Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Business Process Re-engineering has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with firm competitiveness. This growing interest reflects the recognition that business process re-engineering does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria.

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 business process re-engineering, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with firm competitiveness, particularly within Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about business process re-engineering without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect firm competitiveness. 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 Business Process Re-engineering on firm competitiveness in Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which business process re-engineering influences firm competitiveness within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with business process re-engineering in relation to firm competitiveness.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing business process re-engineering in order to improve firm competitiveness.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of business process re-engineering on firm competitiveness in Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does business process re-engineering influence firm competitiveness within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with business process re-engineering in relation to firm competitiveness?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize business process re-engineering 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 Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria seeking to understand how business process re-engineering 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

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how business process re-engineering relates to firm competitiveness within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.