Global relevance of scaling African indigenous entrepreneurship

Abstract

This research focuses on the way African indigenous entrepreneurs (IEs) use at hand resources and strategies to overcome challenges in resource constrained and munificent environments. Although there have been considerable past progresses in the technology, innovation and entrepreneurship literature concerning non-predictive strategies, our understanding of the relevance of bricolage in Africa context remains limited. This paper examines the issue of global relevance of scaling African indigenous innovation; and focuses on how IEs can scale their businesses. We relied on qualitative cases of IEs based on semi-structured interviews to explore the practical context of using non-predictive strategies to solve contemporary problems through the more cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions. Specifically, we argue that IEs can scale their indigenous solutions by leveraging on bricolage to provide globally relevant solutions. The sample consists of twenty indigenous entrepreneurs from Nigeria who operate in resource constrained and munificent contexts. We present bricolage theory as a preliminary way of understanding how IEs operate and may be scaled. The paper enhances appreciation of the scaling processes of indigenous entrepreneurs based on forms of bricolage; and it extends the application of bricolage to resource munificent contexts. Finally, we outline the implications of the findings for research and practice.