The Chief Executive Officer of Extension Publications Limited, Chief Sunday Omoniyi Obiyinka, has made history as the second Nigerian to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Publishing and Copyright Studies.
Professor O.A. Okwilagwe was the first Nigerian to earn a PhD in publishing from Stirling University, Scotland, over two decades ago.
Obiyinka, a prominent member of the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), was the first to earn a degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
He recently defended his thesis, “Production Quality, Professional Commitment, and Marketing Strategies as Determinants of Book Sales Performance of Educational Publishers in Southwestern Nigeria,” under the Department of Library, Archival, and Information Studies, specifically within the Publishing and Copyright Unit.
Supervised by Associate Professor Dr. Clement Adeniyi Akangbe, Obiyinka’s research offers fresh insights into the factors influencing book sales performance among educational publishers in southwest Nigeria.
The thesis highlights the critical role of production quality—content and form—and the professional commitment of sales representatives in driving book sales. The study found that marketing strategies had a lesser impact on sales performance.
Key takeaways from Obiyinka’s study
• Strong Sales Despite Challenges, which indicates that educational publishers in Southwestern Nigeria maintained high sales performance due to the exceptional quality of their books.
• Professional Commitment Gaps noted that sales representatives showed emotional attachment to their roles but lacked a deep organisational commitment, which may pose long-term challenges for workforce stability.
• Adoption of technology means that publishers have effectively utilised technology to reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction, ensuring competitiveness in the market.
• Production Quality and Commitment as Sales Drivers: This indicated that production quality and professional dedication were the main drivers of sales, while marketing strategies had a more limited impact.
Dr Obiyinka Recommends…
In his recommendations for the industry, Dr. Obiyinka advised publishers to strengthen logistical and promotional support for their sales teams, enforce rigorous quality control at all production stages, and enhance staff welfare to boost professional commitment.
He also encouraged greater adoption of modern technology to complement traditional marketing methods.
Dr. Obiyinka’s research in the field emphasised the critical importance of production quality and staff commitment in achieving sales success while downplaying the role of marketing strategies alone.
His findings offer a practical framework for educational publishers seeking to improve internal processes and enhance sales performance.
Dr. Obiyinka’s work significantly contributes to academia and the publishing industry.
