Service System Innovation and Competitiveness In an Emerging Market: The Moderating Role of Managerial Competencies

This study empirically examines the correlation between service system innovation and competitiveness in Nigeria, an emerging market, by focusing on the country’s mobile telecommunications sector. The moderating effect of managerial competencies was also tested. Due to the contribution of the telecommunications sector to the economic well-being of Nigeria and the world’s economy at large, the sector witnesses a high level of competition among its players, resulting in unsustainable price wars, negatively impacting the telecommunication firms and their ability to invest in service improvements. Thus, there is a need for a study into the factors affecting competitiveness in the telecommunications sector. A cross sectional survey was used because the study explored the relationships between service system innovation, managerial competencies and competitiveness. The study used a survey instrument, which was sent to 450 respondents using Google Forms, out of which 230 responded. The 230 returned copies represented a 51.1 percent return rate, which satisfied the minimum required return rate for a cross sectional study. The study’s hypotheses were tested using the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The finding revealed that service system innovation (idea development, service development and commercialization) enhances the competitiveness of mobile telecommunication firms. Thus, an increase in idea development, service development and commercialization is essential for a competitive advantage. Also, managerial competencies were found to significantly moderate the relationship between service system innovation and competitiveness. The study provides a new insight into how service system innovation affects the competitiveness of telecommunications companies, particularly in emerging markets, with Nigeria as the focal point. It also shows the role managerial competencies play in the telecommunications sector. This study offers proof of the traits of service system innovation, managerial competencies, and competitiveness in the telecommunications sector. It also developed and tested a scale for measuring these variables, which future studies could adopt

Customer Relationship Management Model; A Business Strategy in a Competitive Business Climate

Resourceful and effective customer relationship management (CRM) drives the success rate of modern organisations. The global and competitive business climate in Nigeria after the economic crisis spur the need by companies to develop and fortify their model relationship with shareholders especially customers and competitors to remained competitive and retained their customers. The mutual, beneficial and Long-term resourceful relationship established between organisations and their customers offers a business’s competitive advantage in a highly competitive business climate. Lower business cost, increase shareholders’ values and satisfy customers change in taste and fashion. This study examines CRM implementation, benefits, and performance in Nigeria. Findings based on an appropriate questionnaire show companies applying CRM benefits and witness improve performance. Survey results indicate that CRM is a vital strategy and business competitive advantage against competitors. The study recommends the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) model affiliating CRM implementation and performance to spur organizational success in Nigeria.Keywords: Balanced Scorecard, customer relationship management (CRM), competitive business climate, Nigeria, business crisi

Service system innovation and firm competitiveness in an emerging market: The role of corporate governance system

AbstractThe study empirically examined the effect of service system innovation on firm competitiveness in Nigeria, an emerging market, focusing on the country’s telecommunication sector. Additionally, the moderating effect of the corporate governance system on service system innovation—firm competitiveness nexus was observed. Data were collected using a survey instrument from 230 respondents. The study followed a cross-sectional research design while the study hypotheses were tested using the partial least square—structural equation model (PLS-SEM). Analyses revealed that service system innovation as represented by idea development, service development, and commercialization enhance firm competitiveness. Implying that idea development, service development, and commercialization are essential for higher levels of firm competitiveness. In addition, corporate governance system was found to boost the relationship between service system innovation and firm competitiveness. The study offers new understanding into the role of service system innovation in competitiveness of the telecommunication firms especially in developing economies such as Nigeria. The study also shows that the corporate governance system contributes significantly to the success of telecommunication firms. Further, the study provides evidence on the characteristics of service system innovation, corporate governance system, and firm competitiveness within the telecommunication industry. In addition, the study developed and validated an instrument for measuring service system innovation, firm competitiveness, and corporate governance system within a developing economy which may be adopted by future studies when examining these variables. Furthermore, the study confirms the usefulness of dynamic capabilities theory in understanding service system innovation, firm competitiveness, and corporate governance

Sustained Social Entrepreneurship: The Moderating Roles of Prior Experience and Networking Ability

The intention to set up social ventures remains an unpopular choice for intending entrepreneurs due to its obvious limitations of resource constraints. Yet it remains a vital means of making social goods available to disadvantaged people, especially in developing countries. Our study aims to investigate how prior experience and networking ability interacts with empathy, moral obligation, self-efficacy, and social support to induce social entrepreneurial intentions in budding entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Using simultaneous linear regression, we analyzed data from a collection of 315 respondents enrolled in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)—a one-year mandatory national service scheme for graduates of higher institutions who are on the verge of making critical career choices. Our findings show that the main effects were statistically significant, while networking ability, more than prior experience, moderated the main effects. Conclusively, budding entrepreneurs need to hone their networking skills in order to exploit their social networks and complement the benefits of prior experiences as they contemplate social entrepreneurship. Future investigations can focus on determining how other environmental factors such as government/institutional support, technological adoption, and infrastructure would affect social entrepreneurial intentions

Sustained Social Entrepreneurship: The Moderating Roles of Prior Experience and Networking Ability

The intention to set up social ventures remains an unpopular choice for intending entrepreneurs due to its obvious limitations of resource constraints. Yet it remains a vital means of making social goods available to disadvantaged people, especially in developing countries. Our study aims to investigate how prior experience and networking ability interacts with empathy, moral obligation, self-efficacy, and social support to induce social entrepreneurial intentions in budding entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Using simultaneous linear regression, we analyzed data from a collection of 315 respondents enrolled in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)—a one-year mandatory national service scheme for graduates of higher institutions who are on the verge of making critical career choices. Our findings show that the main effects were statistically significant, while networking ability, more than prior experience, moderated the main effects. Conclusively, budding entrepreneurs need to hone their networking skills in order to exploit their social networks and complement the benefits of prior experiences as they contemplate social entrepreneurship. Future investigations can focus on determining how other environmental factors such as government/institutional support, technological adoption, and infrastructure would affect social entrepreneurial intentions