Entrepreneurial Characteristics of Principal Partners of Architectural Firms in Lagos, Nigeria

Very few studies have investigated entrepreneurial characteristics of principal architects, who venture out on their own, rather than practice under established organizations. The research was done to determine and quantify the entrepreneurial characteristics of the principal partners of architectural firms in Lagos, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of 92 principal partners of architectural firms in Lagos State, carried out in March 2018 and Questionnaires were used in obtaining the data. Results from the analyzed data showed that there is a correlation between the entrepreneurial characteristics of principal partner and the performance of their firms in that their leadership skill and prowess have a direct influence on their firms. This, however, does not necessarily result in a better outcome in all measures of performance investigated. This is because the two entrepreneurial characteristics only affect the ability of the firms to expand. The recommendation, therefore, is that architecture schools should include leadership training and capacity building programs to produce effective contemporary architects who consequently will lead a successful firm, thus bringing repute to the field of architecture. This research can also be implemented on a large scale in other fields for comparative analysis.