Title: Factors influencing technology innovations in the indigenous textile weaving industry in southwestern Nigeria

Authors: Stephen Akinade Adegbite

Addresses: Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Industrial Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract: The study examined the factors influencing technology innovations in the indigenous small-scale textile weaving firms in southwestern Nigeria. Data for the study were collected through questionnaire and unstructured interview which elicited information on factors affecting innovations. The results revealed that there are internal and external factors which affect product, process and organisational innovations in the industry. Internal factors are entrepreneurial orientation and firm level resources such as formal and informal education, knowledge and skills available within the firms, technical and managerial experience and years of experience in business. External inputs to technology innovations are customer|s preference, information disseminated through textile associations, hiring of qualified personnel and market research. Other external sources are from suppliers of machinery and equipment; attendance at seminars, training and conferences and imitation of the innovations of other firms. The major obstacles to innovations are lack of knowledge and skills, shortage of skilled personnel in the firms, high costs of production and financial constraints, economic and market uncertainty, lack of basic infrastructure and government regulations. The study concluded that technology innovations in the firms could be more enhanced through acquisition of appropriate technical skills, training for knowledge acquisition and interaction with research and development institutions.

Keywords: technology innovation; indigenous textile weaving; innovation factors; small-scale industry; textile industry; Nigeria; small firms; small business; product innovation; process innovation; organisational innovation; entrepreneurial orientation; firm level resources; customer preference; information dissemination; qualified personnel; market research; knowledge; skills; cost; uncertainty; infrastructure; government regulations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPM.2011.040403

International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2011 Vol.11 No.2, pp.155 - 172

Published online: 31 Mar 2015 *

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