Can Technology Transfer Stimulate Labour Productivity: Experience from Nigeria Automobile Sector

Abstract

This paper argued that technology transfer possesses operational and structural capability to stimulate labour productivity in Nigerian automobile sector. Technology transfer proxies are knowledge transfer, skill acquisition, technology infrastructure, innovation, and adoption and their fundamental effect on workforce productivity. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted to capture the perception of respondents at a categorical point in time. There were three automobile manufacturing companies in Nigeria from which the responding organisations were drawn.  The unit of analysis consisted of 675 managers and engineers who were randomly selected from a total population of 1,150. The research instrument was adapted, and its content and construct validity were established. Also, it was subjected to reliability test with Cronbach’s alpha value above the minimum threshold. The hypothesis was tested using multiple regressions and the aggregate result revealed a positive significant relationship between technology transfer and labour productivity. The power of the individual result revealed that a positive significant relationship exists between the dimensions of technology transfer (skill acquisition, technology infrastructure, technology innovation, technology adoption, and labour productivity, while knowledge transfer was not significant. The study recommended sustained and progressive technology transfer to enhance workers’ productivity in the sector.