Budgeting as a Tool for Service Improvement in Telecommunication Industries in Nigeria

1.0 Introduction

Budgeting is the most important techniques whereby long-term strategies are converted into short-term action plans. Every organization including telecommunication requires not only planning but also a well co-ordinated plan to improve the quality of service was rendered to their customers in order to achieve the organization goals.

Budgeting as a predetermined objectives, represents what is most likely to happen after a careful consideration of the priorities of the company and the constraints of the company. It provides a standard for comparism with the result actually achieved.

According to the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), “A budget is a financial or qualitative statements prepared and approved prior to a defined period of time, of the policy to be pursued during that period for the purpose of attaining a given objectives. Thus budgets and the resulting variance would serves as a guide to current operation and service improvement in the telecom industries.

This study would review budgeting and service improvement in telecom industries as follows:

1. Historical development of budget/budgeting
2. Meaning of budgeting
3. The purpose of budgeting
4. Conditions necessary for a successful budgeting
5. Process of budgeting
6. Classification of budgets
7. Budgeting control system
8. Budgeting techniques
9. The introduction of telecom services
10. Types of service provided by telecom industries
11. Reasons for poor quality services
12. Strategies for service improvement
13. The impact of budgeting on telecom service improvement in Nigeria

1.1 Historical Background of Case Study

The historical background of MTN Nigeria Plc, according to Ezeifedi (2009) was launched on may 16th, 2001 as part of the MTN group Africa and become the first GSM network operator. The company started its commercial operation on the GSM network at Lagos as it's headquarter, followed by Abuja, Portharcourt, Enugu, Owerri and other states in the country.

In January 2001, MTN paid for one of the GSM license in Nigeria at US $85 million and as at date, in excess of $1.8 billion has been invested in building mobile telecommunication infrastructure in Nigeria. Since August 2001 MTN moved it's services across Nigeria and providing services in not less than 223 cities and more than 10,000 villages across the 36 states of the country (Nigeria) and the federal capital territory Abuja.

According to Ezeifedi (2009:9), “the company introduced yellow Balm in January 2003 which was commissioned by the former president Olusewgun Obasanjo. This digital microwave transmission was the most extensive in infrastructure in all of Africa which helps to enhance call quality on MTN Network.

He further say that “in the year 2004, MTN expanded its network coverage or capacity from the number prefix 0803 to 0806 as the first GSM operator to have adopted an additional numbering system. In 2007, its network capacity was further expanded to 0703 and 0706, and finally in 2009 0813.

MTN Nigeria Plc also introduced a self help toll-free 181 customer care line through which subscribers can resolve their frequently asked questions free of charge.

MTN's overriding mission is to be catalyst for Nigeria's economic growth and developmental potentials not only through the provision of world class communication but also through innovative and sustainable corporate social responsibility initiative.

---

1.2 Problem Analysis

Since the inception of information and communication technology, those involve in planning and control in telecommunication industries needs information about budgeting that will be a guiding principle towards their service improvement.

Some telecommunication industries in Nigeria are finding it difficult to grow because of their inability to plan and include in their budgets those strategies, tactics and actions required for service improvement. It is necessary to imply budgeting in order to maintain their standard.

These means that if a sound and effective budgeting system is applied to these telecommunication industries, the effect will be positive.

---

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The theme of this study is budgeting as a tool on service improvement in telecommunication industries in Nigeria. The objective set to achieved in the study including:

1. To identify the historical development of budgets/budgeting
2. To give the meaning of budgeting
3. The purpose of budgeting
4. The purpose of budgeting
5. Conditions necessary for a successful budgeting
6. Process of budgeting
7. Classification of budgets
8. Budgeting control system
9. Budgeting techniques
10. The introduction of telecommunication services
11. Types of service provided by telecommunication industries
12. Reasons for poor quality services
13. Strategies for service improvement
14. The impact of budgeting on telecommunication service improvement in Nigeria.

---

1.4 Relevant Research Questions

1. Will the staff of MTN Nigeria Plc able to give the historical background of budgets/budgeting.
2. Will they be able to give the meaning of budgeting
3. Will they be able to give the purpose of budgeting
4. Will the staff of MTN Nigeria Plc be able to give the condition necessary for a successful budgeting?
5. Will they be able to give the process of budgeting
6. Will the staffs of MTN Nigeria Plc be able to give the classification of budget
7. Will they be able to give the budgetary control system
8. Will they be able to give the budgeting techniques
9. Will the staff of MTN Nigeria Plc be able to give the introduction of telecommunication services
10. Will they be able to give the types of services provided by the telecommunication industries
11. Will they be able to give reasons for poor quality service?
12. Will the staff of MTN Nigeria Plc be able to give the strategies for service improvement
13. Will they be able to give the impact of budgeting on telecommunication service improvement in Nigeria?

---

1.5 Statement of Hypothesis

Ho: there was no significant relationship between budgeting and serviced improvement in telecommunication industries.

Hi: there was significant relationship between budgeting and service improvement in telecommunication industries.

Ho: there was no major deviation between budgeting and service improvement in telecommunication industries in Nigeria.

Hi: there was major deviation between budgeting and service improvement in telecommunication industries in Nigeria.

---

1.6 Limitation of the Study

The research work is to examine the budgeting and service improvement in telecommunication industries in Nigeria with particular reference to MTN Nigeria Plc Owerri.

There was reserved altitude of some MTN staff, some felt reluctant in replying their question while some were strictly conscious of the answers they provides. The level of education of some staff was low to expectation. Inspite of all these frustrating factors, this project was carried out successfully.

---

1.7 Assumptions

In the process of this work, the assumption made include the following which has not been tested or proved by the researcher.

1. That budgeting will not have a negative affect towards the service improvement in telecommunication industries.
2. That the standard set in the budget will provide strategies on how to improve service in telecommunication industries.

---

1.8 Significance of the Study

1. This study will help the company to widen its scope that budgeting will play a vital role towards service improvement.
2. This study will also encourage more students to take up a study on Accounting as it unfolds the challenges and duties that await them in the nearest future.
3. It will be use for academic purpose and acts as a reference for student of accountancy, Business Administration and Management and other related discipline.

---

1.9 Definition of Terms

Budget:

According to Osondu (2004), A budget can be defined as a financial or quantitative statements, prepared and approved prior to a defined period of time, of the policy to be pursued during that period for the purpose attaining a given objectives.

Budgeting:

Okezie and Osondu (2005) define budgeting as the process of efficiently allocating scarce resources to unlimited objective. It is a form of transformed planning of its firms operations.

Improvement: According to Hornby (1995) improvement is been defined as a positive change or effect additional value.

Service:

Hornby (1995) defines service as a system or an arrangement, work done by a company that meet the public needs.

Telecommunication: according to Hornby (1995) telecommunication is seen as communication or communicating through the radio, telephone, television and cables.

Industry:

Hornby (1995) defines industry to be commercial activities that provides serviced to the people.

Budgetary control: according to Nsofor (2009), budgetary control is about making plans for the future and making activities conform to the plan.

Planning:

Nsofor (2009) defines planning as the formulation of a programme of operations and activities in a manner comprehensive enough top cover all phases of operations and detailed enough to grant specific attention to the fulfillment of the programmes in controllable segments.

Control:

According to Infurueze (2007), control involves comparing actual result with plans, approving result against performance standards and devising effective means of measuring operations.

Budgeting techniques: a variety of measures have evolved over time to analyze budgeting request.

…