Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Talent Management has emerged as a critical factor shaping job satisfaction across organizations operating in and around Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how talent management relates to job satisfaction has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on talent management, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with job satisfaction, particularly within Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about talent management without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect job satisfaction. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Talent Management on job satisfaction in Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which talent management influences job satisfaction within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with talent management in relation to job satisfaction.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing talent management in order to improve job satisfaction.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of talent management on job satisfaction in Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does talent management influence job satisfaction within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with talent management in relation to job satisfaction?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize talent management in order to improve job satisfaction?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of business administration, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria seeking to understand how talent management translates into measurable outcomes around job satisfaction. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Talent Management and its relationship with job satisfaction within the context of Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria. It reflects a BSc-level scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.