FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

Small-scale businesses have become major drivers of socio-economic change in developing societies of the world, but especially so in Nigeria, where they account for over 90% of businesses in the country and employ a significant part of the labor market. This research explored the role of small- scale businesses as contributors to economic development in Edo State, Nigeria. The objectives were to evaluate how small businesses contribute to employment generation, income generation, industrial development, and economic growth in Edo State. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data from 347 respondents made up of owners and managers of small-scale businesses across the three senatorial districts of Edo State were collected. Questionnaires' structured format was used to collect data, while descriptive statistics, frequency counts, percentages, and mean scores were employed as tools of data analysis.

The findings of the research confirmed a significant contribution of small-scale businesses to employment generation jobs, which were for skilled and unskilled laborers; thus, a reduction was achieved in the number of unemployed people in the state. The research also revealed that small businesses have significantly enhanced income generation leading to improved standards of living and promoted industrial dependent linkages through adding value and the use of local raw materials, but challenges such as inadequate access to finance, multiple taxation, poor infrastructure, and inconsistent government policies have negatively contributed to optimal performance. In addition, the research showed that government support such as training programs, access to loans, and tax incentives has a positive but limited impact on business sustainability

This paper has identified customer feedback mechanisms as strategic tools for service improvement in Nigerian businesses, focusing on the retail and online shopping sector. This study was justified by the recent necessity of improving the ability of Nigerian companies to implement service delivery strategies and encouraging customer involvement to sustain competitive advantage through their operations. The quantitative research design was applied, where respondents were customers of the chosen retail and online shopping websites who responded to a structured questionnaire. Using the Yamane formula (1967), the total sample size required for this study was found to be 80, out of which 76 valid responses were returned. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The results showed that customer feedback mechanisms are widely utilized by customers and perceived to be accessible and easy to use in customer engagement. Strong positive relationships were established between customer feedback and service quality and between customer satisfaction and service improvement. Regression analysis further showed that customer feedback significantly predicts service improvement, with 66% of the variation in service outcomes explained. This study concludes that customer feedback mechanisms are strategic tools for service delivery, customer satisfaction, and organizational competitiveness. It recommends that retailers and online businesses in Nigeria should invest in robust feedback systems, ensure timely response rates to customer inputs, and use feedback insights to guide operational and strategic decisions.

This study examined the impact of globalisation on the performance of manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Edo State, Nigeria. The research specifically investigated the effects of economic, technological, political, and cultural dimensions of globalisation on SME performance. A total of 231 structured questionnaires were distributed and retrieved from owners of selected manufacturing SMEs in Oredo Local Government Area, Benin Metropolis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics, including regression analysis, were conducted using SPSS version 22. The findings revealed that economic globalisation (B = 0.567, p = 0.000) and technological globalisation (B = 0.219, p = 0.005) have strong positive and significant effects on SME performance, indicating that access to global markets, investment, and technology diffusion enhances competitiveness. Cultural globalisation (B = 0.122, p = 0.048) was found to exert a modest but significant positive influence, showing that cultural exposure improves product innovation and market adaptability. However, political globalisation (B = 0.002, p = 0.979) showed no significant effect, suggesting limited institutional impact on SME international integration. Based on these findings, the study recommends that policymakers strengthen trade facilitation, support technology adoption, foster cultural branding, and reform governance structures to enhance SME participation in the global economy.

This study analyses the relationship between the online clearance system (Independent variable) and waiting lines (dependent variable). The study employed the use of the primary data administering questionnaire to correspondents of the first year students in Faculty of Management Sciences. In order to determine the reliability and validity of the result, Method of data analysis covering descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, Measure of Operation and technical analysis. A chi-test was conducted and the interpretation and discussion of results follow.From the chi-test analysis, it could be confirmed that there exists a positive linear relationship between Student’s psychology and manual ways of registering students. The analysis also showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between Student’s psychology and delayed time of waiting. The analysis showed there exists a positive relationship between The Clearance Effectiveness and the Manual ways of registering students. The study recommends the school management should eliminate physical clearance and conduct her clearance online, alongside equipping the clearance officers’ in training that will increase their efficiency and work performance

This study was carried out to examine employee employer conflict management and Organisational Perfornance, Adozzillion Homes And Realty, Lekki, Lagos. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the correlation between employee-employer conflicts and organizational performance, identify effective strategies for managing and resolving conflicts between employees and employers and evaluate the impact of conflict resolution interventions on organizational performance in the context of employee-employer relationships. The study employed the survey descriptive research design. A total of 83 responses were validated from the survey. From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that there is significant correlation between the presence of conflicts between employees and employers and organizational performance. The findings of the study also revealed that implementing conflict resolution interventions targeting employee-employer relationships lead to significant improvements in organizational performance. The study thereby recommend that employers in the workplace must try to adopt an inclusive and collaborative strategies in conflict management. Both management and employees must resolve to work together amicably by formulating potent strategies and sustaining acceptable policies as effective machinery for managing conflict on continuous basis in organizations. Credible channels of communication and open discussions of conflict in work relations must be encouraged with an attempt to avoid confrontation, competition and domination as conflict management strategies. Employee and employer must be provided with conflict resolution training and workshops so as to help them navigate and resolve conflict effectively.

This study investigates the impact of financial market frictions on stock market performance in South Africa over the period 1990 to 2024. Using annual time series data sourced from the South African Reserve Bank, Statistics South Africa, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and the World Bank, the study employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to examine both short-run and long-run relationships between market capitalisation and key financial frictions: transaction costs, liquidity constraints, information asymmetry, and regulatory quality. The findings reveal that transaction costs have a statistically significant and positive effect on stock market performance in the short run, suggesting investor adjustment mechanisms, but no significant long-term effect. Li7quidity constraints negatively affect market performance in the short term but become insignificant over time, indicating temporary disruptions. Information asymmetry is found to significantly reduce market capitalisation in both timeframes, highlighting the importance of transparency and disclosure. Regulatory quality, however, shows no statistically significant impact, pointing to potential inefficiencies or limitations in the existing regulatory framework. The study concludes that financial frictions, particularly information asymmetry and liquidity constraints, remain critical barriers to optimal stock market performance in South Africa. It is recommended that policymakers streamline transaction cost structures, enhance market liquidity, strengthen disclosure and governance frameworks, and improve regulatory coherence to foster a more efficient and resilient capital market.

This study examined the effect of entrepreneurial competencies on the success of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Benin City, Edo State. Entrepreneurial competencies are widely recognised as essential behavioural and skill-based attributes that enable entrepreneurs to effectively identify opportunities, manage resources, and sustain competitive advantage in dynamic business environments. The specific objectives of the study were to: Examine the effect of opportunity recognition on SME success Assess the influence of risk-taking on SME success Evaluate the effect of innovativeness on SME success Investigate the impact of networking on SME success Determine the effect of managerial competence on SME success. A survey research design was adopted, and structured questionnaires were administered to owners and managers of SMEs in Benin City using a purposive sampling technique. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that opportunity recognition (B = 0.113, p = 0.048), innovativeness (B = 0.253, p = 0.016), and managerial competence (B = 0.372, p = 0.000) had positive and statistically significant effects on SME success, while risk-taking (B = –0.006, p = 0.939) and networking (B = 0.065, p = 0.301) exhibited positive but statistically insignificant effects. The regression model (R² = 0.642, F = 39.040, p = 0.000) indicated that the independent 13 variables collectively explained about 64.2% of the variance in SME success, suggesting a strong overall model fit. The study concludes that entrepreneurial competencies are critical determinants of SME success in Benin City, particularly opportunity recognition, innovativeness, and managerial competence. It recommends that SME operators enhance their entrepreneurial skills through continuous training and strategic learning to improve adaptability, innovation, and long-term competitiveness within the business environment.

This study on emotional exhaustion, Job Satisfaction and Organizational commitment among academic staff in university of Benin, aimed to ascertain the relationship between emotional exhaustion and Job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion and organizational commitment and determine the moderation of job satisfaction on emotional exhaustion and organizational commitment. The study employed the descriptive survey research design. The population of the study consisted of all the academic staff in University of Benin. The simple random sampling technique was employed to select 100 academic staff to represent all the academic staff in University of Benin. The data was collected using a research questionnaire developed by the researcher, the questionnaire was distributed to the staff and retrieved, the data collected was computed into SPSS and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found that emotional exhaustion did not have a substantial effect on job satisfaction among academic staff at the University of Benin. Regression analysis indicated a negligible relationship, with emotional exhaustion explaining minimal variance in job satisfaction. Emotional exhaustion was found to be significantly related to organizational commitment and Emotional Exhaustion has a negligible and statistically insignificant impact on Job Satisfaction based on their organizational commitment. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended that; academic institutions should implement support mechanisms to help academic staff manage and cope with emotional exhaustion. This could include counseling services, stress management workshops, and initiatives promoting work-life balance. Creating a positive work environment that fosters a sense of community, recognition, and support can help mitigate emotional exhaustion and enhance organizational commitment among academic staff.

This study examined workplace bullying and well-being among early-career academic staff of selected universities in Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it assessed the relationship between verbal abuse, aggressive workplace behavior, workplace exclusion, and
academic sabotage and well-being of early-career academic staff of selected universities in Edo State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The study population comprised three thousand, one hundred and fifty-seven (3,157) early-career
academic staff of selected universities in Edo State, Nigeria. Using Yamane’s formula at a 5% margin of error, a sample of three hundred and fifty-five (355) early-career academic staff was determined, and a structured questionnaire was administered after which three hundred and twenty-five (325) valid responses were retrieved and found usable for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression (Ordinary Least Squares) with the aid of SPSS version 24. The study found that verbal abuse, aggressive workplace behavior, workplace exclusion, and academic sabotage have significant negative effects on the well-being of early-career academic staff in selected universities in Edo State. The study recommended that universities implement comprehensive anti bullying policies, establish confidential reporting and grievance redress systems, strengthen mentorship and peer support structures, and provide counselling and employee assistance programmers. Furthermore, university management should monitor and evaluate interventions through measurable well-being indicators to ensure a supportive academic environment that enhances both employee welfare and institutional productivity.

This research delves into the preferences and perceptions of mobile network services among undergraduate students at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), offering valuable insights into Nigeria's competitive telecom industry. By analyzing data from 385 students, we discovered that peer influence plays a significant role in shaping brand preference, whereas factors like network quality, pricing, customer service, and advertising have relatively less impact. Notably, MTN and Airtel emerge as the top choices among students, showcasing their strong brand presence on campus. The study's findings provide actionable insights for telecom providers seeking to capture this vital market, informing strategies for targeted marketing, service development, and customer retention. The study also reveals a nearly equal gender distribution among respondents, with a concentration of students in their early twenties. Based on these findings, it is recommended that telecom operators have an extensive understanding of the preferences and behaviors of this key demographic so they can enhance their market share and competitiveness in Nigeria's dynamic telecom landscape, ultimately driving growth and success in the industry