Pore-scale analyses of heterogeneity and representative elementary volume for unconventional shale rocks using statistical tools

We express our appreciations to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Nigeria (PTDF), for funding this work.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Simulation of pore-scale flow using finite element-methods

I present a new finite element (FE) simulation method to simulate pore-scale flow. Within the pore-space, I solve a simplified form of the incompressible Navier-Stoke’s equation, yielding the velocity field in a two-step solution approach. First, Poisson’s equation is solved with homogeneous boundary conditions, and then the pore pressure is computed and the velocity field obtained for no slip conditions at the grain boundaries. From the computed velocity field I estimate the effective permeability of porous media samples characterized by thin section micrographs, micro-CT scans and synthetically generated grain packings. This two-step process is much simpler than solving the full Navier Stokes equation and therefore provides the opportunity to study pore geometries with hundreds of thousands of pores in a computationally more cost effective manner than solving the full Navier-Stoke’s equation. My numerical model is verified with an analytical solution and validated on samples whose permeabilities and porosities had been measured in laboratory experiments (Akanji and Matthai, 2010). Comparisons were also made with Stokes solver, published experimental, approximate and exact permeability data. Starting with a numerically constructed synthetic grain packings, I also investigated the extent to which the details of pore micro-structure affect the hydraulic permeability (Garcia et al., 2009). I then estimate the hydraulic anisotropy of unconsolidated granular packings. With the future aim to simulate multiphase flow within the pore-space, I also compute the radii and derive capillary pressure from the Young-Laplace equation (Akanji and Matthai,2010

Data Analysis and Neuro-Fuzzy Technique for EOR Screening : Application in Angolan Oilfields

This study is sponsored by the Angolan National Oil Company (Sonangol EP) and the authors are grateful for their support and the permission to use the data and publish this manuscriptPeer reviewedPublisher PD

An Organisational Study on the Effects of Intrinsic Customer Service Demands: A Perspective from Emotional Labour Theory

The purpose of this research is to examine employees’ views on adverse consequences caused by strict compliance to display rules of intrinsic labour demands as against its appropriate necessities within a call centre context. Using an interpretative phenomenological methodology for the study analysis, 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted with telephone agents working in a call centre outlet in Lagos state, Nigeria. Based on the emotional labour theory, enquires were made about general outcomes experienced from conforming to organisational rules of emotional management during customer service encounters. Findings confirmed that the adversarial impact of affective conformity tends to threaten the positive intentions of these mandatory components of service work. Thus, a proposed theoretical model emerged from the study’s interpretive accounts Based on these significant research findings, detailed practical implications were discussed on ways in which call centre businesses operating in a non-Western context can extenuate poor affective deliveries arising from mismanagement of emotional labour

The Bleak Nature Of Hrm Practices In Organisational Management Of Casual Labour Employments

The purpose of this study is to investigate the morbid use of numerical labour flexibility with a specific focus on casual labour employment. Scholarly enquiries into labour casualization have often been assessed from a labourmarket flexibility perspective and/or managerial control of labour. In contrast, this research attempts to add to literature by unveiling the experiences facing these organisational cohort from narrative accounts of employees. In doing so, 20 interviews were conducted with casual staffs employed as security guards, cleaners and shelve stackers at one of the Shoprite supermarket subsidiary operating in Nigeria. The findings exposed ebbing HR practices regulating working conditions of these set of workers based on the low skill nature of their job roles. Consequently, practical implications of the study proposes demands for HR managers to reconceptualise HRM best practices that would accommodate and support casual labourers based on the rising need for firms to remain flexible in response to changing market vagaries

A case analysis on the adequacy of work-life balance practices in UK small-and medium-sized enterprises

The purpose of this study is to examine whether work-life balance (WLB) practices are satisfactorily provided in UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the impact of the availability of these work-life policies on turnover intentions. A review of extant literature reveals scarce knowledge in this area of research and this study presents a rudimentary effort to fill this gap.Research Design & Methods: Using qualitative design, the data set comprised of in-depth interviews with thirty-six employees working in small and medium-sized UK convenience stores and supermarkets with less than ninety employees.Findings: Informal nature of human resource management policies emerged from the findings as one of the constraining forces impeding work-life agendas in SMEs and causing low staff retention in UK. Although other themes were found to contribute to retention challenges, however, these additional reasons were not independent, but all considered integrated.Implications & Recommendations: Consequently, the practical implication of devising ways to overcome WLB and retention deficiencies in this context were also explored.Contribution & Value Added: The originality of this work lies in studying the importance of WLB practices to some of these grass root businesses that make up a large proportion of the economy in the UK. As the limitation of this study is that it is wholly qualitative in nature, it is suggested that future research should rely on quantitative designs that provides more internally valid tests via computational techniques

Occupational Stress: A Review on Conceptualisations, Causes and Cure.

Given the complex nature of the concept - occupational stress (also known as work or job stress), it appears a daunting task reaching a unified definition of work stress because of the acknowledged fact that a singular approach may not be able to encompass the breadth of the phenomenon. To this end, the purpose of this paper is to provide a general review of some of the challenges surrounding the conceptuality of occupational stress in literature. Subsequently, the established knowledge regarding the nature and causes of occupational stress were examined in light of the conceptual typology of Murphy (1995) and Michie (2002) that portrays various sources of workplace stress which has been categorized as emanating from the context and content of work. These stress sources are consequentially known to produce dire organisational and extra-organisational outcomes such as low morale, poor performance, career uncertainty, absenteeism, health problems, work-life conflict, turnover and other reverses that undermine competitive objectives of business. As solutions, stress curative measures are discussed to assist managers to understand the significance of providing effective stress management interventions that can enhance employee well-being and organisational productivity

Realities of work life balance in Nigeria: perceptions of role conflict and coping beliefs

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of Work-Life Balance (WLB) practices in a developing nation of Nigeria. Evidently, on the threshold of widened globalization propensities, work-life research is beginning to spread outside the western context. Thus, a qualitative approach was employed by conducting 61 in-depth interviews with Nigerian employees (41 women and 20 men) working in frontline employments in the banking, telecommunications and insurance sectors about their perceptions of WLB. The findings showed that though conflict situations existed more than work-family enrichment, but under different circumstances due to the long legacy of national challenges facing Nigeria. The apparent role conflicts have generated various coping strategies adapted by participants of study to moderate their perceived work-life conflict and this paper seeks to add to the compendium of WLB discourse on a global scale by examining key barriers detected to hinder its workable practices in Nigeria

An exploratory study of work-life balance in Nigeria: Employees’ perspectives of coping with the role conflicts

Using a phenomenological methodology, the purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of work-life conflicts (WLC) in Nigeria. Evidently, work-life research is a social concept originating from the western societies but over the years, advanced management and business studies are beginning to emerge showcasing the relevance, significance and challenges of Work-Life Balance (WLB) practices in developing nations. Against this backdrop, 51 in-depth interviews were conducted with employees working in the Nigerian service industry (ie banks, call center, hotel services and insurance firms) about their cultural perceptions and knowledge of work-life balance. Study findings manifested views alleging the prominence of role conflict situations rather than desired expectations of available social incentives for appropriate management of employees’ work and family affairs. This were attributed to the adverse macro environmental conditions entrenched in so many social-economic upheavals found to be plaguing Nigeria as a whole. Thus, the antecedents of these national issues have necessitated personal coping strategies utilized by participants of current study as moderating buffers against role imbalances encountered. Thus, this paper provides a preliminary study that provides an academic platform for further research into circumstances instigating role conflicts in African societies by presenting major impediments detected to hinder workable WLB practices in Nigeria

Organisational Stress: Theoretical Reflections and Proposed Directions for Management Research and Practice.

This article critiques the diverse theoretical sentiments accentuated in the field of work stress as well as incidences and impact of work stress within an organisational context. Thus, the purpose of this paper is threefold. First, it is to review the organisational factors increasing employee stress and further reflect on the contentious definition of work stress. Some main theoretical models that have been important in the field of stress research are also critically evaluated. Second, this study further focuses on unveiling promising areas of research that scrutinises stress management interventions that is a terrain where paucity of research is found to still exist. Third, this review concludes by presenting important research and practice implications