Interation Between Globalization and Organizational Performance in the Third World: Nigeria in Focus

This paper is on how the phenomenon of globalization affects or poses a challenge to organisations operating in the Third World countries, especially Nigeria. Building on environment - organisation analysis, this paper explores globalisation – business performance relationship. Globalization acts as a two – edged sword; it slashes the throat of the weak, while as Excalibur, it further strengthens the hand of the strong. Globalization affords all the opportunities that can help Third World countries transform from Third World to First World in one generation. However, Africa has been a marginal participant in the new global order, and watches globalisation as a paradox. As a result of some skewed and embarrassing features such as inadequate skilled manpower, lack of critical social, legal and economic structures, etc, and the challenging forces and propellants of globalization such as technological innovations, economic liberalisation, etc. Third World economies have not gained the advantage of global world economies. These have made Third World economies vulnerable to the manipulations and dictates of the rampaging economies of the First World. They have caused organisations operating in these Third World economies to become victims of the globalization phenomenon thereby, hindering their (organisations) performance. It is the opinion of this paper that Third World countries need to restructure their political, economic, social and technological structures and give priority to technological and knowledge – driven human capital development. This is expedient because critical and knowledge human resource has become the key for productivity in this era of globalization.Key words: Globalization; Organizational Performance; Third World; Good Governance; Critical Knowledge and Skil

Sensory Evaluation of Dawa Dawa Produced By the Traditional Fermentation of African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis Stenocarpa Harms) Seeds

Dawa dawa condiment was produced by traditional fermentation of African yam bean and soybean seeds. Processed substrates were incubated for 72 hr at room temperature in earthen pots lined with washed fresh banana leaves. Samples of African yam bean dawa dawa (AYBD) were comparatively evaluated with African locust bean dawa dawa (ALBD) sample and two types of soybean dawa dawa samples that were prepared following the procedures used by rural women in Kaduna State (KAFD) and Benue State (BEND). The sensory parameters measured were appearance, aroma, taste, and overall acceptability. KAFD was most significantly (p = 0.05) preferred in appearance and taste with scores of 6.4 and of 8.3 respectively. This was followed by AYBD, ALBD and BEND samples, respectively. The panelists highly and equally accepted all four types. The acceptability scores were 7.3, 7.4, 7.1, and 7.3 for ALBD, BEND, KAFD, and AYBD, respectively. Freshness of AYBD samples were lost after 3 days under refrigeration condition (4\ub12\ub0C) but all the sun-dried condiment samples were preserved for at least 6 months at room temperature (29\ub0\ub1 2o C). @ JASEM ** Due to technical difficulties, figures and images associated with this article are unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience. *

LEADERSHIP QUESTION AND THE CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

It is disheartening that despite efforts and resources put in transforming the rural communities in Nigeria, they have continued to remain underdeveloped. Several approaches, among which is community development, have been adopted to improve the lives of the people, all to no avail. This paper on leadership question and the challenges of community development in Nigeria examines why these communities have continued to remain poor. The methodology adopted is analytical discussion of library materials. The paper examines what community development entails, and the leadership challenges that have undermined its effective roles in rural transformation and community development in Nigeria. It observes that leadership is fraught with many challenges that have impinged on its efforts at transforming the rural communities despite their abundant human and material resources. It looks at those factors that have blurred the visions of leadership in community development. The development of the resources could leap frog the communities as foundations for development of national economies and integration to global markets. Having examined the exigencies of genuine and critical knowledge leadership, the paper recommends among others, that leadership for community development be development-oriented, shun corruption, be transparent and accountable; development assistance agencies and government to re-examine the internal and external factors militating against rural transformation; and the structural policies of development to be re-evaluated to examine why they have not achieved targets

LEADERSHIP QUESTION AND THE CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

It is disheartening that despite efforts and resources put in transforming the rural communities in Nigeria, they have continued to remain underdeveloped. Several approaches, among which is community development, have been adopted to improve the lives of the people, all to no avail. This paper on leadership question and the challenges of community development in Nigeria examines why these communities have continued to remain poor. The methodology adopted is analytical discussion of library materials. The paper examines what community development entails, and the leadership challenges that have undermined its effective roles in rural transformation and community development in Nigeria. It observes that leadership is fraught with many challenges that have impinged on its efforts at transforming the rural communities despite their abundant human and material resources. It looks at those factors that have blurred the visions of leadership in community development. The development of the resources could leap frog the communities as foundations for development of national economies and integration to global markets. Having examined the exigencies of genuine and critical knowledge leadership, the paper recommends among others, that leadership for community development be development-oriented, shun corruption, be transparent and accountable; development assistance agencies and government to re-examine the internal and external factors militating against rural transformation; and the structural policies of development to be re-evaluated to examine why they have not achieved targets

An Improvement of Load Flow Solution for Power System Networks using Evolutionary-Swarm Intelligence Optimizers

Load flow report which reveals the existing state of the power system network under steady operating conditions, subject to certain constraints is being bedeviled by issues of accuracy and convergence. In this research, five AI-based load flow solutions classified under evolutionary-swarm intelligence optimizers are deployed for power flow studies in the 330kV, 34-bus, 38-branch section of the Nigerian transmission grid. The evolutionary-swarm optimizers used in this research consist of one evolutionary algorithm and four swarm intelligence algorithms namely; biogeography-based optimization (BBO), particle swarm optimization (PSO), spider monkey optimization (SMO), artificial bee colony optimization (ABCO) and ant colony optimization (ACO). BBO as a sole evolutionary algorithm is being configured alongside four swarm intelligence optimizers for an optimal power flow solution with the aim of performance evaluation through physical and statistical means. Assessment report upon application of these standalone algorithms on the 330kV Nigerian grid under two (accuracy and convergence) metrics produced PSO and ACO as the best-performed algorithms. Three test cases (scenarios) were adopted based on the number of iterations (100, 500, and 1000) for proper assessment of the algorithms and the results produced were validated using mean average percentage error (MAPE) with values of voltage profile created by each solution algorithm in line with the IEEE voltage regulatory standards. All algorithms proved to be good load flow solvers with distinct levels of precision and speed. While PSO and SMO produced the best and worst results for accuracy with MAPE values of 3.11% and 36.62%, ACO and PSO produced the best and worst results for convergence (computational speed) after 65 and 530 average number of iterations. Since accuracy supersedes speed from scientific considerations, PSO is the overall winner and should be cascaded with ACO for an automated hybrid swarm intelligence load flow model in future studies. Future research should consider hybridizing ACO and PSO for a more computationally efficient solution model

INSECURITY AND THE PAUPERIZATION OF RESIDENTS OF OWERRI IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT

Poverty and insecurity are twin recurrent issues in recent times for many countries in the world, especially Third World countries in Africa to which Nigeria belongs. Security is a pillar without which no meaningful development can be achieved and sustained. Nigeria, like most other Sub-Sahara Africa countries, is deeply embroiled in and facing multifaceted security challenges. The wave of insecurity in Nigeria has assumed a dangerous dimension that is threatening both the safety of environment for lives and properties and the conduct of business and economic activities thereby causing untold hardship and poverty. The poverty level in Nigeria is such that many people now live below the poverty line and has become a source of concern and subject of growing attention for both academics and policy makers. This paper, therefore, sought to find out if insecurity has a causative effect on the pauperization of the people of Owerri and vice versa with particular reference to recent happenings in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. The survey research design, questionnaire and interviews as instruments of primary data collection and relative deprivation theory as framework were used for the study. Data were analysed with simple percentages while the chi-square was used to test the hypothesis. Secondary data from library research was utilized for analytical discussion. Research findings show that insecurity has both a cause and an effect relationship with poverty cum pauperization and the need to shun violence is recommended.  Article visualizations

Effect of aqueous extracts of medicinal plants on growth of Fusarium moniliforme var subglutinans Wollenw. and Reinking.

The growth of Fusarium moniliforme var subglutinans Wollenw. and Reinking was evaluated in chloramphenicol potato dextrose agar (cPDA) containing 20 %aqueous extractsof eight medicinal plants. Mycelia growth, was reduced in unautoclaved extracts of Cassia alata, Baphia nitida, Euphorbia hirta, Vernonia amygdalina, Azadirachta indica, and Zingiber officinale, with B. nitida, V. amygdalina, and C. alata, being the most effective. On the contrary, the unautoclaved extract of Cyathula prostrata did not affect the growth of the fungus. The antifungal activities of B. nitida, A. indica, E. hirta, Z. officinale, and C. alata were affected by autoclave treatment. Unautoclaved extracts of C. alata, B. nitida, A. indica, V. amygdalina, A. cordifolia, E. hirta and Z. officinale significantly (p£0.05) reduced the dry weight of the fungus below the control. Autoclaving the extracts affected the fungitoxic activities of C. alata, B. nitida, and V. amygdalina, on the dry weight of the fungus. Sporulation was completely inhibited in cPDA medium amended with unautoclaved extracts of C. alata, B. nitida, A. indica, V. amygdalina and Z. officinale. However all the autoclaved extracts supported sporulation of the fungus. Conidia germination in full strength (w/v, 1:1) extracts was completely inhibited, whereas 90 % of the conidia germinated in sterile deionised water after 6 h of incubation. These findings suggest the potential role of the extracts in controlling the fungus. Keywords: Fusarium moniliforme var subglutinans, medicinal plants, aqueous extracts, in vitro growth inhibition. [Global Jnl Agric Res Vol.2(1) 2003: 9-16

Effect of aqueous extracts of some medicinal plants on in vitro growth of Botryodiplodia theobromae pat.

The development of Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat, was evaluated in chloramphenicol potato dextrose agar (cPDA) medium amended with aqueous extracts of eight plants used in Nigerian ethnomedicne. Linear mycelial growth in media containing unautoclaved or autoclaved extract was measured at 12 h interval for 48 h, while dry weight was determined after 48 h of incubation. Stroma production was determined after 7 days of incubation. Cassia alata was most inhibitory to the fungus and was followed by Azadirachta indica, Alchornea cordifolia and Baphia nitida respectively. Cyathula prostrata, Vernonia amygdalina, Euphorbia hirta and Zingiber officinale promoted radial mycelial growth of the pathogen. Autoclave heat treatment did not affect the inhibitory action of C. alata on the linear growth but reduced the efficacy of the leaf extract on dry weight and stroma production. Autoclaved extracts of A. cordifolia, A. indica, E. hirta and C. alata supported more stroma production, heat treatment did not stimulate production of more stroma on media containing extracts of C. alata, V. amygdalina and Z. officinale.. The inhibition of mycelial growth and stroma production by unheated aqueous extracts of some of the test plants suggests that effective control of the pathogen with extracts of medicinal plants is possible. Keywords:Botryodiplodia theobromae, medicinal plants, aqueous extracts, in vitro growth inhibition. [Global Jnl Agric Res Vol.2(1) 2003: 17-24

Enhanced Remediation of a Hydrocarbon Polluted Soil

Abstract: The aim of this study was to use NPKs, saw dust and poultry manure as enhanced remediation techniques of a crude oil polluted soil, using a 42-day study period, time length. Polluted soil samples were collected at 0-10 cm depth from different polluted sites of the same area. Physicochemical parametres such as pottasium concentration and total hydrocarbon recorded a decrease at the 6 th week, after application and lab testing. Total organic carbon recorded an increase on the 6 th week, for treatments containing; PS+SD, PS+NPK and PS+PM. pH ranged between 5.21-10.1. The results suggest that a combination of ammendments in the right proportion would be effective in the remediation of crude oil polluted soil