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Over the years, there have been calls for the integration of the Igbo Traditional Business School (I-TBS) into the contemporary entrepreneurship space, especially in Africa, to scale up entrepreneurial activities. The I-TBS model has demonstrated prominence in influencing entrepreneurial culture, skills transfer, start-up support mechanisms, enterprise success and sustainability; however, its reliability and replicability are often questioned. Among a myriad of issues, lack of comprehensive documentation that isolates the merits as well as demerits, is a concern. An understanding of I-TBS’ validity, reliability, replicability and compatibility are others. As a result, it has been difficult to accord the model the needed recognition. This desktop review chapter, is an effort to contribute to the improvement of the model, synthesise its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats with specific reference to the Igba-Boi entrepreneurship scheme. The Atlas-ti v8 software was used in the synthesis. Based on the review, attributes such as togetherness and solidarity in business, free transfer of skills, upholding entrepreneurial culture which are passed from generation to generation and building family/social ties were key strengths of the model. The weaknesses come in the form of lack of regulations to monitor irregularities, inappropriate contractual method and the abuse of mentees. Openings for interested individual to access training, assurance for start-up capital and partnership/collaboration options were key opportunities. False accusations of mentees, breaching settlement agreement, unfair dismissal of mentee, and lack of solid ground for justice, are the major threats. It is expected that these findings will form the basis for further research and policy actions to improve the model.

As Africa strives to catch up with the rest of the world at the economic, political and sociocultural fronts, there is an increasing coalescence around the need for backward integration and the revival of traditional business management practices as enablers in the global war for economic dominance. Unfortunately, a significant consequence of colonial rule was the systematic denigration and portrayal of traditional African institutions and knowledge systems as inferior to those of the West. Although the negative depiction of the African worldview has been extensively challenged in the academy, changes in their perception and adoption have remained slow. The ‘Igbo Apprenticeship System’ (IAS), widely recognised as the largest business incubator platform in the world today, is a great testament to the sophistication and resilience of indigenous African business models and the need to scale up their impact as a strategic step towards the economic emancipation of the continent. However, one fundamental aspect of IAS's success story that is hardly ever mentioned in the extant literature is its approach to conflict management. Understandably, business by its nature is competitive and conflict-prone. Nonetheless, the Igbos appear to have successfully managed different types of conflicts associated with their traditional business model without recourse to western methods or processes. Using a conceptual approach, this chapter attempts to examine the efficacy of the conflict transformation mechanisms in the ‘Igbo Traditional Business School’ (I-TBS) against the background of emerging challenges in the twenty-first-century business environments in Africa and around the world. From the prism of the Conflict Transformation Theory, the chapter argues that I-TBS can serve as a vehicle for the economic growth of the continent, but it must be prepared to deal with ‘new’ conflicts and demands arising from within and outside of its ecosystem.

Igbo communities in diaspora are arguably some of the most innovative communities, in terms of business start-ups and engagements in entrepreneurial activities. Despite the lack of material resources, individuals within these communities have often started and engaged in new businesses, in environments considered extremely difficult. This chapter interrogates the sociocultural conditions behind such Igbo entrepreneurial incubation. Drawing largely on the experiences of selected Igbo individuals in a diasporan community (South Africa), it investigates how such Igbo business individuals’ start-up their businesses. A qualitative research method which allowed in-depth semi-structured interviews to collect data from the respondents was adopted. A simple thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The result showed pressure to succeed and pre-existing repertoire of business knowledge and skill-set as some of the conditions that stimulate entrepreneurial activities of the Igbo business individuals in diaspora. It also showed other conditions such as the untapped business-friendly South African market and the association with the Igbo business networks as important conditions responsible for creating the opportunities upon which such business start-ups and entrepreneurial activities thrive. Based on these findings, the study encourages economic policy makers in South Africa and other African countries to develop similar national business models, that draws from the indigenous practices within the ITBS model.

In this chapter, we highlight the much-lauded Igba-Boi apprenticeship scheme that underpins the Igbo Traditional Business School. We explore the operational modalities of the scheme and its philosophical roots in the Igbo ontology. Acknowledging the effect of colonialism on the current trajectory of African ways of being, we compare the Igba-Boi scheme to the prototypical German apprenticeship system to highlight areas of potential improvement around levels of education, gender inclusivity and trade specificity. Based on this comparative evaluation, we recommend changes to the Igba-Boi model that will strengthen its utility for the educational needs of the formal and informal sectors of the Nigerian, and by extension, African economy.

Being Igbo is synonymous with being enterprising. This is perhaps the most popular impression that many people have about the Igbo of south-eastern Nigeria. Historical antecedents indicate that prior to colonisation, the Igbo engaged actively in trade and agriculture. However, the events of the Nigeria Civil War (1967–1970) had an indelible impact on the economic activities and achievements of the Igbo. Since then, this ethnic nation has risen from economic ashes, and evidence abound in different commercial spaces across the globe. A critical driver of this economic renaissance is the Igba-Boi/Imu Ahia traditional business apprenticeship model. Founded on the Igbo philosophies of communality, co-prosperity and interdependence, the model is characterised by the transgenerational transfer of entrepreneurial skills and the reproduction of business champions. In this chapter, we assess the centrality of enterprise in the Igbo culture; appraise entrepreneurial activities of the Igbo during the pre-colonial and colonial periods; discuss the consequences of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), as well as the post-civil war economic revival. Specifically, we analyse the processes, opportunities and challenges of the Igbo traditional business apprenticeship. Broad-based recommendations highlight imperatives for sustainability and leveraging across cultures and contexts.

This chapter aims to highlight talent management approaches and succession planning principles deployed by traditional Igbo businesses in Nigeria. Insights came from interviews of a purposively selected sample of Igbo businesses drawn from different sectors of the Nigerian economy and different geopolitical zones of the country to give a national representation of the approaches they deploy in talent management and succession planning.

The chapter commences with a brief literature review of talent management and then proceeds to indicate the methodology deployed in data collection, analysis and presentation. The next section presents findings in detail on how Igbo businesses embark on talent management activities such as talent identification and attraction; interviewing; talent assessment; apprenticeships; training; risk considerations; compensation and rewards. Some training areas discussed in detail include nature of the sector, customer service, inventory management, supplier management and cash handling. The subsequent section highlights some challenges with talent management and approaches Igbo businesses adopted in overcoming them.

The chapter also provides some insights as cases of approaches traditional Igbo businesses adopted in succession planning – this gives more perspective on the contextual circumstances that inform the strategies the businesses adopted in talent management. The chapter concludes by discussing in general, succession planning approaches deployed by traditional Igbo businesses.