Sustainable Social Reporting and Community- Business Relations in South- South Communities of Nigeria

This study basically sought to identify the extent to which sustainable social reporting of oil companies’ impact on community-business relations in Niger-Delta part of Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design and a sample of 104 respondents representing various stakeholders in the affected communities. Hypotheses were formulated in line with the research objectives and research questions and were tested using Spearman correlation statistical tool via Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The significant findings of the study is that sustainable reporting  of the oil companies in the area of  community  projects impact significantly on  community-business relations. The study also revealed that sustainability accounting affect the level of profitability of the companies in Nigeria. The implication of findings is that community- business relations are enhanced through effective reporting of commitments of companies in improving social infrastructure in the communities. This will not only promote healthy relationship between the principal place of location of the companies but will promote the level of profitability of the companies. Keywords:--Sustainability accounting, Social Reporting, Community, South-South Nigeria, Relations

Impact of Sustainable Social Reporting on Community - Business Relations in South - South Communities of Nigeria

This study basically sought to identify the extent to which sustainable social reporting of oil companies’ impact on community-business relations in Niger-Delta part of Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design and a sample of 104 respondents representing various stakeholders in the affected communities. Hypotheses were formulated in line with the research objectives and research questions and were tested using Spearman correlation statistical tool via Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The significant findings of the study is that sustainable reporting  of the oil companies in the area of  community  projects impact significantly on  community-business relations. The study also revealed that sustainability accounting affect the level of profitability of the companies in Nigeria. The implication of findings is that community- business relations are enhanced through effective reporting of commitments of companies in improving social infrastructure in the communities. This will not only promote healthy relationship between the principal place of location of the companies but will promote the level of profitability of the companies. Keywords:--Sustainability, Social Reporting, Community, South-South Nigeria, Relations

Spread of African cassava mosaic virus from cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) to physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) in Ghana

Investigations were made on the susceptibility of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) to African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) and its possible role as an alternative host of the virus in Ghana. Ten J. curcas accessions in a field trial were interplanted with ACMV-infected cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and left to natural spread of the virus from the cassava to the J. curcas plants for a period of 12 months. Populations of the whitefly vector, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and the incidence of African cassava mosaic disease (ACMD) were monitored during the period. The J. curcas plants had low whitefly numbers, both in the wet (September – October, 2008) season and in the dry (January – February, 2009) season. By the end of the experimental period, 37.7% of the 120 J. curcas plants tested in all the accessions were found to be infected by ACMV, as assessed by symptom expression, double antibody-sandwich (DAS) ELISA or sap inoculation to Nicotiana benthamiana indicator plants. There were wide variations within and between the J. curcas accessions in their response to ACMV infection. This work is the first report of the natural infection of J. curcas by ACMV

Infusing Dalcroze Eurhythmics In Improving Singing Skills Among Primary School Students

Singing is one of the main music activities in Malaysian primary music education. It is believed that singing makes a class fun and it is closely related to students. As singing comprises vocal elements such as pitching, tempo, rhythm and expression, students are taught to master all the elements in producing a pleasant song. Nonetheless, the current teaching method does not meet the high level of singing skill among students where all the students scored C Grade (satisfactory) in the preliminary test conducted. Thus, researchers introduced Dalcroze Eurhythmics approach to intervene in the problem, creating a fun music class and further improving students' singing musicality. The ideas of the approach are found to be related to time, space and energy to mold students' comprehension to the concept of tempo, meter and rhythm, further applying in their singing skill. The combination of rhythmic and solfege activities with the accompaniment of percussion enables students to master all the vocal elements in a fun learning environment. This study has patently found the increment of students' result from pre-test to post-test based on quantitative analysis by comparing two groups of students learning in different teaching environments. The strengths and significance of Dalcroze Eurhythmics approach is further discussed with some recommendations for the future studies

The Significance of Music to Gifted Students

Music is believed to heal soul. It has been widely practiced to intervene emotional and psychological issues, and further improve students' achievements. However, music is rarely practiced as intervention for gifted students who suffer from the asynchronous development effects such as burnout, depression and suicide. This study thus aims to explore the prominence of music to gifted students. Data collection were conducted through in-depth interview with 15 gifted students who were studying in GENIUS@Pintar National Gifted Centre, Malaysia. A survey with 64 gifted respondents was administered as a supplementary to support the interview data. Results revealed that music offers assistance to gifted students in four domain areas which are emotion, motivation, self-reflection, and awareness. This study has proven that music has contributed beyond emotional and psychological issues. Music sharpens the traits of giftedness and moulds those gifted students as successors that may contribute to the nation

Divergent Thinking in Musically Gifted Practices: a Review

Divergent thinking is one of the criteria that needed in digging knowledge. It, furthermore, is identified as an innate element and implanted in every gifted individual's identity especially those who are musically talented. Divergent thinking is nurtured through giftedness features that existed in a gifted individual, including a unique neurological system. This study is to provide understanding towards the process of divergent thinking that happen in musically gifted minds. This study is to review the evolution of a creativeness in gifted practices with the exploration on neurology paradigm. This study also proposed a stringent interpretation on how musically gifted individuals think and the importance of divergent thinking to stimulate creative domains. An exploration towards this matter will ensure understanding between gifted and musically gifted individuals to make a good consequence for their future