Thesis (MBA) - CYPRUS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT

Includes bibliography sheets 69-82

ABSTRACT Over the last few decades Information and Communication technology (furthermore - ICT) has become an important object of scientific research and its impact on cultural, social and personal growth. Theoretical and empirical studies have demonstrated the need to achieve and maximize the positive outcomes of ICT adoption and implementation within various organizations (productivity growth, development, quality, efficiency, competitiveness etc). It explores the extent of the increased productivity of small and medium-sized firms being attributed to the implementation of ICT, the contribution of ICT to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises that implemented this strategy, whether the advent of the Internet has altered the way companies function, and whether internet use is important in locating additional contracts and expanding the business market. The major findings of this study is that entrepreneur's utilization of ICT to create an enabling business environment to a very high extent enhances productivity in the South-East Zone of Nigeria. E-commerce workers training is very commonly used by medium-scale and large-scale managers and also the use of ICT by businesspeople in increasing their competitiveness in the selling of products and services in the Southeast region. The findings also indicate that ICT in staff training are mostly used by entrepreneurs in the southeastern region. However, virtual school and personalized training are not used to boost efficiency in staff training. Nonetheless, the limited number of professional staff, the frustration of consumers of technology and the taxation of internet sales, hinders to a large extent the use of ICT to increase productivity for entrepreneurs. Keywords: Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMES), Business, Productivity, Entrepreneurs