Impact of Selected Government Policies on Sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in North Central Nigeria (Published)
The aim to systematically investigate the impact of selected government policies on the sustainability of SMEs in North Central Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design to collect data at a single point in time, enabling an assessment of the impact of government policies on the sustainability of SMEs in North Central Nigeria. The study focuses on SMEs operating across states in Nigeria’s North-central geopolitical zone, specifically Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The population consists of SMEs classified by SMEDAN (Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria) across the selected states is 218,434, with variations in distribution. Thus, using Yamane’s method, the sample sizes for each state range from 393 to 394. Stratified random sampling is adopted to ensure proportional representation across SME subgroups, minimizing bias and enhancing generalizability. This study rely exclusively on primary data collected through a structured survey to address the research objectives. This study employed multiple regression analysis to examine the impact of government policies on the sustainability of medium enterprises in North Central Nigeria. Based on the comprehensive data analysis, the following conclusions are drawn, Infrastructure Support Policy is the most significant positive predictor of SME sustainability. Labour and Employment Regulation Policies have a statistically significant negative impact on sustainability. Technology and Digital Transformation Policies have a strong, significant positive impact on sustainability. In light of the conclusions, the following actionable recommendations are proposed: Policymakers must treat infrastructure, especially Stable Electricity and Transportation Networks, as a non-negotiable foundation for economic growth. The government should develop and implement a Differentiated and Flexible Labour Policy Framework for SMEs. To bridge the digital divide, policy should focus on Decentralizing Digital Transformation Initiatives. This involves establishing and funding tech hubs and digital literacy training centers in less developed states (e.g., Benue, Kogi) and providing targeted tax breaks for SMEs investing in approved digital tools and e-commerce platforms.
Keywords: Digital Transformation, Government Policies, Labour, Sustainability, infrastructure support
Digital Transformation for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs): with Special Focus on Sri Lankan Context as an Emerging Economy (Published)
Small & Medium Enterprises (SME’s) constitutes for over 75% of the number of enterprises in Sri Lanka and contribute to 52% of the GDP of Sri Lankan economy. In any case, the development and extension of SME’s are constrained due to a multitude of factors that are yet to be investigated. Competition is often intense for SME’s in Sri Lanka and they can neither influence price nor quantity. The standard view of competitive advantages on differentiation or cost is a challenge for SME’s. They are probably not going to have the option to “lock” in clients and providers, build entry barriers or altogether lower cost. SME’s usually have limited resources in finance, skilled employees, in-house knowledge or management. Meanwhile, digital transformation is featured in many businesses enabling reshaping the strategy and business models. SMEs are also found as empirically investigated context with the concept of digitalization, but still further studies are claimed on it. Accordingly, this paper investigates how SMEs could be benefitted with digital transformation as a strategic initiation whilst challenges and cases are discussed in line within. It has followed comprehensive literature review as the main research tool and the paper is framed as a concept paper with the discussion on empirical insights. Authors made an attention on Sri Lankan SME sector as a specific context. Finally, it concludes the paper with some research directions and priorities for the future studies.
Keywords: Digital Transformation, SMEs, Sri Lanka, business models, competitive advantages