The role of the entrepreneurial leader: A study of Nigerian SMEs

Omeihe, Ibiyemi; Harrison, Christian; Simba, Amon; Omeihe, King

Abstract

Growing evidence points to the role of entrepreneurial leadership in enhancing positive business outcomes. Yet little is known about the entrepreneurial leadership attributes and skills exploited by entrepreneurial leaders within a developing economy context. This study examines the role of entrepreneurial leadership within fashion SMEs. It exemplifies the entrepreneurial leadership attributes and skills employed by entrepreneurial leaders within Nigerian fashion SMEs. Based on 14 semi- structured interviews of entrepreneurial leaders, we found out that: (1) five broad skills namely; technical, conceptual, interpersonal, entrepreneurial and expectation management skills are employed by entrepreneurial leaders ; (2) entrepreneurial leaders rely on 7 attributes namely; hard work, long term view, passion, length of service, creativity, innovation and vision in the pursuit of their business ventures; (3) creativity and innovation are key attributes within the fashion sector ; (4) vision is described as the most important attribute an entrepreneurial leader should possess. Finally, this study recognises the interaction between attributes and skills, which serves as a foundation for understanding the transition process of entrepreneurial leadership attributes to skills. In addition, it provides new insights on the classification of competencies and it presents an instructive entrepreneurial leadership model for guiding such a categorisation.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 11, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jul 19, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 17, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 11, 2021
• Journal: International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business
• Print ISSN: 1476-1297
• Electronic ISSN: 1741-8054
• Publisher: Inderscience
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 187-215
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJESB.2023.132439
• Keywords: Entrepreneurial Leadership, Entrepreneurial Leader, Attributes, Skills, Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SME), Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Developing Economy.
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2642735