The Efficiency of Entrepreneurship Indicators and Policy Implications in West Africa

This study investigated the efficiency of entrepreneurship at macro level in anglophone and francophone West African, using selected indicators across countries. The study made use of data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to evaluate the performance. From the efficiency analysis on the Anglophone countries, there was an improvement in scale efficiency which implies that the countries within embraced technology and as well improved on their managerial allocative efficiency, and therefore optimizing their DMUs (countries) economies of scale.  All the DMUs were constant under pure technical efficiency change (PECH) and scale efficiency change (SECH) except in Sierra Leone. While the efficiency analysis on the Francophone countries revealed a sharp decrease on average productivity but Mali, Benin and Burkina Faso experienced increase in productivity except in Ivory Coast where the productivity and technical efficiency was regressed. However, the general inefficiency/short-fall in all the countries examined was from their technical inefficiency in terms of managerial skills deficit required to optimally increase the return on outputs from the given set of inputs. Cumulatively, the findings revealed that PECH is less than SECH across the West African countries. It was however recommended that public policies should be more focused on engendering technical efficiencies of entrepreneurship pursuit in the Region. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Efficiency, Anglophone, Francophone, West Africa DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/9-8-02 Publication date: August 31st 201

The Changing Face of the Global Development Agenda from the MDGs to the SDGs: Policy Lessons for Nigeria

Over the past decades, Nigeria has experienced marginal success in the area of development, such as the increase in GDP rates, influx in the use of technology, and rebasing of the economy. Coupled with these are the vast natural and human resources positioned in the country. Nevertheless, the country is still confronted with a high poverty rate and degraded infrastructure, which have been the basis for diverse developmental programmes; however these programmes had all flopped over the years. The MDGs thus brought forth a ray of light unto the people. Now, with MDGs gone and SDGs initiated, there is a need to analytically evaluate the successes and failures of the much-touted MDGs. Hence, this study using secondary data made an overview in evaluating the MDGs in Nigeria and targeted futuristically the deliverables in achieving the SDGs.The study contends that there is a need for an effective governance system at the epicenter of developmental programmes regarding policy briefs. Also, there is a need for political will to establish functional institutions and structures to bring about the fulfillment of this programme. Keywords: Degraded infrastructure, Developmental Programmes, Effective governance system, MDGs, SDGs, Poverty-rate

Conceptual dynamics of intergovernmental relations in a unitary nation: The case of Zimbabwe

This paper is a critical examination of the conceptual differentiation of intergovernmental relations (IGR). The paper distils the conceptual boundaries of IGR and disqualifies classical scholarship that restricts the study, conception and application of the term to federal nations only, either as a conceptual synonym of federalism or a term applicable in articulating the relations between federal and state governments. The paper argues that classical scholars of the field restricted the conceptual breath of IGR to the philosophical traces of federalism while presenting a nebulous picture that such relations are not found in unitary nations. Such restriction has presented a theoretical liability to the field of IGR by confining its depth below its actual stretches as a field of reasoned discourse. This paper is based on twenty qualitative in-depth interviews conducted with key informants using the purposive sampling technique. Respondents were drawn from Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs, Members of Parliament, the judiciary, academia, civil society, permanent secretaries in government ministries and mayors of municipalities and city councils. The findings of the paper unequivocally places that IGR is a universal concept that extends beyond the dogmatic debate of federalism and unitarism as such relations are to be found wherever two or more governments interact in the development and execution of public policies and programmes. The necessity of IGR therefore cuts across political systems to address the disputes, interdependencies and spillover effects resulting from constitutional overlaps in all forms of governmental interaction. Keywords: intergovernmental relations, decentralisation, unitary nation, federal natio

Nigeria’s democratisation in the globalisation age

Democracy is seen world over as the best legitimate and viable alternative to authoritarian regimes such as military dictatorship and apartheid. Many countries around the world are still grappling with the necessary fundamentals that could ensure credible democratic government. After decades of military dictatorial regimes, Nigeria has just started to follow the pattern of democratic governance like most countries of the world. However, there exist huge challenges of transformation and transition from military rule to a democratic system of government and from one civilian administration to another. The present government of Nigeria has, instead of pursuing democratic policy-making processes; the electoral systems became more non-representative and more divorced from the popular will. This article intends to explore some policy challenges that could face the Nigeria’s new democracy and suggests possible alternatives that could sustain the gains of democracy in Nigeria. Given the ongoing globalization process and its economic implications in which Nigeria is of necessity, a role player, this article also seeks to further explore some policy challenges that may be considered in dealing with major sectors of the Nigerian economy especially, the private sector, the non-governmental organization and the banking sector

Policy and governance issues impacting on Nigeria's globalization initiatives

This research examines the role of the Government of Nigeria in the implementation of the new Globalization Policy Program the new world order is embracing. It is worthy to note that the democratic government has eluded Nigeria over the decades and that the advent of a new democratic government on May 29th 1999, led by President Olusegun Obasanjo, has prompted a creative and strategic view on how the government should deal with the policy issues that Globalization may bring (Nigerian Economic Policy, 1999-2003:3). The governance of Nigeria, as provided for in the 1999 Constitution, requires that it should be democratic, flexible, complementary, transparent, and accountable and development oriented. These criteria point towards sustainable, self-reliant and people-centered economic development. Thus, a new approach to the governance of this country in the context of globalization, must conform with the government’s objectives that are aimed at legitimizing the initiatives of grass-roots economic development. There is no room for promoting a vulnerable posture that would make economic activities more dependent on foreign economies than on the locally driven economy. Similarly, a broad view on sustainable and self-reliant local policy initiatives is suggested as a capable alternative to counter-balance any negative trend, which might emerge in the new global order.Thesis (DPhil (Public Affairs))--University of Pretoria, 2005.School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA)Unrestricte

Using Taylorism to make work easier: A work procedure perspective

Background: Complexities generally are conundrums that inhibit efficiency and effectiveness in research and practice; one of the symptoms of this is nebulous obstruction to task completion in the workplace. Complexities in work procedures create complications in the application of procedures for completing tasks. Recent trends in the Auditor General’s report have demonstrated the metastasising culture of non-compliance to work procedures in municipalities in South Africa. Research, as well as the audit outcomes for the Eastern Cape in particular, is a testament to this assertion. Therefore, there is no need to make work more complex.   Aim: To ascertain whether the application of Taylorism in the workplace could improve performance and to access the utilisation of work procedure in municipalities in the Eastern Cape.   Setting: This study was carried out using quantitative data collected from a District Municipality and its five local municipalities at the Transkei area of the Eastern Cape, South Africa.   Method: A survey completed by 593 municipality workers (junior workers) was collected and analysed using statistical methods and triangulation.   Results: Findings from the article reveals that work procedures in the organisation might be old and archaic. It may be relevant to workers who have little or no interference from externalities with regard to their job commitments. It recommends that those officials that perform routinised functions in municipalities should use a work procedure manual when completing their task. Based on the notion that work procedures engender compliance, increase outcome and output, increase productivity, save time, reduce stress and organisational friction or conflict in organisations.   Conclusion: It concludes that procedures that are comprehensible (simple), accessible (organically inputted and communicated) and accurate (effectively designed) will improve the daily functionality of lower echelon staff in the municipalities, especially those requiring little or no external influence on the completion of a task

Redeeming Financial Pledges for Africa's Implementation of the NEPAD Initiative: An Appraisal

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and challenges of its foreign technical and capital flow need to be appraised after many years of the establishment of the NEPAD initiative and the role out of its African development agenda. The NEPAD’s strategies for implementation of projects and programmes within the foreign technical and capital flow expectations were considered important in taking the initiative forward. NEPAD sought both technical and capital flow support from the international community especially the United Nations agencies and the G8 countries - the United States of America, Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Italy and Russian Federation and many other development partners. But the high expectations of accelerated implementation of the NEPAD projects and programmes based on the G8 promises dropped following the low pace of fulfilling those promises in spite the perceived acceptance of the NEPAD initiative by the international community. As an Africa’s own agenda towards fast-tracking development, little or no impact has been recorded within the foreign technical and capital flow component of the NEPAD initiative. In the NEPAD 2012 business plan, it was also eluded that redemption of these pledged remains a huge challenge for the organization hence the need for this appraisal

Editorial Note

No abstract available

Editorial Note

No abstract available

Editorial Note

No abstract available