The perceptions of pan-European advertising communication: a cross-cultural study between UK and Spain

One of the characteristics of globalisation is the increased level of standardisation in international marketing communications, and advertising in particular. As it has been a decade since the formation of European Union, it is imperative to re-assess how advertisements are perceived and consequently embraced in different nations, when audiences apparently have different cultural backgrounds. This cross cultural study compares UK and Spanish perceptions of 16 carefully selected advertisements, where their consequent perceptions and levels of recall were tested. A stratified sampling process was used to generate 150 UK and 150 Spanish audiences in a survey. The valid samples for analysis comprised of 298 cases. The results indicate that there is no significant difference in the levels of recall of the selected advertisements between the UK and Spanish audiences. Furthermore, evidence suggests that there is no significant difference in the way that the sample audience relate the advertisements to their own cultures. Nevertheless, the results revealed that there are significant differences in abilities of advertisement recall amongst different age groups, which suggest that some age groups are more prone to advertisement sensitivity than others. These results are encouraging for both academics and practitioners as the standardisation of pan-European advertising campaigns can be recognised as a viable option, and the economy of scales of advertising can be exploited

Dynamics of Religious Fundamentalism: A Survey of Boko Haram Insurgency in Northern Nigeria

A curious feature of Nigeria is religious intolerance, especially in the Northern and the Middle Belt regions of the country. Religious fundamentalism in the Northern part of Nigeria has been hidebound and its spread is unbridled. For over two years, cities like Maiduguri, Bauchi, Damaturu and Gombe  has worn a cloak of fear due to the Boko Haram insurgencies. Religious violence has been unleashed on many innocent citizens of this country. There is palpable apprehension among the citizens due to the Boko Haram insurgencies in the different parts of the Northern region. Although it has led to huge loss of lives, destruction of property and untold human misery, governments, policy makers and the political class do not seem to give the challenge the attention that it deserves. Boko Haram literarily means “Western Education is sinful” or "Education is forbidden".   Exploring in some depth the religious fundamentalism and the Boko Haram violence, we find unexpected dynamics in the approach and targets of the Boko Haram sect as well as the culture of denying difference, rigid thinking and a defensive spirituality. While scholarly interest in the crises has increased in recent times, there is need to undertake rigorous empirical analysis of the phenomenon to unravel the political intrigues behind the perennial religious upheavals in the country.  Therefore this paper will basically look at the factors behind religious fundamentalism in Northern Nigeria and examine its impact on the harmonious existence of different religious sects in the country. We shall do this by first looking at the emergence of Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria. When that is done, we shall address the psychodynamics of religious fundamentalism vis-à-vis Boko Haram attacks on government agencies and machineries. This development is considerable and topical, for it is part of the pattern of mayhem and pogrom and spiritual revolutions that is sweeping across Northern Nigeria. Keywords: Religion, Fundamentalism, Boko Haram, Violence, Dynamics, Spiritualit

Engaging with Abdullahi An-Na\u27im\u27s Philosophy on Islam and Human Rights

Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na‘im is one of the leading scholars and contributors on the subject of Islam and human rights. In fact, he remains one of the most cited authorities in the subject area. His contributions on the subject span more than three decades during which he has engaged with almost every topical issue on the subject. He has been described as one of the non-Western jurists from “the South” “who ha[s] made substantial contributions to the theory and practice of human rights” generally. There can be little doubt that Abdullahi An-Na‘im has been one of the most influential voices on the issue of Islam and Human Rights

Investigation of the Font Composition in Billboard Design in Ilorin Metropolis

Availability of design equipment/design software has afforded designers the ability to create and design with unprecedented speed and ease. Researches conducted in the area of graphic design software application and effective campaign materials have shown that design packages are often abused by untrained persons who produce billboard and other forms of graphic designs that do not communicate adequately. The paper examined the effective use of typographic in billboard with reference to the principles of typography usage; investigated the category of graphic designers of the billboard identified with typography problems in Ilorin metropolis; re-encoded the typography of the identified billboard for comparison and evaluated the efficacy of the identified and re-encoded billboard in term of its message delivery to the target audience. Survey research design was adopted for the study and the findings revealed that most of the billboards found with typographic problem were not designed by professional graphic designers; recommendations on encoding standard of typography were made. Keywords: Graphic design, Typography, Standard, Professionals, Non-professionals DOI: 10.7176/ADS/105-01 Publication date:May 31st 202

The Card Reader and the Conundrum of Digital Tools in Electioneering in Nigeria

The track records of elections in Nigeria have continued to generate mixed feelings Many political observers remain sceptical about the appropriateness and ultimate utility of digital tools in the conduct of elections in the country It is no gainsaying that one of the key elements for the sustenance of democracy is digital tools technology Taking a stroll down the electoral process of Nigeria since 1999 it can be noted that elections have been characterised by electoral malpractices and violence The recent introduction of the Smart Card Readers SCRs has a great impact on the 2015 general elections and the consolidation of democracy across the country For instance the card reader facilities and its security monitoring operating system provide password restricted access to store data with specific playback for criminal investigation and its impact on the 2015 general elections This paper therefore takes a critical look at the use of the Smart Card Readers SCRs as it affects Nigeria s move towards a viable electoral system and the promotion of democratic values The paper further argues that the usage of the Card Reader enhances the credibility of general elections in Nigeria Nevertheless there are some peculiar factors that stringently inhibit its manifestations in the 2015 general elections in Nigeri

Dynamic capabilities related implementation skills for Internet of Things solutions in the digital economy

The digital economy is shaped by the increasing implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. These solutions enable the vertical integration of smart objects into existing information systems, thereby realizing the vision that every physical object obtains a digital identity. However, dynamic characterizes the technologically driven IoT market and requires related capabilities from enterprises, aiming to provide IoT solutions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore which DC are sufficient for the implementation of effective IoT solutions by taking a DC perspective. Based upon an empirical survey of IoT solution integrators and an exploratory fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), our results show that the combination of differentiation strategy, technological and entrepreneurial orientation enables the implementation of effective IoT solutions. The results further provide a theoretical contribution for a DC discussion in the IoT research area and, offer implementation recommendations for enterprises about how to manage IoT solution implementation