Evaluating the Challenges of Human Resource Management in Nigeria

The study is on Evaluating the Challenges of Human Resources Management in Nigeria. The human resource is the most important resource of any organization and any effort sparred in motivating the workforce will pay off.  In this era of globalization, organizations are not only paying for their inefficiencies, they are also paying for the global inefficiency, and environmental degradation.  There is a wide gap between the manager of human resource in manufacturing firms in Nigeria and the human resource. The paper examines challenges posed by individuals, governments and unions on human resource management in Nigeria.  It is found among other things that there are challenges of human resource management in Nigeria which include: workplace diversity, incursion of religious and ethnic groups and changing mix, demand and values of workforce. It is concluded that the human resource management has involved into an open complex social system. It is recommended that an EIS should be in place to ensure online information flow and that external interference in the recruitment and promotion of human resource should be minimized to avoid making the human resource manager a rubber-stamp. Keywords: Workplace Diversity, Complex Social System, EIS, Globalization, Ethnic Group

Application of Probability Theory in Small Business Management in Nigeria

The paper is on the application of probability theory in small business firms in Nigeria. It looks at the rate small business firms fail despite the programmes of government directed at their survival. The continued failure has resulted in a wide gap between the haves and the have-nots. The application of probability theory in small business is examined to find the implications and in restoring the gap between the rich and the poor through better and informed decisions. The survey design was adopted in the study.  The instruments for gathering data for the study were mail questionnaire and interview guide. The population of the study was 1625 small firms in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. A sample size of 345 small firms was considered adequate for the study.  The findings indicate that probability theory has wide application in small business firms; probability shows specificity in business situations and is inevitable in this era of information overload caused by ICT. It is recommended that small business firms especially those in the fashion industry should learn and apply probability theory since there line of business was more prone to chance occurrences. Keywords: Probability Theory, ICT, Specificity

Technical staff motivation in Nigeria : a strategic imperative

The paper is focused on the strategies to motivating technical staff in Nigeria. Nigeria is an emerging economy with various challenges imposed by globalisation and climatic change agents. Strategies adopted and their efficacy in motivating technical staff are expected to result in better appreciating and handling of environmental/climatic changes, satisfaction and improved productivity of the staff. The study investigated the peculiar characteristics of technical staff, the effects of monetary rewards on the technical staff, the effects of ‘private practice’ and non-provision of work on technical staff. A sample of 110 technical staff was selected. The findings indicate that junior technical staff (artisans and foremen) preferred monetary rewards, while senior technical staff (technical officer cadre) preferred non-monetary rewards. More of the technical staff preferred provision of work and ‘private practice’ as motivational strategies/tools. It is concluded that a technical staff who is provided with work and who is allowed ‘private practice’ is more likely to be committed to his/her job and would avoid strike. It is recommended that technical staff should be given time of their own to engage in ‘private practice’ and should always be provided with job to avoid loss of skill

Improving Production Planning and Control through the Application of Breakeven Analysis in Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria

The study was on Improving Production Planning and Control through the Application of Breakeven Analysis in Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria. Manufacturing in Nigeria cannot be left out of the global connectivity in technological breakthrough of our time.  Ideals, policies and procedures for achieving global connectivity very often lead to business effectiveness and efficiency. In production planning and control, tools for achieving success are varied. Today manufacturing firms in Nigeria are almost extinct. Poor planning and control of productive systems arise and make operations less efficient. Manufacturing firms fail as a result of operational inefficiency and ineffectiveness. The problem of the study therefore was the incessant closure of manufacturing firms in Enugu urban, Nigeria. The study sought to ascertain the practical application of breakeven analysis in production planning and control; to determine the relationship between the application of breakeven analysis in production planning and control and the frequency or rate of meeting due dates; to ascertain the relationship between the application of breakeven analysis in production planning and control and profit generation and to ascertain the relationship between the application of breakeven analysis and the generation of scrap in manufacturing firms.  The study was conducted using the survey approach. The area of study was Enugu Urban, Nigeria; the idea of choosing Enugu Urban being the growing clusters of firms or industrial parks in urban areas in Nigeria. Two sources of data were utilised in the study: they included primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were personal interview and the administration of questionnaire to the CEOs or managers in-charge of production planning and control in the affected firms. Out of a population of 300 manufacturing firms including block industries, 171 firms were sampled. The sample size of 171 was chosen after applying the Taro Yamane formula for the determination of adequate sample size. Out of 171 firms sampled 150 firms returned the questionnaire accurately filled; that gave 88 percent response rate. The close-ended questionnaire was utilised. The validity of the instrument was tested using content analysis and the result was good. The reliability was tested using the Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient. It yielded a reliability co-efficient of 0.82 which was also good. The data were analysed using frequency tables, and simple percentages. The hypotheses were tested using Chi-square test of independence and the contingency table. It was found that a significant relationship existed between application of breakeven analysis and scrap generation; that breakeven analysis could be applied in production planning and control to improve on due dates, profit and to reduce scrap generation. It was concluded among others that the application of breakeven analysis was more likely to lead to efficiency, profit generation, scarp reduction and meeting of due dates. It was recommended that beakeven analysis should be taught in secondary schools and that it should be applied in the short run by manufacturing firms; and that block industries should be more conscious in the application of breakeven analysis in production planning and control. Keywords: Breakeven Analysis, Production Planning and Control, Global Connectivity, Efficiency

L'orgue a Catalunya i a Montserrat durant la vida de Joan Cererols (1618-1680)

L'article té dues parts, amb una conclusió final. En la primera es descriu l'interior dels diversos elements que configuren els mecanismes elementals de l'instrument. Podem veure-hi l'estat genèric de l'evolució de l'orgue a casa nostra durant el segle xvii, amb referències a orgueners del segle anterior, que posen les bases de l'instrument amb l'estil característic de l'instrument català. En la segona part es fa un cop d'ull a la història de l'orgue que durant poc més de dos segles ha estat essencial en la configuració musical de la litúrgia montserratina. No es poden fer afirmacions precises més enllà de les que la història ens ha deixat. La destrucció de l'arxiu durant la Guerra del Francès ha impedit que poguéssim tenir més dades. Malauradament, ens hem de valer de suposicions basades en els pocs fets històrics de què disposem. Tot amb tot, és possible dir alguna cosa sobre la disposició de l'instrument que el pare Cererols podia teclejar a la basílica montserratina.This paper is composed of two parts and a final conclusion. The first part describes the interior of the various elements which form the basic mechanisms of the organ. This gives an overview of the evolution of this instrument in Catalonia in the 17th century, together with references to organists from the previous century who laid the foundations for the organ with the characteristic style of this instrument in Catalonia.The second part of this paper looks at the history of the organ, which formed an essential part of the music of Montserrat's liturgy during a period of a little over two centuries. No precise affirmations can be made beyond what history has handed down to us. The destruction of the archive of the monastery during the Peninsular War meant that no further information is available. Unfortunately, we must work with assumptions based on the few historical facts at our disposal. Even so, some things can indeed be said about the make-up of the instrument that Father Cererols played in the basilica of Montserrat

Els orgues grans de Montserrat (I): des del segle XVI fins al 1811

Estudi de les característiques tímbriques dels instruments que han intervingut en el culte montserratí, des de l'inici del segle XVI fins a la destrucció del monestir per les tropes franceses (1811). Disposem, a partir del 1506, de les primeres dades sobre l'instrument de l'antiga esglesiola romànica. Possiblement va ser un orgue de caràcter gòtic tardà, del qual no coneixem ni la disposició ni l'orguener, però que pervingué fins al 1599, any del trasllat de la santa imatge a la nova església. En aquest cas, l'orguener Jordi de Mendoça és l'encarregat de bastir el nou instrument. Possiblement no l'acabà, i fou Francesc Bordons qui el portà a terme. Orgue admirat pel seu fill Francesc-Lluís Bordons i Gatuelles. També treballà a Montserrat fra Bartomeu Triay, però no realitzà l'orgue major, com fins ara es creia, sinó que basteix el que serà «l'orgue dels escolans», instrument col·locat al presbiteri. Antoni Boscà i Llorens refà l'orgue principal el 1737. A partir dels seus treballs en altres llocs del país, a més de les indicacions deixades pels compositors montserratins, podem entreveure la disposició d'aquest gran instrument. Ens hi ajuda el gravat d'Alexandre Laborde (1808).This is a study of the timbre features of the instruments which have played a part in worship at Montserrat from the early 16th century to the destruction of the monastery by the French army in 1811.As from 1506, we have information on the organ of the old Romanesque church. It was possibly a Late Gothic instrument, although we have no knowledge of either its structure or its builder. In any case, it existed until the year 1599 when the Holy Image was transferred to the new church. The organ maker Jordi de Mendoça was commissioned to build the new organ for this church. It is possible that he did not complete this instrument and that Francesc Bordons finished it. This organ was admired by his son Francesc-Lluís Bordons i Gatuelles. Friar Bartomeu Triay also worked at Montserrat but he did not build the great organ, as had been believed up to now: rather, it was he who made the one that would be known as the choirboys organ. This instrument was placed in the chancel. Antoni Boscà i Llorens rebuilt the great organ in 1737. On the basis of his work in other places in the country and the mentions made by the composers of Montserrat, we can get an idea of the structure of this important instrument. The engraving by Alexandre Laborde (1808) also provides help in this respect

Els orgues grans de Montserrat (III). El nou orgue Blancafort (2010)

L'avançament de la reforma propugnada pel Concili II del Vaticà motivà, el 1958, l'establiment de l'orgue d'Aquilino Amezua com a orgue de cor en el cor inferior i únic instrument de la basílica. Després de diverses reparacions (1978 i 1992), es retirà definitivament el 2009. En aquest article es detalla la gènesi i la realització del projecte que s'establí per a construir el nou instrument, el 2010. Hi ha la descripció detallada de les seves parts, el seu funcionament, l'activitat que ha de permetre i la ressenya de cada un dels seus jocs o registres, amb la funció que acompleixen a l'interior i a l'exterior de l'instrument. El text es complementa amb la disposició final de l'orgue. L'obra ha estat portada a terme per l'orguener Albert Blancafort, fill del també orguener Gabriel Blancafort, en combinació amb els organistes del monestir.In 1958, the advance of the reform advocated by the Second Vatican Council led to the establishment of the Aquilino Amezua organ as the choir organ in the Basilica's lower choir and as its sole instrument. After successive repairs (1978 and 1992), this organ was permanently withdrawn from service in 2009. This paper takes a detailed look at the genesis and implementation of the project that was developed to build the new instrument in 2010. A detailed description is given of its parts, its operation, and the activity which it is to allow, and also described in detail is each of its ranks or stops, with the functions that they perform inside and outside the instrument. The final arrangement of the organ is also discussed. The project was carried out by the organ builder Albert Blancafort, son ofthe likewise organ builder Gabriel Blancafort, in conjunction with the organists of the Monastery

Cancion a la solemne bendicion de las banderas de los cinco batallones de voluntarios honrados de la ciudad de Valencia [Texto impreso] : celebrado en la Iglesia del Real Convento de Predicadores... dia 18 de Octubre de 1794

Pie de imp. tomado de colofó

Florinda : escena tragica unipersonal

Encab. tomado de Palau, II, 21867El autor se cita a si mismo en la dedicatoriaSign.: []3, *