Science and the Scientific Nature of Research in the Social Sciences

There have been a lot of arguments regarding the scientific nature of the social science disciplines. While some argue that the social sciences are not scientific in nature due to their areas of operations and the nature of their subject matter, others, particularly the social scientists themselves, argue that despite the claims of the ‘pure’ sciences, they still abstract from the characteristics of science, involve themselves in rigorous scientific experimentation and investigations and adhere to the principles of scientific laid down rules of research processes. This paper on the scientific nature of the social sciences explores these schools of thought and evaluates the processes of social research and investigation to survey how scientific they are and how they apply as scientific. This paper also explores the aims of science, the characteristics of science, the principles of social sciences, the common tools of research of the social sciences, the social science research design and the stages of social research. The essence of the reviews is to examine their scientific nature and to argue if they conform to the logic of scientific research

The Nigerian University System and the Challenges of Capacity Building in a Globalized Economy

Abstract: The scaring effects of globalization and the global economic shift have affected world economic order to the extent that the weak economies are still trying to grapple with the production processes. The necessity of international discourse, alignment and reorganization generated by the new economic order has not provided the needed solution. Rather, the process has continued to erode and reorder the traditional economic activities of the weak economies to the extent that there is unprecedented unemployment. This gives the impression that the university academic system, with the courses and programmes taught, is not structured in a flexible manner to arrest the situation. This paper on the synergy between the Nigerian university academic system and the challenges of capacity building in a globalized economy investigates why, in spite of the numerous international discourses, economic restructuring, etc. unemployment, especially among the products of universities, continues to escalate, economy continues to dwindle, political structures and governance continue to deteriorate. The observation is that the Nigerian university system has failed to achieve, among the beneficiaries, the expected capacity building, intellectual capital and knowledge necessary to drive the economy in this dispensation. The paper recommends inter alia, an overhaul of the Nigerian university system to take care of the critical requirements of current production processes, flexibilization of labour and employment, ensuring that the knowledge and skills acquired are information and communication technology oriented and the development of the power and energy sector because of its regeneration and multiplier effects on job and wealth creation. Key words: Capacity Building; Flexibilization; Intellectual Capital; Nigerian University Academic System; Globalizatio

Morale, Productivity and Sustainable Industrial Development in Nigeria

This paper is an analytical discourse on the interface and relationship between morale and productivity and how these have impactful influence on sustainable industrial development in Nigeria. Nigeria is a developing economy that direly needs a strong root and drive for productivity and economic development. This may not be feasible except if the drivers of the economy, particularly the human factor in the production process are not appropriately motivated to energize their morale. This paper that dwelt more on library and secondary sources of materials identified that morale and productivity, though related to each other in many facets, are at the lowest ebbs in Nigeria to essentially drive sustainable industrial development akin to competitive global integrated market economy. It also observed, among others, that certain government truncated policies and poor economic environment within which the human element as factor of production do their work challenge the morale of the operators of the economy. It therefore, recommended, among others, that government policies and work environment should be employees friendly in order to adequately energize them for global practices and to ensure the steady forward movement and progression towards sustainable industrial development in Nigeria. Keywords: Morale, Productivity, Sustainable industrial development, Government policies. DOI: 10.7176/DCS/10-8-03 Publication date:August 31st 202

Outsourcing as a Leveraging Strategy for Organizational Productivity in Covid-19 Era

The year 2020 was notably one of the most very challenging years in recent times, with the whole world responding and looking to recover from the health and economic challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic which impacted hard on every sphere of life. Considering the ferocity of global competition, most businesses have been caught up in revising many operational matters and strategies so as to be able to manage the effects of the pandemic. This they have done by striving to take advantage of areas that they can exploit for improved efficiency as well as reduce costs in order to avail more time for activities that generate revenue. This paper, which adopted analytical discussion of secondary data and anchored on transactional cost economics as its theoretical framework, evaluated the efficacy of outsourcing as a management and production strategy which not only helps companies to overcome productivity challenges by providing unlimited opportunities in this Covid-19 era but equally helps them streamline operations by adding additional resources and value that may have been lacking in-house. This, most business organizations did by re-adjusting and appraising their production and management strategies with regards to their opportunities and strengths; and relinquishing by contracting those activities that challenged their competencies to other third-party professional organizations that performed their hitherto in-house activities for them. It is recommended that in current times, going for an outsourcing partner may be the best thing an organization can do to retain optimal productivity. Keywords: Outsourcing, Covid-19, Transaction cost economics, Pandemic DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-6-14 Publication date:March 31st 202

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

FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS (FWAS) AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: AN EMPIRICAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRODUCTION COMPANIES

This comparative analysis seeks to ascertain the extent to which Flexible Working Arrangements FWAs have been adopted in the Nigerian work environment and equally uncover if the acclaimed efficacy of these Flexible Working Arrangements in ensuring sustained optimal performance is as realistic in the Nigerian work environment as it is in advanced countries using two production companies, Nigeria Bottling Company NBC- a multi-national company and Camela Vegetable Oil Company- an indigenous company as focal points. The survey research design with questionnaire and interviews as instruments of primary data collection and library research for secondary data was used for the study. The research hinges on Self Determination Theory with simple percentages used for data analysis and chi-square for testing hypothesis. Research findings showed that Flexible Working Arrangements (FWAs) are not yet being practiced in these organizations of study thus they are yet to start harnessing the immense benefits of flexibility in work. It is recommended that organizations should re-strategize by upturning some of their archaic and obsolete operational policies and imbibing new ones like the flexible work arrangements which are in accord with current contemporary global practices. Keywords: Flexible Working Arrangements (FWAs), Organizational Performance, Self Determination Theory, Flexitime, Work-Life Balance (WLB)

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

SYNERGIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EFFECTIVE INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE NEEDS ANALYSIS, UTILIZATION AND SECURITY IN NIGERIA

The general objective of the paper examines critically the synergic relationship between effective information and intelligence needs gathering, analysis and utilization in relation to security situation in Nigeria. Effective pursuit and execution of security needs in every nation depend critically on the conscious security information drive, intelligence gathering, the existence of the necessary security gadgets and apparatus, the zeal of the citizenry to be security conscious and to provide information needed, the will power of the government in place and security institutions to analyze and utilize the available information and intelligence gathered. The challenging problems of study indicate that budgetary funds are made available to security agencies and institutions yet insecurity prevails in Nigeria, lives and properties are destroyed on daily basis, foreign investors relocate out of Nigeria for fear of insecurity, inability of security agencies to pro-actively respond to security demands, seemingly government complicity in curtailing the incessant insecurity, etc. These point to the lack of information and intelligence needs gathering and analysis, lack of relevant modern ICT security equipment and personnel, sharing intelligence information and collaborative efforts among these agencies. The paper is discursive and analytical in methodology. While the paper examined the challenges faced by these agencies and reasons for their ineffectiveness, it avers that, in order to buttress security and grow the economy, the government of Nigeria should, among others, ensure that there are collaborative and effective information and intelligence drive, analysis, sharing and utilization in relation to security pursuit; high technological military hardware for surveillance should be in use; sentiments, individualism, exclusionism, ethnicity and parochialism should not be above national interest; economy should be boosted through job creation, employment, empowerment, entrepreneurship, industrialization and manufacture to mitigate the burden on the agencies and create opportunity for individuals and institutions to explore their potentials and the economy to blossom.  Article visualizations

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