GENDER CONSIDERATIONS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN NIGERIA [A CASE STUDY OF OJU PRINTING PRESS, KADUNA)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to find out how Gender Consideration and Entrepreneurship Development in Northern Nigeria bring economic development through entrepreneurship in Northern Nigeria. A case study of Oju Printing Press Limited. Gender Consideration in any business decisions help in smooth running of business organization as well as greater productivity. Entrepreneurship as the engine of development play a vital role in the economic development of a nation. Entrepreneurship development enhance the living standard of people. The specific objective of this study is to evaluate some businesses that are more suitable to men than women. To find out if that is the right approach to economic development through entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria with particular reference to Oju Printing Press limited Kaduna South Local Government Area.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        i

Declaration        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        ii

Approval Page   –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        iii

Table of Content                  –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        iv

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the Study –        –        –        –        –        –        1
• Statement of the Problem –        –        –        –        –        –        2
• Objective of the Study –        –        –        –        –        –        –        2
• Statement of Hypothesis –        –        –        –        –        –        3
• Significance of the Study –        –        –        –        –        –        3
• Scope of the Study –        –        –        –        –        –        –        4
• Limitation of the Study –        –        –        –        –        –        4
• Historical Background of the Case Study –        –        –        4
• Definition of Terms –        –        –        –        –        –        –        7

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship

Development Defined         –        –        –        –        –        –        –        10

• Basic Prerequisites for Effective Entrepreneurship –        12
• Entrepreneurship Development Effort in Nigeria –        –        15
• Entrepreneurship Development in Northern Nigeria –        20
• Gender Considerations in Entrepreneurship

Development     –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        24

• Socio-cultural Practices, militating against the effective participation of Women in Entrepreneurship Development in Northern Nigeria –        –          –        –        –        –        –        25

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• Research Design –        –        –        –        –        –        –        28
• Research Population – –        –        –        –        –        –        28
• Sampling size and Sampling Technique –        –        –        29
• Methods of Gathering Data –        –        –        –        –        –        29
• Justification for the Method Used –        –        –        –        30
• Method of Data Analysis –        –        –        –        –        –        30
• Justification for the Instrument Used – –        –        –        30

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION

4.0    Introduction-     –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        32

• Distribution of the Responses- –        –        –        –        –        33
• Test of Hypothesis – –        –        –        –        –        –        –        42

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Summary of Findings –        –        –        –        –        –        –        46
• Conclusion –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        47
• Recommendations –        –        –        –        –        –        –        47

References         –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        49

CHAPTER ONE

• BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Individuals go into business for the sake of obtaining regular income, becoming self employed and also help others. Although there are different kinds of business enterprises that female and male can go into, often times, some businesses are regarded as more suitable for one sex and not the other. This means that there are some gender considerations in the choice of business one goes into and, by extension, in entrepreneurship development.

Apparently, gender attitudes and behaviours may have positive or negative effect on entrepreneurship development in a society or economy.

This research work therefore intends to take a critical look at gender considerations as they affect entrepreneurship development with particular reference to Northern Nigeria in general, using Oju Printing Press Limited Kaduna, Kaduna South Local Government area as a case study, and also to suggest the possible solutions to indentified problems and give recommendations where necessary.

• STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Entrepreneurship has generally been recognized as a good medium or strategy for economic development of an individual, a community and a nation. It is also a known fact that some gender considerations are often used in the choice of business or even the decision to go into business. For example, some businesses are regarded as more suitable to men than women. The question here is, is this the right approach to economic development through entrepreneurship? Of what effect is this approach to entrepreneurship development?

These and other questions are what this research work intends to find answers to, and, if possible make recommendations where possible.

• OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship  between the gender and entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria, also to study some of the gender considerations in entrepreneurship development and its impact on economic development effort in Nigeria particularly Northern Nigeria. The study specifically hopes to suggest possible solutions to any gender related impediments to entrepreneurship development.

• STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

The following hypothesis has been formulated to serve as a guide for the study.

H0:    That gender considerations have no significant effect on entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria.

H1: That gender considerations, have significant effect on entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria.

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will provide a guide for any me on the establishment of a business in Nigeria. This study will help me ensure a proper approach to gender considerations in the decision and to any individual that want to establish a business (entrepreneur) in order to achieve maximum profit and productivity.

• SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research work will concentrate on gender considerations and entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria. The scope is limited to Oju Printing Press Nigeria Limited, Kaduna South, the management, staff and other employees of the organization.

• LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

In the course of this study many problems were encountered. Collection of relevant data was a problem because what the organization regard to their “secret”.

Other limitations of the research include cost of visiting the organization to see the people necessary to get the relevant information. Sometime the staff concerned may not be on seat.

Time was another limiting factor faced by the researcher. A researcher will have to share the limited time.

• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CASE STUDY

Oju Printing Press Limited is a small-scale organization which employed over Two Hundred and Fifty (250) workers made of different categories like Managers, Supervisors, Intermediate and Junior workers. Oju Printing Press is a sole proprietorship business. It is owned by Chief Gabriel O. Oju, it was established on 20th August, 1969 and was situated at VVI Lagos/Keffi Street, Kaduna.

Oju Printing Press was setup with the objective of providing the best quality printing services to customers at affordable prices and at the appropriate time. At the early life of the press, it started with letterpress and binding machine. Namely: letter press Heidelberg and cutting machines.

In the course of expression, the press relocated to Nc3 Oshogbo road, Kaduna in 1979. The press increased its machines by purchasing Rita prints, Plate Maker, Camera and Kond. During this period of the press ahs increased its area of specialization from letter press to offset printing.

In 1986, they moved to J11 Main Street, Badarawa Road, Kaduna in June 1993 and finally moved to VV15 Nassarawa Road, Kaduna in June 1998 as its permanent site up till date. Between 1993 till date it has acquired additional machines such as Multilith 1850, stitching machine, computers and ruling machine.

This organization is engaged in the publishing of companies annual reports, textbooks, invoice, receipts, calendars, invitation cards, business cards etc. Oju Printing Press is an organization worthy to be emulated, judging by its achievement.

Within the period of its existence, the organization has rendered a lot of services to prominent companies of government parastatals within the country among are: NITEL Headquarters – Lagos, National Electric Power Authority Kaduna, Kaduna State Water Board, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Kaduna, Bayero University Kano etc.

Below is a sample of what Oju printing press organizational chart should look like.

Oju Printing Press Organizational Chart

Source: Oju Printing Press, 2012.

• DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Gender: Refers to female or male
2. Consideration: Consideration means involvement, regarding and concluding

• Development: Development means to improvement, gradual improvement in future.

1. Entrepreneur: A person who engage in business and take the risk involve in that business.
2. Enterprise: Enterprise is a name of firm.
3. Advertising: It is the aspect of promotion, which try to convince people about the virtues of a production by using mass media.

• Publicity: Is the activities of securing editorial space as divorce from paid staff from all media read, viewed by company for the specific purpose of assisting in the meeting of sale.
• Public Relation: This is the process of fostering goal with outsider, so that people will desire to do business with your company.

1. Personal Selling: Process of information and persuading in order to buy their production and services from which benefit are derived.
2. Sale Promotion: It is a techniques which company adopted to capture target customers by attaching small gifts to their product so as to generate sales.
3. Merchandising: Is a special or ad-hoc promotion, it might involve a special arrangement of the shop at a particular season or the use of contests such as the one for may come up at a particular period of the year.

• Store Demonstration: It is where a group of customers or users may be called into the shop or demonstrate a new product.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT

The concept of entrepreneurship, like other social science concepts, has been defined differently by different authors and scholars.

Kibly, Inegbenebor (1989) defined entrepreneurship as willingness and ability of individual to seek out investment opportunities to establish and run an enterprise successfully.

Hisrich (2002) defined entrepreneurship as the process of creating something different with values by devoting the necessary time and effort; assuming the accompanying financial psychological and social risk and receiving the resultant rewards of monetary and personal satisfaction.

Entrepreneurship centre of Miami University of Ohio (2003) defined entrepreneurship as the process of identifying developing and bringing a vision to life. The vision may be an innovative idea an opportunity or simply a better way to do something. The end result of this process is the creation of new venture, formed under conditions of risk and considerable uncertainty.

The earlier definitions of entrepreneurship, like the one given by Kibly, restricted the scope of entrepreneurship to the business area. Later definitions like that of Hisrich and University of Ohio, expanded the scope of entrepreneurship to include all areas of human endeavour such as politics, engineering, medicine, academia, social welfare etc. The concept of entrepreneurship is relevant and applicable to the entire life of mankind, not business alone.

According to Odah (2003) defined entrepreneurship development as process that comprises of al efforts geared towards advancing or improving the individual willingness and ability to effective and efficiently exploit emerging business opportunities. The effort should be characterized by a process of re-orientation and the overhaul of institutions and the entire socio-economic system.

With definition of entrepreneurship and development on ground, according to Odah (2003) we can safely attempt to define entrepreneurship development as a process of advancing or improving the entrepreneurial ability of an individual by means of reorientation and reorganization of the entire economic and social systems (Odah, 2003).

Based on the definition by Odah (2003), entrepreneurship development involves the following:

• A conscious outline step by step arrangement in improving the entrepreneurial abilities of the citizenry.
• Embarking on massive re-orientation of the citizenry with a view to inculcating in them the spirit of entrepreneurship and a positive attitude toward it.

• BASIC PRE-REQUISITES FOR EFFECTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

For entrepreneurship to properly be undertaken and also to make a desired impact, certain basic requirements in that regard need to be on ground.

Nwachukwu (1990) identified the following:

1. Potential Entrepreneurs: The aim of every entrepreneurship development programme is to advance or to improve the entrepreneurial abilities of a target group of individuals. The first essential requirement of a meaningful entrepreneurship development will therefore be the availability of this set of individuals i.e. potential entrepreneurs. The target group could be a set of graduating university or polytechnic students, production of the compulsory NYSC Scheme or any other group as may be determined by the government or its agencies.
2. Business Opportunity: Entrepreneurship development survives and thrives on business opportunities. The availability of business opportunities facilitates entrepreneurship. The absence of or inadequate provision of opportunities makes entrepreneurship development difficult or even impossible. Business opportunities exist in the internal and external environment of enterprises.

• Effective Policy Formulation and Implementation: For a proper coordination and the achievement of stated objectives there is need for policy guidelines on entrepreneurship development programmes. The policies will serve as a guide to individuals and government actions related to entrepreneurship development.

1. Supportive Government Policies: Policies on entrepreneurship development may not be enough to make the desired impact. There is need for supportive government policies on issues related to entrepreneurship development like land allocation, bank loans, imports, exports etc.
2. Availability of Infrastructural Facilities: Infrastructural facilitates facilitate every activity taking place within a given economy including entrepreneurship development. Availability of facilities like electricity, roads, schools, hospitals etc. will significantly encourage and support the achievement of the ultimate aim of entrepreneurship development i.e. establishment of many business enterprises.
3. Individual and Institutional Re-orientation: Entrepreneurship development involves a lot of oriental and physical activities. To prepare the minds of individuals concerned as well as creating an enabling physical environment, there is need for conscious efforts on individual and institutional re-orientation. This involves taking measures such as introduction of courses on entrepreneurship development, campaigns, workshops, training, seminars, conferences, establishment and merger of institutions etc.

• Accessibility to Factors of Production: The ultimate aim of every entrepreneurship development is the mobilization of idle resources for productive purpose. The resources are in the form of factors of production; land, labour and capital. For entrepreneurship development programmes to make the desired impact, willing entrepreneurs should have access to the factors of production.

• ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Over the years, Nigeria has taken a number of measures in the areas of entrepreneurship development. Prominent among such measures according to Ogundale (2007) are:

• Establishment of Industrial Development Centers: In the 60s, Nigeria requested for a technical advice from the United States of America on how to develop and strengthen its small scale enterprises.

Experts from the US conducted feasibility studies in Nigeria and thereafter recommended for the establishment of industrial development center in Zaria, Owerri and Oshogbo. The purpose of the centers was to encourage potential and actual entrepreneurs in establishing small scale industries in wood work, leather, textile, automobile, ceramics and electrical and electronics. The three centers adopted a workshop system in the accomplishment of their tasks.

• Training of Entrepreneurs: There have been measures and institutions devoted to the training of actual and potential entrepreneurs. Among the measures, was the introduction of small business management and entrepreneurship development courses in tertiary institutions like Polytechnics and Universities.
• Financial Assistance to Entrepreneurs: To address the problem of inadequate capital among potential and actual entrepreneurs, some institutions were established to provide financial assistance. These institutions include Bank of Agriculture (BoA), National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND), Industrial Development Bank and many more others.
• Technical Expertise: To ensure and monitor practical performance of entrepreneurs in the conduct of their respective businesses, technical experts are attached to them. The expert pay periodic visit to business enterprises and conduct on – the – spot assessment. Entrepreneurs are expected to use the result of the assessment by technical experts to improve their performance on vital areas like production, sales and marketing etc.
• Partnership with International Organizations:

Entrepreneurship development is a vast and complex policy issue that requires a colossal amount of money, and a wide range of ideas from practice and experience. To obtain the required funds and ideas, the federal government of Nigeria entered into partnership with some international organizations. These organizations include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Commonwealth, Ford Foundation and many more others.

Though there have been achievement in entrepreneurship development, there seems to be a room for improvement. Starting with entrepreneurship development measures have not yielded the desired results. Based on statistics compiled even by government agencies using key economic indicators, like capacity utilization, inflation rate etc. The level of economic growth and development in the country is relatively low (Odah, 2003). The table below depicts the state of Nigeria economy from 1980-2000.

Nigerian Economy: Selected Performance Indicator

Source: National Poverty Eradication Programme, 2000.

From the table, it can be seen that capacity utilization in most industries in Nigeria dropped from 70.1% in 1980 to 32.0 in 2000. For most parts of the period under review, the inflation rate was a double digits. The GDP growth rate dropped from 9.4 in 1989 to only 3.8 in 2000. All these are pointers to the fact that there has been low rate of economic growth and development in Nigeria. The implication of this is that the country entrepreneurship development measures are yet to yield the desired result.

• ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

According to Salihu (2008), the Northern part of the country has the highest poverty incidence, of 70.1 percent as compared to 34 percent for the three southern geopolitical zones (South South, South East and South West). All the 10 states with the highest incidence of poverty are in the Northern geo-political zone. According to Salihu (2008), the high rate of poverty is mostly in these ten (10) poorest Northern Nigerian states in Nigeria.

Statistics of the Entrepreneurship Development in Northern Nigeria of the Ten States

Source: Salihu (2008).

The relation between entrepreneurship development and poverty level is negative one. This means that the higher the entrepreneurship activities or entrepreneurship development the lower will be the poverty level in the country concerned; while the lower the entrepreneurship development, the higher will be the poverty level in the affected country or part of the country. This can be interpreted to mean that high poverty level can be attributed to low or no entrepreneurship development and this is the case with Northern Nigeria.