Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Customer Relationship Management has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with firm competitiveness. This growing interest reflects the recognition that customer relationship management does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.

Within the context of Selected Public Universities in Nigeria, this relationship carries particular significance. Organizations in this setting operate under a distinct combination of economic, regulatory, and market conditions that may amplify or dampen the effect of customer relationship management on firm competitiveness, making a context-specific inquiry both timely and necessary.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While customer relationship management is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on firm competitiveness within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to customer relationship management are helping or hindering firm competitiveness — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Customer Relationship Management on firm competitiveness in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which customer relationship management influences firm competitiveness within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with customer relationship management in relation to firm competitiveness.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing customer relationship management in order to improve firm competitiveness.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of customer relationship management on firm competitiveness in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does customer relationship management influence firm competitiveness within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with customer relationship management in relation to firm competitiveness?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize customer relationship management in order to improve firm competitiveness?

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 Public Universities in Nigeria seeking to understand how customer relationship management translates into measurable outcomes around firm competitiveness. 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 Customer Relationship Management and its relationship with firm competitiveness within the context of Selected Public Universities in Nigeria. It reflects a MSc-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.