EFFECTS OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS: A CASE OF SELECTED MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN PORT HARCOURT

Akwapoly Journal of Communication and Scientific Research (APJOCASR)

Abstract

 The study aims to investigate the impact of strategic management on the growth and development of organizations with a specific focus on manufacturing companies in the Port Harcourt area of Nigeria's Rivers State. The study has selected 63 participants from 21 companies across the three legislative zones of Rivers State, with three participants chosen from each company. Researchers use descriptive statistics like frequencies, means, and percentages to answer four key research questions. They also employ the Chi-Square test to evaluate three key hypotheses. The results reveal that well-executed strategic management is only sometimes present in the companies studied but that adopting effective strategic management practices can significantly impact competitiveness, productivity, and overall performance. The study also finds that effective strategic management practices positively influence employees' behaviour and contribute to the overall improvement of the companies studied. The researchers conclude that Nigerian educational institutions should incorporate strategic management concepts into their curricula to enhance administrative knowledge and improve overall competitiveness in Nigerian organizations. Additionally, scholars should conduct further research to identify the reasons for the widespread adoption of strategic management practices in Nigeria to increase the competitiveness of small and medium-scale businesses nationwide.