Does the cost of energy matter for innovation? The effects of energy prices on SME innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Energy and environment has gained traction within the field of entrepreneurship literature but a comprehensive empirical study that examines the relationship between the cost of energy and small and medium sized enterprises (SME) innovation is an omission. Therefore, this novel study examines the relationship between the cost of energy and SMEs innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by first examining the differential impact of the various generation sources on the price of electric energy. This research has enabled us to investigate and understand the transmission mechanism of increasing/decreasing electricity price on innovation decisions and activities of SMEs in SSA. Using quantitative approach, with the data from the World Bank Enterprise and Innovation Follow-up Surveys, the study utilises a Tobit model to test whether the generation mix (renewable and non-renewable generation sources) increases or decreases electricity prices and examine the impact of the cost of electric energy on SMEs innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings of this study shows that cost of electricity affect negatively on SMEs innovation decision and activities of SMEs in SSA. The impact of renewables on price of electricity has a larger magnitude relative to that of non-renewables. This finding has implications for policy makers promoting renewable energy without a policy design to tackle the unintended price effect of promoting renewable energy This is the first study to introduce cost of energy into an innovation model and to empirically examine the role of cost of energy for innovation activities of SMEs in SSA. Further, it examines the sources of generation on electricity price in SSA. The study contributes towards the empirical literature and the findings also have implication for policy makers regarding the unintended consequences of promoting the transition to low carbon electricity generation sources on SMEs via the cost of doing business implication

Care home practitioners’ perceptions of the barriers and facilitators for using off-the-shelf gaming technology with people with dementia

Off-the-shelf digital gaming technology has been shown to support the well-being of people with dementia. Yet, to date, it is rarely adopted within dementia care practice, particularly within care homes. Drawing on a descriptive, qualitative approach, this is the first study that has sought to explore care home practitioners’ perceptions of the barriers and facilitators for using gaming technology within their workplace. Data were collected across eight focus groups in the south of England with a total of 39 care home workers. These were analysed inductively following the 6-stage thematic process as outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006). Three themes, constructed from the data suggested, the care environment, staff knowledge and skills for inclusive gaming, and staff perceptions about capabilities (their own and those of people with dementia) inhibited or facilitated the use of gaming technology in care homes. The findings were interpreted through a combination of the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour model and the Theoretical Domains Framework to provide theory-based insights into the mechanisms for supporting behaviour change and implementation within the care home context. We argue for the need to target wider institutional barriers alongside providing inclusive training for care staff on incorporating gaming technology within their person-centred care approaches. Through these mechanisms, they can be provided with the capabilities, opportunities and motivation to integrate gaming technology within their practice, and thus facilitate the process of culture change within care homes

Environmental influence on the expression of resistance/susceptibility to Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands in Lupinus albus L

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX98154 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Vegetative propagation of kola (Cola nitida Vent. Schott and Endl.) by stem cuttings

The effects of some technical, environmental and physiological factors on the rooting of kola stem cuttings were investigated at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana from 1997 to 2002. These factors included hormonal, fungicidal and wounding treatments, rooting media, leaf area, and effects of type of wood. Within the range of concentration tested, indole-butyric acid (IBA) rooting hormone did not have any significant effect on rooting success. All the candidate fungicides tested were effective in reducing rotting of cuttings. However, the copper-based fungicides caused a slight reduction in rooting. No significant differences were recorded for effect of rooting media. Wounding treatment improved rooting in hardwood cuttings. Rooting was significantly better (P ≤ 0.05) in semi-hard- wood cuttings than in hardwood cuttings. Clipping of leaves to half the normal size had virtually the same results as leaving all leaves intact. Further areas to improve success in propagating kola by stem cuttings are discussed. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 38, 2005: 43-5

Promoting smallholder cropping systems in Sierra Leone An assessment of traditional cropping sytems and recommendations for the Bo-Pujehun Rural Development Project

TIB Hannover: RA 6959 (86) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman