Abstract
This project work ‘Design and Development of a Virtual Community for
Collaboration on Businesses and Projects’ was aimed at creating a computer based
platform to empower entrepreneurs/freelancers and organisations by
interconnecting them to each other as sponsors, collaborators, teams and investors
for productivity and progress in business. The project work is also aimed at
improvement of the quality of employees and contractors engaged in
business/work/office, increasing productivity – breaking the geo-location
limitations, create efficient project management and collaboration, socialise the
business world. The project has the following objectives; creating a possibility of
hiring people and services nationwide, provide support for advertisement and
publications, possibility of scheduling and holding meetings online or physically
nationwide and also support sharing and view of the activities of users/accounts on
the platform. The project analysed the platform, system requ
1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
I have been told and have also experienced that one of the major challenges to
us as humans are lack of co-operatives and collaborations being alone. Whether
in a business venture, academic pursuit this limitation has a huge effect on
productivity at this present age and time.There?s an increased rate of business
start-ups, increased number of graduates from various institutions and growing
entrepreneurs who have great ideas, strategies, talents, skills, potentials but not
everyone can/should start up solely. When it comes to business, co-operation is
very key to growth, productivity and success, there?s someone somewhere that
can fill in or even improve a business with what they know and can do. These
people due to wrong orientation, ideology and misconceptions venture and run
their businesses with great duress. And by business I mean what someone
does/provides as goods or as service that is/forms the source of income.
This report is on a virtual community as a business solution especially to the
start-ups, entrepreneurs, freelancers. This platform was developed and designed
by me, Sochima James Obele. Virtual communities have being implemented as
solutions in various areas as socializing, promotion, marketing, publicity and
scouting. It?s an important platform that can be implemented in business to
provide solutions, collaborations, innovations, advancements and connections
which also play stands as a big part of almost everything we do beyond
business. It has a great potential of providing human resources where and when
needed which are of great importance.
This platform has also been used to source additional income to emloyees and
also an avenue for educated unemployed persons to earn a living and even also
help channel their mind towards creating self-employment opportunities.
Productivity is key player very important in the Nigerian economy.
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The problems which prompted this project work can be viewed from the
following perspectives:
Limitations in productivity in Nigeria.
Limitations in business opportunities especially start-ups in Nigeria.
Limitations to business growth; the place for collaborators and investors.
2
Limitations in human resources management in terms of hiring individual or
organisations fit for the jobs and tasks.
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This project work on the development and design of a Virtual Community has is
to provide a platform in form of a virtual community to facilitate businesses in
Nigeria and that through that create/ provide them with opportunities for
progress, growth, success, collaboration, connections and learning.
The objectives are:
Hiring of products and services of users.
Adverts placements and viewing for users.
Activity sharing by users viewable by other users.
Business connection creation within users.
Meetings schedule meetings for using respective meeting centres in Nigeria.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
Developing a virtual community for businesses is of significance and benefit to
humanity as it will help increase employment nationwide and also make human
resources available.
? Improved Connectivity: Users will be able to connect to people or
establishments with like minds/ideologies/visions nationwide despite the
distance. This can also help track and stop fraudulent practices.
? Inspiration: The product is intended to inspire and motivate people with
business ideas but no fund or support to make a good start and enhance
start-ups to make a good start and thrive in their businesses.
? Collaboration: It will also bring/promote business collaboration, which
will enable people from various firms or establishments work together
and co-operate, to learn from each other, grow together, take on projects
and hold meetings.
? Mentorship: Users will be able to enhance and correct their business
ideology as they learn and stand on the shoulders of the fore runners in
their type of business to create successful, service oriented and solutiondriven businesses.
? Availability of Resources: The business skills and resources needed and
required will be accessible and obtainable to business people and the
corporate world at large. The platform would allow community evalution
of user?s accounts plus system records that can help guide others right.