ABSTRACT
This research tends to examine the
effect of business stress on the performance of small scale enterprenuer with
scope covering One hundred business owners across Lagos State.
A survey design was employed, with
the use of simple random sampling technique one hundred business owners were
sampled in Lagos state.
Data were gathered with the used of a
well structured questionnaire which were distributed to one hundred business
owners. These data were analysed and presented on table in percentile.
Five hypotheses were formulated and
tested with the use of Chi-Square analysis.The analysis resulted to rejecting
all null hypotheses and accepting the five hypotheses.
It was concluded that there
is significant relationship between business stress and business performance,
there is significant relationship between business stress and work motivation
and there is significant relationship between business stress and marital
status.
Recommendations
were poffered to these business owners.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Research
Questions
1.5 Research Hypotheses
1.6 Research Methodology
1.7
Significance of the Study
1.8
Scope of the Study
1.9
Limitations of the Study
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Introduction
2.2 Work
Motivation and the Performance of Small Business Entrepreneurs
2.2.1 Theories of Motivation
2.2.1.1 Content Theories of MotivationProcess Theories
of Motivation
2.2.3 What Motivates Employees
2.2.4 Methods of Motivation
2.3 Social
Support and the Performance of Small Business Entrepreneurs
2.3.1 Forms of Social Support
2.4 Unmet Expectations and the
Performance of Small Business Entrepreneurs
2.5 Professional
Conditions and the Performance of Small Business Entrepreneurs
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research
Design
3.3
Population and Sampling of the Study
3.4
Research Instrument
3.5
Method of Data Collection
3.6 Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS
4.0
Introduction
4.2 Descriptive Frequency Analysis of the
Instrument
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
This
study focus on how stress affects the performance of small business
entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
Before now, entrepreneurs have been recognized as an essential ingredient of
economic development. The manner it has been explained in the Western societies
has varied from time to time to suit the changing values of socio-economic
reality.
To
Schumpeter (1961), an entrepreneur is a dynamic agent of change, or the
catalyst who transformed increasingly physical natural and human resources into
corresponding production possibilities. For any economy to grow and develop there
is need for entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship has been defined as the
willingness and ability of an individual to seek out investment opportunities,
establish and run an enterprise successfully. Over the years, several attempts
have been made to explain economic growth, within the past three decades or so,
one factor which has been emphasized as a pre-requisite to economic growth is
entrepreneurship.
In
the context of our society, an entrepreneur will be assumed to include any
person who runs a business. Thus, the man who owns a departmental store,
bookshop, beer parlour, printing press, beauty saloon, publisher, manufacturer,
wholesaler, retailer etc is an entrepreneur (Nwachukwu, 1990) small and medium
scale business owners in this country have on their own made immense
contribution to the development of the national economy over the year.
On
the other hand, despite the contributions made by entrepreneurs to the economy
they are often faced with some problems which include:
v
High
Degree of Business Uncertainty: Entrepreneurship development
is faced with high level of uncertainty associated with enterprise ownership,
there is constant threat of government interventions, political instability and
degrees etc. Because of these, one has to expect changes in monetary policy,
credit policy, etc.
v
Limited
Profit Opportunities: This is as a result of low level of
real income and limited market, even now, the situation is the same with
economic depression and most business enterprise are folding up because they
cannot break even what more making profit.
v
Problem
of Power Supply: Power failure possesses a lot of problem for entrepreneurs
which make them spend more for alternative resources.
v
Insufficient
Capital: Most entrepreneurs find it difficult to borrow from
banks, because of the processes involved and because of this reasons, he/she
has limited resources to work with.
Other problem encountered by entrepreneurs include family problem,
emotional problem, work overload, cultural barrier, work insecurity, work
pressure, high cost of materials etc.
All these and lots more causes problem for small scale business owners
which might lead to stress. The effect of stress in the work place can be
sometimes serve that same researchers have been prompted to equate it effect
with “combat stress” or battle fatigue.” (Nelson et al). stress lowers
individual and organisational performance which lead to both production and
quality suffering (Nelson and Quick, 1996).
1.2
STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Stress in the workplace is a growing problem with extensive cost to
individual, organisations and the society at large. Often times, small business
owners are faced with high level of stress, this is because work and its demand
often dominate their lives (Jamal, 1997), clear separation between work and
non-work activities are frequently non-existence, moreover, an average work day
can easily extend to 12 hours or longer (Jamal and Badawi, 1995).
Although many industrialised nations and their citizens might be
enjoying the frit of their industrial revolution through ever-higher standard
of labour they are enjoying these fruits less than was anticipated. This may be
due to large measure to the excessive level of stress in their lives (Karasek
et al.,) stress is widely accepted as a potential drawback of small business
owners (Akande, 1992 et al).
Therefore, this study will examine how stress affect the performance of
small business entrepreneurs and also evaluate the problems associated with
stress in business and probably suggest solutions.
1.3
OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
The
objectives for this study include:
v
To determine the impact of business
stress on the performance of small business entrepreneurs.
v
To determine the impact of work
motivation on the performance of small business entrepreneurs.
v
To determine the impact of social
support on the performance of small business entrepreneurs
v
To determine the impact of collegiality
on the performance of small business entrepreneurs
v
To determine the effect of unmet
expectation on the performance of small business entrepreneurs
v
To determine the impact of autonomy
in the performance of small business entrepreneurs.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
This research would be guided by the following questions, and hypothesis
·
How does stress affect the
performance of small scale business?
·
How often do you experience business
stress?
·
What are the causes of business
stress?
·
What measure can be taken to over-come
business stress?
·
How do businessstress contribute to
the failure of Small-scale businesss?
·
In what way does stress affect ones
performance?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
To provide answer to the research
questions arising from this study, the following hypotheses are postulated.
Hypothesis One
Ho: There is no significant relationship between
business stress and business performance
H1: There is significant relationship between
business stress and business performance
Hypothesis Two
Ho: There is no significant relationship between
business stress and negative affectivity
H1: There is significant relationship between
business stress and negative affectivity
Hypothesis Three
Ho: There is no significant relationship between
business stress and work motivation
H1: There is significant relationship between
business stress and work motivation
Hypothesis Four
Ho: There is no significant relationship between
business stress and marital status
H1: There is significant relationship between
business stress and marital status
Hypothesis Five
Ho: There is no significant relationship between
business stress and the numbers of years in business.
H1: There is significant relationship between
business stress and the numbers of years in business
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The study is based on
primary data collected using a structured questionnaire which was basically structured questions relating
to the objectives use study. Chi-square was being employed to analyse the
information collected.
1.7SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Numerous
studies has explored the causes of occupational stress and these include:
the pressures, job dissatisfaction, job
insecurity, poor supervision, boring repetitive work, work over load, lack of
communication, too much or too little responsibility, poor work/life balance
etc (Kaal, 1973). Little is known on how
work motivation, social support and collegiality help to reduce the impact of
stress on performance of small business entrepreneurs, and how unmet
expectation also affects their performance.
This
research therefore helps to advance the researchers knowledge in respect to the
topic and also enable her contribute to the finding of solution to the problem
for which the research is based.
1.8SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
scope of the study is limited to some particular businesses such as the Mechanical/Autorical,
Transport Service, Business Venture/Bulk Sales (Antisan). This is to say that
the study is restricted to some selected workers and some business eexecutive
in Yaba Area of Lagos State,
Nigeria.
1.9LIMITATIONS
OF THE STUDY
In
the course of the study, there were some set backs that have hindered the full
realisation of the objective of this study.
First, is that the study is limited to only 100 business owners compared
to the large number of entrepreneurs in LagosState.
Also,
there was a poor response by some entrepreneurs especially the Transport
Service who less believe in paper work and therefore fail to fill their
questionnaires promptly, while some collected the questionnaires and refuse to
return them thereby reducing the total number of questionnaires distributed.
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