Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Customer Relationship Management has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with employee retention. 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 Kwara State.

Kwara State 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 customer relationship management is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on employee retention within Kwara State 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 employee retention — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Customer Relationship Management on employee retention in Kwara State.
2. To assess the extent to which customer relationship management influences employee retention within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with customer relationship management in relation to employee retention.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing customer relationship management in order to improve employee retention.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of customer relationship management on employee retention in Kwara State?
2. To what extent does customer relationship management influence employee retention within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with customer relationship management in relation to employee retention?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize customer relationship management in order to improve employee retention?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around employee retention. For managers and practitioners within Kwara State, the study provides practical insight into how customer relationship management can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on business administration by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Customer Relationship Management and its relationship with employee retention within the context of Kwara State. It reflects a clearly defined 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.