CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background of the Study

 An entrepreneur is an innovator who implements changes within a market through the carrying out of new combinations. The carrying out of new combination can take several forms; the introduction of a new good quality, there fore; the introduction of a new method of production, the opening of a new market; the congress of a new source of new materials or parts; the carrying out of the new organization of any industry. Further more, an entrepreneur is an individual that identifies, develop and brings vision to life under condition of risk and a considerable uncertainty. The vision may be an innovative idea, an opportunity or simply a better way to do something (Mamma, 2010).

This is the reason why it is often said that every entrepreneur is a human being but not every human being is an entrepreneurs. Going by this adage; it can be said that entrepreneurs are special people with distinguishable features or characteristics. As such an entrepreneur is result oriented; future oriented; creative, innovative, has self confidence; has a good human relations;   must be self-discipline; copies with uncertainty and above all profit oriented.

A lot of business falls due to the inability of the innovators of such business to exhibit the time entrepreneurial characteristic in the day to day management of their business enterprise, hence such business do not stand the test of time. This is evident in the way and manner in which small and medium scale business collapse in Nigeria. It is against this background that the research sees the subject matter of this research: the effect of this entrepreneurial characteristic of business performance worthy of empirical investigation.

1.2    Statement of problem

Launching into a business venture without having the basic trade instinct or the characteristic of an entrepreneur is suicidal. This is so because such an enterprise cannot stand on the test of time. For instance, an individual who goes into business initially must face difficulty before the business break-even. However, people who do not have trait of an entrepreneur would not be patient enough to nurture a business to a profit-making stage. This is the reason why so many small and medium scale businesses fail. The inability to effectively exhibit a basic trade instinct as well as lack of motivation, goals, and talent for venture creation sequel to the absence of entrepreneurial characteristics in most business proprietor impedes the performance of business enterprise in no small way. As such, the subject matter of this research becomes an empirical issue worthy of investigation.

1.3    Objectives of the study

The central subject of the study is to examine the effect of       entrepreneurial characteristic of business performance in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State;

The specific objectives are to:

1. Identify the characteristics of an entrepreneur.
2. Evaluate the relationship between entrepreneurship traits and    business performance.
3. Identify the problems militating against entrepreneurs in the performance of their business.
4. To proffer solutions to the identified problems

1.4    Significance of the study

The study will be beneficial to entrepreneurship development; as such joss north can utilize the findings of the research as a basis for policy formulation as regard entrepreneurship development.

The study will also contribute to the existing knowledge on entrepreneurship development.

It is also worthy to note that the study can be use as a basis for further research, as the research can be use as a spring board for further research as well as a good reference material to students undertaking similar research.

1.5. Research Question

1. What are the characteristic of an entrepreneur?
2. What is the relationship between entrepreneurship traits and business performance?
3. What are the challenges militating against entrepreneurs in the performance of their business.

1.6     Scope of the study

The study covers an empirical examination of the effect of entrepreneurial characteristics on business performance. The study also identifies the practical approaches use in developing entrepreneurship as well as the problems militating against entrepreneurship development. The study is limited to joss north local government area of plateau state.

The study covers a time from 2006 – 2011.

1.7    Limitation of the study

The study is limited to Jos Local Government Area of Plateau State, as it will be difficult to generalize the findings to other states.

For the fact that a survey study was used as the research design as well as the questionnaire as the research instrument, it is not certain if the same result would be obtained if other designs and instruments were used. Besides, another limitation is that the respondents could have either over exaggerated or understate their responses while scoring the items in the questionnaire. Also the nonchalant attitude of some of the respondents could affect the validity of their response to the questionnaire. This limitation should be taking cognizance of other researches conducting similar studies.

1.8     Definition of terms

-        Entrepreneurship: is an innovative act, which includes endowing existing resources for new wealth – producing capacity (Afonja, B. 1999).

-        Entrepreneur: An individual that identifies develops and brings vision to life under – condition of risk and a considerable uncertainty (Bashar, O. 2005)

-        Entrepreneurial Characteristic: These are traits that make an individual an entrepreneur (Tonga, R. 2009).

-        Business Performance: The success or failure of an enterprise (Tonga, R. 2009).