Abstract:
This research examined business education and analytical skills needed for promoting small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Kwara State. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. 7,396 registered SME owners and employees made up the total population for the study. The Research Advisors was used to select a sample of 365 SMEs owners and employees. Three specific purposes, three research questions and three hypotheses were also formulated to guide the study. Questionnaire was used as instrument for gathering data and was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha method to obtain the coefficient of 0.71. The data for the research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation. T-test was used to test null hypotheses 1 and 3 and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the null hypothesis 2 at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of this study showed that accounting, marketing and decision making skills are needed for promoting small and medium scale enterprise (SMEs). It was concluded that for SMEs to get out of some of their problem and continue to be in operation and successful, they must make use of business and analytical skills. It was recommended among others that SMEs owners as well as their employees should strive toward the acquisition and utilization of accounting, marketing and decision making skills and appropriate government organs and agencies should organizing free seminars and workshop for SMEs operators. This is because the training/workshops are expected to widen their knowledge on the need of such skills and as such promote their businesses.
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