Enterprise Development through Incubation Management

This paper examines incubation management as a veritable growth stimulus vitally needed by the emerging economies with emphasis on the business and technology incubators. It discusses the need for management incubation, incubation models, the goals of business incubation, best practices for incubation processes, students’ participation in the activities of the business incubator, characteristics of it’s managerial structure among others. The term ‘Incubation’, with its etymological roots in the Latin word incubatio, which referred to a practice by the ancient Romans of carrying rudimentary ideas with them for developing them into visionary dreams over a period of time. Incubators shared business services and equipment, technology support services, and assistance in obtaining financing necessary for company growth. It is recognized as a way of meeting a variety of economic and socio-economic policy needs which can include:Employment and wealth creation,support for small firms with high growth potential Transfer of technology Promoting innovation Enhancing links between universities, research institutions and the business community Industry cluster development and assessment of a company’s risk profile Business incubators accelerate the successful development of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support resources and services. It’s main goal is to produce successful firms that leave the program financially viable and freestanding. These incubator graduates have the potential to create jobs and wealth, revitalize neighborhoods, commercialize new technologies and strengthen local and national economies. Technology Incubators bring about the development of technology-based firms. These are mainly located at or near universities / polytechnics and science and technology parks. Given the multitude of challenges being faced by entrepreneurs in emerging economies, there is a strong case for fostering incubation systems. The mentoring and business assistance provided by incubators are especially useful to individuals who are not part of business communities and/or do not enjoy support from families. Established businesses and promotional organizations associated with incubators would provide the latter’s clients with the much needed know-how available in such networks. Keywords: Economic growth, Entrepreneurship, Business start – ups, Incubation management, Technology transfer and  Job creation

Entrepreneurship Education and Employment Stimulation in Nigeria

Nigeria is a nation of paradox, blessed with enormous wealth, but larger proportion of the citizens live in abject poverty and face worsening unemployment. In a bid to mitigate the scourge of poverty and unemployment, previous regimes initiated diverse poverty reductions polices (PRPs) with the objectives of boasting industrial production and level of employment thereby checkmating joblessness, hopelessness and crime. Despite the various PRPs, the hydra-monster poverty and unemployment have remained endemic judging by official statistics published by reliable bodies. The failures of previous PRPs precipitated the passionate romance with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and compulsory inclusion of entrepreneurship education in the curricula of the three levels of higher education in Nigeria. This paper examines entrepreneurship education and employment stimulation in Nigeria. The authors employed systematic collection of quantitative data and subjected them to econometric analysis on the basis of which informed conclusions were drawn. On the strength of the data sourced, analysed and interpreted, it was discovered that entrepreneurship development could be effective tools for poverty reduction, stimulating employment as well as fast-tracking realisation of universal primary education and promoting gender equality. The paper recommended that institutions must imbibe a creativity training. This creativity can help the individual view problems from different perspectives. Institutions must intensify the integration of entrepreneurship in education systems

Model for stimulating entrepreneurial skills through entrepreneurship education in an African context

The need to stimulate entrepreneurial skills in graduates as a strategy for tackling graduate unemployment has spurred the introduction of entrepreneurship education programs. The effectiveness of such entrepreneurship education programs from an African context is the focus of this paper. A modified model for evaluating the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education was derived from Fayolle, Gaily, and Lassa-Clerc; and was tested via structural equation modeling. Data were collected from randomly selected 750 participants who had undergone at least one compulsory entrepreneurship module at the university level. It was found that entrepreneurship education which is not well aligned with contextual peculiarities may not optimally yield the desired outcome. This paper, therefore, underscores the need for a thoroughly contextualized curriculum that encapsulates national, local, and very importantly, institutional factors

Association between family history of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and lifestyle risk factors in the United States population: The 2009-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Family history is a well-known risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and modification of lifestyle risk factors can significantly lessen such risk. Our aim was to assess the association between family history of diabetes and/or CVD and lifestyle behaviors and risk factors (smoking, low physical activity, excessive dietary sodium and cholesterol intake and obesity) in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2012. Family history, lifestyle behaviors and risk factors were defined using self-reported and physical examination data. The study sample included 10,988 participants with a mean age of 47years. Among the U.S. adult population, 29.5%, 5.7% and 6.5% had a family history of diabetes, CVD and both diseases respectively. Compared to participants with no family history, participants with a family history of diabetes, CVD and both diabetes and CVD were more likely to be current smokers (OR=1.18[95% CI, 1.03-1.35], OR=1.68[95% CI, 1.31-2.17] and OR=1.71[95% CI, 1.30-2.26] respectively). Participants with a family history of diabetes (OR=1.42[95% CI, 1.26-1.61]) and both diabetes and CVD were more likely to be overweight/obese (OR=2.06[95% CI, 1.57-2.69]). There was no association between family history and dietary factors or physical activity. In the U.S., there is a high prevalence of modifiable risk factors among persons with a family history of diabetes and/or CVD. Healthcare providers have a significant role to play in targeting these individuals for lifestyle changes

Corporate Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship (CSRE): antidotes to poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the prospect of utilising corporate social responsibility and entrepreneurship (CSRE) as antidotes for mitigating the incidences of poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria. The paper derives its theoretical foundation from the stakeholder, instrumental and legitimacy theories, which all justify the use of CSRE for actualisation of Triple Bottom Line (i.e. the social, economic and environmental concerns of business organisations). Design/methodology/approach – The study used the quantitative research method relying on the use of secondary data published by institutional bodies. The quantitative method entail a systematic extraction of reliable data on corporate social responsibility (CSR), insecurity, poverty and development from the publications of Office of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria, CLEEN Foundation, National Bureau of Statistics and Central Bank of Nigeria, respectively. For missing years, the authors improvised using projections as well as proxies. The extracted data, which spanned a period of 13 years, were subjected to econometric tests using SPSS, on the basis of which informed conclusions were drawn. Findings – The first econometric result indicates a negative relationship between gross domestic product and poverty. The second result indicates that there is a positive significant relationship between gross domestic product and total crime rate. The third result indicates that there exists a positive relationship between gross domestic product and unemployment rate. The fourth result indicates that there is a negative relationship between gross domestic product and industrial growth rate. The last result indicates that there is a significant positive relationship between gross domestic product and CSR. Research limitations/implications – The results of this research have macro-level application, hence the outcomes cannot be narrowed to any particular sector of the economy. A micro-level analysis across diverse sectors of the economy is recommended in future studies. The implication of this empirical research is that policymakers in the Nigerian private sector need to reinvent their CSR programmes as mechanisms for poverty eradication, entrepreneurship development (CSRE), dousing tension of restive youth, empowerment/support for security agencies for better crime prevention and for impacting on sustainable development. Practical implications – In the face of dwindling financial resources in the treasury of governments, the reinvention of CSRE by private sector organisations as complementary mechanisms for combating social problems is becoming acceptable in both developed and developing nations. This paper therefore boldly recommends that policymakers reinvent CSRE as development mechanisms through a sound partnership between government, advocacy groups and business corporations in Nigeria. Social implications – The paper explicates that CSR can indeed be reinvented by corporations as part of their social concerns to their operating environment instead of leaving all social problems to governments. Originality/value – The research lends credence to stakeholder, instrumental and legitimacy theories of CSR. It also justifies the plausibility of CSRE, a novel concept being promoted in this research. </jats:sec

Evaluating the effectiveness of risk-based auditing and sox compliance in preventing financial fraud: A case study of multinational corporations

Financial fraud remains a significant challenge for multinational corporations, leading to economic losses, reputational damage, and regulatory scrutiny. To combat financial misconduct, risk-based auditing and Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) compliance have emerged as essential tools in fraud prevention, internal control enhancement, and financial reporting integrity. This study evaluates the effectiveness of risk-based auditing in fraud detection and assesses how SOX compliance has strengthened corporate governance in multinational corporations. By examining case studies and empirical data, this research highlights the impact of proactive risk assessments, internal control mechanisms, and audit committee oversight in mitigating financial risks. The study also explores challenges in SOX implementation, evolving regulatory trends, and the role of technology in strengthening audit effectiveness. Findings suggest that companies with strong risk-based auditing frameworks and SOX compliance measures demonstrate reduced fraud risks, enhanced transparency, and improved investor confidence. As corporate fraud schemes become increasingly sophisticated, the integration of predictive analytics, AI-driven risk monitoring, and global regulatory alignment will be critical in advancing fraud prevention efforts in the financial sector. Keywords: Risk-Based Auditing, Sox Compliance, Financial Fraud Prevention, Internal Controls, Forensic Auditing, Corporate Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Fraud Risk Assessment, Multinational Corporations