Creativity and organisational efficiency: empirical evidence from private organisations in Nigeria

The study investigated creativity and organisational efficiency in Nigerian private organisations to ascertain the extent to which workforce creativity enhances organisational efficiency. The quantitative methodology was employed and the research design was a cross-sectional survey. Stratified sampling was employed in selecting respondents from ten multinational companies across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Research data were elicited from the respondents with the help of a structured questionnaire. The question response format of items addressing the research questions in the questionnaire were of the five-point Likert scale. The study used measurement items related to the extant literature for all the measures. Structural equation modeling was employed in data analysis with organisational efficiency serving as the latent variable while creativity constructs served as the measured variables. Results show that three out of the four constructs of creativity were significant predictors of creativity Thus, the competitive environment, social capital and technological factors influence creativity and that creativity predicts organisational efficiency

Use of social media in the marketing of agricultural products and farmers' turnover in South-South Nigeria

RESEARCH ARTICLE Use of social media in the marketing of agricultural products and farmers’ turnover in South-South Nigeria [version 1; peer review: 2 approved with reservations] Henry Inegbedion 1, Emmanuel Inegbedion2, Abiola Asaleye 3, Eseosa Obadiaru 4, Festus Asamu5 1Department of Business Studies, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara, +234, Nigeria 2Registry Department, Nigeria Broadcast Academy, Lagos, Lagos, +234, Nigeria 3Department of Economics, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara, +234, Nigeria 4Department of Accounting and Finance, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara, +234, Nigeria 5Department of Sociology, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara, +234, Nigeria First published: 09 Oct 2020, 9:1220 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.26353.1 Latest published: 12 Mar 2021, 9:1220 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.26353.2 v1 Abstract Background: The study investigated the use of social media in the marketing of agricultural products and farmers turnover in South- South Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the usage of social media in the marketing of agricultural products in Nigeria can enhance efficiency and farmers’ sales turnover. Methods: It employed the survey research design and data were collected with the help of a structured questionnaire. Research data were analysed using t-test and least square method. Results: The results showed that the use of social media (Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram) in the marketing of agricultural products enhances efficiency and turnover of farmers through a significant reduction in the cost of marketing agricultural products as well as increased awareness and the attendant increase in demand for agricultural produce. Conclusions: The use of social media (WhatsApp and Instagram) in the marketing of agricultural products significantly influences cost reduction and hence efficiency in marketing as well as enhances turnover of farmers through increased demand for agricultural products. Thus, the adoption of social media in the marketing of agricultural products enhances the efficiency of agricultural marketing and sales turnover of farmers in south-south of Nigeria but only the use of WhatsApp and Instagram predict efficiency and sales turnover of farmers

Petroleum subsidy withdrawal, fuel price hikes and the Nigerian Economy

The study investigated petroleum subsidy withdrawal, fuel price hikes and the Nigerian Economy. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the removals of petroleum subsidies stimulate hikes in fuel prices and increases in the prices of products of other sectors in the Nigerian economy. It employed input-output model to determine the value added per sector from the computed table of flow of goods. Subsequently, the impacts of reductions in petroleum subsidies (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%) on the prices of products from the other sectors were computed. Results showed that reduction in petroleum subsidies stimulate increases in prices of petroleum products and such increases trigger increases in transport fares; increases in transport fares subsequently lead to increases in prices of other products owing to the degree of interdependency among the various sectors. The need for policy makers to be mindful of the economic implications of subsidy removal was suggested, among other

How health-related messaging increase intentions to download and use mobile contact (COVID-19) tracing apps: Preliminary findings

This study contributes to current discussions regarding the use of digital solutions and especially (mobile) contact tracingcontact-tracing apps (MCTA) in COVID-19 containment. This study is timely because several countries around the world andworld, including African countriescountries, face an acute shortage of COVID-19 vaccines and as a result complimentary measures and innovative solutions like MCTA can be useful in the containment of COVID-19 disease pandemic. Towardsd this end, the current study integrates the health belief model (HBM) with the theory of reasoned action (TRA) to investigate MCTA acceptability based on data collected from online respondents in Nigeria. The results of the empirical analyses, using PLS-SEM, indicate that perceived disease vulnerability, perceived severity of the disease, but but not perceived barriers ofto taking action, are important determinants of attitude towardsd MCTA. The results further show that, while attitude is positively related to MCTA adoption intention, both perceived disease vulnerability and perceived severity of the disease indirectly contribute to MCTA adoption intention through attitude towardsd MCTA. Overall, the proposed research model explains about 58.8% variation in the intention to adopt MCTA and therefore shines a positive light on the topic that is critical for shaping COVID-19 messaging in different countries of the world and especially in African countries where COVID-19 testing and vaccination drive remain worryingly slow.IGA [IGA/FaME/2021/003]; RVO [MSMT-7778/2020

Correlation of stock market returns in the west african region from 2008 to 2016

Stock markets over the world have become more interconnected due to activities of foreign investors in search for alternative financial assets and markets to invest in order to diversify their portfolio. Stock market indices and index returns have been known to reflect linkages between different markets. This study assesses the extent of correlation of stock market index returns in West Africa and those of the United States of America (US) and United Kingdom (UK) from 2008 to 2016. The correlation between the index returns for the entire sample period and yearly samples were considered for Nigeria, Ghana, the BRVM, the USA and the UK. The indices selected for the five countries considered are the Nigerian All-Share Index, Ghanaian Composite Index, the BRVM Composite Index, the Financial Times 100 Index and the Standards and Poor’s 500 Index. Daily index returns data were used for the study and analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that the returns of the pairs of the United States of America (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) exhibited stronger positive correlation with each other than the other market pairs in the study both in the entire sample period and the yearly sub-period analysis. The correlations between the other market pairs were either positively or negatively weak or very weak indicating more diversification opportunities

Monetary Policy Channels and Agricultural Performance: Evidence from Nigeria

The implications of monetary policy on agricultural performance have not been given adequate attention in literature to date, especially in connection with employment and export in the agricultural sector. Determining the right channels of monetary policy can help to achieve sustainable growth in developing economies. This study examines the impact of monetary policy channels on agricultural performance in Nigeria using structural vector autoregression (SVAR) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS). The study uses output employment and export as metrics for agricultural performance, and the channels of monetary policy considered are credit, interest rate, money and exchange rate. The SVAR variance decomposition findings show that the forecast error shocks of monetary policy channels affect agricultural performance. Likewise, the long-run equations from the DOLS show that output has a positive relationship with money supply, a negative relationship between employment and interest rate, and a negative relationship between exchange rate and export. Based on the findings, the study suggests that the Nigerian government should look beyond the primary objective of stabilizing the economy via money supply and interest rate and consider the secondary benefits of bolstering output and employment in the agricultural sector

Macroeconomic Reforms and Labour Market Performance: Evidence from Nigeria

The Nigerian government has introduced various macroeconomic reforms, policies and programmes that are not consistent and have not yielded the desired result, given the high unemployment rate. This study investigates macroeconomic reforms on labour market performance in pre and postreform eras using statistical analysis and Vector Error Correction Model. The findings show that using the ‘comparison of the mean employment ratio analysis’ between the pre-reform era and post-reform, the macroeconomic reforms targeting key variables have not promoted employment. More so, evidence from the long-run employment equation indicates that employment has a negative relationship with output in the long-run. However, the study shows joint long and short-run causality using employment as a dependent variable. Also, the forecast error shock from government expenditure affects output more than any other variable, with minimal employment effect. Mismanagement of resource is mainly an indicator of a fundamental weakness in policies and institutions. Therefore, to improve the situation, the study suggests that among others, strengthening fiscal capacities and institutions to ensure the restructuring of property rights and to ensure political stability regarding economic reforms.

Selecting Yield and Nutritional Traits in Sphenostylis stenocarpa Landraces for Food Improvement

Background: Sphenostylis stenocarpa is an underexploited African indigenous food crop that is enriched in nutritional quality. Objective: Exploring the robust genetic base of this landrace can help to maximize the benefit of the agricultural sector on the economy through production that is enhanced by packaging and patent, this as well will increase the quality of food production and promote African campaign on food sustainability. Method: Upon this, this research made use of multiple statistics to identify S. stenocarpa yield and nutritional trait relatedness that supported selection for maximum yield and nutritional trait output. Yield and related traits including protein and oil contents of twenty-three Sphenostylis stenocarpa landraces were studied under a four year planting seasons in Teaching and Research farm of Landmark University, Nigeria. Results: Trait variances from Landrace × Year (L × Y) interaction, Principal Component and Cluster analyses were evaluated and the variation patterns were identified. Some vegetative (maturity phase, height and branching) and yield traits (Pod traits, seed yield and oil content) correlated significantly (P < 0.05) in the L × Y interactions. This suggests the usefulness of these traits in improving S. Stenocarpa grain and oil quality yield. Tuber and nodule yield including protein content did not differ significantly in the variance table. Conclusion: The result indicates that one location trial is insufficient to determine such trait performance. The first four PCs that accounted for 51 per cent of the total variations were traceable to branching, maturity date, pod numbers, seed and oil content as main contributors to yiel

Electricity Consumption and Manufacturing Sector Performance: Evidence from Nigeria

Adequate supply of energy is important for sustainable growth in an economy. The rate of the growth of the Nigeria's electricity development is very slow and not effective compare to other emerging economies; this on the other hands has discouraged production, most especially in the manufacturing sector. In light of this, the study investigates the long-run impact of electricity consumption on manufacturing sector performance proxy by output, employment and capital using Canonical Cointegrating Regression. Evidence from the result in the output equation shows that electricity consumption and credit to manufacturing sector have a negative relationship with output. In the employment equation, consumption in electricity and interest rate have negative effects on employment. In the capital equation, electricity consumption is not statistically significant. In conclusion, effects of electricity consumption as input in the manufacturing sector have not improved the performance in the sector. To improve the situation, the study recommends among others the need to create a framework to promote energy efficiency by maximizing output from the power sector and minimize wastage. Keywords: Electricity consumption; Employment; Output; Capital JEL Classifications:  Q4; J2; O1; G1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.1139

2. Inegbedion, H.E (2021). Digital Divide in the Major Regions of the World and the Possibility of Convergence, The Bottom Line. 34 (1), 68-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/BL-09-2020-0064(Scopus Indexed)

The purpose of dis paper was to investigate the nature of the inequalities in the usage of the internet and inequalities in the growth rate in the usage of the internet, and thus ascertain the possibility of convergence of the digital divide between the major regions of the world. The design was a longitudinal study of the usage of internet and growth rate in the usage of the internet in the different regions of the world for the period 2009–2019. The quantitative research method was used. Simple percentages and F-test were used in data analysis. The usage of internet in Asia and Europe is higher than the other regions in the world but there is no significant difference in usage between the other regions. The results further showed that some of the digitally disadvantaged regions had higher growth rates in the usage of the internet and these digitally disadvantage states are not disadvantaged in access to smartphones and the emerging 5G technology, thus suggesting the possibility of imminent convergence in access to the internet given the increasing usage of smartphones for the internet subscription. The focus on internet usage in the major regions of the world without recourse to the variability of the usage and growth rate of internet usage within the regions. The dearth of the empirical literature on quantitative research on the research problem was another constraint. Finally, restriction in available statistics on digital divide constrained the use of 2009–2019 as the periodic scope of the stud