Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to develop a business communication programme for small business operators in North-East, Nigeria. Specifically, the study determined the needs of small business operators in business communication, objectives of business communication programme, content of business communication programme, instructional methods, learning experiences, and evaluation activities. A draft business communication programme was developed and validated. The study answered five research questions and tested three hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The Research and Development design was used. The study was carried out in five phases as follows: Phase 1: determined the business communication needs of small business operators. Phase II: determined the components of business communication programme to be developed. Phase III: Developed the draft business communication programme. Phase IV: Validation of the draft business communication programme. Phase V: Revision of the draft business communication programme. The area of the study was North-East, Geopolitical zone of Nigeria comprising Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Borno and Yobe States. The population for the study was 611 business teacher educators. No sampling was done. Two instruments were developed and used for the study namely Business Communication skills Needs Assessment Questionnaire (BCNAQ) and Questionnaire on Business Communication Programme. The Business Communication programme Questionnaire instrument was validated by five experts, two lecturers from Business education, one each from Language arts and Measurement and Evaluation and one from Centre for Entrepreneurship education, University of Nigeria. Focus group discussion involving nine Business educators teaching business communication at tertiary institutions validated the developed business communication programme. Cronbach alpha was used to test the internal consistency. The reliability coefficient of sections A – 0.65; B – 0.89; C – 0.95; D – 0.71, E -0.86 and overall coefficient of 0.85 were obtained. The findings in the form of a business communication programme include four objectives of business communication programme; thirty-one contents of business communication programme; seven instructional methods, six learning experiences and six evaluation activities for the business communication programme for small business operators in North-East, Nigeria. The study recommended that the business communication training programme for small business operators should be implemented to enhance the communication efficiency and effectiveness of the operators in their operation.
