Contemporary African philosophy: emergent issues and challenges

In the opinion of some philosophers, African philosophy, vis-à-vis Western philosophy, African philosophy depicts no more than a particularist exemplar of the universal (Western) philosophy. This paper questions this assumption and demonstrates that, as a human undertaking, all philosophies remain context-dependent and cultureoriented. A contrary view ignores the proper nature of philosophy. A new phenomenon confronts currently confronts all comers to contemporary African philosophy: an expansive vision of African philosophical discourse. Contemporary African philosophers attempt to rethink the initial problems that confronted their pioneer counterparts. Whereas the pioneer African philosophers disputed one another on meta-philosophical issues about African philosophy, their successors, in their bid to give a novel response to those problems, end up introducing innovative frameworks, entirely fresh perspectives, new themes and solutions. As a consequence, they face new challenges. This paper underlines, in broad outline, some of the challenges and urges possible ways to their resolution.Keywords: African identity, hermeneutics and culture, ethnocentric commitment, epistemic impass

Sales Force Competence: Its Nature, Need, and Dimensions in Selling Contexts for Sustainable Economic Development

This paper is a conversation on professional competence in sales job. It examines the nature of sales force competence, its need, and the dimensions required in business-to-business and consumer durable products marketing. The paper notes that to establish, build, and sustain long term exchange relationships in these industries, use-of-sales force is imperative. However, it is of the view that for the sales force to be effective and achieve optimal performance it must have some levels of competences in terms of knowledge, skills and readiness to exhibit appropriate behavior in sales job contexts. The paper also stresses that sales force competences are required in two dimensions – sales force communicative competence and sales force marketing competence. It argues that these professional competences are vital and economical in sustaining competitive advantage in the sale of industrial and consumer durable products. Key Word:Behavior, communicative competence, knowledge, marketing competence, sales force competence, skil

La reconstruction de l’idée et de la pratique de la mascarade chez le peuple Igbo au sud-est du Nigéria

The study examines the phenomenon of masquerading in Igbo culture. It philosophically explores the cosmology and cultural anthropology of Igbo masquerading, drawing some important implications for which the authors believe they bear on the truth of human existence. It investigates the distortions in and around this Igbo cultural practice against the background of its immanent significance and, thus, attempts to reconstruct it. The paper demonstrates that the huge potential for development inherent in Igbo masquerading outweigh its pitfalls. Igbo masquerading today tends to divide the present generation from the older generation of Igbo. The latter lament that the way masquerading is done nowadays no longer reflects the critical cultural ideals of the people. But, this situation has not been given deserved attention among scholars. The significance of this study, then, lies exactly on its attempt at a theoretical and normative reconstruction of masquerading among the Igbo. The aim of the paper is to critically engage Igbo masquerading with the goal of rescuing it from associated negativities. In the light of the critical Igbo ideals of truth and social justice, the paper proffers the way forward and makes some recommendations. As a philosophical inquiry, the study employs the methods of analysis, prescription and speculation.Studija ispituje fenomen maskiranja u kulturi Igbo naroda. Filozofski istražuje kozmologiju i kulturnu antropologiju maskiranja Igboa, izvlačeći neke važne implikacije za koje autori vjeruju da imaju utjecaj na istinu o ljudskom postojanju. Istražuje distorzije unutar i oko ove kulturne prakse Igboa u odnosu na njen imanentni značaj i stoga je pokušava rekonstruirati. Rad pokazuje da golemi potencijali za razvoj svojstveni maskiranju Igboa nadmašuju njegove manjkavosti. Igboansko maskiranje danas često dijeli sadašnju generaciju od starije generacije igboa. Potonji se žale na to da današnji način maskiranja više ne odražava ključne kulturne ideale na roda. Ali, ova situacija nije dobila zasluženu pažnju među znanstvenicima. Značaj ove studije, dakle, leži upravo u pokušaju teorijske i normativne rekonstrukcije maskiranja među Igboima. Cilj je rada kritički se baviti Igbo maskiranjem s ciljem spašavanja od povezanih negativnosti. U svjetlu ključnih ideala istine i socijalne pravde kod Igboa, rad nudi put naprijed i daje neke preporuke. Kao filozofsko istraživanje, studija koristi metode analize, preskripcije i spekulacije.Diese Studie setzt sich mit dem Phänomen der Maskierung in der Kultur der Igbo auseinander. Es handelt sich um eine philosophische Untersuchung der Kosmologie und Kulturanthropologie der Maskierung der Igbo, wobei einige wichtige Implikationen gezogen werden, die, wie die Authoren glauben, einen Einfluss auf die Wahrheit über die menschliche Existenz haben könne. Sie befasst sich mit den Distorsionen innerhalb dieser kulturellen Praxis der Igbo und um sie herum im Bezug auf ihre immanente Bedeutsamkeit und versucht sie daher zu rekonstuieren. Die Arbeit zeigt, dass die große Entwicklungspotentiale, die dem Maskieren der Igbo eigen sind, seine Mangeln überwiegen. Heutzutage trennt das Maskieren oft die jetzige Generation von der älteren Generation der Igbo. Die Letzteren beklagen sich darüber, dass das Maskieren in seiner heutigen Art und Weise nicht mehr die kulturellen Kernideale des Volkes widerspiegelt. Jedoch hat diese Situation von den Wissenschaftlern nicht die verdiente Aufmerksamkeit bekommen. Die Bedeutung dieser Studie liegt, also, gerade im Versuch einer theoretischen und normativen Rekonstruktion der Maskierung unter den Igbo. Das Ziel der Arbeit ist eine kritische Befassung mit der Maskierung der Igbo, um sie vor den mit ihr verbundenen Negativitäten zu retten. Im Lichte der Kernideale der Wahrheit und der sozialen Gerechtigkeit bei den Igbo, bietet diese Arbeit den Weg nach vorne an und macht einige Empfehlungen. Als eine philosophische Untersuchung, benutzt diese Studie Methoden der Analyse, Präskription und Spekulation.Cette étude interroge le phénomène de mascarade dans la culture Igbo. Elle analyse d’un point de vue philosophique la cosmologie et l’anthropologie culturelle en tirant d’importantes conclusions, qui, selon les auteurs, ont une incidence sur la vérité de l’existence humaine. L’étude recherche les déformations au sein et autour de cette pratique culturelle Igbo par rapport au contexte immanent à sa signification, et ainsi, tente de la reconstruire. L’article montre que l’énorme potentiel de développement inhérent aux mascarades Igbo l’emporte sur ses inconvénients. Aujourd’hui la mascarade Igbo tend à séparer la présente génération de l’ancienne génération Igbo. Les anciens se plaignent de la manière de se masquer qui ne reflète plus aujourd’hui les idéaux culturels clés du peuple. Pourtant, cette situation n’a pas reçu l’attention qu’elle mérite parmi les scientifiques. L’importance de cette étude réside, ainsi, justement dans la tentative théorique et reconstruction normative des mascarades chez les Igbos. L’objectif de ce travail est de développer un discours critique sur les mascarades Igbo afin de les libérer des négativités qui leurs sont associées. À la lumière des idéaux clés de la vérité et de la justice so ciale chez les Igbos, ce travail présente la voie à suivre et formule quelques recommandations. En tant que recherche philosophique, l’étude se sert de la méthode analytique, prescriptive et de spéculative

A critical examination of migration and globalization: Implication for development in Africa

This paper argues that there is a relationship between globalization and migration in the sense that increased reduction in global borders enhances migration. Migration on its own has raised some human right concerns. This is because as communities are growing closer, trade, politics, culture, technology e.t.c., raise some conflicts of ideology. This paper surmises that unless there is a way of humanizing the unevenness in the mercantile relationships that exists between Western nations and their Third world counterpart, the world will not benefit from these interactions as we have seen in the 21st Century slavery witnessed in Libya where humans were auctioned like goats. In the ideological pedestal, the challenges posed by Islamic migrants have become very mendacious. However, the aim of this paper is to examine globalization and migration and its implication for development in Africa. The movement of skilled and / or wealthy Africans is generally viewed negatively. For instance, there is long-standing concern on the African continent with the impact of the ‘brain drain’ of African professionals. Nevertheless, slowly and very few places, is understanding arising of the potentially positive role that migration itself can play in development or of the possibilities for ‘mobilization’ of the African Diaspora in the fight against poverty. Keywords: Migration, globalization, development and ideolog

La reconstruction de l’idée et de la pratique de la mascarade chez le peuple Igbo au sud-est du Nigéria

The study examines the phenomenon of masquerading in Igbo culture. It philosophically explores the cosmology and cultural anthropology of Igbo masquerading, drawing some important implications for which the authors believe they bear on the truth of human existence. It investigates the distortions in and around this Igbo cultural practice against the background of its immanent significance and, thus, attempts to reconstruct it. The paper demonstrates that the huge potential for development inherent in Igbo masquerading outweigh its pitfalls. Igbo masquerading today tends to divide the present generation from the older generation of Igbo. The latter lament that the way masquerading is done nowadays no longer reflects the critical cultural ideals of the people. But, this situation has not been given deserved attention among scholars. The significance of this study, then, lies exactly on its attempt at a theoretical and normative reconstruction of masquerading among the Igbo. The aim of the paper is to critically engage Igbo masquerading with the goal of rescuing it from associated negativities. In the light of the critical Igbo ideals of truth and social justice, the paper proffers the way forward and makes some recommendations. As a philosophical inquiry, the study employs the methods of analysis, prescription and speculation.Studija ispituje fenomen maskiranja u kulturi Igbo naroda. Filozofski istražuje kozmologiju i kulturnu antropologiju maskiranja Igboa, izvlačeći neke važne implikacije za koje autori vjeruju da imaju utjecaj na istinu o ljudskom postojanju. Istražuje distorzije unutar i oko ove kulturne prakse Igboa u odnosu na njen imanentni značaj i stoga je pokušava rekonstruirati. Rad pokazuje da golemi potencijali za razvoj svojstveni maskiranju Igboa nadmašuju njegove manjkavosti. Igboansko maskiranje danas često dijeli sadašnju generaciju od starije generacije igboa. Potonji se žale na to da današnji način maskiranja više ne odražava ključne kulturne ideale na roda. Ali, ova situacija nije dobila zasluženu pažnju među znanstvenicima. Značaj ove studije, dakle, leži upravo u pokušaju teorijske i normativne rekonstrukcije maskiranja među Igboima. Cilj je rada kritički se baviti Igbo maskiranjem s ciljem spašavanja od povezanih negativnosti. U svjetlu ključnih ideala istine i socijalne pravde kod Igboa, rad nudi put naprijed i daje neke preporuke. Kao filozofsko istraživanje, studija koristi metode analize, preskripcije i spekulacije.Diese Studie setzt sich mit dem Phänomen der Maskierung in der Kultur der Igbo auseinander. Es handelt sich um eine philosophische Untersuchung der Kosmologie und Kulturanthropologie der Maskierung der Igbo, wobei einige wichtige Implikationen gezogen werden, die, wie die Authoren glauben, einen Einfluss auf die Wahrheit über die menschliche Existenz haben könne. Sie befasst sich mit den Distorsionen innerhalb dieser kulturellen Praxis der Igbo und um sie herum im Bezug auf ihre immanente Bedeutsamkeit und versucht sie daher zu rekonstuieren. Die Arbeit zeigt, dass die große Entwicklungspotentiale, die dem Maskieren der Igbo eigen sind, seine Mangeln überwiegen. Heutzutage trennt das Maskieren oft die jetzige Generation von der älteren Generation der Igbo. Die Letzteren beklagen sich darüber, dass das Maskieren in seiner heutigen Art und Weise nicht mehr die kulturellen Kernideale des Volkes widerspiegelt. Jedoch hat diese Situation von den Wissenschaftlern nicht die verdiente Aufmerksamkeit bekommen. Die Bedeutung dieser Studie liegt, also, gerade im Versuch einer theoretischen und normativen Rekonstruktion der Maskierung unter den Igbo. Das Ziel der Arbeit ist eine kritische Befassung mit der Maskierung der Igbo, um sie vor den mit ihr verbundenen Negativitäten zu retten. Im Lichte der Kernideale der Wahrheit und der sozialen Gerechtigkeit bei den Igbo, bietet diese Arbeit den Weg nach vorne an und macht einige Empfehlungen. Als eine philosophische Untersuchung, benutzt diese Studie Methoden der Analyse, Präskription und Spekulation.Cette étude interroge le phénomène de mascarade dans la culture Igbo. Elle analyse d’un point de vue philosophique la cosmologie et l’anthropologie culturelle en tirant d’importantes conclusions, qui, selon les auteurs, ont une incidence sur la vérité de l’existence humaine. L’étude recherche les déformations au sein et autour de cette pratique culturelle Igbo par rapport au contexte immanent à sa signification, et ainsi, tente de la reconstruire. L’article montre que l’énorme potentiel de développement inhérent aux mascarades Igbo l’emporte sur ses inconvénients. Aujourd’hui la mascarade Igbo tend à séparer la présente génération de l’ancienne génération Igbo. Les anciens se plaignent de la manière de se masquer qui ne reflète plus aujourd’hui les idéaux culturels clés du peuple. Pourtant, cette situation n’a pas reçu l’attention qu’elle mérite parmi les scientifiques. L’importance de cette étude réside, ainsi, justement dans la tentative théorique et reconstruction normative des mascarades chez les Igbos. L’objectif de ce travail est de développer un discours critique sur les mascarades Igbo afin de les libérer des négativités qui leurs sont associées. À la lumière des idéaux clés de la vérité et de la justice so ciale chez les Igbos, ce travail présente la voie à suivre et formule quelques recommandations. En tant que recherche philosophique, l’étude se sert de la méthode analytique, prescriptive et de spéculative

Regulatory Activities of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Compliant Buying Decision Of Low and Medium Income Earners in South-East, Nigeria: The Packaged Water Context

The aim of this empirical investigation was to determine the extent to which low and medium income earners in South-East of Nigeria comply, in their food and drug buying decision, with regulation of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for their health benefits. Though, NAFDAC, under Decree No. 20 of 1990, is empowered to regulate and control the manufacture and marketing of certain products in Nigeria, the impact of such regulatory and control practices on the compliant behavior of these consumers seems to be uncertain. Drawing on social marketing theories, in general, and perception theories in consumer behavior, in particular, we argue that consumer compliant buying decisions are linked to NAFDAC regulatory activities. However, from general observation, it seems that much uncertainty still beclouds consumers’ behavioral responses towards products with or without NAFDAC “Seal of Approval Numbers,” on them. Given that this area has suffered a dearth of research till date, this paper represents a latest attempt to explore this uncertainty. Using structured questionnaire, primary data generated from 337 randomly selected low and medium income earners located in major cities of South-East Nigeria, were analyzed using Pearson and simple regression statistics. Some interesting findings were made and discussed in line with the study implications.   Key words: Compliant buying-decision, consultative meetings, NAFDAC Regulatory Activities, Packaged water, product registration, and public enlightenmen

Use-of-Dashboard: A Vital Moderator of Sales Force Competence Management and Marketing Performance Relationship

Prior research has not been clear on the role the use-of-dashboard plays in moderating the relationship between competence management and a firm’s corporate performance, notwithstanding that such a moderating effect is conceptually quite plausible. This study, empirically examined the role of use-of-dashboard as a moderator in the sales force competence management – marketing performance relationship. By using Pearson partial correlation test, the study found evidence that supports the moderating effect of use-of-dashboard on the strength of the relationship between sales force competence management and marketing performance. The paper therefore, recommends that firms wishing to fully harness the positive influence of sales force competence management on marketing performance should consider the use-of-dashboard as a veritable contextual option. Key Words: Marketing Performance, Moderator, Sales force Competence Management, Use-of-Dashboard,

Sales Force Competence Management: Its Relevance and Framework

This paper recognizes the importance of sales force competence management in creating value for customers and achieving business goals. It argues that sales force can only be useful in this regard, if it possesses the dimensions and levels of sales job competence, that can enable it adapt to the turbulent global business environment. The paper maintains that a firm can enable its sales force acquire and improve its knowledge, skills and behavior, through the way its sales force competences are managed. It presents a sales force competence management framework that can enable a firm have, at all times, an effective and competent sales force required for successful domestic and global marketing.   Keywords: Competitive Advantage, Sales Force Competence Management, Competent Sale Force, Sales  Force Competence, Resource-Based Theory

Consumer Attitude: Some Reflections on Its Concept, Trilogy, Relationship with Consumer Behavior, and Marketing Implications

This paper is an attempt at providing some reflections on consumer attitude. It examines the concept of consumer attitudes toward marketing efforts of businesses. Furthermore, the paper identifies the trilogy of consumer attitude, including samples of their measurement scales; and how attitudes connect to the behaviors of consumers, but notes that the companies would have difficulty influencing the purchasing behaviors of their consumers directly. To indirectly influence the behaviors of prospects, the paper therefore, suggests that firms should provide credible evidence of their product benefits, correct their customer misconceptions, offer free samples, engage new technologies, and bring in new innovations in value defining, developing, and delivering processes. Specifically, this paper recommends that the behaviors of consumers can be effectively changed to firm desired behavior by altering the tri-components of their target consumer attitudes. Knowledge and application of these can enable a firm effectively design rent-yielding strategies Keywords: Attitude, attitude change, attitude components, attitude function, consumer attitude

Activation of defence pathways in Scots pine bark after feeding by pine weevil (Hylobius abietis)

Background: During their lifetime, conifer trees are exposed to numerous herbivorous insects. To protect themselves against pests, trees have developed a broad repertoire of protective mechanisms. Many of the plant's defence reactions are activated upon an insect attack, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms are not entirely understood yet, in particular in conifer trees. Here, we present the results of our studies on the transcriptional response and the volatile compounds production of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) upon the large pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) feeding. Results: Transcriptional response of Scots pine to the weevil attack was investigated using a novel customised 36.4 K Pinus taeda microarray. The weevil feeding caused large-scale changes in the pine transcriptome. In total, 774 genes were significantly up-regulated more than 4-fold (p = 0.05), whereas 64 genes were significantly down-regulated more than 4-fold. Among the up-regulated genes, we could identify genes involved in signal perception, signalling pathways, transcriptional regulation, plant hormone homeostasis, secondary metabolism and defence responses. The weevil feeding on stem bark of pine significantly increased the total emission of volatile organic compounds from the undamaged stem bark area. The emission levels of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were also increased. Interestingly, we could not observe any correlation between the increased production of the terpenoid compounds and expression levels of the terpene synthase-encoding genes. Conclusions: The obtained data provide an important insight into the transcriptional response of conifer trees to insect herbivory and illustrate the massive changes in the host transcriptome upon insect attacks. Moreover, many of the induced pathways are common between conifers and angiosperms. The presented results are the first ones obtained by the use of a microarray platform with an extended coverage of pine transcriptome (36.4 K cDNA elements). The platform will further facilitate the identification of resistance markers with the direct relevance for conifer tree breeding.Peer reviewe