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Advancement in internet of things (IoT) and proliferation in the use of smart devices have raised concerns about the data privacy of online users. This study predicts the consequences of perceived data privacy risks on consumer behaviours in Lagos State, Nigeria using the integrated Entropy-Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). We employed Entropy to assign weights to each criterion. Subsequently, responses were systematically ranked to arrive at an inference using TOPSIS. 84.8% agree that any perceived cyber security threat or a breach in their data privacy would stop them from proceeding with the transaction or activity online, or the use of a digital product. Similarly, (86.7%), agree it is critical that online businesses only ask for customer information that is relevant to the use of the product or service. Thus, the findings indicate that the privacy paradox of enlightened online consumers tends to diminish when they are faced with perceived data privacy and cybersecurity risks.

Strategies for improving customer loyalty are a sine qua non for attracting new customers and retaining old ones in order to improve firms’ sustainable competitiveness. However, choice of marketing communication mix would differ between firms and across industries. This study examines the influence of integrated marketing communications (IMC) dimensions on customer loyalty to mobile telecommunication service among competing firms in telecommunication service industry. Using cross-sectional survey research design, multistage sampling procedure (stratified, quota and simple random) sampling techniques, data was collected from 150 respondents out of which n = 134 copies of the retrieved questionnaires. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (correlation and regression), while hypotheses were tested using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results show a significant relationship between customer loyalty and direct marketing (r = .375**); publicity (r = .514**); sales promotion (r = .470**) and advertising r = .562**) respectively. The multiple regression result indicates R2 value of .483, meaning that integrated marketing communication dimensions accounted for 48.3% variance in customer loyalty. The study therefore recommends IMC as a strategic tool for targeting subscribers to patronize and retain them with a mobile telecom service provider for a long time. It further suggests that managers in the industry should prioritize their strategies on the basis of IMC dimension that makes the greatest contribution to the criterion of interest, with beta and high coefficient in their budgetary allocation for the optimal promotional mix to achieve the organisational goal both in short and long-run.

Purpose>The purpose of this paper is to implement a genetic algorithmic geared toward building an optimized investment portfolio exploring data set from stocks of firms listed on the Nigerian exchange market. To provide a research-driven guide toward portfolio business assessment and implementation for optimal risk-return.Design/methodology/approach>The approach was to formulate the portfolio selection problem as a mathematical programming problem to optimize returns of portfolio; calculated by a Sharpe ratio. A genetic algorithm (GA) is then applied to solve the formulated model. The GA lead to an optimized portfolio, suggesting an effective asset allocation to achieve the optimized returns.Findings>The approach enables an investor to take a calculated risk in selecting and investing in an investment portfolio best minimizes the risks and maximizes returns. The investor can make a sound investment decision based on expected returns suggested from the optimal portfolio.Research limitations/implications>The data used for the GA model building and implementation GA was limited to stock market prices. Thus, portfolio investment that which to combines another capital market instrument was used.Practical implications>Investment managers can implement this GA method to solve the usual bottleneck in selecting or determining which stock to advise potential investors to invest in, and also advise on which capital sharing ratio to reduce risk and attain optimal portfolio-mix targeted at achieving an optimal return on investment.Originality/value>The value proposition of this paper is due to its exhaustiveness in considering the very important measures in the selection of an optimal portfolio such as risk, liquidity ratio, returns, diversification and asset allocation.

Companies are facing numerous pressures and challenges in order to be competitive in the market and meet the requirements of their customers which require an improvement in the supply chain practices of the firms to be more effective and efficient for sustainable competitive advantage. This study examines the use of a multi-criteria decision making method using analytic network process (ANP) to estimate the how supply chain activities of the selected manufacturing firms’ influences its firm performance in other to enhance the satisfaction of customers. The population of the study is the manufacturing firms quoted in the Nigeria stock exchange. An ANP-based questionnaire was administered to Managers of selected manufacturing firms for pairwise comparison of supply chain factors relative influences and dependencies on their customers. A nonlinear network model was built to capture all the factors of supply chain practices and firms performance into clusters, nodes and dependences for the purpose of estimating various influences supply chain practices on the performance of the various companies studied.. Data collected were analysed using software of Super decision 3.0version. The results revealed factors of supply chain practices that have a great connection with one another and strong relationship indicating that without the implementing the key factors of supply chain there would not be a significant improvement in the performance of the organisation which will also affects the desire of the customers. The ANP model has helped to show the interdependencies and feedback among the various factors of practices of supply chain to augment the level of performance of the firms.

The need for better support marketing decision on customers who are likely to leave a service provider for a competitor is very essential to the survival of most telecommunication firms. The application of logistic regression to the study of customer churn and retention decision in the Nigerian telecommunication industry falls into proactive methods, which helps in a better understanding of the needs of subscribers, to be able to predict their churn and retention decision in the industry and enhance better marketing strategies with a research driven policy guide for the operators in the industry. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the relevant drivers of customers` churn and retention in the growing Nigerian mobile telecommunication industry. Considering this issue, the logistic regression models have been used as the evaluating method. Four hundred and eight questionnaires have been used in this study. The population of this questionnaire consists of subscribers of mobile telecommunication in the six selected campuses of higher institution of learning in Lagos-state, Nigeria. The data collected was analysed by STATA 12 software. The results showed that the coefficients of mobile number portability (MNP) services and dubious promotions are positive and significant. Furthermore, low coverage and unwanted calls and SMS are positive and significant. This implies that the better the availability of MNP services, the greater the likelihood of customers' churn. More so, an increase in quality of calls provided by mobile telecom firms will increase the likelihood of customers' loyalty by retention. The study recommends strong institutional measures for the overhaul of mobile services provision towards an improved service delivery in Nigeria.

Research purpose. The study aims at establishing how supply chain management (SCM) activities of manufacturing firms influence their performance optimally.Design/Methodology/Approach. The research design adopted for the study is the survey research design; this is because we were interested in gathering information from a selected strategic fraction of a target population as it is not possible to meet them all. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from two hundred and twenty-seven (227) professionals from the five selected manufacturing firms in Lagos. The data were analyzed by the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique to ascertain the causal effect of the latent exogenous variables on the latent endogenous variables in the study.Findings. Based on the results of the SEM adopted in testing the research hypotheses, strategic partnership has a statistically significant positive effect on customer satisfaction of manufacturing firms. Customer relationship management was revealed to have a positive effect on firm performance from the path analysis. This is substantiated by the path coefficient (0.35) of customer relationship management on performance proxied by customer satisfaction. However, information sharing has a weak positive effect on performance proxied by manufacturing efficiency. This is substantiated by the path coefficient (0.11) of information sharing on performance though the effect is not significant as p>0.05 and CR<1.96. Material flow management has a positive effect on performance proxied by manufacturing efficiency. This is substantiated by the path coefficient (0.30) of material flow management on firm performance. There is a positive effect of lean production on performance proxied by innovation performance. This is substantiated by the path coefficient (0.25) of lean production on performance. Finally, participative design/engineering was revealed to have a positive effect on performance proxied by innovation performance. This is substantiated by the path coefficient (0.23) of participative design/engineering on performance.Originality/Value/Practical implications. This paper demonstrates that a higher degree of acceptance, application, and enhancement in SCM methods would directly increase the performance of manufacturing firms, especially in third world countries.

Purpose. The paper explores reverse logistics activities such as product return, reuse of materials, and waste disposal impacts on the management of waste products in the Nigerian manufacturing companies. This is with a view to examining the awareness of reverse logistics to the management of waste products in Nigeria and determines the importance of reverse logistics activities and process to the management of waste products of Nigeria manufacturing firms. Methodology. Using a cross-sectional survey research design, 300 staff of selected manufacturing firms that deal with waste product were selected in Lagos and a well-structured and validated questionnaire was administered. From this, 250 copies were returned, while 246 were valid for the purpose of analysis. Data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance test of significance and Friedman rank test. Findings and Implication. The findings revealed that the respondents convinced that their reverse logistics activities arising from return of goods may be as very important to developing efficient and effective management of waste products of Nigeria manufacturing firms. The results also indicates that reverse logistics is highly significant in achieving the organizational goals (p

The relevance of operations research cannot be overemphasized, as it provides the best possible results in any given circumstance, through analysis of operations and the use of scientific method thus, this paper explore the combination of two operations research models (analytic hierarchy process and Markov chain) for solving subscribers’ churn and retention problem peculiar to most service firms. A conceptual model for unraveling the problem customer churn and retention decision management was proposed and tested with data on third level analysis of AHP for determining appropriate strategies for customer churn and retention in the Nigeria telecommunication industries. A survey was conducted with 408 subscribers; the sample for the study was selected through multi-stage sampling. Two analytical tools were proposed for the analysis of data. These include: Expert Choice/Excel Solver (using Microsoft Excel) and Windows based Quantitative System for Business (WinQSB). This paper plays important role in understanding various strategies for effective churn and retention management and the ranking of churn and retention drivers in order of importance to stakeholders` decision-making. The study provided a framework for understanding the application of AHP and Markov chain for modeling, analysing and proffering solution to problem of churn and retention. The study recommends organizational strategies (corporate, business and functional) that reverse the churn alternatives with high priority and equally strengthen service delivery on high priority retention alternatives in order to ensure firms sustainable competitive advantage. An erratum to this article has been published as https://doi.org/10.5195/emaj.2017.131.

The importance of the continuous regeneration of value-resource that is knowledge cannot be overemphasized, especially owing to its strategic importance in promoting competitive edge within institutions. Therefore, universities being knowledge-based institutions need to understand that the bane to knowledge sharing amid its staffs is of great relevance. Thus, this study examined the multiple conflicting criteria influencing the will of an average academia to share knowledge within its environment through the utilization of an operations research model named analytical network process.