Thread by @olufemiibitoye

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz Simple put, why not go to LBS where you can relate and learn the Nigeria business environment. Or perhaps learn the Igbo apprentice model.

A good example:
Lagos transport service providers, and regulators.
Forget the English, I am talking about drivers, conductors, & agbero

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz This structure is more prominent in Lagos, and it is part of our daily life.

Let's just look at their business strategy and why Harvard or big business schools don't necessarily give the right "mojo" 😋

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz These guys set out with a plan to achieve few things !
1. Daily targets
2. Owo Ajo
3. Rest
4. Leisure cost
They run after this daily vision with the knowledge of Timing, Competition, and Speed.

Their biggest skills are :
Teamwork
Communication, and
Negotiation

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz The above principles applied to these two guys: conductor and driver vs agbero.
If you don't know, they all have targets to meet up with. But they have a stable market, and competition is heavy and the power of price control is with the service providers and not the customers.

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz The question is how do they meet their targets?

They operate like the sons of Issachar! 😎

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz Lagos has two peak periods daily but it is different for different areas.
There are three major points of agglomeration, these are the points of heavy traffic and with varrying peak periods; Apapa (morning &late night), Island ( morning, evening, &late night), Ikeja (all day).

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz These drivers consider their targets, and decide which peak to venture into as the extra aside from the early morning Lagos madness is a big plus for them.

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz How do they work?
There are two things that always happen, conductors complement the drivers and agbero works in group!

A beautiful competition.

Buses want to pick up passengers and agbero wants to come for their levy which is often ridiculous. 😁

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz Drivers often have to fuel cars, pay conductors, and also pay agbero. So what they often do is get a conductor that can "shadow well", shout, japa, and fight with agbero when necessary.
And they want to avoid police/Lastman trouble too.

The capacity of the conductors to do ....

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz .... the aforementioned determines how much they will save after considering the normal running costs.

Anything thing is the ability to bring in the customers who are the source of income, and also understanding the power of price control.

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz They collaborate excellently. Some conductors are highly sought after. They make sure to maximise every available flaw of the day.
They have slangs, superb body language, &mad dynamism. Flow through the reality of each day, make smart calculations &suffer losses together.

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz My humble answer is NO.

What's the point when you can't really rebate the knowledge directly .
Business schools should help you understand your business clime.
Who are your subordinates and partners .

Some people don't even need business schools to survive in their fields.

@NaijaFlyingDr @qz Sometimes strategy is overflogged with excessive English, big charts and graphs.
From my research, great companies were not built that way.

With the compliment of Gbenga Adebiyi