Impacts of industrial democracy on organizational performance (case study of selected private and public sector organizations in Lagos State, Nigeria)

This study investigated the impact of industrial democracy on organizational performance. A structured survey instrument was used to collect data from a sample of 815 workers randomly selected from purposively selected work organizations. Both male and female respondents who had spent between 3 to 10 years and above in their organizations were used as subjects for the study. Three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System (SAS 9.2). Regression Analysis and Pearson Correlation coefficient statistical were used in testing the hypotheses. Simple percentage was used to analyse the demographic information collected from the respondents. Findings revealed that industrial democracy had positive impact on organization performance with the degree of influence being 93.06%. The finding also showed that there was significant relationship between industrial democracy and employee behaviour; and that industrial democracy did not undermine management power but rather strengthened it, since it accounted for 53.60% of the total strength of management power: Fcal> Ftab (211.37> 3.8925). It is therefore recommended that management should make industrial democracy part of its policy and ensure that it is practiced to the letter for better performance of the organization and the satisfaction of the employees

Organisational Communication, The Panacea For Improved Labour Relations

This paper examined the importance of organisational communication to overall effective labour relations. It looked at organisational communication and its role in labour relations between the parties involved in Labour relations for better business procedures and relationships. It explained the importance of organisational communication in enhancing better labour relations within the organisation and with people outside the organisation. It enumerated the various groups that are involved in industrial relations and how they could use organisational communication for better industrial relations. It established the importance of organisational communication to the overall success of any organisation. Communication is vital to all human relations including labour relations but it seems to have been taken for granted or treated as inconsequential. When good organisational communication is not given its pride of place in organisation, it would affect labour relations negatively. This paper looked at the importance of organisational communication to labour relations, its effects on organisational performance, and negative effects of lack of good communication between stakeholders in labour relations and concluded that organisational communication should be properly used by all concerned in industrial relation matters for better performance of the organisation and improved labour relations both within and outside the organisation

Socio-Cultural Factor As Determinant of Female Leadership Quality; Implications for Human Resource Development

This study investigates the influence of socio-cultural factors on the leadership quality of male and female leaders in work organisations that could enhance organisational effectiveness. A descriptive survey research design method was adopted for the study. One hundred and fifty respondents from five purposefully selected work organisations were selected for the study, thirty randomly selected respondents from each workplace. 145 well filled questionnaires out of the 150 were used for data analysis. The questionnaire used as the instrument for data collection was titled: ‘Socio-Cultural Factors and Gender Leadership Quality Scale’ (SOCFGLQS). Collected data were analysed and interpreted accordingly with the aid of descriptive statistical techniques such as total scores, frequencies and percentages. The hypotheses were tested using chi-square method of data analysis at 0.05 alpha levels. Findings reveal that female mother’s instinct promotes organisational effectiveness and that female leader’s staffcenteredness positively affects organisational performance. Also, employees’ job performance is significantly influenced by male headship. This shows that right leadership quality which could be an off-shoot of society’s culture could promote organisational effectiveness, and socio-cultural factors play great role in the quality of the leader and by extension the effectiveness of the organisation. It is recommended that the socio-cultural beliefs and practices that inhibit good leadership in workplace should be discarded and with good leadership training and holistic re-orientation, male and female leaders would perform maximally to enhance better relationship in the workplace for effective organisation performance.

IMPACT OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT ON EMPLOYEES'PERFORMANCE IN A PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATION IN NIGERIA.

This study investigated the impact of conflict management on employees’ performance in a public sector organisation, a case of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). This study adopted the survey research design. A total of 100 respondents were selected for the study using stratified sampling technique. Questionnaire was used to collect primary data. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. Hypotheses were tested through regression analysis and correlation coefficient. The findings revealed that effective conflict management enhance employee’s performance in an organisation and that organisation’s conflict management system influences employee performance in the organisation. It was recommended that organisation should embark on training and retraining of its employees in area of conflict management so as to create a conductive working environment for the employees and that there should be efficient and effective communication between and among all categories of the employees the organisation. This will reduce conflicting situations in the organisation

Influence of Effective Communication and Compensation Management on Employees’ Engagement in Some Selected Financial Institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of effective communication and compensation management on employees’ engagement in some selected financial institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. Employee Engagement is an important business approach for organisational success because high level of employee engagement in both private and public sector improve employees’ performance and organisational productivity. The survey research design method was adopted for the study and a total of 150 respondents were selected using random sampling techniques. Data were collected through the use of Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Scale developed by Gallup (2013), effective communication scale adopted from the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) in Dilys, Sarah, and Sue, (2003) and Employee Satisfaction Scale in Crossley, Bennett, Jex, & Burnfield, (2007) to measure compensation management. The data collected were analyzed using statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) which include descriptive analysis of demographic information using pie chart and simple percentage. Linear regression analysis and Pearson correlation were used to test the three hypotheses that were generated for the study at 0.01 alpha levels of significance. The study concluded that effective communication and compensation management have significant positive effect on employees’ engagement. Moreover, the findings also revealed that employees’ engagement is significantly related to organisational performance. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that organisations should increase employee engagement by going beyond downward communication and making sure that people are not just treated as employees; instead they should be treated as valued employees. Keywords: Effective communication, compensation management, employee engagement, organisational productivit

Impact of Unionisation and Non-Unionisation of Workers on Organisational Efficiency in Southwestern Nigeria

This study investigates the influence of unionisation and non-unionisation of workers on the efficiency of workplaces in Southwestern Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design method was adopted for the study. Two hundred and ten (210) respondents from seven different organisations were selected using the 1978 World Health Organisations (WHO) 30 by 70 cluster survey technique. Questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection. The questionnaire was titled: Impact of Unionisation and Nonunionisation of Workers on Organisational Efficiency Scale (IUNWOES). Collected data were analysed, summarised, and interpreted accordingly with the aid of descriptive statistical techniques such as total score and simple percentage. Analysis of variance, linear regression and t-test statistical methods were used to test all the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha levels. Findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between organisational efficiency and non-unionisation in both public and private sectors. There was no significant relationship between organisational efficiency and unionisation in public and private sectors. Organisational efficiency was less significantly linked to workers’ unionisation. The finding also showed that workers performed their tasks not because they were union members but because of their interests in their jobs and other factors like leadership style and reward systems. As a result of these findings, it is recommended that appropriate leadership styles should be used at all times and that workers should be beautifully rewarded to spur them to perform optimally for overall organisational efficiency. Howbeit, where the national labour policy allows unionisation, workers should be allowed to join unions. In organisations where unionisation is prohibited, workers should be well treated to enhance their welfare and promote organisational efficiency

Retinoblastoma - A Clinico - Pathological Study in Ilorin, Nigeria*

Retinoblastoma is the commonest childhood primary malignant intraocular neoplasm that is often characterized by spontaneous regression. They display photoreceptor differentiation. This study provides the clinical presentations and histological profiles of retinoblastoma in Ilorin, Kwara \u2013 State, in the North Central geo-political zone of Nigeria. A retrospective study of clinically and histologically verified retinoblastoma at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara \u2013 State, Nigeria from January 1989 to December 2000 was undertaken. The clinical and histological features were analyzed using the patient's case folder and surgical pathology records. There were 20 patients, 9 males and 11 females (M:F ratio 1: 1.2), age range from 5 1/2 months to 6 years with 23 eyeball tumours histologically confirmed retinoblastoma during the study period. Proptosis with chemosis was the most common clinical presentation (84.6%). Bilaterality was 15% in this study. Enucleation and Exenteration combined with chemotherapy were offered to 15 (75%) and 5 (25%) patients respectively. A poorly differentiated type with extensive areas of tumour necrosis was the commonest histological pattern. Thirteen (65%) of the patients died before completing the course of chemotherapy

Developmental expression of retinoic acid receptors (RARs)

Here, I review the developmental expression features of genes encoding the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and the 'retinoid X' or rexinoid receptors (RXRs). The first detailed expression studies were performed in the mouse over two decades ago, following the cloning of the murine Rar genes. These studies revealed complex expression features at all stages of post-implantation development, one receptor gene (Rara) showing widespread expression, the two others (Rarb and Rarg) with highly regionalized and/or cell type-specific expression in both neural and non-neural tissues. Rxr genes also have either widespread (Rxra, Rxrb), or highly-restricted (Rxrg) expression patterns. Studies performed in zebrafish and Xenopus demonstrated expression of Rar and Rxr genes (both maternal and zygotic), at early pre-gastrulation stages. The eventual characterization of specific enzymes involved in the synthesis of retinoic acid (retinol/retinaldehyde dehydrogenases), or the triggering of its catabolism (CYP26 cytochrome P450s), all of them showing differential expression patterns, led to a clearer understanding of the phenomenons regulated by retinoic acid signaling during development. Functional studies involving targeted gene disruptions in the mouse, and additional approaches such as dominant negative receptor expression in other models, have pinpointed the specific, versus partly redundant, roles of the RARs and RXRs in many developing organ systems. These pleiotropic roles are summarized hereafter in relationship to the receptors’ expression patterns

Multiferroic phase transition near room temperature in BiFeO3 films

In multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films grown on highly mismatched LaAlO3 substrates, we reveal the coexistence of two differently distorted polymorphs that leads to striking features in the temperature dependence of the structural and multiferroic properties. Notably, the highly distorted phase quasi-concomitantly presents an abrupt structural change, transforms from a hard to a soft ferroelectric and transitions from antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic at 360+/-20 K. These coupled ferroic transitions just above room temperature hold promises of giant piezoelectric, magnetoelectric and piezomagnetic responses, with potential in many applications fields

A mixed methods evaluation of an integrated training package for skin neglected tropical diseases in Kaduna and Ogun, Nigeria

Background: The overall burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affecting the skin is undetermined. Skin conditions are among the top 10 causes of disability worldwide. Affected persons seek treatment at advanced stages of the disease, resulting in morbidity and disability. We developed and evaluated an integrated training intervention for early case detection, referral and management of skin NTDs in two states in Nigeria. Methods: This was a mixed-methods study using participatory approaches to develop specific skin algorithms and training packages for community and primary level health workers. This supported the identification, referral and clinical diagnosis of suspected cases. We used Kirkpatrick's model to evaluate the training package. Results: Participants’ knowledge improved after the 2-months intervention. Across both states, knowledge retention appeared more robust for cadres at all levels: state, local government area and primary healthcare. All (100%) participants mentioned that the training assisted them in detecting, referring and managing skin NTDs. Training was understood by participants and training materials were easy to understand. Materials were also effective in educating community members about the symptoms of NTDs and supported referral to facilities for appropriate management. Conclusions: Community implementers can be trained and supervised to detect people affected by skin NTDs and support appropriate management within the existing patient care pathway