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Artificial Intelligence and Organisational Efficiency of General Service SMEs in Nigeria

Okechukwu Ferdinand Cyril-Nwuche, PhD

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of artificial intelligence on the organisational efficiency of general service small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. Specifically, the research investigated the effects of robotic process automation and machine learning automation on the operating efficiency of these SMEs. A descriptive survey research design was adopted to collect structured responses from participants across various general service sectors. The study population comprised 21,187 registered general service SMEs in Nigeria, out of which a sample size of 393 was selected using snowballing sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using multiple regression analysis to test the formulated hypotheses. The multiple regression analysis revealed that: robotic process automation has a positive and significant effect on operating efficiency of general service SMEs in Nigeria (? = 0.461, p = 0.000); machine learning automation has a positive and significant effect on operating efficiency of general service SMEs in Nigeria (? = 0.481, p = 0.000). In conclusion, these technologies are not just auxiliary tools but are increasingly central to the functioning and improvement of internal processes within small and medium- sized enterprises. The study recommended that SME executives need to scale up and institutionalize robotic process automation across more departments and business functions by extending automation beyond routine administrative tasks into areas like supply chain management, inventory control, and customer onboarding ij order to entrench efficiency gains, minimize human error at a broader level, and ensure consistency in service delivery across the business.

Keywords

Artificial IntelligenceOrganisational EfficiencyRobotic Process Automation

References

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