ANALYTICAL THINKING COMPETENCIES OF INFORMATION PROCESSING SPECIALISTS FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE IN SMEs IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated analytical thinking competencies required of information processing specialists for effective performance in SMEs crucial for effective performance in SMEs in Enugu State. Two research questions were posed, and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design, and the population comprised 1,800 information processing specialists in registered SMEs in Enugu State. The sample size of 180 information processing specialists was drawn using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire titled “Analytical Thinking Competencies Required of Information Processing Specialists for Effective Performance Questionnaire (ATCRIPSEPQ), with 20 items, was used for data collection. The instrument was face validated using three experts in the field of education, the reliability was ascertained using a pilot-testing method, and the data collected were calculated with the Cronbach Alpha formula, which yielded reliability coefficients of .75 and .81. The researcher administered copies of the questionnaire to the respondents with the help of four research assistants adequately briefed. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, t-test, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to test the null hypotheses. Findings revealed that critical thinking and problem-solving competencies are highly required for the effective performance of information processing specialists in SMEs. It was also found that gender did not influence respondents’ mean ratings of the critical thinking and problem-solving competencies required for effective performance by information processing specialists. Based on the study's findings, the researchers concluded that analytical thinking competencies are highly required of information processing specialists for effective performance in SMEs in Enugu State. It was recommended that information processing specialists working in SMEs in Nigeria should be constantly retrained through in-service training, workshops, seminars, and conferences to enable them up-date their critical thinking competencies for effective performance in SMEs