BUSINESS ETHICS REQUIRED BY OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT STUDENTS IN POLYTECHNICS IN EBONYI STATE FOR SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS.

Abstract

The study sought to ascertain the business ethics required by Office Technology and Management (OTM)students in polytechnic in Ebonyi State for successful Entrepreneurship. The study employed survey research design. Two research questions were raised and two null hypotheses were formulated that guided the study. The population comprised one hundred and twenty-two (fifty-four academic staff teaching business courses in Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana and sixty-eight registered entrepreneurship business in Ebonyi metropolis).  No sample was drawn because of the manageable size of the population. A structured questionnaire titled “Questionnaire on business ethics required for OTM students” were designed for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts from Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki and Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana. Cronbach alpha was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument with coefficient of 0.82. A four- point response type of Strongly Agreed, Agreed, Disagreed and Strongly Disagreed with 25 items were used. Mean was used to answer the research questions, standard deviation was used to determine the closeness and homogeneity of mean responses while t-test was used to test the hypotheses. Findings of the study revealed that business managers and business courses lecturers agreed to the business ethics required for successful entrepreneurs and the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in imbibing the business ethics in running their businesses. The findings further showed no significant difference in the mean ratings of business managers and lecturers on the required business ethics for successful entrepreneurship and challenges in imbibing the business ethics in their businesses. The study concluded that the success of business largely depends on how its owners hold and have respect for ethics and government policies that guides operations of the business.  It was recommended that there should be a partnership between government, management of polytechnics and entrepreneur in training OTM students on the ethical standards that guide entrepreneurship business. Government should give financial support to the graduates of OTM to enable them set up entrepreneurship business and manage it well