entrepreneurship, transformation of traditional industry, e.t.c. As would be shown later, the experiences in many parts of the world point to the direction that small scale enterprises can make positive impact on the economies of many nations both developed and developing.
Entrepreneurship on the other hand is the process of creating something different with value by devoting the necessary time and effort, assuming the accompanying financial, psychic and social risks and receiving the resultant rewards of monetary and personal satisfaction, Hisrich and Peters (1995:10).
Entrepreneur is the label usually given to someone who creates new business activity in the economy. During the past ten years, entrepreneurs have created several million new businesses throughout the world, Hellriegel et al (2002:144).
The process of starting a new venture is embodied in the entrepreneurial process, which involves more than just problem solving in a typical management position. An entrepreneur must find, evaluate and develop
an opportunity by overcoming the forces that resist the creation of something new. The process has, four distinct phases.
Identifying and evaluating the opportunity;
Developing a business plan;
Determining the resources required;
Managing the enterprise.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Most small business owners do not innovate or seek out change in a continuous or purposeful way in line with more recent definitions of entrepreneurship. Some do of course. There are inventive people labeled “boffin business men” by some researchers who seek to exploit new ideas through commercial activity. But these are the exceptions: most small businesses are founded on existing ideas and practices. The couples that open their own wine bar the redundant employee who forms a training consultancy e.t.c, are all taking risks but only by doing what has been done many times before. They do not necessarily attempt to innovate or seek out change, but base their business on hopes of increased consumption of the same products or services also on offer elsewhere.
Once established, small firms can also lack innovative entrepreneurship, Owner-managers are invariably close to the day to day problems of their
business as it grows-often too close to see opportunities or the need for change. Small business management can easily become a reactive process in which new ideas are pushed out by the need to cope with more pressing realities. In these circumstances, the entrepreneur has to adapt and react, rather than direct and create. From its innovative origins, entrepreneurship has been watered down to imply adaptability and, constant maneuvering to fit the circumstances of the day. Entrepreneurs have taken on wheeler-dealer image in which creativity is used only for survival rather than progress. This is where the problem of this study lies it constitutes an enquiry into ascertaining how entrepreneurship acts as a catalyst towards the afore mentioned various manipulations obtainable in small scale; enterprises.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives which this study seeks to achieve include:
i. To provide an analysis concerning the concept of small scale enterprises as well as the need/relevance of its establishment.
ii. To provide analysis of entrepreneurship with special emphasis on its evolution, characteristics, philosophy e.t.c.
iii. To ascertain how the entrepreneurial phenomenon acts as a catalyst in the manipulation of small scale enterprises establishment and activities.
1.4 RESEARCO QUESTIONS
To direct investigation, the following research questions were put forward.
i. What constitutes the concept and need/relevance for the establishment of small scale enterprises?
ii. How can the concept of entrepreneurship be analyzed?
iii. In what ways/forms can the entrepreneurial phenomenon act as catalyst in the manipulation of small scale, enterprises establishment and activities.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The relevance of small scale enterprises to economic growth and development made it imperative for any nation that wants to develop economically to encourage the development of strategies that will make SSEs boom in their nation(s). Unfortunately, if there is stagnation or outright failure of this vital economic sector, it denies such nation(s) the benefits derivable from having them.
However, some of the crucial problems in formulating and implementing a meaningful small scale industrial policy include the issue of mission, which has to be unambiguously defined, promotion, as well as that of financing. This must be done in the context of the macro economic
planning which is currently taking place in Nigeria today after decades of planlessness.
Also entrepreneurs are frequently presented as heroic individuals. Asked to picture an entrepreneur and we tend to think of an individual who masters the odds stacked against them, single-handedly overcoming traditional barriers until, by shear force of personality, they manage to change what exists and offer the customer the something different that they really wanted all along.
In line with the afore-mentioned, a study such as this aimed at analyzing the concepts of small scale enterprises and that of entrepreneurship respectively as well as the linkage effect between them in the aspect of SSEs establishment and operations should be seen as being very significant and timely.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope, of the study encompasses the analysis concerning the concept and relevance of small scale enterprises and entrepreneurship towards the nation’s economic growth and development, together with the definitions, evolution, characteristics, as well as such other elements associated with them.
It equally entails the examination and analysis of the synergy linkage between these two prominent concepts.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The limitations of the study exists in such areas as the time period involved for the execution of the study, difficulties encountered in obtaining most of the necessary data/information needed for the study, as well as transportation and some other logistic problems.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE AS A MOTIVATING FACTOR IN SMALL SCALE ENTERPRISES ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATIONS
A1Project Hub Support Team Are Always (24/7) Online To Help You With Your Project
Chat Us on WhatsApp » 09063590000
DO YOU NEED CLARIFICATION? CALL OUR HELP DESK:
09063590000 (Country Code: +234)
YOU CAN REACH OUR SUPPORT TEAM VIA MAIL: [email protected]
09063590000 (Country Code: +234)
