Business Skills and Development of Agro-based industries in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated business skills and development of agro-based industries in Rivers State.  The study adopted the correlational research design. It used the three objectives of communication, financial management and social trading skills as the operationalized from the independent variable of business skill, while development of agro-based industries was used as the dependent variable. The population of the study was 412 staff of agro-based companies in Rivers State, Nigeria.  The study sample was 320. The study adopted the stratified sampling technique in which 10 staff were chosen from 32. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire, adapted to the modified Likert scale of very high extent (4), high extent (3), low extent (2) and very low extent (1).  The questionnaire was validated by a senior lecturer in Measurement and evaluation from Niger Delta University, Bayelsa, State, Nigeria.  The reliability of the instrument was tested using Crombach Alpha and obtained .833>.71 which showed that the instrument was reliable.  The study found that the three variables used in the study showed significant relationship with the development of agro-based industries in Rivers State. The study concluded that communication, financial management and social trading skills significantly relate to development of agro-based industries in Rivers State. The study recommended that among others, that teachers of Vocational and Technical Education Training (TVET) should emphasize for businessmen and women or even those already in agro-business to adopt business skills to enhance their investments or conceptualize entrepreneurial plans in agro-based businesses on the part of students and application of such skills on the side of those involved in agro-based businesses in Rivers State, Nigeria.