Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Over the past decade, the relationship between product lifecycle management and customer satisfaction with digital products has become a subject of considerable debate among scholars and industry practitioners alike, particularly within the context of Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria where operating conditions differ markedly from more developed markets.

Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms 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

While product lifecycle management is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on customer satisfaction with digital products within Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms 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 product lifecycle management are helping or hindering customer satisfaction with digital products — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Product Lifecycle Management on customer satisfaction with digital products in Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which product lifecycle management influences customer satisfaction with digital products within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with product lifecycle management in relation to customer satisfaction with digital products.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing product lifecycle management in order to improve customer satisfaction with digital products.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of product lifecycle management on customer satisfaction with digital products in Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does product lifecycle management influence customer satisfaction with digital products within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with product lifecycle management in relation to customer satisfaction with digital products?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize product lifecycle management in order to improve customer satisfaction with digital products?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of product management, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria seeking to understand how product lifecycle management translates into measurable outcomes around customer satisfaction with digital products. 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 Product Lifecycle Management and its relationship with customer satisfaction with digital products within the context of Selected Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria. It reflects a PhD-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.