Determinant of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Low Participation in Public Procurement in Lagos, Nigeria

It is an established fact that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are crucial to economic development of any nation. SMEs participation in every sphere of economic activities including public procurement is one of the ways the sector can promote economic development of the country. However, SMEs sometimes are usually reluctant to sell to government. This study identified and classified into eight themes factors responsible for the low participation of SMEs in public procurement in Lagos State, Nigeria. Data were collected with questionnaires from 193 SMEs Chief executives. Data generated were analyzed using ranking method. The study revealed that perceived lack of transparency in public procurement proceedings, disproportionate eligibility criteria and burdensome nature of public procurement are the major reasons SMEs are reluctant to participate in public procurement in Lagos, Nigeria. It was concluded that transparency is vital in public procurement for SMEs to adequately participate in the process. The study recommended that in order to boost SMEs participation in public procurement transparent procurement management must be guaranteed. Keywords: Determinant; SMEs; Public procurement; Contract; Eligibility criteria.

Causes of Payment Problems in the New Zealand Construction Industry

Payment delays and losses persist in the construction industry and continue to be a key concern to industry practitioners. Therefore an exploration of the key causes of payment delays and losses is undertaken in this study with the ultimate objective of seeking mitigating solutions. The study adopted a survey approach using an online questionnaire, administered to practitioners from the New Zealand construction industry, comprising consultants, head contractors and subcontractors. The data obtained was analysed using inferential statistical techniques, including comparing means and factor analysis. Factor analysis enabled clustering of the inter-related causes of payment delays and losses in order to find reduced number of causes. Accordingly, the study found that payment problems mainly relate to contractual issues, financial strength of industry players, disputes, short-comings of payment processes and ‘domino effects’. Among them, the financial strength of critical industry players was considered central to payment problems. The study concludes that any solution to these problems must address these primary causes, as a rational starting point. Thus procuring a feasible form of financial security at the outset of a project, and the pre-qualification of the financial status of critical project participants, were found to be significant in the mitigation of construction payment risks.Paper Type: Research articl

DOWNSTREAM OIL DEREGULATION AND NIGERIAN ECONOMY

The Nigerian oil and gas industry has been experiencing a showdown since the announcement of the downstream oil deregulation policy. This paper, therefore, seeks to analyse the relationship between deregulation of the downstream sector and Nigerian economic performance using annual data from 1980 to 2009. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression method was employed to analyze the data. Chow Test was used to determine parameter stability of the regression model, while Granger Causality Test was used to predict the direction of influence. The findings reveal that increase in price of petroleum products and inflation rate were not as a result of deregulation, and deregulating price of petroleum products significantly influence economic growth with marginal inflation. The paper recommends that government should encourage private sector participation in the oil and gas industry

Direction Of The Causal Relationship Between Construction And The National Economy Of Sri Lanka

Causal relationships between construction and national economies have received considerable attention in the past. However, the results of research on this topic provide contrasting views about the nature of the relationship. This paper investigates the direction of the causal relationship between construction and the economy of a developing country, Sri Lanka, using empirical data for selected economic and construction indicators for the period 1990 to 2009. The pattern of the causal relationship was determined using the Granger causality test. The findings reveal that national economic activities precede construction activities for all indicators except construction investment. The study therefore concludes and strengthens the body of knowledge concerning the causal relationship between the construction sector in Sri Lanka and the national economy tending towards a uni-directional relationship, with the national economy inducing growth in the construction sector and not vice versa

Examining the reasons for the exclusion of pregnant learners from school through the school governing body pregnancy policy

Discrimination is a serious violation of human rights and it is strongly condemned by various legal instruments in South Africa. The South African Constitution (1996), Promotion of Administration Justice Act (2000) and Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (2000) forbade discrimination and exclusion of pregnant learners from school. In spite of these legislative frameworks, School Governing Body (SGB) continues to exclude pregnant learners from school. SGB claimed that pregnant learners are harmful to other female learners and is becoming a significant barrier to girls’ education. Research shows that learners’ pregnancy is predominant in rural areas, apparently poses a threat to female education (Annual School Survey Report, 2010). The purpose of this dissertation is to establish that SGB lacks power to do so; however, their resistance to the law by excluding the pregnant learners from school is in conflict with the South African Constitution. This dissertation investigated an alternative instrument of legal remedy to reduce the problem of learners’ pregnancy rather than exclusion. The theoretical framework of this study is informed by Public Policy Theory (Ijeoma, 2010). Literatures and scholarly works on education law (Oosthuizen, 2015) and articles on Learners’ pregnancy shall be reviewed (Morell, Bhana & Shefer, 2012). The study followed qualitative research method which utilizes a transformative research paradigm that provides a collective voice for the participants. The data is collected through focused interview and open-ended questions, and subsequently analysed to establish that SGB lacks power to exclude a pregnant learner from school. Finally, the study reveals an alternative instrument of legal remedy to reduce the alarming number of pregnant learners rather than exclusion.Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 201

Examining the reasons for the exclusion of pregnant learners from school through the school governing body pregnancy policy

Discrimination is a serious violation of human rights and it is strongly condemned by various legal instruments in South Africa. The South African Constitution (1996), Promotion of Administration Justice Act (2000) and Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (2000) forbade discrimination and exclusion of pregnant learners from school. In spite of these legislative frameworks, School Governing Body (SGB) continues to exclude pregnant learners from school. SGB claimed that pregnant learners are harmful to other female learners and is becoming a significant barrier to girls’ education. Research shows that learners’ pregnancy is predominant in rural areas, apparently poses a threat to female education (Annual School Survey Report, 2010). The purpose of this dissertation is to establish that SGB lacks power to do so; however, their resistance to the law by excluding the pregnant learners from school is in conflict with the South African Constitution. This dissertation investigated an alternative instrument of legal remedy to reduce the problem of learners’ pregnancy rather than exclusion. The theoretical framework of this study is informed by Public Policy Theory (Ijeoma, 2010). Literatures and scholarly works on education law (Oosthuizen, 2015) and articles on Learners’ pregnancy shall be reviewed (Morell, Bhana & Shefer, 2012). The study followed qualitative research method which utilizes a transformative research paradigm that provides a collective voice for the participants. The data is collected through focused interview and open-ended questions, and subsequently analysed to establish that SGB lacks power to exclude a pregnant learner from school. Finally, the study reveals an alternative instrument of legal remedy to reduce the alarming number of pregnant learners rather than exclusion.Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 201

Expectations and experiences of urban and rural in-school adolescents of adolescent reproductive health services in Oyo state

ABSTRACT Introduction: Reproductive health information and services are fundamental to health, well-being and opportunities for women and young people, yet throughout the world, women and youths do not have access to quality reproductive health care thereby exposing them to unplanned pregnancy, teen birth, induced abortion as well as increased exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, HIV inclusive. Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional prospective study, analytic in design using a multistage sampling technique when 452 secondary school pupils in both rural and urban communities were interviewed using a pretested validated questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Chi square was used to test for association between both rural and urban adolescents in issues relating to their expectation and experiences, with p value of <0.05. Results: More of the respondents in the urban communities (73,32.4%) expected that Adolescent Reproductive Health Services (ARHS) should be provided in an existing health service with special attention to adolescents while a larger percentage of those who preferred a special adolescent health institution were from the rural communities (122, 54.2%) which was statistically significant with a p value of 0.001. More of respondents from the rural communities expected contraception services to be provided in an ARHS center while life skill services are expected by more of the respondents from the urban communities (122, 55.6%). More of the rural community respondents (57,25.3%)expected that fee at the ARHS centers should be provided at a subsidized rate while more of the urban dwellers have the expectation that services provided should be free of charge. More of the urban respondents were attended to by a doctor when ARHS services was assessed and a large percentage (34, 94.4%) of those who had visited ARHS center before professed to be satisfied with the services rendered there. Conclusion: Expectations from adolescents from ARHS is very high. However, most of them prefer a free of charge service as well as a service area nearer to residential area. Confidentiality and having a young health professional at the service centers cannot be overemphasized in the provision of quality ARH

A rank order of determinants of construction organisation's performance in New Zealand

There are certain factors within and outside organisations that can influence organisational performance. The presence or absence of those factors impacts organisations' ability to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals. As a risk-prone business sector, construction organisations need to identify those determinants that could ensure their superior performance. To date, global studies have identified many determinants that govern the performance of construction organisations. However, few of these are known in New Zealand, and their weightings could be useful in forming business strategies. Therefore, this paper measures the significance of identified determinants of construction organisational performance. A total of 100 professionals participated in a questionnaire survey administered using a snowball sampling technique. The Relative Importance Index approach was used to rank the determinants according to their importance to organisational performance. Five main determinants were significant and ranked highly, with more than 80% relative importance index scores. These determinants are resources and capabilities, competitive strategies, organisational characteristics, environmental factors, and customers relationship management. This finding provides a useful benchmark for future research on the significance of some determinants that could explain the performance differentials experienced in the construction domain in New Zealand

Migrant construction workers’ demography and job satisfaction: a New Zealand study

Purpose: The demand for construction-related occupations has increased consistently over many years in New Zealand (NZ). This has necessitated recourse to migrant workers to address capacity and capability requirements. Migrant construction workers hail from various backgrounds with a complex set of their needs being met through employment in NZ. Research on understanding the satisfaction levels of this category of construction workers is scarce. With recent insinuations about migrant exploitations, research investigations into this knowledge area are significant. In this study, the authors sought to establish the moderating effect of migrants' demography on the determinants of job satisfaction in NZ's construction sector. Design/methodology/approach: Data were obtained from migrant construction workers of Chinese extraction through a structured questionnaire survey. From 200 questionnaires administered, 108 samples were completed by migrant construction workers involved in major projects in Auckland city, NZ. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to establish the moderating effects of their demography on job satisfaction. Findings: Results from this study support the internal validity and reliability of these personal characteristics as moderators of job satisfaction for migrant construction workers. These results suggest the relevance of personal characteristics of Chinese migrants in any improvement initiatives being developed for this group of construction workers. Research limitations/implications: The findings from this study contribute to the discourse on the relevance of construction migrants as a strategic alternative to addressing skill shortages within the NZ construction sector. They also provide evidence that contributes to an improved understanding of the migrant workforce to meet their aspirations and enhance their general well-being. Originality/value: Although the study is ethnic-specific, the conclusions show the relevance of personal characteristics in the experiences of construction migrant workers. The study is representative of the catchment of temporary migrant workers in the construction industry in NZ. The study provides insights for organisations employing migrants about putting in place appropriate measures to enhance their satisfaction levels. Finally, this study's findings may contribute to policy initiatives on the optimal categories of migrants engaged on construction activities to derive the maximum benefits for NZ

Expectations and experiences of urban and rural in-school adolescents of Adolescent Reproductive Health Services in Oyo state

ABSTRACT Introduction: Reproductive health information and services are fundamental to health, well-being and opportunities for women and young people, yet throughout the world, women and youths do not have access to quality reproductive health care thereby exposing them to unplanned pregnancy, teen birth, induced abortion as well as increased exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, HIV inclusive. This study is meant to explore the expectation of adolescents of an adolescent reproductive health services as well as to assess the experiences of those who had visited an ARHS at the centers. Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional prospective study, analytic in design using a multistage sampling technique where 452 secondary school pupils in both rural and urban communities were interviewed using a pretested validated questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Chi square was used to test for association between both rural and urban adolescents in issues relating to their expectation and experiences, with p value of <0.05. Results: More of the respondents in the urban communities (73,32.4%) have the expectation that Adolescent Reproductive Health Services (ARHS) should be provided in an existing health service with special attention to adolescents while a larger percentage of those who preferred a special adolescent health institution were from the rural communities (122, 54.2%) which was statistically significant with a p value of 0.001. More of respondents from the rural communities also expect that contraception services should be provided in an ARHS center while life skill services are expected by more of the respondents from the urban communities (122, 55.6%). More of the rural community respondents (57,25.3%) expect that fee at the ARHS centers should be provided at a subsidized rate while more of the urban dwellers have the expectation that services provided should be free of charge. For respondents who had been to an ARHS center, more of the urban respondents were attended to by a Medical doctor and a large percentage (34, 94.4%) of those who had visited ARHS center before professed to be satisfied with the services rendered there. Conclusion: Expectations from adolescents from ARHS are very high. However, most of them prefer a free of charge service as well as a service area nearer to residential area. Confidentiality and having a young health professional at the service centers cannot be overemphasized in the provision of quality ARHS. Keywords: expectation, experiences, rural, urban, adolescents, reproductive healt