Learning to Innovate in Nigeria's cable and wire manufacturing sub-sector: inferences from a firm-level case study

Firm performance is known to be connected to firm-level innovation capability. Innovation capability, in turn, is an output of technological learning. This paper evaluates technological learning among firms in the Cable and Wire manufacturing sub-sector in Nigeria, using a purposively selected case firm. We developed a model of the relationship between the innovative activities of the firm - as evidence of its capability – and its knowledge acquisition methodology. These are discussed within the context of the firm’s stock of human capital. We found low technological innovation capability and high capability for organisational and marketing innovation. Preparedness for technological learning is relatively poor with staff training intensity of 5% and innovation intensity of 0.0075%. We therefore propose stronger interconnectedness of the National Innovation System and creation of industry specific structures that could enhance learning.Technological learning; sub-sector; Cable and Wire manufacturing industry

The Microstructure and Properties of Niobium-doped Diamond-like Carbon Thin films

Doping diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films with metals is an excellent way to reduce stresses in DLC films and improve their adhesion to artificial hip joint biomaterials. This improvement would translate to improving the implants' overall performance and ultimately extending their service life. However, limited investigation has been reported on Nb-doped DLC films in the literature. This research attempts to fill the research gap to understand the effect of Nb doping on the structure and properties of these films. Nb-doped DLC films were deposited on silicon (100) and biomedical-grade CoCrMo alloy substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputter technique with different Nb contents. The structure of the deposited films was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Rockwell C indentation, nanoindentation, optical profilometry, and pin-on-disc wear testing were used to obtain the mechanical and tribological properties of the films. The corrosion behavior of the films in NaCl were also investigated using a potentiostat. It was found that the doped films show a nanocomposite structure with DLC as matrix and nanocrystalline Nb or Nb-C as the dispersed phase. As Nb incorporation decreases sp3 bonded carbon bonds in the thin films, the hardness of the doped DLC films is slightly reduced. Despite this slight reduction in hardness, Nb doping drastically reduces the compressive stress in the DLC films and thus enhances the films' adhesion to the substrate. Additionally, Nb-doped DLC films reduced the wear of polymer counterparts compared to the CoCrMo alloy without coating or DLC film without doping. Likewise, the corrosion resistance of the coated substrates, especially those with Nb-doped DLC, was at least 82 % higher than the uncoated ones

Assessing the Influence of Foreign Direct Investment on the Economic Growth of United States

Researchers have found mixed empirical results on the significance of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on countries around the world. Foreign direct investment has been a major driver in the economic growth of both developed and developing economies. This study examines the influence of FDI on economic growth in a single developed country, the United States. Even though the United States has been the largest attractive nation for foreign direct investment among developed economies, there is need to research on how FDI has contributed to its development. Therefore, this paper uses multiple linear regression model and its estimation using ordinary least squares (OLS) to study the impact of FDI on economic growth in the United States. Analysis of secondary data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and Bureau of Labor Statistic (BLS) for the year 2000 to 2018 revealed that foreign direct investment has a positive influence on the economic growth of United States. Therefore, the study recommends that the government of United States should continue to revamp investment and fiscal policies to attract new foreign investors through continuous investing in social infrastructures, improving the quality of their institutions and their governance. Keywords: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Foreign Direct Investment, Inflation Rate, Economic Growth. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-16-12 Publication date:August 31st 202

Plant diversity and tree community structure along an elevation gradient in Apra Hills Sacred Grove, Ghana

The Apra Hills Sacred Grove has one of the best patches of the threatened Southern Marginal Forest of Ghana, yet a study on vegetation has not been undertaken. We evaluated plant diversity and tree community structure in relation to an elevation gradient using 25 m x 25 m plots demarcated along a 1km transect in the grove. Vascular plants within the plots were identified, and trees with diameter-at-breast-height (dbh) ≥ 10 cm were measured. A total of 128 plants taxa were identified, and 21 species of trees were enumerated. Mean tree density was 292.33 ± 14.05 per ha, and dbh-size class distribution of the trees showed an inverted J-shape curve. Overall plant species richness decreased with increasing elevation whereas tree species diversity increased with elevation. But the relationships between elevation and tree species richness, tree density and basal area were statistically insignificant. Future studies on effects of edaphic and anthropogenic factors along the elevation gradients would improve our knowledge about the distribution of the plant diversity as well as their conservation

Innovation in Nigerian SMEs: types and impact

This paper seeks to explore the types of innovation that are predominant in SMEs in developing countries and to investigate the impact of these innovations on different dimensions of firm performance based on an industry-wide innovation survey carried out in Nigeria in 2007. Although innovation is important for superior firm performance, our result found that the type of innovation that SMEs pursue is not a critical consideration in their performance. While there was no difference found in the focus of SMEs on either of product or process innovations, evidence showed that SMEs would focus more on incremental product and process innovations. Incremental innovation was found to be very important for Nigerian SMEs and a significant predictor of product quality and not of revenue. The authors conclude that SMEs chooses to pursue such innovations that most fit their strategies and available resources. Such level of innovation affords Nigerian SMEs to more extensively exploit the domestic market but cannot support extensive new product development required to enter export markets.innovation; small and medium enterprises; Nigeria; impact

Traditional/Alternative Medicine: An Investigation into Identification, Knowledge and Consumption Practices of Herbal Medicine among Students with Hearing Impairment in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria

The use of traditional medicine as alternative or complimentary therapy is gaining prominence in primary health care worldwide. This is because of the efficacy in the management of mild, chronic seemingly incurable ailments/diseases. Though the publicity is on the increase from country to country in the world, however, one cannot conclude that the information has reached all classes of people. This study therefore investigated identification, knowledge and consumption practice of herbal medicine among the hearing-impaired. The study adopted survey research design. A total of 50 students with hearing impairment were selected from different locations in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Traditional medicinal inventory was used to collect data with reliabilities of 0.72, 0.80 and 0.67 respectively based on perception, knowledge and consumption practices. Two research questions were answered and two hypotheses tested. Result revealed wrong perception and low knowledge of traditional/alternative therapy. Also, there was no significant difference in the identification and consumption practice and no significant influence of religion on consumption practice among the respondents. Based on the results, it is recommended that proper education should be given to students with hearing impairment about traditional medicine. Keywords: Alternative medicine, Students, Hearing-impaired, Cultural belief, Nigeri

Effectiveness of self-management therapy in the management of psychological distress among adolescents with hearing impairment in Oyo State, Nigeria

Psychological wellbeing has been linked to wellness in all facets of life. However, these processes become altered when man becomes distressed because of some factors ranging from intra to inter personal factors influencing man’s stable psychological wellness. Hence, such conditions need to be moderated. This study examined the effectiveness of self-management therapy in the management of psychological distress among adolescents with hearing impairment. The study employed quasi experimental pre-test-post- test design with a sample of 39 adolescents with hearing impairment purposively selected using Kesler Psychological Distress Scale with index scores of 19 and above as distress threshold. Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (Core-10) and Rosenberg Self-esteem Rating Scale were used for both pre and post- test among participants. Three hypotheses were tested in the study. The results revealed that there was a significant main effect of treatment (self-management therapy) on management of psychological distress among adolescents; there was a significant main effect of onset of hearing loss on participants’ management of psychological distress and there was a significant interaction effect of onset of hearing loss and self-esteem on participants management of psychological distress. Stakeholders in the education and care of adolescents with hearing impairment were encouraged to employ self-management therapy in reducing their psychological distresses

Trend Analysis of Teenage Pregnancy in Nigeria (1961-2013): How Effective is the Contraceptive Use Campaign

Teenage pregnancy (TP) is a recurrent global and public health problem. It poses both social and health challenges. Considering the massive campaign on the use of modern contraceptives to prevent TP in recent decades, we assessed trends in TP in Nigeria between 1961 and 2013. Pregnancy and contraception history of 70,811 women who were at least 20 years old when the Nigerian DHS was conducted in 1990, 2003, 2008, and 2013 respectively were used for the study, and descriptive statistics, time analysis techniques and multiple logistic regression were used to analyze the data at 5% significance level. The overall prevalence of TP between 1961 and 2013 was 49.5% which fluctuated insignificantly during the studied period. The TP prevalence among women who entered adulthood in 1961 was 39.2%; it peaked in 1978 at 58.9% before its unsteady decline to 39.6% in 2012, and then rose sharply to 55.6% in 2013. We predicted TP prevalence as 49.0%, 49.9% and 51.0% in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. The odds of TP were over 4 times higher in the North East and 5 times higher in the North West than in the South West. Teenagers with no education had higher odds of TP and it was higher among teenagers from the poorest households (OR=5.64, 95% CI: 5.36-5.94). Rather than reducing with the worldwide acknowledged increase in contraceptive campaigns, TP increased over the years studied. As far as TP is concerned in Nigeria, the impact of the campaign on MC use is far from being effective. To achieve the objective of fewer TPs, fewer resources should be spent on access to contraception and instead diverted to areas more likely to achieve results such as improvements in educational achievement amongst girls