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‘Graduation’ problems amongst micro and small enterprises in Eastern Nigeria, 1960–91
Author(s) -
Onyeiwu Steve
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of international development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1328
pISSN - 0954-1748
DOI - 10.1002/jid.3380050504
Subject(s) - graduation (instrument) , sample (material) , business , economics , economic growth , development economics , demographic economics , engineering , mechanical engineering , chemistry , chromatography
One of the contending issues in the literature is the question of what determines the growth of micro and small enterprises (MSEs). In this article a sample of 37 firms, established in Eastern Nigeria about four decades ago, is used to evaluate why some firms grow while others stagnate. The study shows that only a few of the sample firms had grown into larger categories, while the majority had either stagnated or closed entirely. The case histories of the successful firms are examined, and it appears that they were able to grow because of their adoption of innovative management strategies which are generally uncommon amongst MSEs.