Social Technologies for Solving Humanitarian Problems: experience of Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is give substantiations of social technologies as means of curbing the problem. In particular, the role of the media as an instrument of attraction of Nigerian young people to participate in entrepreneurship. Reflection of entrepreneurial perspectives of Nigerian youth are stated from the viewpoint of two competing theories - neoliberal and political-economic theories. The first of them provides an explanation of informal entrepreneurship as a result of rational decision of economical subjects to work in informal economics by reason of burdensome regulatory environment; the second explains the work of entrepreneurs in informal economy by insufficient state interference, limited capability of consultations and remote possibility of small business support at initial stage of its development. It is shown that in Nigeria these theories are rather complementary than competing. The clear evidence of this statement are empirical observations.

The author’s research is based on two assumptions of agenda-setting theory: the first is that the press and the media do not reflect reality, they filter and shape it; the second is that media concentration on a few issues and subjects leads the public to perceive those issues as more socially important than other issues. Based on this theory, it can be argued that if the media set proper agenda on the issue, it will have effect on construction of relative worldview attitudes of the youth. In the conclusion it is shown that entrepreneurship in Nigeria is considered as promising method of creating workplaces for unemployed school and higher education graduates, therefore attraction of young people to the entrepreneurship can tackle the humanitarian challenges that the country is facing.

Over the course of many years the governmental policy of Nigeria did not succeed in creating favorable institutional environment for the entrepreneurship development. The climate that is present there nowadays is the main deterrent in process of self-sufficiency and creation of economic autonomy, what leads to increase of unemployment, vandalism and other social defects in the young country. The media is the factor that influences on the development of the entrepreneurship by means of creating relevant discourse, which transmits values and images ascribed to entrepreneurship, encourages an entrepreneurial spirit in the society and becomes an instrument of attraction of youth to participate in entrepreneurship. Possible media technologies of support to the entrepreneurial activities are outlined, in particular: regular reporting the success stories of entrepreneurs; transmitting entrepreneurial activity values among the youth by means of creating special media product; creating documentaries with the purpose to promote the entrepreneurship and demonstrate positive dynamics of its development; stimulation the government and banking sector to give preferential credits to future entrepreneurs through the use of corresponding advertisement tools.