Utilization of Social Networking Sites by Small and Medium-Scale Enterprise Managers for Successful Entrepreneurship

Abstract

This study ascertained the extent to which social networking sites are utilized by small and medium-scale enterprise (SME) managers for successful entrepreneurship. Two research questions guided the study, and two null hypotheses were tested. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 1,813 registered SMEs managers/owners in Anambra State. A sample of 544 managers of SMEs was selected using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was an 18-item structured questionnaire. Three experts validated the instrument. To determine the internal consistency of items of the instrument, Cronbach's Alpha was used, and reliability coefficient values of 0.91 and 0.88 for clusters B1 and B2 with an overall coefficient value of 0.88 were obtained. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and check the closeness of respondents’ responses. A t-test was used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 alpha level. The findings of the study revealed that managers of SMEs lowly utilized Twitter for successful entrepreneurship in Anambra State, while they moderately utilized Facebook. Managers of SMEs differed significantly in their mean ratings on the extent they utilized Facebook for successful entrepreneurship in Anambra State, Nigeria. They did not significantly differ in their mean ratings to the extent that they utilized Facebook for successful entrepreneurship. The study concluded that managers of SMEs in Anambra State, Nigeria, were not fully utilizing Facebook and Twitter for successful entrepreneurship. It was recommended, among others, that managers of SMEs should organize regular training and retraining of members on the relevance of using Facebook and Twitter for successful entrepreneurship. This would enable them to ensure efficiency in the performance and survival of SMEs