IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP ORIENTATION AND CULTURE ON PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE-OWNED BUSINESSES IN KWARA STATE
Abstract
Female businesses face a lot of challenges and failures especially in Nigeria and other developing economies of the world. But irrespective of their efforts at operating successful and prosperous ventures, the cultural climatic condition is not in their favour. Female fashion designers are not seeking business opportunities, creating new styles and services in order to retain and satisfy their customer. Female fashion designers are not engaged in creative experimentation through the introduction of new products/services as well as technological leadership through Research & Development in new processes. This study investigated the impact of innovativeness and pro-activeness on new product development and customer satisfaction of female-owned businesses in Kwara State. From the population of 1570, 322 sample size was gotten from Researchers Advisors Table. Questionnaire was administered to 322 female fashion designers across Ilorin metropolis, only 308 were returned. Closed ended interviews was also conducted to buttress the study results. This study reveals that the influence of the innovativeness and pro-activeness improves new product development and customer satisfaction of female-owned businesses, this is shown by their p-value of 0.000 and 0.000. The study concluded that most female fashion designers in Kwara State lack access to formal business training on pro-activeness, innovativeness and insufficient support from family. Female fashion designers need to be innovative to satisfy potential customer needs, engage in new exploration, support new ideas, experiment and stimulate creativity. The study recommended that female fashion designers need to focus on technology and innovations, discover new machines that brings out quality in their work. They also need to aim at being at the forefront of development in the fashion industry, getting information on customer needs and trends from their collaborators
