The challenges of researching on SMEs as a PhD student from Africa

Researching on SMEs in Africa as PhD Students : The Path, The challenges, The hope

Moshood BelloDoctoral Researcher

Entrepreneurial Opportunities Studies

Salford Business School

•PhD Students in SBS•Nigerian Citizen•Bachelor in Business Administration•Postgraduate degree Management•Lecture at Lagos State Polytechnic

ABOUT Me

The Life of a PhD Student

At the Beginning

• Language– Listening– Speaking– writing

• Culture• Funding

• High cost of living• Sustenance

• Family pressure

Doctoral Student from Africa: Additional Challenges

How does Africa look like?

Conceptual/DefinitionsUK:Nigeria:

Classification of SMEs in UK is different from Africa Informal Sector Vs Formal Sector

Poor Attitude to Research Uncooperative Managers/owners of SMEs/Entrepreneurs Government agencies

Data collectionPoor record keepingShort Life span of businesses (Case studies?)

Unreliable statistics from agencies

The Challenges

Less is known about African SMEsAfrican’s unequal interest in entrepreneurshipUnique context for researchDeveloping status of the economyUN Predictions

World population to reach 9.6b in 2050 (presently 7.2b)Nigeria to be the 3rd largest country after India and China

(India will equal China by 2028 and overtake her by 2050). (United Nation Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2013) http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/un-report-world-population-projected-to-reach-9-6-billion-by-2050.html

The Good news about Research on SMEs in Africa

Appreciation