STRATEGIC INFLUENCE OF PROMOTIONAL MIX ON ORGANISATION SALE TURNOVER IN THE FACE OF STRONG COMPETITORS

This paper aim at study strategic influence of promotional mix on organisation sale turnover in manufacturing organisation. The research data were gathered through the use of secondary data and primary data, secondary data included 6years annual report comprising the sales turnover (2005-2009) and questionnaire which is an instrument of primary data collection. The questionnaires were administered to the workers of 7up Company and some customers in Solebo Estate in Lagos. The researcher adopted the simple percentage and regression model for the analysis of the collected data.. The result of the findings revealed that strategic promotional mix influences the sale turnover with little 25% while other variable not included in the variable tested takes the larger 75% that will rapidly lead to organisation growth. Since promotional mix constitute few % of variable that can push an organisation to the highest level, therefore other factors of marketing mix such as product development, effective pricing, distribution of right quality and quantity to the consumers should be appropriately considered.Strategic promotional mix, Marketing mix, Regression Model, push and pull strategy.

E- Banking in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges

The aim of this study was to assess issues and challenges of e-banking in Nigeria. The specific objectives were to ascertain the effect of e-banking on workers, job security in Nigeria banking industry, examine the relationship between e- banking and quality of service delivery of commercial banks in Nigeria, evaluate the relationship between e-banking and security of financial transactions and to find out if e-banking influences customers satisfaction in the Nigerian banking industry. The survey and descriptive research design were adopted in the methodology of the study. The population consists of all the customers and staff of three selected banks branches in the Benin metropolis. A sample of three hundred respondents was selected using the convenience random sampling techniques. The study employs primary data using questionnaires as the research instrument. The data analysis was carried out using summary statistics and ordinary least square regression analysis. The study findings indicate that employees’ job security has a positive relationship with E-banking and significantly influence E-banking in Nigeria; customers’ satisfaction was ascertained to have a positive relationship with e-banking and also influence e-banking penetration in Nigeria; security of financial transactions was found to have a positive relationship with e-banking, it however had inverse significant impact on e-banking; services delivery has a positive relationship with e-banking. It is therefore recommended that for effective e-banking penetration, investors education and marketing of e-banking products should be the key strategy banks should use to attract more customers towards embracing e-banking and increasing security for e-banking products, reduction of charges on e-banking products and increasing more ATM outlets in Nigeria as part of measures towards enhancing quality services delivery and promotion of e-banking as this will further enhance the recent need for financial inclusion as part of the monetary policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Keywords: E-banking, job security, service delivery, customers’ satisfaction and security of e-banking financial transactions

Stock market development and economic growth of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South African (BRICS) Nations: An empirical research

BRICS connotes five main emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are particularly distinguished as nations experiencing expanded market opportunities and countries discovered to be at stages of newly advanced economic development. This paper assesses the stock market development and economic growth in these BRICS nations. In doing this, quarterly time series data from 1994 to 2014 was sourced from World Bank Indicators. The Panel Generalized method based on the fixed effect estimation was employed to determine how stock market development affects the economic growth of BRICS. Diagnostic tests were conducted to ascertain the robustness and stability of the regression results after carrying out the unit root calculations. The findings reveal that stock market development exerts significant impact on the economic growth. The study further reveals that there was a positive correlation between stock market development indicators and BRICS’s economic growth. It is therefore proposed that the weaknesses of each of the BRICS member countries should be taken as policy focus and strategies necessary to strengthen them should be swiftly applied by their respective governments

Empirical Assessment on Financial Regulations and Banking Sector Performance

This study examines financial regulation and banking sector performance in Nigeria. Specifically, the study determines the impact of reforms on banking sector performance and also assesses the nexus between capital adequacy and banking sector performance. Time series data for the period 1993 to 2014 was used. As an analytical tool, the study uses unit root test to determine the stationary state of the variables. We also employed the Johansson co-integration and error correction model (ECM) statistical techniques to establish both short-run and long-run dynamic relationships between the endogenous and exogenous variables. The empirical findings indicate that financial regulation significantly impacts the banking sector performance while financial regulation has both short-run and long-run dynamic relationships with the banking sector performance in Nigeria. It was found that the four-period lag of capital adequacy negatively affects banking sector performance and is not statistically significant. The paper suggests that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should continually make public the impacts that the various financial regulations and reforms have on the performance of Nigerian banks. Majority of the policies on financial regulation by the apex bank (CBN) need to be long-run which can enable confidence of stakeholders, shareholders and the general public in the Nigerian banking industry when critically evaluated

Sulforaphane response on aluminum-induced oxidative stress, alterations in sperm characterization and testicular histomorphometry in Wistar rats

Background: The exposure of male individual to environmental toxicant is regarded as a channel that results in reduced sperm counts and infertility. Objective: This study investigated the ameliorative response of Sulforaphane (SFN) on Aluminum trichloride (AlCl3) induced testicular toxicity in adult male Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: A total of 32 adult male Wistar rats (180-200 gm between 8-10 wk) were divided into four groups (n = 8/each). Group A) received distilled water orally as placebo; Group B) received 100 mg/kgbw AlCl3 only orally; Group C) received 100 mg/kgbw AlCl3 and 100 mg/kgbw SFN orally; and Group D) received 100 mg/kgbw SFN only orally. After 28 days of experiment, animals underwent cervical dislocation, blood serum was obtained for analysis, and testes were harvested for biochemical assays, histology, hormonal profile, and sperm characterization. Results: The sperm parameters showed a significant difference within the AlCl3 only group compared with the control and SFN only groups (p = 0.02). However, AlCl3 and SFN co-treatment showed improvement in the motility, viability, and sperm count compared with the AlCl3 only group (p = 0.02). Furthermore, there was a significant decline in the levels of hormones profile and antioxidant status in AlCl3 only group compared to the control and SFN only (p = 0.02). The testicular histoarchitecture of the AlCl3 only group showed shrinkage of seminiferous tubules, spermatogenesis disruption, and empty lumen compared to the control and SFN only groups. Conclusion: The present study revealed the ameliorative response of SFN on AlCl3-induced testicular toxicity on serum hormone profiles, antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation, and histomorphometric analysis through oxidative stress. Key words: Sulforaphane, Aluminum trichloride, Oxidative stress, Testis, Histology

Investigating Structural Breaks in Selected Finance-Growth Variables in Nigeria. A Saikkonen and Lutkepohl (2002) Approach

The need to identify point of break in economic variables cannot be over emphasized and thus, the need for this study to investigate the point of structural break in some selected financial sector variables in Nigeria using the Saikkonen-Lutkepohl (2002) method. The study identifies years 2008 as point of break for private sector credit ratio to GDP and Broad money supply ratio, 1986 for GDP per capita, 2007 for Market capitalization ratio, 2006 for Liquidity ratio, 2001 for investment ratio and 2005 for openness ratio. The study recommends that structural breaks should be considered in any finance-growth modeling to avoid spurious results which may ultimately lead to wrong or inappropriate policy formulation and may be counterproductive to the objective of economic growth and financial development