The mediating effect of organizational commitment and moderating role of strategic implementation in the relationship between high performance work practices and organizational performance

Many studies on strategy and strategic human resource management have utilized resource-based view to explain the process through which organizations can gain sustainable competitive advantage and improve their performance. This viewpoint has overlooked the important role of managers in structuring, bundling and leveraging organizational resources to create superior value for owners and customers. However, there is still limited attention to how such role can be utilized to determine the performance of banks in Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the mediating role of organizational commitment and the moderating role of strategic implementation on the effect of high-performance work practices on the performance of Nigerian banks. The study employed a cross-sectional design to collect data from 400 participants using mail and personally administered questionnaires. A total of 258 usable questionnaires were retrieved to test five hypotheses. The results of Partial least square structural equation modelling analysis revealed that extensive training and development, recruitment and selection, organizational commitment, and strategic implementation had a direct and significant effect on bank performance in Nigeria. The study did not show a direct effect of job security, empowerment, compensation, and performance appraisal. Furthermore, the study demonstrated an indirect effect of extensive training and development, compensation, recruitment and selection and performance appraisal through the mediating role of organizational commitment. In line with scholarly suggestion for incorporating a moderator in the organizational level relationship between organizational commitment and organizational performance, this study confirmed the moderating role of strategic implementation. The study also contributes to the literature on how resource management model contributes to resource-based view by integrating the role of managers. Finally, the study addresses a call for a reflective-formative assessment of organizational performance as a multifaceted construct, discusses the implications and limitations, and suggests areas for future research

Effect of job satisfaction on turnover intention: an empirical investigation on Nigerian banking industry

Extant literature revealed that job satisfaction has negative effect on employee turnover intention. Despite loss of job satisfaction and high turnover intention among many bank employees in Nigeria very little attention was devoted to examining the negative effect of job satisfaction on turnover intention in the industry. Drawing from 192 employees from 5 banks this study analyzes the effect of job satisfaction on turnover intention In Nigerian banking industry. Results of regression analysis revealed that there is significant negative relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover intention in the Nigerian banking industry. Findings and implications were also discussed

Cross-sectional survey of knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers and community members toward the Ebola virus disease and antimicrobial resistance pathogens outbreaks in Nigeria

Introduction: the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Nigeria has further raised the awareness of health-care workers (HCWs) and community members (MCs) on the threat posed by infectious diseases and the need for improvement on infection control practices. However, awareness of dangers of increasing incidences of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in hospitals and communities remained low. Methods: a cross-sectional survey of awareness of 195 HCWs and 265 MCs toward EVD and AMR was conducted through a structured questionnaire. Results: majority of HCWs (95.4%) and MCs (82.8%) still have knowledge of EVD´s danger and give reasons like its unique way of killing and unavailability of drugs for their awareness. Only 17.2% of MCs are aware of AMR as a problem, and only 3.4% of MCs and 10.3% of HCWs agreed that AMR is more dangerous than EVD. On the contrary, 76.4% of doctors, 95.1% nurses, 67.9% laboratory scientists, 66.7% pharmacists, 77.4% students and 100% of civil servants, drivers and religious leaders believed that EVD is more horrific and spread faster. They both attributed the rapid awareness of EVD in Nigeria, despite being new at the time of the outbreak, to the seriousness with which stakeholders and the media fought EVD, the gesture AMR is yet to receive. Though both HCWs and MCs agreed that prevention, not treatment is the best option to tackle Ebola like-diseases, but surprisingly, about 37% and 65% of HCWs and MCs respectively, still believe that traditional medicines can be used to treat Ebola related illnesses. Conclusion: AMR awareness remains low among MCs and some HCWs when compared with EVD. It is recommended that efforts put in place during EVD outbreak by all stakeholders and the media need to be doubled to increase the knowledge of both HCWs and MCs toward AMR

Hydrocarbons Utilizing Coliform from Polluted Soil (Sandy, Clay and Loamy) in Jega, Nigeria

Environmental pollution with spilled oil and waste hydrocarbons has become a problem of major concern on the global scale. The study determined the biodegradation potentials of coliform from soil treated with petrol in Jega metropolis.  A total of nine (9) soil samples were collected and analyzed using Physicochemical and Microbiological standard techniques. The mean values of the physicochemical parameters tested ranged; pH (6.8-7.8), Temperature (–32.6b), Electrical conductivity (-), Dissolved oxygen (2.4-8.9), Biological oxygen demand ( -), Chemical oxygen demand (), Nitrogen content (1.30.2 -) and Phosphorous contents (2.90.- ). The spectrophotometric biodegradation potential of the soil samples reveals the turbidity range of 2.3-7., after which the bacterial isolates as scoliform were obtained, the isolates were further biochemically characterized, their percentage of occurrence show; Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 5 (29.4%), Escherichia coli with 3 (17.6%), Proteus vulgaris with 3 (17. 6%), Citrobacter koseri with 2 (11.8%), Citrobacter freundii with 2 (11.8%), while Proteus mirabilis with 2 (11.8%). The bacteria isolated fit for utilizing hydrocarbons as energy source. Therefore, microbes can be considered as a key component in the cleanup strategy for petroleum hydrocarbons remediation

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy dimensions and higher education institution performance

A detailed literature review provided consistent justification for the effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) on entrepreneurial intention. Recently,the literature yielded similar relationship on the link between ESE to firm performance.Although there are a significant number of studies on this effect that was mostly conducted in the private sector, they mainly focused on the composite ESE construct. The present study replicated and validated these findings with data from the public sector, specifically, higher education institutions (HEIs).Moreover, the study focused on the individual effect of all dimensions of ESE identified by Chen, Greene, and Crick (1998). Using PLS-SEM and non-probability sampling, the data were collected from 180 academic leaders from selected HEIs in Kano, Nigeria.The findings indicated that three dimensions of ESE (financial control ESE, innovation ESE, and risk taking ESE) were found to be significantly related to HEI performance, while two (management ESE and marketing ESE) were insignificantly related to HEI performance.The practical implication and suggestion for future study are also discussed

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy dimensions and higher education institution performance

A detailed literature review provided consistent justification for the effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) on entrepreneurial intention. Recently,the literature yielded similar relationship on the link between ESE to firm performance.Although there are a significant number of studies on this effect that was mostly conducted in the private sector, they mainly focused on the composite ESE construct. The present study replicated and validated these findings with data from the public sector, specifically, higher education institutions (HEIs).Moreover, the study focused on the individual effect of all dimensions of ESE identified by Chen, Greene, and Crick (1998). Using PLS-SEM and non-probability sampling, the data were collected from 180 academic leaders from selected HEIs in Kano, Nigeria.The findings indicated that three dimensions of ESE (financial control ESE, innovation ESE, and risk taking ESE) were found to be significantly related to HEI performance, while two (management ESE and marketing ESE) were insignificantly related to HEI performance.The practical implication and suggestion for future study are also discussed

Phytochemical, nutraceutical and antioxidant studies of the aerial parts of Daucus carota L. (Apiaceae)

Introduction: Carrot is a rich source of anthocyanins, carotenoids, vitamins A, B and C. The aerial parts are used as livestock feed in some parts of Northern Nigeria with little or no scientific evidence of its nutritional potential. This study established the phytochemical, nutritional and antioxidant potentials of carrot aerial parts. Methods: The proximate and elemental analyses of the aerial parts were determined using Association of Official Analyst Chemist (AOAC) method and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method for quantification of antioxidant properties in the crude extracts. Results: The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed presence of steroid/triterpenes, flavonoids, tannins and saponins in ethylacetate and methanol crude extracts. The proximate analysis revealed crude protein (14.59%), lipid (10.37%), fibre (9.07%), carbohydrate (51.81%), moisture (10.23%) and the ash content (12.99%). The aerial parts were rich in P (11.00 mg/L), Na (5.38 mg/L), Fe (3.19 mg/L), K (2.25 mg/L), Ca (2.02 mg/L), Mn (1.15 mg/L), Mg (1.02 mg/L), As (0.83 mg/L), Se (0.40 mg/L), Zn (0.26 mg/L), Cu (0.13 mg/L), Cd (-0.02 mg/L), Cr (0.02 mg/L), Ni (0.17 mg/L) and Pb (0.04 mg/L). The antioxidant activity showed that ethylacetate and methanol extracts had EC50 of 86.89 ug/mL and 166.79 ug/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Daucus carota aerial parts are rich in nutritional compositions and may be used as livestock feed supplements and also as vegetables for mankind. Its utilization could be incorporated in daily diets and boost food security in developing countries

Mediating Effect of Entrepreneurial Skills on the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation and Entrepreneurial Intention

The uncertainty nature of today’s environment and the increase in unemployment across the globe necessitate the need to improve entrepreneurial activities among graduates. Although, prior studies have documented empirical support of entrepreneurial orientation to entrepreneurial intention, the role of entrepreneurial skills has not been fully documented. Also, the effect of entrepreneurial orientation differs with individual cultures. Hence, the study examined the mediating role of entrepreneurial skills on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial intention using a sample of 143 Nigerian students. This study used a quantitative research approach, while the Partial Least Square Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that both entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial skills have positive relationships with entrepreneurial orientation. In addition, entrepreneurial skills mediate the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial intention. The findings of this study reinforce the assumption that EO shapes the activities of entrepreneurs, while their ES, in terms of negotiating, opportunity recognition and networking ability increases on a daily basis which will lead to entrepreneurial success

Internationalizing higher education in Nigeria: Essential tool for social and economic development

This conceptual paper highlights the significance of internationalizing higher education as a global phenomenon and discusses some of the potentials for developing nations with specific reference to Nigeria. The paper also dwell on examining Malaysia’s commitment to internationalization, the contributions it makes in the educational sub sector as well as the role it plays in the nation’s social and economic development.The paper concludes by discussing implications of the internationalization policy, benefits and suggests some measures that can positively contribute to effective implementation of the policy in the developing world