Entrepreneurial Marketing and Business Sustainability in Bayelsa State.

Abstract:

This study investigated entrepreneurial marketing and business sustainability in Bayelsa State. The study formulated three specific objectives, three research questions and three hypotheses. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of this study consists of 900 entrepreneurs and employees of the fifteen selected small scale businesses under investigation in Yenagoa Bayelsa State. Taro Yamane formula was used to arrived at the sample size of 200. A purposive sampling method was adopted. Structural questionnaire consisting of 15 item questions on a 4 point rating scale titled “Entrepreneurial Marketing and Business Sustainability Questionnaire (EMBSQ) was used for data collection. The research instrument was validated by three experts in the Department of Business Education of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt for face validation. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha Reliability method. After the analysis, a reliability coefficient index of 0.78 was obtained which deemed the instrument highly reliable. To analyze the data collected, the mean and standard deviation was used while the hypotheses was tested using the t-test at 0.05 alpha level of significance. Findings revealed that entrepreneurial proactivesness, innovativeness and calculated risk taking to high extent relate to business sustainability in Bayelsa State. Hence, entrepreneurial marketing dimensions adopted for entrepreneurial ventures are very important and indispensable for the sustainability of the business. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended that entrepreneurial proactivesness should be propagated and encouraged as it seeks novel ways in creating value for the customers. Entrepreneurs should continue to invest on innovation that yielded positive and significant influences toward the sustainability of business in Bayelsa State of Nigeria.