Title: Business coaching for SME sustainability in Nigeria: a brief review of the literature

Authors: Onyeka Uche Ofili

Addresses: International School of Management (ISM), 17, boulevard Raspail, 75007 Paris, France

Abstract: Entrepreneurial activities constitute a significant contribution to the economic well-being of developing economies such as Nigeria. However, many of the country's small and medium-sized enterprises do not survive beyond the first five years, and very few eventually grow into maturity. Prior research has underlined the benefits of business coaching to help novice entrepreneurs acquire the necessary technical and managerial skills to see their businesses through the start-up phases. However, precisely how actual business coaching/mentoring can support novice entrepreneurs within the Nigerian context remains an unexplored area of scholarship. Further, there is lack of adequate investigation regarding novice entrepreneurs' experiences with the coach-protégé relationship, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria. This literature review synthesises the body of knowledge on the study of entrepreneurship in Nigeria, providing a basis for future research on how the coachprotégé relationship can be further improved and in turn contribute to entrepreneurship sustainability.

Keywords: novice entrepreneurs; coach-protégé relationship; business coaching; mentoring; developing economies; Nigeria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTCS.2018.093555

International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies, 2018 Vol.9 No.3, pp.203 - 220

Received: 18 Nov 2017
Accepted: 14 Jan 2018
Published online: 27 Jul 2018 *

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