Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Over the past decade, the relationship between product roadmapping practices and product success rate has become a subject of considerable debate among scholars and industry practitioners alike, particularly within the context of Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria where operating conditions differ markedly from more developed markets.

Selected Microfinance Banks 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 roadmapping practices is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on product success rate within Selected Microfinance Banks 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 roadmapping practices are helping or hindering product success rate — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Product Roadmapping Practices on product success rate in Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which product roadmapping practices influences product success rate within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with product roadmapping practices in relation to product success rate.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing product roadmapping practices in order to improve product success rate.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of product roadmapping practices on product success rate in Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does product roadmapping practices influence product success rate within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with product roadmapping practices in relation to product success rate?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize product roadmapping practices in order to improve product success rate?

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 Microfinance Banks in Nigeria seeking to understand how product roadmapping practices translates into measurable outcomes around product success rate. 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 Roadmapping Practices and its relationship with product success rate within the context of Selected Microfinance Banks 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.