EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES ON THE PROACTIVE INNOVATION DIMENSIONS OF FINTECH FIRMS IN FCT, ABUJA

Abstract

The rapid expansion of fintech firms has intensified the need for organisations to develop employee capabilities that can stimulate proactive innovation; however, many fintech firms still struggle to translate employee development initiatives into opportunity exploration and idea generation. This study therefore examined the effect of employee capacity development strategies on the proactive innovation dimensions of fintech firms in FCT-Abuja, Nigeria. The study specifically investigated how skill development and mentoring and coaching influence opportunity exploration and idea generation among employees of fintech firms. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study comprised 213 employees of fintech firms in FCT-Abuja, and due to the relatively manageable size of the population, a census sampling technique was employed, making the sample size 213 respondents. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire, while reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha and validity was ensured through content validity. Data were analysed using regression analysis with the aid of SPSS version 27. The findings revealed that skill development had a significant positive effect on opportunity exploration, while mentoring and coaching significantly influenced idea generation among employees of fintech firms in FCT-Abuja. Based on these findings, the study concluded that employee capacity development strategies play a critical role in enhancing proactive innovation within fintech organisations. The study therefore recommended that fintech firms should strengthen structured skill development programmes and institutionalise mentoring and coaching practices to stimulate employees’ opportunity exploration and idea generation capabilities.