ABSTRACT

This study investigated innovation strategies and effectiveness ofmanufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the effect of aggressive innovation on the performance, evaluate the influence of proactive innovation on productivity, dew’mine the degree tc which defensive innovation enhance value creation, ascertain the eN/xtto which analytics innovation boost competitive strength and establish the relationship be.ween risk-taking Innovation and m ,ket share ofmanufacturing firms ; in South-South Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design. Primary and ’ secondary sources of data were used c.n the course or gathering data for the study. The : target population N oirthousand, two hundred and twenty one (1,221) obtained from the ' twelve (12) selected manufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria while the sample size oftwo hundred tp d ninety two (292) derived from Krc’cie and Morgan’s formula at 5% error tolerance and 95% level ofconfidence. However, a total oftwo hundred and ninetytwo (292) copies ofthe questionnaire were distributed to the various manufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria Out ofthis number: forty (40) copies of questionnaire were lost or wrongly filled with percentage ratio of" 13.6% while two hundred and fifty-two (252) copies of questionnaire were correctly filled and returned with percentage ratio of 86.2% and this served as the basis ofthe study. To test the hypotheses of this study, the study adopted simple regression model, analysis of variance (ANOVa) and Pearson Correlation Coefficient statistical tools of SPSS Version 23.0. From the result of the analyses, the findings showed that aggressive innovation has a significant effect on the performance ofmanufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria, proactive innovation has a significant influence on the productivity bfmanufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria, defensive innovation enhances value creation ofthe manufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria, analytics innovation boost competitive strength of the manufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria and there is a significant relationship between risk-taking innovation and market share ofmanufacturing firms in South-South, Nigeria. The study • concluded tha?jhriovation strategies 'positively and significantly' influenced the' effectiveness cNRlanufacturing firms in ’South-South.vNigefia and recommended that ; management'on’’foe s manufacturing firms should’continuously intensify aggressive ' innovation and' Nmpetitiveness at individual and firm’s level,' be mord attuned towards the potentials anujToacfive capabilities oftheir subordinates, ensure that their strategies are regularly inf'iNoreu and notjust maintaining status quo, "understand the application of datasets' for-Nbss-mdustry comparisofis,. allocate1’resources efficiently and must balance their inliovaticn projects witn improved pei-.brmance to minimize risks and achieve long-term success.