Author(s): Amaechi K.E., I.O. Iwara, P.O. Njoku, R. Raselekoane and T.D. Thobejane
This article uses the case of Igbo-run Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, to investigate whether the indigenous practices such as Igba-boi, imu-ahia and igba oso ahia embedded in the Igbo traditional business school (ITBS) provide appropriate ideological and material resources for entrepreneurial success. The causal relations between these variables were determined through an application of an SPSS-based regression and crosssectional analysis, with a 5-point Likert scale. The data was randomly collected from a sample of 111 participants of Igbo youths engaged in Small and Medium Size Enterprises in South Africa. The results reveal that the indigenous practices of I-TBS’s have significant influence on five important elements of entrepreneurial success such as: increase in business revenue; opening of new businesses; ability to train new entrepreneurs; consistent expansion of customer base for three years; and sustainability of entrepreneurial ventures for more than three years. Based on this, the study recommends formulation of policies and entrepreneurial programmes that kickstart adoption of similar indigenous modelsfor youth engagement in entrepreneurial ventures in the Limpopo region of South Africa