ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
This is a follow up paper on the dwarfed giant: impact of trade and related policies on SMEs in the Nigerian textile industry. This study uncovers how the dwarfed giant can be undwarfed through the creation of shared value. To achieve this, the study examines areas of SMEs collaborative partnership in the Nigerian textile industry. SMEs in the Nigerian textile industry are faced with challenges that limit their abilities to compete favourably due to growing pressures from the liberalisation of international trade. These challenges have been an issue of concern, especially for SMEs fabric manufacturers operating in the Nigerian textile industry who are faced with the fundamental task of attaining long-term sustainability while simultaneously creating value for their customers and the society. The study identified some elements of collaborative partnerships between SMEs, customers and the government. It also identified the absence of on-going collaboration between SMEs and educational institutions in the country. However, these collaborative efforts have yielded little or no result due to the lack of shared understanding and values among key stakeholders in the industry. In bridging this gap, the study suggests that the principles of shared value creation be embedded into SMEs business strategy in inter-organizational relationships with key stakeholders in and out of the textile value chain. This way, they can effectively co-create shared value in the internal environment and adequately tackle the challenges of the external business environment.
Aakhus, M., & Bzdak, M. (2012). Revisiting the role of shared value in the business-society relationship, Business & Professional Ethics Journal, 31(2), 231–246.
Acs, Z. J., Boardman, M. C., & McNeely, C. L. (2013). The social value of productive entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 40(3), 785-796.
Agrawal, A. K., & Rahman, Z. (2015). Roles and resource contributions of customers in value co-creation. International Strategic Management Review, 3, 144 -160.
A-alak, B. A., & Tarabieh, S. A. (2011). Gaining competitive advantage and organizational performance through customer orientation, innovation differentiation and market differentiation. International Journal of Economics and Management Science, 1(5), 80-91.
Amah, E., & Ahiauzu, A. (2014). Shared values and organizational effectiveness: a study of the Nigerian banking industry. Journal of Management Development, 33(7), 694 – 708.
Attaran, M., & Attaran, S. (2007). Collaborative supply chain management: the most promising practice for building efficient and sustainable supply chains. Business Process Management Journal, 13(3), 390-404.
Atuegbu, J. (2016). The concept of made in Nigeria products [Online]. Retrieved from:
Barratt, M. (2004). Understanding the meaning of collaboration in the supply chain. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 9(1), 30-42.
Bogoro, S. E. (2015). Enhancing the relevance of research and industry partnership in Nigeria: A case for new strategies. Paper presented: 2015 Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. Owerri, Nigeria, 3rd of December 2015.
Bramwell, A., & Wolfe, D.A. (2008). Universities and regional economic development: The entrepreneurial university of Waterloo. Research Policy, 37, 1175-1187.
Buehler, J. W., Whitney, E. A., & Berkelman, R. L. (2006). Business and public health collaboration for emergency preparedness in Georgia: a case study. BMC Public Health, 6(285), 1-13.
Carroll, A. B. (1999). Corporate social responsibility: evolution of a definitional construct. Business and Society 38 (3), 268-295.
Chen, M. C., Yang, T., & Li, H. C. (2007). Evaluating the supply chain performance of IT-based inter-enterprise collaboration. Information & Management, 44 (6), 524-534.
Crane, A., Palazzo, G., Spence, L.J., & Matten, D. (2014). Contesting the Value of "Creating Shared Value. Winter 2014, 56(2), 130-153.
Creso, M. S. (2014). Prospective of industry’s engagement with African universities.African Association of Universities.
Cunningham, P., & Gok, A. (2012). The impact and effectiveness of policies to support collaboration for R&D and innovation. Nesta Working Paper No. 12/06: Manchester Institute of Innovation Research. University of Manchester, March 2012.
Darwish, S. (2016). The Understanding of Probability in the Iraqi Culture. International Journal of Mainstream Social Science: Vol. 5, Nos. 1-2, 11.
Day, G. S. (2000). Managing market relationships. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 28(1), 55-66.
Derrouiche, R., Neubert, G., & Bouras, A. (2008). Supply chain management: a framework to characterize the collaborative strategies. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 21(4), 426-439.
Dietz, A. S., & Porter, C. (2012). Making sense of social value creation: three organizational case studies. Emergence: Complexity and Organization, 14(3), 23-43.
Ehret, M., Kashyap, V., & Wirtz, J. (2013). Business models: Impact on business markets and opportunities for marketing research. Industrial Marketing Management, 42, 6, 649-655.
Eyaa, S., Ntayi, J., & Namagembe, S. (2010). Collaborative relationships and SMEs supply chain performance. World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 6(3), 233-245.
Franco, M. J .B. (2003). Collaboration among SMEs as a mechanism for innovation: An empirical study. New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, 6(1), 1-8.
Gao, X., Guo, X., & Guan, J. (2014). An analysis of the patenting activities and collaboration among industry-university-research institutes in the Chinese ICT sector. Scientometrics, I98, 247-263.
Gronroos, C. (1994). From marketing mix to relationship marketing - towards a paradigm shift in marketing. Management Decision, 32 (2), 4 -20.
Gronroos, C., & Ravald, A. (2011). Service as business logic: implications for value creation and marketing. Journal of Service Management, 22(1), 5-22.
Guimon, J. (2013). Promoting university-industry collaboration in developing countries. The Innovation Policy Platform,1-11.
Gubriel, R. (2002). Impact of innovation and technology transfer on economic growth: the Central and Eastern Europe experience [Online]. Available from:
Hart, S. L., & Milstein, M. B. (2003). Creating sustainable value. Academy of Management Executive, 17(2), 56 - 69.
Hax, A. C., & Majluf, N. S. (1986). Strategy and the strategy formation process[Online]. Retrieved from:
Hollmann, R. L., Scavarda, L. F., & Thome, A. M. T. (2015). Collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment: a literature review. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 64(7), 971 – 993.
Hoof, B. V., & Thiell, M. (2014). Collaboration capacity for sustainable supply chain management: Small and medium-sized enterprises in Mexico. Journal of Cleaner Production, 67, 239-247.
Huber, F., Herrmann, A., & Morgan, R. E. (2001). Gaining competitive advantage through customer value oriented management. The Journal of Consumer Marketing,18(1), 41.
Ilyas, R. M., Banwet, D. K., & Shankar, R. (2006). Value Chain Relationship: A Strategy Matrix. Journal of Supply Chain Forum, 7(2), 56 -72.
Ijeoma, N. B. (2013). Trade liberalization in Nigeria: an examination of impact and policy strategies. International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research, 4(12), 1277-1281.
Katz, J. S., & Martin, B. R. (1997). What is research collaboration? Research Policy, 26, pp.1-18.
Kbe, N. F., & Cormack, M. (2006). The role of business in society: an agenda for action [Online]. Retrieved from:
Kornfeld, B. J., & Kara, S. (2015). Industry-university collaboration in sustainable manufacturing. Procedia CIRP, 29, 8-12.
Lee, M. P. (2008). A review of the theories of corporate social responsibility: its evolutionary path and the road ahead. International Journal of Management Reviews, 10, 53–73.
Lewin, J. E., & Johnston, W. J. (1997). Relationship marketing theory in practice: A case study. Journal of Business Research, 39, 23-31.
Lindgreen, A., Xu, Y., & Wilcock, J. (2012). Corporate social responsibility brand leadership: a multiple case study. European Journal of Marketing, 46(7/8), pp.965–993.
Markopoulos, E., & Vanharanta, H. (2015). The world innovation stock exchange-shared value for individuals, business and society, Procedia manufacturing, 3, 595 - 602.
Marrewijk, M. V. (2003). Concepts and definitions of CSR and corporate sustainability: between agency and communion. Journal of Business Ethics, 44 (2-3), 95-105.
Mayer, J. H., Feistenauer, H., & Quick, R. (2014). Managers and collaboration technology: a business perspective for improving management support systems. Paper presented at: Twenty Second Conference on Information Systems, Tel Aviv, 2014.
McDonald, R. E. (2007). An investigation of Innovation in nonprofit organizations: the role of organizational mission. Nonprofit And Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 36(2), 256.
Moore, C. (2014). Corporate social responsibility and creating shared value: what’s the difference? Heifer International.
Njoku, U. A. A. (2004). Marketability of Made in Nigeria Textile Materials. PhD. St Clements University.
Obanor, A. I., & Kwasi-Effah, C. C. (2013). Assessment of university-industry collaboration and technological transfer in schools of engineering and sciences in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Technology (NIJOTECH), 32(2), 286-293.
OECD. (2010) Innovation vouchers. OECD Policy Brief, OECD, Paris.
Ogechukwu, A. D., Oboreh, J. S., Umukoro, F., & Uche, A. V. (2013). Small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria the marketing interface. Global Journal of Management and Business Research Marketing, 13(9), 1-11.
Okechuku, C., & Onyemah, V. (1999). Nigerian consumer attitudes towards foreign and domestic products. Journal of International Business Studies, 30(3), 611-622.
Oyeniyi, O. (2009). Analysis of Nigerian consumers’ perception of foreign products. Seria Stiinte Economice, 61(3), 18 -26.
Payne, A. F., Storbacka, K., & Frow, P. (2008). Managing the co-creation of value. Journal of the Academic Marketing Science, 36, 83 - 96.
Pessu, T. R. (2017). Impact of trade policies on SMEs’ business relationships in the Nigerian textile industry: A shared value approach. PhD. University of Bolton.
Pessu, T. R., & Agboma, F. (2018). Dwarfed Giant: Impact of Trade and Related Policies on SMEs in the Nigerian Textile Industry. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(6), 602- 629.
Pfitzer, M. W., Bockstette, V., & Stamp, M. (2013). Innovating for Shared Value. Harvard Business Review, 91(9),100-107.
Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy and society: the link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78-92.
Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2011). Creating Shared Value: how to reinvent capitalism and unleash a wave of innovation and growth. Harvard Business Review, 89(1/2), 62-77.
Powers, T. L., & Reagan, W. R. (2007). Factors Influencing Successful Buyer-Seller Relationships. Journal of Business Research, 60,1234 -1242.
Prahalad, C. K., & Ramaswamy, V. (2004a). Co-creation experiences: the next practice in value creation. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 18 (3), 5 -14.
Prahalad, C. K., & Ramaswamy, V. (2004b). Co-creating unique value with customers.
Strategic management journal, 32 (3), 4 - 9.
Raja, A., & Yazdanifard, R. (2014). The implications of co-creation between businesses and its customers on firms in the current market [Online]. Retrieved from:
Reijonen, H., & Laukkanen, T. (2010). Customer relationship oriented marketing practices in SMEs. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 28 (2), 115 – 136.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2016). Research methods for business students. 7th Edition.Harlow: Pearson Educational Limited.
Simao, L. B., Rodrigues, R. G., & Madeira, M. J. (2016). External relationship in the organizational innovation. RAI Revista de Administraçao e Inovaçao, 13(3), pp.156-165.
Simatupang, T. M., & Sridharan, R. (2005). The Collaboration Index: a measure for supply chain collaboration. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 35(1), 44 -62.
Sinkovics, N., Sinkovics, R.R., & Yamin, M. (2014). The role of social value creation in business model formulation at the bottom of the pyramid – implications for MNEs? International Business Review ,23(4), 692-707.
SMEDAN., & National Bureau of Statistics. (2013) SMEDAN and national bureau of statistics collaborative survey: selected findings (2013) [Online]. Retrieved from:
Smirnova, M., Henneberg, S. C., Ashnai, B., Naude, P., & Mouzas, S. (2011) Understanding of the role of marketing purchasing collaboration in industrial markets: the case of Russia. Industrial Marketing Management, 40, pp.54 –64.
Spitzeck, H., & Chapman, S. (2012). Creating shared value as a differentiation strategy – the example of BASF in Brazil. The international journal of business in society, 12(4), 499-513.
Stenroos, L. A., & Jaakkola, E. (2010). Value co-creation within buyer-seller relationships in knowledge –intensive business services. Paper Presented at: IMP2010 Conference. Budapest, Hungary.
Swierczek, F. W., & Ha, T. T. (2007). Entrepreneurial orientation uncertainty avoidance and firm performance: an analysis of Thai and Vietnamese SMEs. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 4 (1), 46-58.
Tang, H., & Harrison, A. (2005). Liberalization of Trade: why so much controversy? [Online]. Retrieved from:
Terblanche, N. S. (2014). Some theoretical perspectives of co-creation and co-production of value by customers. Acta Commercii, 14(2), 1-8.
Thome, A. M. T., Hollmann, R. L., & Scavarda, L. F. (2014). Research synthesis in collaborative planning forecast and replenishment. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 114(6), 949-965.
Tran, T. P., & Fabrize, R. O. (2013). The effect of the foreign brand on consumer perception. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 7(2), 23-33.
Ulaga, W., & Eggert, A. (2006). Relationship value and relationship quality: broadening the nomological network of business?to?business relationships. European Journal of Marketing, 40 (3/4), 311 – 327.
Vargo, S. L., Maglio, P. P., & Akaka, M. A. (2008). On value and value co-creation: a service systems and service logic perspective. European Management Journal, 26,145-152.
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2004). Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. Journal of Marketing, 68, 1-17.
Vlachopoulou, M., & Manthou, V. (2003). Partnership alliances in virtual markets. International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 33(3), 254-267.
Wilson, D. L. T. (2012). A review of business-university collaboration [Online]. Available from:
Wong, S. H. A., Wei, L., & Tjosvold, D. (2014). Business and regulators partnerships: government and transformational leadership for constructive conflict management. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 31(2), 497-522.
Wood, D., & Gray, B. (1991). Toward a comprehensive theory of collaboration. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 27 (2), 139 – 62.
Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods. 5th edition. London: Sage Publishing.
Zuniga, P. (2011). The state of patenting at research institutions in developing countries: policy approaches and practices. WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 4. Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva.
In-Text Citation:(Pessu & Agboma, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Pessu, T. R., & Agboma, F. (2019). Undwarfing the Giant: A Shared Value Approach. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(6), 478–500.
Copyright: © 2019 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode