El procedimiento de la investigación

In running their enterprises, my informants acquired additional knowledge and expanded their social networks. Directly and indirectly, these factors enabled the growth of business activities in a way related to the current business.

Knowledge acquisition was continuous and necessary, and enabled the growth

shown in the upper right of Figure 5. As Salim says:

Before someone start business, he may go to someone to seek some help to help him to least establish some business. So, they sometimes agree to teach or to discuss business with other people, because before they start doing their business, they also had to seek help from people who are already into the business, so they also think of helping other people for this case, and see it as something that continues. I’ve not said those who help other people will tell them every secret of business, but they will just guide them to a certain limit yeah to be able to start something. So, through running the business the

rest of the experience will come by itself. (Emphasis added)

One does not start with complete knowledge. Through running the venture, more knowledge is accumulated, enabling a better grasp of the knowledge template underlying the venture. This improved understanding facilitated knowledge extension through establishing an additional location or upgrading the business type. Importantly, informants did not fundamentally change the template. They still went to the same suppliers, bought the same types of products, and sold them for the same price. They were not adding divisions of labour, nor were they making the ventures more efficient.

In other cases, improved knowledge enabled informants to pursue related growth. Wholesaling exemplifies this knowledge spillover, as knowledge developed about products was directly applicable to wholesaling. For others, the initial business had some degree of technical knowledge in common with another business. Raki, from having installed windows in houses, learned how to design house plans. As such, he had “the idea of buildings, in the sense that if someone maybe wants to set up a building, I think I can help him. Maybe if he wants like 3 bedroom, I can help him draw the plan.” In other cases, knowledge of customers led informants to add new products.

Through running their businesses, informants also expanded their social networks to include customers, suppliers, and especially business colleagues (my informants’ term for people running the same type of business as them), as shown on the left of Figure 5. According to Abba: “most people I know due to the business, because they buy from me, and so forth…I meet and I talk to them so that they can help me.” Perhaps more surprising was how often informants became close with others in the same business. To my informants though, this was natural: “Sometimes we consider [someone] to be friends because they are also into the business. Sometimes I’ll need some help from them, and sometimes it may happen that they have more knowledge on the work than I do. Maybe I’ll go to them and seek some advice” (Nii).

Table 13: Supporting quotes for dimension of current business as enabling during growth in business activities

1st _{Order Code Representative quotation}

SN Expanding around Business. Also a theme for "Current Business as Constraining." Quotes there.

Knowledge Extension Adding an

additional location

Kwasí, Clothing - The last time you [the interviewer] were here...I was at the old location but because of the construction and because of dust, we are having a problem with the dust but the road is not all the way done. So they start construct the road so we moved from that place to here. At the time they’ll finish constructing the road then I have a place here. I have to move to that place to get, by the grace of God I have

1st _{Order Code Representative quotation}

some money to set up that business. Now I’m having 2 businesses and having 2 apprentices, they are working for me.

Umma, Provision Shop - I would not just expand this place, I would make sure to find a different place. Even as of now, I'm planning to get some place in the market, and see if I can also establish some business over there...I will look for a location that is too busy almost every day. If she can find a shop over there.

Knowledge Spillover Desire to enter

wholesale

Umma, Provision shop - I supply milk, biscuits, sardine and those kinds of things to the people that I supply to...They are also

businesswomen. I sometimes discuss business with them. So through discussion about business I sometimes ask them, in case I have this product and supply you, will you take it and sell? Some of them say yes, and through that I got to know that, if I supply them with this kind of thing they will be able to sell for me.

Bitrus, clothing boutique - I’ll go to China. I’ll go to Dubai for stuff myself. I’ll go to China myself, so thank God.

Additional venture shares technical knowledge

Salim, Clothing - [Speaking to his previous phone business] Somebody will come with a faulty phone and then we will open it. Through that I got to know more secret in the phone and how to rectify those problems or solve those problems.

Abba, Airtime - [Selling prepaid electricity is] just the same as this, but that one you use laptop computer, any computer. You store all the data inside the computer for you there. You send your computer there, you pay everything you tell them the amount you want to buy, you give them then they store it inside for you.

Using current knowledge to add related products

Abenaa, Cloth and Kente - The lady [who used to be located close by] sells some bags...so, people buy it from her. She is no more in the market so people do come and ask me if I have this bag. That pointed me to add some bags to the business...I didn't know that people would like the bag. That is why I didn’t [use my sewing skills to] add it until the girl left.

Kwámè, Cell Phones - One product called screen protector. Yes, the screen protector, I sat down and think of getting and no one taught me to get it. They are very cheap, yes I think of getting those and sell by myself.

2.4.2.2 Social Network as Enabling

Mirroring the earlier discussion, social networks were key enablers of growth- related activities. Much as they were with initial business selection, social contacts provided access to knowledge templates for use in growing through starting an unrelated venture, something that nine informants had done, and shown in the bottom right of Figure

5. More interestingly, informants gained access to new venture-related knowledge as social networks grew to include stakeholders and business colleagues. Through relaying this knowledge to my informants, social contacts externally directed them towards particular growth opportunities related to the current venture. For instance, Mǎnu explains what his friend told him about tailoring: “I spoke to a friend a fortnight ago concerning how our business was doing. What he told me is we need to bid for a contract in the secondary schools, which is good advice. “

Table 14: Supporting quotes for dimension of social network as enabling during growth in business activities

1st _{Order Code Representative quotation}

External Direction. Also a theme for 'Social Networks as Enabling' as 'Attention Focusing'. Quotes there.

Social access to knowledge of additional templates Family

members teach an additional template

Raki, Metal and Glass Work - [T]he nature of my work is that there are some seasons there won’t be any work at those time. So, I think that during those times I can get into some buying and selling which I think will help me before maybe I start getting work...I also operate my senior brother’s wife’s shop sometimes. That is a provisions shop. So, I also have the idea of selling from that shop.

Dauda, Jeweler - Even now I consider going back to the family business [butchery]...You can buy the livestock and sell. Like my business and my family my dad used to buy it, and then slaughter it and sell it by himself...So I think doing that business beside this...I will do both...Yes it is simple, so simple you know. It is a way this thing, us we have Thursday market day for [the current business]. That one is a Wednesday market. You go, you buy the animal, and you have people who will buy from you. Yeah, you have people you go and you have people who buy from that same day and give you your money that same day. So it is like killing 2 bird with one stone.

Friends teaching additional templates

Bitrus, Clothing - Because see that my friend who is in America now, yeah he is a car dealer, he sells cars and most of the time we share ideas together. So, I’m full of interest in that business if I have that enough money to start that business. So, I’m on it, inshallah...Yeah because he is my friend and most of his business techniques in this car dealer business I know. He tells me a lot. So, I know the advantage in it and I know the disadvantage in it. So, yeah I’ll do it down there for sure. Sisi, Jeweler - My friend is the one who has taught me how to be in the taxi business.