ACCESS AND USE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES BY MARKET WOMEN IN CHECHENIYA MARKET KADUNA.

ACCESS AND USE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES AND SERVICES BY MARKET WOMEN IN CHECHENIYA MARKET KADUNA. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Information means Informing or to be informed or told news or be knowledgeable. According to Mohammed as cited by Muyiwa (2014), information can be conceived as anything that adds to our existing knowledge, ideas, skills and experiences positively or negatively. It enables us to take decisions or react to situations immediately or later at an appropriate time Bello (2006) defined Information as “any idea or organized data, principles, laws, policies etc generated through human interaction, for harmonious co-existence and correlation, survival and continuity of human race. Information has always played an important role in the governance of people’s everyday lives. Information is an important resource, and if well utilized, it can contribute to the improvement of most professions and indeed the lives of many people. The increase in the amount of information available as well as the different formats in which it comes poses a lot of challenges in the way different people look for this information. Miller as cited in Case (2016), observes that information is any stimuli that people recognize in the environment. This stimulus should be something that provokes a person or thing. In addition, McCredie and Rice as cited in Case (2016) argued that information must be considered as a resource, that which can be manipulated. One of the cardinal groups which require information to progress is that of marketers. As marketers, income earners, mothers and family caretakers, women are a critical link in achieving food security. Information is critical in their businesses as well as everyday life (Government Republic of Kenya and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, 1988). Tahir, Mahmood, and Shafique (2018) further agreed by stating that people are living in an information era, as this information has become the most important element of progress in society. Therefore, for marketers to thrive in this modern era, they need a variety of information to conduct their businesses effectively. In view of the above arguments, it is imperative to understand what kind of information female marketers need as well as how they look for this information. Information resource (IRs) is a term that has no accepted universal definition. Adewunmi as cited by Muyiwa (2014) defined it as media bearing materials which exist in various formats both print and electronic formats. However, IRs provides intellectual stimulation to the users, it includes books, periodicals, newspapers, pamphlets, ephemera, audio-visual materials, graphics, computers etc as well as individuals and objects in the society. They bear information which enables the information centers to fulfill its goals of meeting the information needs of its users and also to carry out their functions effectively. The access and use of the IRs is the function of how well the resources are organized and made accessible for use. Uhegbu (2007) observed that the use of IRs differ from person to person, and from one organization to another according to their information needs, accessibility and function performed. Markets are created as a source of obtaining goods and services that will satisfy the people’s needs and wants, the number of people in a market determines the potential buyers and the size of the market for that item. Markets environment is characterized by high rate of changes in the business world. To survive in the dynamic competitive retail business environment, a retailer must learn to manage change effectively by being capable of making good management decisions, these decisions however are based on the availability of information. Market women are the traders that directly or indirectly dependent on proceed of the market income for its livelihood on the proceedings of the market sales. They are involved in a lot of activities of which business transaction constitute greater percentage. For market women to effectively and successful carry out business enterprises, information is needed. Today, women have access to almost unlimited amount of information sales demographics, economic trends, competitive data, consumer behavior, etc. before going far, it is proper to define some of the key terms used. The oxford English Dictionary defines information as “knowledge communicated concerning some particular fact, subject or event of which one is appraised or told; intelligence, news.” Information use could be defined as the ability to recognize the extent and nature of information need located and put to use. Market women are individuals who engage in buying and selling of financial assets in any financial market, either for herself or on behalf of another person or institution. Marketers exchange various items for money. The marketers in Kaduna North Local government comprises of people from different ethnic backgrounds and geo-political locations, such as Hausa, Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Ebira, Igala, Tiv, Bendel, Niger, Senegal, Chad, Ghana, etc. they all trade in various products and services which include: clothes, jewelries, food items, etc. these marketers formed various unions within the market. Information is needed in all spheres of life to facilitate decision making and engender progress. People need information about new development and techniques on different fields. Abdulsalami (2013) stated that information is essential to any organization as it directly supports business activities of both the management and operational levels; similarly, O’Brien (2006) observed that information supports every aspect of business activities. For example, marketing managers needs information about sales performance and trends. Financial managers need information concerning financial cost and investment returns etc. the life of enterprises depends on its ability to identify fluctuation on new techniques and have the capacity to meet changing demand by the application of those techniques. As such, Abubakar (2018) postulates that current information is needed to make decisions. The business world, he notes is such a competitive type which requires information professionals to generate. Carey (2010) wrote that information is the back-bone of every society, any society without means of communication or where people don’t pass out ideas’ he said of course such society would have problems of development, Suleiman (2012) also said information for some is knowledge about a subject, something that can be used to improve the performance of other activities which also helps market women in Checheniya market to improve their business and day-to-day activities in the society; it does not include acts and entertainments for others, he said, information is something that is manually processed and consumed, either to improve other people performance of other activities (such as production) or for personal enjoyment. It would include anything that has to do with sensation, directives, exposure and ways of doing things made available in records or oral form. 1.1.1 Historical Background of Checheniya Market The Checheniya Market is the third market that is closed to Sheik Abubakar Gumi Central Market Extension and the foundation stone was laid by his Excellency, the former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Col. LawalJa’afar Isa on the 14th day of December, 1994. Maisamari, M. (Personal Communication, April 5, 2019) claimed that on the completion of the market, traders were struggling to rent the shop for business purposes. During this period, the Soviet Union was at war with Checheniya. So the agents and traders decided to name it Checheniya Market. The name got so popular that even the government in their official correspondence now call the market Checheniya market instead of its official name. The market comprises of seventy (70) shops. More also, utilities and toilets, overhead and underground water tanks, road network and well-designed drainage and waste disposal systems are provided in the market. In terms of security and sanitation, relevant private organizations are engaged. Furthermore, in order to make business atmosphere more conducive and attractive in the market, facilities like banks, market clinic, fire alarm, fire brigade unit, police post, solar generated street lights, restaurants, business centre and vehicle parking lots are all provided. 1.2 Statement of Problem Checheniya market is one of the market in Kaduna state that is mostly patronized by people from different location within Kaduna metropolis comprising Tudunwada, Sabo Tasha, UnguwanRimi, Kawo, and Igabi local government Areas. The status of this market makes it important that the flow of information in the market supposed to be without hindrance. Kaduna State as a whole has been center of learning, there are many educational and academic institutions in Kaduna state therefore, information is of paramount importance to the market women as to know the needs of their customers so as to transact the right business at the right time. Like many other Nigeria markets, Checheniya market have some seasonal wares and material, if the business women do not have information about particular business, they may enter into a wrong business at a point in time, so information is needed to transact the right business at the right time. Construction and building of stall and shops are done inside the market without adequate information on how and where to build without their shops, thereby causing obstruction and hindrance for flow of transportation and passage, all these needs adequate information. There are always incessant of fire out break within the market and many shops and warehouse are destroyed, these are happening because of inadequate or enough information though ignorance. 1.3 Research Questions The following are the research questions for this study: 1. What type of information resources do market women need in Checheniya market, Kaduna? 2. What are the sources of the information resources market woman use in Checheniya market, Kaduna? 3. How did the market women access the needed information resources in Checheniya market, Kaduna? 4. How did the market women utilize the information resources? 5. What are the effects of using the information resources in business transaction? 1.4 Objectives of the Study The general objective of this study is to investigate the attitudes and behaviours of market women towards information and to identify information sources commonly used by them and how information gotten has influenced their decisions. Specifically, the objectives of the study are to: Find out the information needs of market women in Checheniya market, Kaduna. Identify the information sources consulted by market women Determine the degree of effect of information on business decisions of market women. Evaluate the relationship between information use and women decision making. Determine the rightful information resources needed by the market women in Checheniya market, Kaduna state. 1.5 Significant of the Study However, good business will not grow well without information resources. Information in trading is supposed to enlighten the market women about the new brand of products, new price, and security availability. It has been observed by the researcher that most market women in Checheniya market do not have access to information since they have no radio, television, and majority could not read nor write, they have no access to information through newspaper. They only depend on information given by their colleagues orally. Base on this, the study therefore highlight the types of information need and how they will access such information. 1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study The study covers the access and use of information resources and services by market women in Checheniya market Kaduna. 1.7 Operational Definition of Terms 1. Access: The right or opportunity to have or use something that will bring you benefits 2. Information: information can be define as an assemblage of data in a comprehensive form recorded on paper or some other mediums and capable of communication. 3. Information Resource: Information resources are defined as the data and information used by an organization. Examples of information resources are databases with customer purchase information. 4. Resources: An economic or productive factor required to accomplish an activity, or as means to undertake an enterprise and achieve desired outcome.  5. Market: A market is a place where two parties can gather to facilitate the exchange of goods and services. The parties involved are usually buyers and sellers. The market may be physical like a retail outlet, where people meet face-to-face, or virtual like an online market, where there is no direct physical contact between buyers and sellers. 6. Market Woman: A woman that brings things to market or that attends a market for selling anything. REFERENCES Abdulsalami T. L. (2013). Information Accessibility and Use by Dealers of Nigerian Bottling Company Plc. Kaduna Plant. PelagiRerch Library. Journal of Advanced and Applied Science Research (JAA) USA. 4 (1) 16-57. Abdulsalami T. L. and Paulina F. S. and Tawal D. S. (2013). Information Sourcing and Use among Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in Kogi State, Nigeria for knowledge Society. African Library Sentinel (ALS). Journal for Library and Information Science (JLIS) UNN Nsukka 2(2) 18-41. Abubakar, M. (2018). 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