TECHNOPRENEURSHIP AND SMES GROWTH IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA
Lohor, Fredrick Kwarpo, PhD and Jilang, John Mwaching
Volume 5 Issue 6
Abstract
This study examined the effect of technopreneurship on SMEs growth in North Central Nigeria. The specific objectives were to determine the effect of technological innovation, research and development innovation, and technological opportunities on SMEs growth in North Central Nigeria. A survey research design and structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the SMEs in North Central Nigeria. The questionnaire was developed to elicit responses from the owners and managers of SMES on the effect of technopreneurship on SMEs growth in North Central Nigeria. A total number of 400 sample size was used for the study. This study adopted the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The result revealed that technological innovation, research and development, and technological opportunities had positive and significant effects on SMEs growth in North Central Nigeria. The study recommends that on technological innovation, SMEs should invest in employees’ training to provide training and up skilling opportunities for their workforce to adapt to technological changes. A tech-savvy team can drive innovation and effectively implement new technologies, on research and development innovation, SMEs should allocate a portion of their budget specifically for research and development activities, considering both financial resources and dedicated personnel to drive R&D innovation initiatives and on technological opportunities, SMEs should Stay informed about emerging technologies and market trends relevant to their industry, by regularly conducting market research to identify technological shifts and opportunities that can potentially provide a competitive advantage. Keywords: Technopreneurship, Technological Innovation, Research and Development Innovation, Technological Opportunities and SMEs Growth.
Download Paper