Abraham MBA Thesis on ICT

EVALUATING THE IM PACT OF INFORM ATION COM M UNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)ON ENHANCING THE PERFORM ANCE OF M ANUFACTURING FIRM S IN NIGERIA.A CASE STUDY OF M ANUFACTURING FIRM S RIVERS STATE. CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY The com plexity and relevance ofm anufacturing firm s both in developed and developing nations globally and theirim pacts in enhancing and sustaining hum an existence through the effective utilization and transform ation ofraw m aterials into ready to use and w ork-in-progress has m ade the m anufacturing firm s a double tim e carrierforattaining sustainable social-econom ic grow th and developm entunderdeveloped, developing and developed nations.

The basic needs ofm an according to m aslow ’s hierarchy ofneed is food,shelterand com fort.M anufacturing operations serves as a channelforthe creation ofgoods and services,job

creation and the generation ofincom e foerrthe provision ofallthis basic needs ofm an (Ududechineyere,Eze & Nw eke,2018). The operations and services ofthe m anufacturing have elvoved through centuries from the use ofcrude and tradition technologies and labourintensive strategies to the adoption and application ofautom ated and com puterized integrated m anufacturing system and infrastructures.

This system has continue to add values to the products and services supplied and dem anded by the society w hich affects allstakeholders w ithin and outside the m anufacturing firm s thus enhancing the profitability, productivity and perform ance ofthe firm s.M anufacturing firm s have spearheaded technologicaladvancem entand innovations in theirquestto im prove theirperform ance,attractforeign investm entand in the questto satisfy the unlim ited dem ands and needs ofthe society especially since the beginning ofthe 20thcentury (Odero,2017),w hen the business w orld experienced an industrialrevolution popularknow n as inform ation com m unication technology (ICT).

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Inform ation com m unication technology (ICT),has been used by differentprofessionaland authorities in various fields to define technology system and infrastructures thatuses both individualand cooperate entities to organize and m anage theircom m unication and inform ation system

internally and externally.According to (Bakare,2014)inform ation com m unication technology (ICT)focuses on com m unication technologies and the effective m anagem entofinform ation system .W ith the increasing usage and developm entofinform ation com m unication technology (ICT) infrastructures such as digitalm obile devices,w ireless netw orks,internet and various com m unication platform s etc.inform ation com m unication technology (ICT) has transform ed every aspectofhum an daily activities and organizations operations leading to individualand organizational execellentw hen effectively utilize and atthe sam e tim e has becom e a treat and a source ofbusiness collapse w hen neglected orw rongly used. The adoption and use ofinform ation com m unication technology (ICT)w ithin the m anufacturing industry has transform ed the m anufacturing industry from m anualbase to a m ore intelligent,autom ated and m achine base thus im proving decision m aking processes,increasing com petitive advantage, reducing productand services lifecycles and ensuring sustainable green developm entand im proved quality oflife forthe benefactors.(M adsen & Desai,2010,Ortega,2010,M ishra & Agarw al,2012)in theirstudies concluded thatinform ation com m unication technology (ICT)is one ofthe m any factors thathas globally affected the perform ance organizations cutting across alm ostallsectors ofthe econom y.

Effective perform ance ofany firm is dependence on its m anagers ability to identify and im plem entstrategies and technologies thataids them in actualizing the m issions and objectives ofboth the internaland external stakeholders.M anufacturing firm s are expected to m anufacture products and services w ith the m ostsuitable and econom icalcostbenefits and for m anagers to achieve this they m usteffectively explore,coordinate and integrate the various and significantm anufacturing business functional areas.According to (Aldalayeen,Alkhatatneh & Al-sukkkar,2013)the strength and opportunity ofany industry is the effective m anagem entofits available m aterialand hum an resource,business process,strategies and techniques w hich the im pactw illbe reflected on the perform ance ofthe firm .Thus the thrustofthis research w ork is to predom inately investigate and evaluate the im pactofinform ation com m unication technology (ICT)on enhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria. 1.2 STATEM ENT OF THE PROBLEM In Nigeria today,there is no doubtthatcom petitive advantage and survival ofany econom ic sectoris the sustainable m anagem entofthe firm ’s perform ance overa long-run w hich leads to eceonm ic grow th and developm ent.The m anufacturing firm s in Nigeria are is lacking behind in the effective m anagem entofm anufacturing capacity,m anufacturing

quantity and quality,custom errelationship system s,supply chain,hum an resources,organization collaboration ,E-com m erce and socialbusiness etc this functionalarea are the determ inants ofthe effective perform ance ofthe firm how ever,this has resulted to low productivity ,the slow pace at w hich the m anufacturing firm s progress and underperform ance am ong the various m anufacturing firm s (Adebayo,2018). The application ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)has spread w ide across alm ostalleconom ic sectors ofNigeria econom y both private and public including the m anufacturing firm s.Despite num erous studies show ing the significantand unquantifiable benefits and im prove decision m aking opportunities the use ofinform ation system and infrastructures brings to m anagem entand otherstakeholders ofthe firm s this studies stillindicate thatm ostm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria are adam antand reluctant in fully integrating the use ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)in m anaging inform ation and supporting the m ultiple functionalareas in the m anufacturing sectors this has led to increasing costofproducts and services m anufactured and distributed even w ithin the country thus m aking the costofliving unbearable forthe citizens ofthe country.Studies also indicated thatm ostindigenous m anufacturing firm s in Nigeria stilluse theirtraditionaland labourintensive

approach in executing theirdaily operations due to inadequate sensitization,poorknow ledge m anagem entand literature gaps on the roles and im pactofadopting autom ated m anufacturing process through the use ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)w ithin their organizations (Kilicaslan,etal.,2017).Thus the m otivation ofthis study is to predom inately investigate and evaluate the im pact ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)in enhancing the perform ance of m anufacturing firm s in Nigeria. 1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The m ain research aim ofthis study is to evaluate the im pactof inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)in enhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria. In orderto achieve the m ain research aim ofthis study the follow ing specific research objectives need to be achieved: I. To determ ine the relationship betw een inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)and enhancing the perform ance of m anufacturing firm s in Nigeria.

II. To evaluate the im pacts ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)on enhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria. III. To investigate and evaluate the m ostsignificantfunctionalareas in m anufacturing firm s thatcan be enhance through the application of inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT). IV. To investigate and evaluate the m ajorfactors affecting the application ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT) am ong m anufacturing firm s in Nigeria. V. To profferstrategies and techniques forenhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria through the adoption and application ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT). 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS Research question sum m arizes the significantissue thatthe research investigated.Itis the fundam entalcore ofa research project.The follow ing are som e ofthe research questions thatthe study seeks answ erto: I. W hatis the relationship betw een inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)and enhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing

firm s in Nigeria? II. W hatis the im pactofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)on enhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria? III. W hatare the m ostsignificantfunctionalareas in m anufacturing firm s thatcan be enhance through the application ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)? VI. W hatare the m ajorfactors affecting the application ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)am ong m anufacturing firm s in Nigeria. VII. W hatstrategies and techniques can be use forenhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria through the adoption and application ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)? 1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS Ho1:There is no significantrelationship betw een the im pactofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)and enhancing the perform ance of m anufacturing firm s in Nigeria

Ho2: inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)have no significant im pacton enhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria. HO3:Supply chain m anagem entis notm ostsignificantfunctionalareas in m anufacturing firm s thatcan be enhance through the application of inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT) HO4:There are no strategies and techniques thatcan be use forenhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria through the adoption and application ofinform ation and com m unication technology (ICT) 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The significantofthis study is as follow : This study is considered significantbecause itw illcontribute in providing the decision m akers and otherkey stakeholders in the m anufacturing industry w ith the road-m aps thatw illnecessitate prom pt,responsive and efficientpolicy m aking in Nigerian m anufacturing sectorm ore productive and profitable by enhancing theirperform ance in m anaging the m ajor

functionalareas. The study w illassistin unveiling the challenges and factors m ilitating againsteffective adoption and application inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)on m anufacturing firm s and also establish the benefits of effective use of(ICT)on m anufacturing firm s policies and operations m anagem ent. Finally this study also has the potentials ofcontributing im m ensely to the existing body ofliterature on this subjectm atter. 1.6 Scope ofStudy The scope ofstudy is lim ited to investigating and evaluating the im pactof inform ation and com m unication technology (ICT)on enhancing the perform ance ofm anufacturing firm s in Nigeria.A case study ofsom e indigenous m anufacturing firm s in Rivers State and Anam bra state.