The Role of Human Capital Management in Enhancing Service Delivery in Organizations

Services have become a very dominant sector in most parts of the World and contribute more to the GDPs of countries than tangible products manufactured. Research in the services sector has mostly not been multidisciplinary even though to understand the management of services adequately needed a multi-dimensional approach. There is, therefore, an agitation for a lot of research work that cut across disciplines regarding the understanding of the service sector. Even though there is the existence of a lot of studies on human capital and organizational success, none of these studies focused its attention on how human capital can correctly play a role in the enhancement of service delivery in organizations. It is in this light that this paper looked at the role human capital could play in enhancing service delivery in organizations. This paper has practical implications for organizations who are committed to delivery competitive service. Keywords: service delivery, human capital, customers

Characterization of cocoa production, income diversification and shade tree management along a climate gradient in Ghana

Reduced climatic suitability due to climate change in cocoa growing regions of Ghana is expected in the coming decades. This threatens farmers' livelihood and the cocoa sector. Climate change adaptation requires an improved understanding of existing cocoa production systems and farmers' coping strategies. This study characterized current cocoa production, income diversification and shade tree management along a climate gradient within the cocoa belt of Ghana. The objectives were to 1) compare existing production and income diversification between dry, mid and wet climatic regions, and 2) identify shade trees in cocoa agroforestry systems and their distribution along the climatic gradient. Our results showed that current mean cocoa yield level of 288kg ha-1yr-1 in the dry region was significantly lower than in the mid and wet regions with mean yields of 712 and 849 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. In the dry region, farmers diversified their income sources with non-cocoa crops and off-farm activities while farmers at the mid and wet regions mainly depended on cocoa (over 80% of annual income). Two shade systems classified as medium and low shade cocoa agroforestry systems were identified across the studied regions. The medium shade system was more abundant in the dry region and associated to adaptation to marginal climatic conditions. The low shade system showed significantly higher yield in the wet region but no difference was observed between the mid and dry regions. This study highlights the need for optimum shade level recommendation to be climatic region specific

Modeling the multi-functionality of African savanna landscapes under global change

Various recent publications have indicated that accelerated global change and its negative impacts on terrestrial ecosystems in Southern Africa urgently demand quantitative assessment and modelling of a range of ecosystem services on which rural communities depend. Information is needed on how these Ecosystem Services (ES) can be enhanced through sustainable land management interventions and enabling policies. Yet, it has also been claimed that, to date, the required system analyses, data and tools to quantify important interactions between biophysical and socio-economic components, their resilience and ability to contribute to livelihood needs do not exist. We disagree, but acknowledge that building an appropriate integrative modelling framework for assessing the multi-functionality of savanna landscapes is challenging. Yet, in this Letter-to-the-Editor, we show that a number of suitable modelling components and required data already exist and can be mobilized and integrated with emerging data and tools to provide answers to problem-driven questions posed by stakeholders on land management and policy issues.German Federal Ministry of Education and Researchhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1099145xhj2022Zoology and Entomolog

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Of Visions, Development Plans and Resource Mobilisation in Africa: The Case of Ghana Vision 2020

If there is one lesson African nations have learnt from their past failures, it is that economic development does not simply descend like manna from heaven. This can only be achieved through carefully thought-out plans and strategies, as well as effective resource mobilisation. Africa Insight Vol.35(1) 2005: 28-3

Customary Landholding Institutions and Housing Development in Urban Centres of Ghana : Case Studies of Kumasi and Wa

In Ghana, land is vested in families and chiefs in the traditional land sector. These corporate bodies, referred to as customary landholding institutions control over 90% of the total land area in the country. The institutions therefore govern access to land. Urban centres in Ghana are plagued with a plethora of problems and one of them is inadequate housing. The urban housing problem is partly attributed to the existence and operation of the institutions. The customary landholding system is perceived as communal landownership, which does not permit individual ownership. It is thus argued that the system does not provide incentives for investing in housing development. This paper reports on a study carried out to test the assertion that the system does not permit individual ownership using two urban centres as case studies. The analysis shows that the operation of the institutions permits individual landownership. The traditional landownership system cannot therefore be the cause of the urban housing problem based on the premise that it does not permit individual ownership of land rights

Impact of common shade tree species on microclimate and cocoa growth in agroforestry systems in Ghana

Abstract Climate change is a growing threat to agriculture globally, with most substantial impacts expected in tropical smallholder systems such as cocoa farms in West Africa. Cocoa agroforestry is widely believed to enhance resilience to climatic extremes due to protection and a favourable microclimate under the shade trees. Morphological traits of many locally used shade tree species and their specific contribution to microclimate for climate-resilient cocoa production remain unclear. Therefore, aboveground morphology and sub canopy microclimate of eight common shade tree species were investigated in cocoa agroforestry systems in the Ahafo region, Ghana. Additionally, the growth of cocoa trees in three different distance zones to the shade tree stem was measured. The eight different shade tree species exhibited considerable variation in their impact on microclimate and cocoa growth. M. indica and M. excelsa allowed lowest light transmission, with the highest microclimatic buffering effect, i.e., reducing vapour pressure deficit and daily fluctuations of temperature and relative humidity. Cocoa trees around M. lucida and F. capensis were the highest in growth, characterized by height and stem diameter. However, a universally superior shade tree species could not be identified implying the need for shade tree diversity allowing various microclimatic conditions within an agroforestry system to spread risk of climate extremes. Cocoa tree growth was more affected by distance to the shade tree than by shade tree species, resulting in enhanced growth with distance to the stem. These findings provide a better understanding of species-related differences on cocoa growing conditions and climate change adaptation strategies.German academic scholarship foundationDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659Justus-Liebig-Universität Gieße

Salinity Constraints for Small-Scale Agriculture and Impact on Adaptation in North Aceh, Indonesia

We investigated the perceived effects of salinity on farming practices, income, and challenges for crop production in Blang Nibong village in North Aceh, Indonesia. We surveyed 120 smallholder farmers chosen in consultation with local leaders considering their agricultural activities and salinity susceptibility. Farmers’ perceptions of major crop production constraints (e.g., salinity) and potential adaptation strategies were assessed using open and closed questions. The study revealed that farmers in the study region primarily grew rain-fed rice using traditional monoculture. Salinity was identified as the primary crop production constraint by all respondents, resulting in plant mortality, decreased soil health and water quality, limited plant growth, and low yields. Additionally, salinity has reduced the arable area (>0.5 ha), resulting in lower total production. The implications of the salinity were further corroborated by the low farmers’ income. In fact, farming activities are not contributing positively to farmers’ income as the results revealed off-farm activities (77%) as the main source of income. Based on the farmer’s current activities to overcome salinity problems on their farms, they were clustered into adaptive and non-adaptive farmers. The non-adaptive group prefers to convert their land to pasture (81%), whereas the adaptive group prefers to improve the irrigation system (77%)