The role of product design, manufacturing systems and environmental uncertainty in the Nigerian manufacturing organizations

The concept of globalization and technological advancements has created many opportunities as well as threats in the manufacturing sector locally and globally. African countries manufacturing sectors performance are significantly low if compared with the manufacturing sectors of other countries, which is continually linked to multiple internal and external factors. Many research studies were conducted to identify the reasons behind Nigeria’s insignificant manufacturing sector economic contribution but very few have adequately addressed the issue at both enterprise and government levels in terms of some specific manufacturing concepts and systems. Hence, this research attempts at identifying barriers to manufacturing performance over the past 25 years in Nigeria, in terms of three selected manufacturing concepts and systems measures - product design; manufacturing systems made up of manufacturing process, strategy and innovation; and environmental uncertainty. Further more, the thesis made a comparative study of Nigerian manufacturing sector with those of China, India and Malaysia, with a view to identifying barriers that are specific to Nigeria’s manufacturing sector which hinder its growth and contribution towards the country’s economic development. To accomplish the thesis objectives, the research is focused on answering the central question – to what extent does product design, manufacturing systems and environmental uncertainty impact the performance of Nigerian manufacturing organizations. For this purpose, primary and secondary researches were conducted using mixed methodological approaches that are both quantitative and qualitative in nature. Three–step research process was applied and it is made up of questionnaire survey of 254 manufacturing establishments that employee 50 people and above and has been in existence for at least five years; secondary data analysis which also includes comparative study of Nigerian manufacturing sector with those of China, India and Malaysia; and focus group interview with 10 manufacturing experts. The research results revealed that the performance of the Nigerian manufacturing sector is significantly low owing to uncertainty in the operating environment. Lack of funds, inadequate infrastructure, less government patronage, non-adaptability to technological advancements, ineffective manufacturing strategy and innovation were also identified as key factors impeding the sector’s growth. The results also revealed huge differences in the performance of the Nigerian manufacturing sector vis-à-vis China, India and Malaysia. The research then made sets of recommendations which include that the Nigerian government should encourage manufacturing investors, develop basic industries, improve infrastructure and implement favourable policies to create a better operating environment. Also it was recommended that manufacturing firms should encourage more research and development, innovations and strategy practices, skills acquisitions from other foreign firms, among other sets of recommendations. It was also suggested that Nigeria should learn more from the patterns of China, India and Malaysia manufacturing sectors with the hope of developing effective and productive manufacturing sector