Growth Performance and Carcass Yield of Three Commercial Strains of Broiler Chickens raised in a Tropical Environment

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth performance and carcass yield of three commercial strains of broiler chickens namely Arbor Acre, Marshal and Ross reared in a tropical environment. 150 day old chicks per strain were brooded in separate brooding pens from day old to 2 weeks of age. At two weeks of age, each strain was separated into sexes and each sex replicated thrice and randomly placed into different pens where brooding continues for the next 2 weeks. Brooding and rearing to 8 weeks took place in the same pen. There were significant (p<0.05) strain differences with respect to body weight (1-8 weeks), average weight gain (2-3, 4-5, 6-7 weeks) and average feed intake (1-8 weeks). Arbor Acre had the most superior body weight at 8 weeks and weight gain at 6-7 weeks followed by Ross and Marshal in that order. However, the three strains of broiler chicken were similar in weight gain at 7-8 weeks and average feed conversion ratio at 8 weeks of age. Significant strain x sex interaction were observed in the body weight, weight gain and feed intake of the birds. Arbor Acre males were the most superior in body weight and weight gain compared to the males and females of Ross and Marshal. There was no significant effect of strain on the carcass yield of the birds. Based on its superior performance, Arbor Acre broiler is recommended to broiler farmers in Nigeria. Keywords: Bodyweight, broiler, carcass yield, feed conversion ratio, superiority

Creativity and Innovation Culture: A Prerequisite for Sustaining Competitive Advantage in SMES

Creativity and innovation are rudiments for an improvement in both new processes and ideas in an organisation. These attributes emanate from good management, a culture that encourages creativity and innovation, and recruiting creative individuals to enhance competitiveness. SMEs that are determined to compete with larger organisations are expected to be more innovative and creative than these organisations are. Many SMEs do not perceive that the promising future of SMEs is illustrated by the aptness to implant creativity and innovation in their organisational culture which has the tendency to develop the human capital as well as the total performance of the organisation.  This paper is aimed at guiding SMEs on how to espouse creativity and innovation culture in their operations, and also prompt an agenda for researchers to attain a more definitive affirmation about the application of creativity and innovation as a culture to gain a sustainable competitive edge over larger organisations. This paper also points out innovation and creativity opportunities in common SMEs like fashion SMEs, e-commerce businesses and agricultural SMEs, etc. It makes use of secondary sources of data collection from libraries, journal publications, and internet sources. It recommends that Innovation and creativity should be co-created alongside stakeholders with the support of the government as well. This can provide valuable information that may eventually result into a value-creating idea and give the enterprise competitive advantage and in the long-run boost the economy. Barriers identified include financial base, managerial issues and technological issues. Thorough attention should be paid to these issues to foster creative and innovative practices in SME

EFFECT OF SUCCESSION PLANNING ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Organizations need to keep running despite the potential risk it faces. However, leaders in institutions find it difficult to survive in the face of difficulties. The study aims to determine the effect of succession planning on business performance: Empirical evidence of The Bells University, Covenant University, and Crawford University. The objective of the study was to; evaluate the effect of the transition process on business continuity, examine the impact performance metric has on corporate image and determine the influence successor training and development has on customer satisfaction of the selected firm. A hundred and fifty (150) copies of questionnaires were administered to the top and middle-level management in the selected universities. The study adopted a correlational research design. The findings show that succession planning has a significant impact on business performance. The significant value (.000) indicated that the transition process has a substantial effect on business continuity. Similarly, the performance metric showed a positive association (.000) with corporate image. The significant value for successor training and development and customer satisfaction was (.000), which was less than 0.05, indicating that successor training and development significantly affected customer satisfaction. This study thus concludes that succession planning is an effective strategy to ensure business performanc

Preparation and optimization of macroalgae-derived solid acid catalysts

Solid acid catalysts were synthesized from macroalgae Sargassum horneri via hydrothermal carbonization followed by sulfuric acid sulfonation. A three-variable Box-Behnken design and optimization was used to maximize surface acidity. The optimal preparation conditions were found to be at the carbonization temperature of 217 °C, the carbonization time of 4.6 h and the sulfonation temperature of 108.5 °C. Under these conditions, the highest surface acidity achieved was 1.62 mmol g−1. Physical and chemical properties of prepared solid acid catalyst were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The results proved the grafting of –SO3H groups on an amorphous carbon structure. The catalyst activity was evaluated by the esterification of oleic acid with methanol. The sample prepared achieved 96.6% esterification yield, which was higher than the 86.7% yield achieved by commercial Ambersyst-15 under the same reaction conditions

Comparison of the physico-chemical characteristics, oxidative and hydrolytic stabilities of oil and fat of cyperus esculentus L. (yellow nutsedge) and butyrospermum parkii (shea nut) from Middle-Belt States of Nigeria

The physico-chemical characteristics, oxidative and hydrolytic changes during storage and accelerated conditions of yellow nutsedge oil and shea fat were studied and comparisons made on the variables. The solvent extract of yellow nutsedge gave an oil yield of 22.3% and that of shea nut gave a fat yield of 52%. The saponification value, non-saponifiable matter, iodine value, refractive index (at 250°C) and colour were 188mg KOH/g, 0.5%, 104.8, 1.4672, and golden yellow respectively for yellow nutsedge oil while for shea fat they were, 191mg KOH/g 3.01%, 59.5, 1.4675 and milky white respectively. The hydrolytic changes occurring over 9 weeks period for solvent extract of yellow. Keywords: physico-chemical characteristics, cyperus spp, oil and fat, NigeriaNigerian Food Journal Vol. 23 2005: 33-3

Creativity and Innovation Culture: A Prerequisite for Sustaining Competitive Advantage in SMES

Creativity and innovation are rudiments for an improvement in both new processes and ideas in an organisation. These attributes emanate from good management, a culture that encourages creativity and innovation, and recruiting creative individuals to enhance competitiveness. SMEs that are determined to compete with larger organisations are expected to be more innovative and creative than these organisations are. Many SMEs do not perceive that the promising future of SMEs is illustrated by the aptness to implant creativity and innovation in their organisational culture which has the tendency to develop the human capital as well as the total performance of the organisation.  This paper is aimed at guiding SMEs on how to espouse creativity and innovation culture in their operations, and also prompt an agenda for researchers to attain a more definitive affirmation about the application of creativity and innovation as a culture to gain a sustainable competitive edge over larger organisations. This paper also points out innovation and creativity opportunities in common SMEs like fashion SMEs, e-commerce businesses and agricultural SMEs, etc. It makes use of secondary sources of data collection from libraries, journal publications, and internet sources. It recommends that Innovation and creativity should be co-created alongside stakeholders with the support of the government as well. This can provide valuable information that may eventually result into a value-creating idea and give the enterprise competitive advantage and in the long-run boost the economy. Barriers identified include financial base, managerial issues and technological issues. Thorough attention should be paid to these issues to foster creative and innovative practices in SME

ONLINE MARKETING AND ENTREPRENEURIAL GROWTH IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS: A STUDY OF HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN OGUN STATE

The study aims at determining how higher institutions make use of online marketing techniques to promote growth. The growth and spread of internet with an extraordinary pace over the last few decades has resulted in its increased use for online marketing purpose. Internet as a marketing tool provides significant opportunities for companies to seek and adopt innovative practices in order to address the increasing demands of consumers. This study focused on online marketing and entrepreneurial growth of selected private higher institutions in Ogun state, Nigeria. The study objectives were to determine the role of social media marketing in enhancing higher institutions productivity, to investigate the relationship that exist between online affiliate marketing and higher institutions profitability, to ascertain the relationship that exist between mobile marketing and higher institutions expansion and to examine the influence of electronic payment on customer’s satisfaction. The research was a descriptive survey and used a sample size of 253 respondents and only 237 were retrieved. The study heavily relied on primary data which was collected through administering structured questionnaires. The process of data analysis involved several stages; the completed questionnaires were edited for completeness and consistency, check for errors and omissions and then coded. The collected data was analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation as well as Pearson’s correlation test and regression analysis. The study results indicated that social media marketing, online affiliate marketing, mobile marketing and electronic payment has a significant effect on the growth of higher institutions. The study findings indicated that low IT skills and knowledge has neglected its application by businesses, followed by lack of suitable infrastructure in the country. The findings led to the conclusion that social media marketing, online affiliate marketing, mobile marketing and electronic payment are important to improve higher institutions productivity, profitability, expansion and customer’s satisfaction. The study recommended that higher institutions agencies should engage in carrying out training programs on the available online marketing techniques, communicating its benefits and opportunities to businesses. The study also recommended that strategies on how to minimize the challenges relating to online marketing should be followed so that higher institutions can embrace the use of modern technology