Evaluating the factors affecting adoption of technology in the Nigerian small and medium Ready-to-Wear (RTW) garment industries

Abstract

The study investigated factors responsible for the low level of adoption of technology in the Nigerian ready-to-wear garment industry. Globally, the garment production process has received a boost due to the adoption of technology. However, the Nigerian garment industries do not share the same success story, and their market share in the sector is obviously negligible. Therefore, this study attempts to investigate the factors responsible. A survey research type was adopted for this study. A questionnaire was designed and structured to collect relevant data from the managers of the 27 technologically inclined ready-to-wear garment industries through face-to-face communication to avoid delay. The managers were purposively chosen. Descriptive statistics using table, frequency, percentage, and mode were used to analyse data with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v16. The outcome of the study revealed that firm ownership, competitive advantage, export orientation, top management commitment, cost of capital, technical skills, and competitive advantage constitute barriers to technology adoption in the Nigerian garment industry. Therefore, for the industry to survive the stiff competition arising from globalization and the liberalization of trade, the adoption of the latest technology is not negotiable. It is recommended that major stakeholders in the industry prioritize technology with the help of the government for their garment products to be competitive.