CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1   Statement of Problem                                                                                         1

1.2   Objectives of the study.                                                                                      3

1.4    Research hypothesis.                                                                                         4

1.5    Methodology                                                                                                     6

1.6       Scope of the study                                                                                          6

1.7       Limitations of the study                                                                                  7

1.8       Justification of the study.                                                                                7

1.9           Organization of the study.                                                                              8

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0           Introduction                                                                                                    9

2.1       Conceptual Review                                                                                         10

2.1.1    Concept of Networking                                                                                  11

2.1.2    Strategic Network Relationships and Firm Performances                             12

2.1.2.1             Network Structure and Firm Performance                                         13

2.1.2.2                    Network Governance and Firm Performance                                    14

2.1.2.3                    Network Content and Firm Performances                                          16

2.1.3                        Network Intensity, Network Range and Firm Performance                           17

2.1.4    The Regulation of Enterprise-Enterprise Competence                                  18

2.1.5    External Strategic Resources                                                                          19

2.2           Theoretical Framework                                                                                  22

2.2.1    The Resource-Based Theory                                                                          23

2.2.2    The Model of the Study                                                                                  24

2.3           Empirical Studies                                                                                           25

2.4           Historical Background of Guarantee Trust Bank                                           26

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0       Introduction                                                                                                    27

3.1       Research Design                                                                                             27

3.2       Area of Study                                                                                                  27

3.3    Population and Sample                                                                                      27

3.4       Sampling Design and Procedure                                                                    28

3.5       Sources of Data                                                                                              29

3.6     Data Collection Instrument                                                                              29

3.7       Validity of the Instrument                                                                              30

3.8       Reliability of the Instrument                                                                          31

3.9       Administration of Data Collection-Instrument                                              32

3.10     Method of Data Analysis                                                                                33

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.0       Introduction                                                                                                    35

4.1        Analysis of Socio-Demographic Data of the Respondents                      36

4.2       Data Analysis According to the Test of Hypothesis                                      36

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0       Introduction                                                                                                    39

5.1       Summary of Findings                                                                                     40

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                                      41

5.3       Recommendations                                                                                          42

References 

Appendix i

Appendix ii     

This study examined strategic networking and firm performance in Nigeria, a case study of Guarantee trust bank. The objectives of the study are; to investigate how strategic networking affect guarantee trust bank performance; to determine the influence of network dimension (network range and intensity) on guarantee trust bank performance; and to explore the effect of strategic networking on the performance of guarantee trust bank. The problem statement in this study emanates from the type of strategic alliances which enable firms to gain superior performance. There are different strategic alliances which pose a great problem to an organization in achieving its organization goal. There is also problem of how these strategies affect the firm’s networking behavior and how it leads to the formation of particular network process. There is also the problem of optimal combination of strategic alliances and network resources to maximize firm performance. This study made use of primary data collected from primary source via questionnaire. One hundred (100) questionnaires were administered and secondary data was also employed which was collected from various journals. The descriptive and inferential statistics was employed where the frequency count and percentages were determined. The questionnaires were coded for the regression analysis. The result revealed that strategic networking explains the variation in firm performance.  The value of R2 which shows a value of 70.1% implies that the variation in the endogenous or dependent variable (firm performance) can be predicted by 70.1 percent from the exogenous or independent variable (strategic networking). This implies that one unit increase in the predicator would lead to a 0.701 unit increase in the criterion variable meaning that they are positively related. The average of strategic networking (=0.413) is significant at (p=0.000), and the coefficient is positive meaning that the higher the strategic networking the higher the firm performance. The alpha () value shows that a change in the independent variable (strategic networking) will lead to a change in the dependent or endogenous variable (firm performance). The F-statistic value of 52.031 which is a measure of the joint significant of the explanatory variable is found to be statistically significant at 5% (p<0.05). In this case the R-value is not due to change. The F and T values are also significant at this level. The above result showed that strategic networking has significant influence on firm performance and hence, the null hypothesis (H0) is rejected and alternative hypothesis (H1) which stipulates that there is a significant influence of strategic networking on firm performance is accepted. It was concluded based on the result of the findings that, strategic networking plays an influential role on firm performance. When firm engages in strategic networking, this will bring about higher performance by the firm This study recommended based on the findings that the management should create a good working environment and provides the staff with the necessary equipments and facilities that will enhance strategic networking as this will enhance staff productivity and firm performance.