Entrepreneurial Marketing Practices and the Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study, titled "Impact of Entrepreneurial Marketing Practices on the Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Kogi State, Nigeria," as research blending entrepreneurship and innovative marketing orientations, examines the extent to which entrepreneurial marketing practices enhance firm performance. The population of the study was 1404; however, considering the size of the population, the study adopted the Godden sample size statistical formula to reach respondents numbering 302 through a structured questionnaire, but only 294 respondents completed and returned their questionnaire, given 97% retrieval rate. A pilot study was carried out using a test-retest method and the Cronbach alpha coefficient to establish the reliability of the research instrument. Validity of the research instrument was assessed using content and face validity methods, moderated by three experts. Moreover, a research survey design was adopted, and the statistical tools utilised comprised descriptive and inferential (parametric) statistics, while three hypotheses were tested using simple linear regression analysis. Findings revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between risk-taking and customer satisfaction (r = 884 p-value <0.05), there was a significant positive relationship between innovativeness and customer loyalty (r = .903, p-value <0.05), and there was a significant positive relationship between proactiveness and product quality (r =.872, p-value <0.05). In view of the findings, the study concluded that there was a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurial marketing practices and the performance of manufacturing firms in Kogi state. Based on the findings, the study recommends that manufacturing firms in Kogi State, and, by extension, other manufacturing firms across Nigeria, should embrace innovation and risk-taking to improve performance by enhancing customer satisfaction and patronage. Moreover, manufacturing firms should take calculated risks and integrate measures to balance risk-taking with systematic planning to capitalize on emerging opportunities.