Strategic Orientations and Technology Policy: An Empirical Test of Relationship in Developing Countries

There is a growing awareness of the pivotal role of technology in securing and maximizing competitive positions. This study based on primary data from two banks in Nigeria examines the relationship between technology policy and strategy dimensions. Differentiation and futurity strategy dimensions were found to be marginally dominant in the managerial practices of these firms. In addition, the study found new evidence of relationship between the strategy dimensions; and the pattern of relationship between technology policy and strategic orientations indicate the use technology to foster defensive behaviours rather than securing competitive edge. Futurity orientation was also found not to be significantly related with most of the technology policy dimensions investigated. These results are expected to provide management and management theorists with valuable practical insight into the relationship between pattern of strategic orientation and technology policy

Entrepreneur Psychological Traits and Performance:Implications for Nigerian Non-oil SMES Exporting Companies

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of psychological traits on performance of small and medium sized (SMEs)exporting firms in a developing country. The study made of survey method to reach one hundred and twenty three firms. Descriptive and inference statistics were used to test the hypotheses. The results showed that the psychological traits tested (need achievement, locus of control and selfefficacy)are related among themselves and positively related to performance of the studied firms. Subjective measures were used to test performance. The findings are in line with some other studies using similar variables. The major contribution of this paper is it’s the relationship between entrepreneurial psychological traits and performance in a developing African country like Nigeri

Ethical Dilemmas In Management: An African Perspective

The modern workplace is composed of people with diverse backgrounds in terms of nationality, culture, religion, age, education and socioeconomic status. Each of these people enters the work with different values, goals, and perceptions of acceptable behaviours. The diverse background creates ethical challenges for individuals as well as managers. There are issues and decisions that are to be made by workers in the organization that have implications for their job security and salary, and success of the organization. Pressure may be on the workers to protect their own interests, sometimes at the risk of losing personal and corporate integrity. This paper attempts to evaluate ethical dilemmas and conflicts from an Africa perspective, bearing in mind different value systems between western and African nations

Switching Cost and Customers Loyalty in the Mobile Phone Market:the Nigerian Experience

Switching cost is one of the most discussed contemporary issues in marketing in attempt to explain consumer behaviour. The present research studied switching cost and its relationships with customer retention, loyalty and satisfaction in the Nigerian telecommunication market. Based on questionnaire administered to customers in the mobile telecommunication industry; the study finds that customer satisfaction positively affects customer retention and that switching cost affects significantly the level of customer retention. However, the effect of switching barriers on retention is only significant when customers consider to exit

Measuring Retail Service Quality in Nigerian Departmental Stores

The Nigerian economy is experiencing a boom in the retail sector of Departmental Stores.The sector is becoming increasingly competitive with the entry of foreign and multinational retail stores. Extant literature indicates that loyalty of the customers can be maintained with service quality. Consequently, the current study attempts to measure service quality among Nigerian departmental stores using Dabholkar, Thorpe & Renz (1996) Retail Service Quality Scale (RSQS) instrument to gauge customers’ satisfaction with the retail service quality in the Nigerian Retail sector. Four hundred and seventy eight customers of three major departmental stores in central Lagos, Nigeria were used for the study. Data generated was analyzed using factor analysis, correlation and hierarchical regression analysis to test the relationships of the ¿YH GLPHQVLRQV RI 5646 DQG FXVWRPHU VDWLVIDFWLRQn 7KH VWXG\ IRXQG 5646 WR EH D XVHIXO WRRO for evaluating retail service quality in retail sector of departmental stores. Physical dimension, UHOLDELOLW\, SHUVRQDO LQWHUDFWLRQ DQG SUREOHP VROYLQJ ZHUH DOVR IRXQG WR VLJQL¿FDQWO\ DIIHFW customers’ satisfaction, while policy was found not to have similar effect within the Nigerian environment

Internal Marketing Practices and Job Satisfaction: Evidence from a Nigerian University Setting

This study investigated internal marketing practices and its relationship with job satisfaction in a Nigerian university environment. Results indicated internal marketing as having resultant effects on three major areas or components; understanding of organizational vision and values,quality delivery of external marketing as well as quality delivery of interactive marketing. It was also established that there was strong and positive relationship between internal marketing and job satisfaction. The research measures showed good psychometric values. These findings were discussed and situated within the Nigerian university environment. It was recommended that the university should place more emphasis on internal marketing practices thereby enhancing the quality delivery of both interactive and external marketing of the university. The university was advised to promote extrinsic job satisfaction among its staff. Areas of further studies were also suggested

Organisational Change and Human Resource Management Interventions:an Investigation of the Nigerian Banking Industry

The objective of this paper was to study the relationship between human resource management interventionist strategies and organizational change; and flexibility that can make employees more adaptive and receptive to changes. Out of one hundred and sixty copies of questionnaire administered, one hundred and twenty three (123) were collected and analyzed. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), a hypothesized relationship was tested using Amos 18 that allows test of complex relationships between variables. Our model shows that relationship exists among human resource management interventionist strategies and was consistent with organizational change in the studied industry. However, the study can be extended to other industries, for example manufacturing industry as well as industry within the merger and acquisition of companie

Determinants of Customer Loyalty and Recommendations to Others in the Nigerian Telecommunication Industry

Determinant of Customer Loyalty and Recommendations to other in the Nigerian Telecommunication Industry This study presents empirical evidence on the determinants of customers’ loyalty and recommendations to others in the mobile phone market in developing economy. Results of analyses of data obtained from 135 customers of mobile telecommunication companies in Nigeria indicate that customers’ loyalty is a significant predicator of recommendations to others. In addition, while corporate imag

Executives Perception of the Impact of Flexitime on Organizational Performance: Evidence from the Nigerian Private Sector

The paper investigates the perception of Nigerian executives on the impact of flextime on organizational performance. Effort is made to explore the attitudinal disposition of employees towards flextime and how gender affects employee satisfaction with flexitime. The study, based on administered questionnaires as the main medium for data collection from managers in private sector of the Nigerian economy, utilizes correlations and multi-variate regression analysis to determine variables that significantly contribute to manager’s satisfaction with flexible work arrangement. The study finds that marital status and gender exert significant negative impact on level of satisfaction with flexitime. In addition, gender, marital status and motivation capabilities of flexitime were found to be a significant determinant of satisfaction with flexitime. Therefore, given the cultural context of the study it does appear that organizations might find it profitable to adopt a flexitime policy so as to relieve their employees some family or domestic burden with the attendant motivation benefit that increases employee performance

Glass-Ceiling and Female Career Advancement: A Study of the Nigeria Police

Despite the remarkable increase in the existence of women in the workforce, the entry of women into higher managerial positions remains restricted. Various studies have confirmed this fact. This phenomenon of hampering women’s upward advancement to senior management positions has been referred to as the glass ceiling effect. This empirical survey shows results of the effect of glass ceiling on female career advancement in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The statistical analysis was based on 198 respondents in the NPF indicating cultural role expected of the female gender makes a significant predictor of the female career advancement. Also, career plan and higher education make significant contributions to the studied dependent construct. The effect of counterproductive male behaviour contributed positively but did not make significant statistical contribution to the prediction of the survey dependent construct. However, it is therefore recommended that organizations (both private & public) embark on enlightenment campaign and also incorporate equal opportunity employment policy in their company or organizational policie