Adaptive perception of entrepreneurial skills: Changing the narratives in administrative functionalities of education administrators in Nigerian tertiary institutions
Akinola Emmanuel Taiwo
Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1137-8645
Akinola Enoch Oluwakayode
Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria.
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6089-2354
OBAMOYEGUN Idowu Remi
Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria.
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8446-3749
Akinola-Taiwo Lincoln Daniel
Department of English, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria.
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6304-3167
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20448/economy.v13i1.8283
Keywords: Administrative effectiveness, Entrepreneurial governance, Higher education reform, Institutional innovation, Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Abstract
This study investigates the adaptive perception of entrepreneurial skills among education administrators in tertiary institutions in Ondo State, Nigeria, examining their impact on administrative effectiveness. Amid global shifts towards entrepreneurial governance in higher education, Nigerian institutions face unique challenges, including funding deficits and bureaucratic constraints. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, including surveys and interviews, the research analyzes data from 278 administrators across federal, state, and private universities and polytechnics. Findings reveal a significant positive correlation between entrepreneurial skills and institutional efficiency (r=0.72, p<0.01), with regression analysis indicating that these skills significantly predict administrative effectiveness (R2=0.65, p<0.01). Private universities demonstrate higher entrepreneurial agility, while public institutions struggle with bureaucratic inertia. The study rejects null hypotheses, confirming a substantial relationship between entrepreneurial skills and administrative effectiveness. The research recommends structured entrepreneurship training, policy realignment, and public-private partnerships to foster innovation. By highlighting contextualized strategies, this study contributes to the discourse on enhancing institutional efficiency through entrepreneurial competencies in higher education governance.