BUSINESS

The Purpose of this study was to assess the influence of generative artificial intelligence on business education students' academic performance, in university of benin, benin city, Edo state. The total population for this study is one hundred and twenty (120) Business Education students from 100 level to 400 level of the 2022/2023 set, from the department of vocational and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City and a sample size of One hundred and sixteen (116) was used, using the proportionate stratified random sampling techniques. Five research questions were raised to guide the study, with a 0.05 significant level. A descriptive survey design was adopted. A questionnaire containing thirty-three (33) items was the instrument used in obtaining responses from the respondents. The instrument was validated by experts, using the T-Retest method. Its reliability co-efficient was 0.89. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, mean and standard deviation, while independent sample T-test will be used to address the research Hypothesis. The analysis of the data revealed the current state of student's exposure and experience with artificial intelligence in the realm of education in improving business education student’s academic performance. The findings also underscore the awareness of business education students on various generative artificial intelligence and how it is being used to improve their academic performance. It was evident that AI has a substantial impact on various facets of business education students learning, including access to learning materials, customization of learning experience, collaboration, instant
feedback, and the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills. The study also identified some key challenges such as laziness, lack of originality, examination malpractices, overdependence on technology, the ability to reduce classroom attendance and developing Erosion of Human Creativity. This research underscores the potential of generative AI in education and highlights areas for improvement in addressing the challenges that arise with its implication. The following recommendations were made based on this finding; Authorities in Business Education department should recognize the challenges associated with the integration of AI in Business Education. Business Education department should invest in technical support and provision of materials needed for administering generative AI to business education students. Educators in business education department should receive trainings to adapt to new AI-based teaching methods, and a balance should be struck between traditional teaching and AI-based methods to ease the transition to harness the full potential of generative AI among business education students, Business Education department should focus on creating more customized learning platforms and environments. This involves developing AI-driven tools and platforms that cater to individual learning needs and preferences, ultimately a more personalized and effective learning experience for each student in business education.

This study investigates the adoption of e-marketing among Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, evaluating its role as a tool for competitive advantage. While offering immense opportunities for global reach, customer engagement, and reduced operational costs, e-marketing in Nigeria faces threats like poor infrastructure, high costs, and insecurity

This study investigated the influence of the student industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) on the acquisition of entrepreneurial and employability skills among business education students in Edo State. Specifically, the study examined how SIWES contributes to entrepreneurial skills, the extent to which it influences employability, the challenges students face during their placements, and the alignment of industrial training with the business education curriculum. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and the population of the study comprised all Business Education students in selected universities in Edo State, from which a sample of 39 respondents were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire based on a four-point rating scale was the main instrument for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha, which yielded a coefficient of 0.82, indicating that the instrument was reliable. The data collected were analyzed using mean (x) and standard deviation (SD). The findings generally showed that SIWES significantly contributes to the acquisition of entrepreneurial and employability skills, though students face challenges such as inadequate placement opportunities, poor supervision, and mismatch between tasks and curriculum content. The study concluded that SIWES plays a vital role in bridging the gap between classroom learning and workplace practice. It was recommended that government, universities, and industries strengthen collaboration to improve placement quality, supervision, and alignment with the curriculum to maximize the benefits of SIWES for Business Education students to a high extent. It was concluded that SIWES influence the acquisition of entrepreneurial and employability skills among business education students in Edo State. Based on the findings, it was recommended that a more robust monitoring and evaluation framework should be implemented by SIWES supervisors to ensure students are actively engaged and properly supervised throughout their attachment, moving beyond mere observation to active participation.

The study investigated the effect of outsourcing on business performance. To achieve the purpose of the study, three research questions were raised and answered. The research design adopted for this study is the cross-sectional research design. The population for this study comprises all the 4,877 registered small-scale businesses in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The sample for this study consisted of 196 small- scale business owners. The data collected for this study were analyzed using linear regression analysis. Furthermore, descriptive statistics, such as frequency distributions and percentages, were employed to provide a preliminary summary of the respondents’ demographic characteristics and response patterns. Findings from the study revealed that outsourcing serves as a strategic tool for businesses seeking to streamline their operations and focus on core competencies. It was concluded that outsourcing, when strategically implemented, not only enhances business performance but also positions firms to adapt to market dynamics. Based on the findings, it was recommended that businesses should adopt outsourcing strategically by focusing
on non-core activities, allowing internal resources to concentrate on core competencies that directly enhance competitiveness.

This study was on the availability and utilisation of information and communication technology resources for teaching business education courses in colleges of education Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study and three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The population of this study comprised 133 business educators in colleges of education in Delta and River States. As a result of the manageable size, the entire population was used as sample, hence, census. The research instruments used for data collection was a checklist and a well-structured questionnaire titled "Availability and Utilisation of ICT Resources in Business Education Programme questionnaire" (AUICTRBEPQ). The instrument for data collection was subjected to face validity by the researcher's supervisor and two other experts from the Department of Vocational and Technical Education, University of Benin, Benin City. To determine the reliability of the instruments for the study, the internal consistency of the items were measured using Cronbach alpha statistic. The instrument yielded a coefficient of 0.88. Data collected were analysed using simple percentage (%) mean ( ), standard deviation (SD) and two sample independent t-test. The findings revealed that schools did not meet up to the standard set by the National Commission of Colleges of Education with regards to the required ICT facilities needed for teaching business education courses in colleges of education. There was a low utilisation of ICT resources in teaching business education courses in colleges of education in Delta and River States. There was no significant difference between the utilisation of ICT resources for teaching business education courses by male and female business educators in colleges of education in Delta and River States; there was a significant difference between business educators in federal and state colleges of education in Delta and River States on the utilisation of ICT resources in teaching business education courses and there was a significant difference between office technology management option and accounting option on educators' utilisation of ICT resources in teaching business education courses. It was concluded that the availability and utilization of ICT resources in teaching business education courses in colleges of education in Delta and Rivers States was low and the low availability of ICT facilities contributed negatively to effective utilization of ICT resources in colleges of education in Delta and Rivers States. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that there should be collaboration between Government, management of the colleges of education and non-governmental agencies for the purchase of various ICT facilities in order to foster effective utilisation of these resources.

This study investigated the influence of the student industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) on the acquisition of entrepreneurial and employability skills among business education students in Edo State. Specifically, the study examined how SIWES contributes to entrepreneurial skills, the extent to which it influences employability, the challenges students face during their placements, and the alignment of industrial training with the business education curriculum. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and the population of the study comprised all Business Education students in selected universities in Edo State, from which a sample of 39 respondents were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire based on a four-point rating scale was the main instrument for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha, which yielded a coefficient of 0.82, indicating that the instrument was reliable. The data collected were analyzed using mean (x) and standard deviation (SD). The findings generally showed that SIWES significantly contributes to the acquisition of entrepreneurial and employability skills, though students face challenges such as inadequate placement opportunities, poor supervision, and mismatch between tasks and curriculum content. The study concluded that SIWES plays a vital role in bridging the gap between classroom learning and workplace practice. It was recommended that government, universities, and industries strengthen collaboration to improve placement quality, supervision, and alignment with the curriculum to maximize the benefits of SIWES for Business Education students to a high extent. It was concluded that SIWES influence the acquisition of entrepreneurial and employability skills among business education students in Edo State. Based on the findings, it was recommended that a more robust monitoring and evaluation framework should be implemented by SIWES supervisors to ensure students are actively engaged and properly supervised throughout their attachment, moving beyond mere observation to active participation