ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (MSMEs) OF BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

This study, conducted in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, investigated how environmental factors physical, legal, and technological environment influence Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Using a descriptive survey design, researcher collected data from 319 SMEDAN-registered MSMEs via a 30-item questionnaire. The data was then analyzed using multiple linear regression with SPSS version 25.The physical environment showed a moderate influence on micro-enterprises (R=0.141, p=0.012).The legal environment had a highly significant influence on small enterprises (R=0.840, p<0.001).The technological environment moderately influenced medium enterprises (R=0.204, p<0.001).Overall, the combined environmental factors demonstrated a highly significant relationship with MSMEs (R=0.934, p<0.001).The study recommends that the government invest in improving physical infrastructure (like electricity, roads, and water) in areas with high MSME concentrations. It also suggests simplifying legal procedures and regulations for MSMEs and fostering collaboration among educational institutions, professional organizations, and associations to provide tailored digital skills training. The study concludes that there's strong statistical evidence of a relationship between environmental factors and MSMEs in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND GROWTH PLAN (ERGP) IN THE INFLUENCE OF TRADE OPENNESS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

  The impact of trade openness on economic development has sparked significant debate among researchers, academics, and practitioners, especially in developing countries. This study aims to assess the role of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) in influencing the relationship between trade openness and economic development in Nigeria over eight years period, from January 2013 to December 2020. Utilizing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, the analysis reveals that both the ERGP and trade openness have a positive and significant impact on economic development in both the short and long run. Conversely, inflation exhibits a negative and significant relationship with economic development in both time frames. The findings suggest that the ERGP effectively promotes economic development. Therefore, it is recommended that Nigeria adopt trade liberalization policies and continue to implement the ERGP to enhance economic development, particularly in alignment with its established objectives outlined in national blueprints.

TALENT MANAGEMENT AND SUCCESSION PLANNING IN CORPORATE SETTINGS IN NIGERIA: A MEDIATING EFFECT OF HUMAN RESOURCE (HR) ANALYTICS

The strategic and operational sustainability of HR operations depends heavily on the engagement of technology to adopt and deploy HR analytics in this era of technological drive. The main objective of the study is to examine talent management and succession planning with the mediating effect of HR analytics. A quantitative research method was adopted, in which a well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the target respondents of the study. The study population was 790 respondents from the selected enterprises and Yamane's (1967) sample size determination formula was used in the study and the sample size was 266 respondents. The study used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the research hypotheses and analyse the correlation as well as the significant effect between human resource analytics, talent management and succession planning in modern Nigerian businesses. The results showed a positive and significant relationship between talent management and succession planning. This study also showed the positive effect of HR analytics on talent management and succession planning in Nigerian businesses. The study specifically concludes that talent management has an influence on the sustainability of succession planning through the mediating effect of human resource analytics. The study recommends that HR strategic thinkers continue to adopt new technologies that can accelerate the effective implementation of HR analytics, and that consistent training and development can help promote HR analytics and talent management to meet succession planning expectations in the dynamic business contexts

SUSTAINABILITY INTEGRATION IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA: IMPACTS ON PERFORMANCE

This research explores the impact of sustainability integration within corporate governance on firm Performance in Nigeria, focusing on financial outcomes such as Return on Assets (ROA), Tobin's Q, and EBITDA. Data were collected from publicly traded Nigerian companies, and the study utilizes regression analysis to examine the relationship between sustainability practices, governance structures, and financial Performance. The findings suggest that firms with robust sustainability strategies and effective governance frameworks tend to perform better financially. Additionally, the study highlights the negative impact of financial constraints on firm Performance, particularly in firms with higher debt ratios. The research also reveals that the integration of sustainability does not significantly affect earnings quality, contradicting prior studies that suggest a positive relationship between sustainability and earnings transparency. This study contributes to the growing literature on sustainability in emerging markets, emphasizing the importance of corporate governance, financial flexibility, and sustainable practices in achieving long-term corporate success

IMPACT OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY ON TEAM PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATION: A STUDY OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES IN NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

This study examines the influence of workplace diversity on team performance and innovation in federal universities across Northwestern Nigeria. Despite global recognition of diversity as a driver of organizational success, empirical research on its effects in Nigerian higher education—particularly in the Northwestern region—remains limited. Adopting a quantitative research design, the study surveyed 450 academic and non-academic staff from six federal universities, analyzing diversity across gender, ethnicity, age, and educational background. Results from regression and correlation analyses revealed that workplace diversity significantly enhances team performance (β = 0.731, *p* < 0.05), accounting for 39.3% of variance, and strongly correlates with innovation (*r* = 0.589, *p* < 0.05). Educational and ethnic diversity emerged as the most impactful dimensions, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and creative problem-solving. However, unmanaged ethnic tensions and generational gaps were identified as potential barriers. The study concludes that strategic diversity management—through inclusive policies, leadership training, and interdisciplinary team formation—can optimize these benefits. Recommendations include institutionalizing diversity audits, integrating diversity metrics into performance evaluations, and fostering inclusive leadership. This research contributes to the global discourse on workplace diversity while providing actionable insights for policymakers and university administrators in Nigeria’s higher education sector.&nbsp

ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN WEST AFRICA: THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, TRADE OPENNESS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

The study examines the effect of technological innovation, trade openness, economic growth, on energy consumption. The main objective is to investigate the short-run and long-run impact of the independent variables on energy consumption for West African economies. The study aims to determine the causal relationship between the variables and identify the heterogeneity of energy consumption among the observed variables. The study employed a second-generation heterogeneous method of analysis using the long run panel cointegration estimators from 1984 to 2020 while utilizing the Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality. The results indicated the existence of long-term relationships between all study variables. The empirical evidence indicates that technological innovation and economic growth positively affect energy consumption, while trade openness remains inversely linked with energy consumption. The model two's empirical outcome reveals the interplay between technological innovation, economic growth, and trade openness yields a positive conclusion that holds throughout the short-term and long-term periods. Thus, empirical results lend credence to the scale effect's validity as a causal factor between innovation and trade openness

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP STYLES AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE OF PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA

There is a noticeable gap in research on leadership styles within service industries, particularly among private secondary schools in Jigawa State, Nigeria. Grounded in Fiedler’s Contingency Theory, this study aims to address this gap by examining the relationship between leadership styles and employee work performance. Data were collected through a self-reported survey of 277 employees and school administrators from leading private secondary schools. The proposed hypotheses were analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS-SEM. Findings reveal that transformational, democratic, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles significantly predict employee work performance. These results support Fiedler’s Contingency Theory, which posits that leadership effectiveness is contingent upon situational variables and organizational context. Based on these findings, the study recommends that private secondary schools adopt transformational and democratic leadership styles, while also applying transactional and laissez-faire approaches strategically to enhance employee performance and overall organizational success. Theoretical implications, practical applications, and study limitations are also discussed. Keywords: Autocratic, Democratic, laissez-faire, Transactional and Transformational Leadership styles, Employee performanc

EFFECT OF SERVICE QUALITY ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effect of service quality on customer loyalty in the public transportation sector in Kano Metropolis. Public transport systems are vital to cities' socio-economic development, providing essential mobility for large populations. Despite its importance, many public transport services struggle to retain loyal customers because of the perceived deficiencies in service quality. A total of 377 questionnaires were distributed to public transport users. Valid responses were analyzed using SPSS version 2.0 and Smart PLS 3.0. Findings from the study show that while affordability as an individual dimension of service quality does not have a statistically significant influence on customer loyalty, the overall construct of service quality has a significant and positive impact. Among the dimensions assessed, affordability and extent of service emerged as the most impactful in shaping overall perceptions of service quality. Meanwhile, comfort, extent of service, and reliability were found to significantly influence customer loyalty. The findings provide valuable insights for public transportation operators seeking to improve customer loyalty. By prioritizing service quality improvements, operators can enhance customer loyalty and ultimately, their competitive edge in the market. The study is suggesting that public transportation companies should significantly focus on safety, comfort, and affordability.

EFFECT OF WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES (SMEs) IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Despite the critical role of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria’s economy, their high failure rate has been linked to poor working capital management (WCM), with limited empirical evidence on its impact in Kano State. This study examines the effect of WCM (measured by cash, inventory, receivables, and debt management) on SME performance, addressing gaps in regional research and conflicting findings in existing literature. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected via questionnaires from 293 SMEs in Kano State, selected through stratified random sampling, and analysed using regression techniques. Results revealed that cash management (β = 0.201, p < 0.001), inventory management (β = 0.485, p < 0.001), and receivables management (β = 0.218, p < 0.001) significantly enhanced SME performance, while debt management showed no significant effect (β = 0.068, p = 0.092). The study concluded that working capital management has significant effect on the performance of SMEs in Kano state. It was recommended that SMEs managers should develop aggressive policies in debt management so as to lessen the possibility of firm’s failure due to the inadequate debt management strategies

EFFECT OF GREEN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON PERFORMANCE OF HEALTH FACILITIES IN SOME SELECTED PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN MINNA

This study examined the effect of green human resource management on performance of health facilities from some selected private hospitals in Minna metropolis. This study adopted a survey research method. Questionnaire was the main instrument used in the study and was measured using 5-point Likert scale. A sample of one hundred and thirty-three (133) employees of these private hospitals using Taro Yamane (1973) sample size were selected from a population of one hundred and fity-four (154) employees using simple random probability sampling technique. The data generated through questionnaires were analyzed using Multiple Regression analysis. The regression results show that Green HRM practices have a considerable impact on the organizational performance of private hospitals in the Minna metropolis. The study therefore recommended among others; that the private hospitals should organize and implement more training programs for its employees. They should also establish green behavior-supportive policies in order to safeguard the environment