| 1 |
Author(s):
Fredrick Githui, Margaret Oloko (Prof.), Jane Njuru (Ph.D.), Caroline Ntara (Ph.D.).
Page No : 1-18
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Modernization Strategy and Performance of Government Commercial Institutions in Kenya.
Abstract
Kenya government commercial institutions are operating in a more intricate and competitive environment that requires adaptability, creativity, and strategic modernization. This study takes into account the intersection of modernization efforts and performance of government commercial institutions with focus on how organizational performance is influenced by improvements in technology, digitization, and business process engineering. The research aims to evaluate if modernization as an element of turnaround strategy contributes to operational efficiency, improved delivery of services, and institution sustainability. Using a descriptive survey design, the study targeted a population of 34 government-owned commercial entities in Kenya. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires and statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression modeling via SPSS. Post-positivist philosophy and quantitative orientation were adopted by the research to allow for replicability and objectivity of findings. The results showed that modernization exerts a significant influence on organizational performance when implemented with strategic fit and adequate resource support. Specifically, in-house business process automation, digital innovation, and infrastructure improvements were established to streamline operations and reduce redundancies in operations. However, the study also established that targeted modernization initiatives lacking strategic integration or launched in the absence of good change management frameworks are likely to yield little in terms of performance improvement. Furthermore, environmental factors and political factors were established to have the role of moderators between the performance-modernization approach relationship, thereby emphasizing the need for enabling policy and regulatory environments. The study concludes that modernization is not just a technical or technological process but also a strategic imperative for public sector organizations to enhance performance and remain pertinent in an increasingly dynamic economic landscape. It recommends modernization to be institutionalized as an ongoing practice supported by leadership, capacity building, and continuous monitoring.
| 2 |
Author(s):
Deinibiteim Monimah Harry (Ph.D.).
Page No : 19-30
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Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment in Nigeria: The Imperative for Enhanced Digital Skills Development.
Abstract
The study examined the role of entrepreneurship in youth empowerment in Nigeria, particularly focusing on the imperative for a well-developed digital skills development system. Available statistics show that Nigerian youths are faced with huge problem of unemployment and poverty due to lack of or inadequate employability skills, as the schools in the country are not imparting skills that are relevant substantially in the global labour market to enhance their graduates’ global competitiveness. Consequently, out of the 160 million youth in the country, 53.4 percent are unemployed representing more than half of the youth population. Thus, the main objective of the study is to demonstrate that provision of enhanced digital skills for youths will help address the unemployment (and poverty) challenge among youth in the country. This is because such digital skills have the potentials of enhancing the ability of the youth to establish e-businesses. Obviously, the Nigerian state would be the major beneficiary if the youth digital skills development is given the attention it deserves. The study relied mainly on secondary data and analysed that data using content analysis. The study revealed that youth unemployment is a product of mismatch in skills and over dependence on the oil sector, which creates very limited job opportunities. Previous efforts at youth empowerment have failed to produce desired result because of policy disarticulation, which are not in consonance with the socio-political and environmental realities. Hence, it is the conclusion of this paper that, increased youth population is a blessing to the country, however, to achieve the blessings higher youth population bring deliberate and strategic efforts must be made to invest in youth digital skills development. The paper recommends, among other things that, investments in youth empowerment should be intentional and calculative towards reducing the huge youth unemployment, and efforts at job creation should be strategically directed towards youth digital skills development. This would enable massive youth participation in the global digital economy and create the must needed job and alleviate poverty in the country.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Ajoku A. Solomon (Ph.D.), Wagbara, O. Sampson (Ph.D.), Nnokam F. Anjuru (Ph.D.).
Page No : 31-44
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Business Management Strategies for Sustainability of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises in Public Universities in South-South, Nigeria.
Abstract
This study investigated business management strategies for sustainability of small and medium-scale enterprises in public universities in South-South, Nigeria. Two specific objectives questions translated into two research questions and were used to formulate to hypotheses to guide the study. Descriptive survey research was adopted for this study. The study population consisted of 1,137 business education final-year students in public universities in South-South Nigeria. The sample size consisted of 400 business education final-year students. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The research instrument was content validated by two experts, one in the Department of Business Education and one in Measurement and Evaluation, all in Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. Cronbach alpha reliability method yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.84 was used to test the instrument. Out of 400 copies of the questionnaire given to business education final year students, 390 copies were properly filled and return. This constituted approximately 96% return rate. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research question, while the hypotheses were tested using independent t-test at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that to a high extent business evaluation strategy and customer relationship management strategy are required by business education students for the sustainability of small and medium-scale enterprises in public universities in South-South, Nigeria. The findings also revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean responses of business education students on the extent to which business evaluation strategy and customer relationship strategy are required by business education students for the sustainability of small and medium-scale enterprises in public universities in South-South, Nigeria. Based on the findings and conclusion drawn, it was recommended among others that Business education curriculum planners should provide for content capable of ensuring that business education lecturers should help their students to acquire knowledge and skills for the development of business evaluation strategy capable of enabling them sustain businesses at the small and medium scale after graduation from public universities in South-South, Nigeria.
| 4 |
Author(s):
Ofodu Henry I. (Ph.D.), Egbara Edward A. (Ph.D.).
Page No : 45-61
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Empowering Nigerian Youths through Digital Entrepreneurship Skills: A Pathway to Employment Creation in Enugu State.
Abstract
This study examined youth empowerment through digital entrepreneurship skills and its contribution to employment creation in Enugu State, with emphasis on programme accessibility, post-training support, and implementation challenges. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected using structured questionnaires distributed across the three senatorial zones of Enugu State. The sample size of 400 respondents was determined from a population of 4,690,100 people using Taro Yamane formula. Data were analysed using frequency, percentage, and mean score, while hypotheses were tested with regression analysis. The findings reveal that access to digital entrepreneurship empowerment programmes has a significant positive influence on employment creation, accounting for about 51% of the variation in youth employment outcomes. Post-training support, including mentorship, access to finance, incubation, and networking opportunities, was also found to significantly enhance employment creation outcomes, explaining approximately 47.5% of the observed variation. However, the effectiveness of these programmes is constrained by challenges such as inadequate funding, limited access to internet and digital devices, high training costs, poor infrastructure, and weak policy implementation, which jointly account for over 50% of the variation in programme effectiveness. The study concludes that digital entrepreneurship empowerment programmes constitute a viable strategy for reducing youth unemployment in Enugu State, provided that access is expanded, post-training support is strengthened, and structural barriers are addressed. The study recommends increased investment in digital infrastructure, subsidized training costs, strengthened post-training support mechanisms, and improved policy implementation to enhance the employment-generating potential of digital entrepreneurship initiatives.
| 5 |
Author(s):
Nwagwu Chika, Agu Monica N. (Ph.D.), Iorpuu Timothy (Ph.D.).
Page No : 62-76
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Effect of Education and Income Level on Insurance Patronage among Micro Entrepreneurs in South-East Nigeria.
Abstract
This study adopts a survey research design and investigated how educational attainment and income level determine insurance patronage among micro-entrepreneurs in South-East Nigeria. A sample of 461 respondents was calculated with the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula and reached through convenience sampling across the region’s five commercial hubs. Data collected via structured questionnaires were analysed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The model assessed the direct effects of education and income on insurance uptake. Results show that income level exerts a strong positive influence on patronage (β = 0.652, p < 0.001), while education level has no significant effect (β = –0.088, p = 0.082), with the two predictors explaining 39.9 % of the variance in uptake and demonstrating good predictive relevance (Q² = 0.401). These findings indicate that affordability, rather than formal schooling, is the binding constraint on insurance participation among micro-entrepreneurs. Accordingly, insurers should introduce flexible, low-premium payment plans supported by targeted subsidies or tax incentives and pair these with concise, market-based insurance-literacy drives so that rising incomes can translate into tangible coverage gains.
| 6 |
Author(s):
Ifekanandu Chukwudi Christian (Ph.D.), Ahmed Momodu Bameyi (Ph.D.).
Page No : 77-91
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Packaging Innovation Strategies and Marketing Performance of Food and Beverage Manufacturing Firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between packaging innovation strategies and marketing performance of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study adopted the correlational research design and the positivism research philosophy. The population of this study comprised 30 registered food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State. The census sampling technique was adopted in this study. The sampling unit was made up of managers of the registered food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State. Data were collected from the respondents using a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed statistically while the hypotheses were tested using Pearson Correlation (r) and the SPSS version 24. The findings revealed that packaging design innovation has a significant relationship with sales growth of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State. The study also found a significant relationship between packaging design innovation and market share growth of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State. The study equally discovered a significant a relationship between packaging material innovation and sales growth of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State. The study also reported a significant relationship between packaging material innovation and market share growth of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State. From the findings, it was concluded that packaging innovation strategies such as packaging design innovation and packaging material innovation are significant predictors of marketing performance of food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State. Therefore, it was recommended that food and beverage manufacturing firms in Rivers State should adopt packaging innovation strategies as it would improve their marketing performance.
| 7 |
Author(s):
Nwindua Lebia Patricia (Ph.D.).
Page No : 92-108
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An Appraisal of Electronic Payment Devices and Customer Patronage of Shopping Malls in Niger Delta, Nigeria.
Abstract
This study was established to determine the extent to which Electronic Payment Methods has improved customers’ patronage of shopping malls in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Dimensions of Electronic Payment Methods such as card payment system, electronic funds transfer and e-wallet payment system were employed alongside increase in repeat purchases to measure the extent of customers’ patronage. A descriptive survey research method of co-relational research design was employed in this study to provide detail investigation of the procedure used to establish the relationship between Electronic Payment Methods and improvement in customers’ patronage of shopping malls in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. The population of the study consisting of 77 registered shopping malls in the Niger Delta, Nigeria from which target population 6890 managers and sale persons were drawn. The Taro Yamane’s formula was used to determine a sample size of 378 managers and sales personnel for the study. A purposive sampling technique was adopted using considerable percentage of representation approach to ensure effective selection of the sample elements of the population. A structured instrument for data collection containing fifteen (15) items questions was used for the study. The face and content validation of the instrument was obtained through the judgment of experts. A test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument and a reliability index of .83 was obtained. The data collected were presented and analyzed using simple percentage and frequency analysis, mean and standard deviation, while the formulated hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation of SPSS software program version 23.0 at .05 level of significance. The findings indicated that card payment system, electronic funds transfer and e-wallet payment system has a very strong positive or significant relationship with improvement in customer patronage of shopping malls in the Niger Delta. Based on these findings, it was concluded that Electronic Payment Methods has significantly improves customer patronage, of shopping malls in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Thus, it was recommended that shopping mall operators in the Niger Delta who are yet to introduce sustainable Electronic Payment Methods should do so immediately to promote customers patronage and improve increase in repeat purchase.
| 8 |
Author(s):
Chidozirim Stephen Anukam, Udoka Stephen Otika, Obiageri Felicitas Onwuegbule, Uchenna Nicholas Abiakam.
Page No : 109-127
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Enhancing Small and Medium Enterprises Entrepreneurial Development through Triple Helix Collaboration: Evidence from Imo State, Nigeria.
Abstract
This study examined the role of the Triple Helix model—comprising universities, industries, and government—in fostering the entrepreneurial development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Imo State, Nigeria. The study aimed to investigate how collaboration among these three key actors influences SME innovation, growth, and competitiveness. The research employed a descriptive survey design, targeting 305 respondents, including SME owners/managers, government officials, and academic personnel across the three senatorial zones of Imo State. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that university involvement, industry participation, and government support are all positively and significantly associated with entrepreneurial development of SMEs. Among these, university engagement had the greatest impact, highlighting the importance of knowledge transfer, research commercialization, and skills development. The study also identified challenges such as limited funding, weak industry–university linkages, and inconsistent policy implementation. The research concluded that synergistic interactions among Triple Helix actors are essential for innovation-driven SME growth in Imo State. The study recommends the institutionalization of Triple Helix frameworks, enhanced access to finance, and strengthened collaboration between academia, industry, and government to support sustainable entrepreneurial development. These findings provide critical insights for policymakers, educators, and industry stakeholders seeking to foster a robust SME ecosystem in Nigeria.
| 9 |
Author(s):
Hala W. Hattab (Ph.D.), Hanen Charni (Ph.D.).
Page No : 128-141
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Empowerment or Inequality? A Feminist Political Economy Analysis of Women’s Work in the AI-Driven Gig Economy.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper analyzes how AI-driven gig platforms affect women’s economic empowerment. It uses a feminist political economy framework to move beyond a simple empowerment-versus-exploitation debate and examine the structural forces at play.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review and thematic synthesis of 48 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2024) were conducted to analyze the gendered dynamics of AI-mediated digital labor.
Findings
The synthesis reveals a central paradox: while AI-enabled platforms can expand income opportunities and flexibility, they also reproduce and risk amplifying gender inequality through algorithmic bias, wage gaps, structural precarity, and digital marginalization.
Research limitations/implications
The review highlights the need for future research to adopt a more intersectional approach, exploring how race, class, and geography interact with gender to shape platform work experiences.
Practical implications
The findings call for gender-responsive platform governance, including algorithmic transparency, inclusive system design, and the extension of core labor protections to gig workers to foster more equitable outcomes.
Social implications
Without intentional, gender-aware interventions in policy and design, the AI-driven gig economy is more likely to entrench existing social and economic inequalities than to alleviate them.
Originality/value
This paper provides a consolidated, theory-driven synthesis of the mechanisms through which AI-mediated platforms simultaneously create opportunities and reproduce disadvantage for women, offering actionable insights for researchers, policymakers, and platform designers.
