Changing Work Values and Labour Mobility in SMOs

In Nigeria, Small and Medium Organisations(SMOs) have contributed immensely to socio-economic development through the growth of entrepreneurship and employment generation (Ekanem & Smallbone, 2007; Onugu, 2005; Ukaegbu, 2000). Unfortunately, most SMOs are handicapped owing to low capacity for competition, inadequate resources and other problems noted by Onugu (2005)as poor management, inadequate access to finance, inadequate infrastructure, failure of policies, bureaucracy, high taxes and levies, inadequate access to modern technology, unethical competition, marketing problems leading to poor sales and non-availability of local sources of raw materials. While attempts to address these problems have not been successful,values,interpretation and perception of work have changed.This has led to a changing work force and labour mobility is high.Tradition has lost its place in the face of westernization and changing lifestyles.This work looks at the problem,reasons for mobility and coping strategies in Lagos,Nigeria.