Goal-Setting and Task Performance among Nigerian Managers in a Cross-Cultural Context

This study assessed goal-setting and task performance among Nigerian managers. Data were collected from 521 subjects including 176 Yoruba, 147 Igbo and 198 Hausa/Fulani managerial employees in Lagos, Nigeria. The relevant scales of the 57-item questionnaire designed by Mendonca and Kanungo (1994) were used to obtain measures of the dependent variables. Mean scores in goal setting and performance-intrinsic reward contingency were highest among the Yoruba managers followed by Hausa/Fulani and Igbo managers respectively. Mean score in task significance was highest among the Igbo managers followed by Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani managers respectively. Mean score in performance-extrinsic reward contingency was highest among the Hausa/Fulani managers followed by Yoruba and Igbo managers respectively. One-way ANOVA showed cultural differences in performance-intrinsic reward contingency (p\u3c .05) and task significance (p\u3c .01) but not in goal-setting and performance-extrinsic reward contingency respectively. The results were discussed in terms of the influence of culture on human resources management practices and that managers who value performance-intrinsic reward allocation should engage in goal-setting more than the others

COP enhancement of vapour compression refrigeration system using dedicated mechanical subcooling cycle

This study focused on development of an improved vapour compression refrigeration system (IVCR system). Dedicated mechanical subcooling cycle is employed in attaining the developed IVCR system. The system is composed of two cycles cascade refrigeration system working with R134a. It consists of a rectangular shape with total storage space of 0.582 m3, made of galvanized mild steel and internally insulated with 0.05 m polystyrene foam. Tests under a wide range operating temperature conditions were carried out on the developed IVCR system. Performance evaluation of the system was characterized in terms of cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP). Experimental results showed that the COP of the subcooled system improved better than that of the main system from 18.0% to about 33.5% over an evaporating temperature range of -10 to 30oC. It can be concluded that the use of dedicated sub cooling cycle in VCR system is more efficient and suitable for the betterment of thermal system performance. Keywords: Vapour compression Refrigeration system, Coefficient of performance, dedicated subcooled system, Condensation temperature, Evaporation temperature

DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMPROVED PEDAL POWERED WASHING MACHINE

This research work deals with the design and fabrication of an improved cloth washing machine capable of small-scale industrial applications as well as household use. The project is aimed at developing a washing machine that is efficient, affordable, durable and compatible for rural areas with little or no supply of electricity; by working on the efficiencies of pre-developed machines and providing solutions to their deficiencies; a dynapod with gear-sprocket system combined with the belt-pulley system is used to transmit torque via leg cranking to the shaft of the washing drum (agitator in an electric washing machine); the dynapod is also used to vary (increase or decrease) the speed of the machine to facilitate different speeds for the three main operations in laundry process washing, rinsing, and spinning which are the three main operations of the washing machine, speed is further increased with the aid of the belt-pulley system. With an overall efficiency of 84.98%, the cost of fabricating the machine is 45,000NGN (123.80USD) and this can be significantly reduced if produced in a large scale. The machine is easy to use and maintain as the system of operation is simple, it is eco-friendly and safe for the user. The machine is capable of community application therefore can be used by the entire populace of a rural area or settlement

DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A RECONFIGURABLE PLATFORM FOR A MICROSATELLITE PRODUCTION

The process of satellite assemblage, integration and testing is challenging and requires considerable care. Hence, the provision of a support platform which provides easier mechanical mounting and unmounting within a design facility and its sources of mechanical disturbance. The provision of an indigenous low-cost platform to cater for microsatellite production is sought, and in this research, a partially reconfigurable platform to produce microsatellites (mass range between 10-100 kg) was developed. The materials used for the fabrication were carefully selected, and considerable attention was placed on the overall weight of the platform based on various criteria such as Density, Yield strength, Modulus of elasticity. The Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) for the various parts using Solid works was done, which also involved the design in accommodating the two standardized diameters for launch vehicle adapters for microsatellites. The design calculations necessary for the completion of this work and weight budget analysis was done to determine the final weight of the platform. Analysis System (ANSYS) software was used to validate the structural integrity of the platform under loading conditions. The stress analysis of the platform in a vertical position which is the most critical loading case was performed. Also, there was no mechanical damage or failure found on the platform. The procedure adopted for the development of the equipment can be used on the development of similar projects. The developed machine is both manually and mechanically operated. The developed platform has the capacity of carrying a maximum satellite weight of 150 kg

Dealing with impact of COVID-19 on transportation in a developing country: Insights and policy recommendations

While developed nations have established policy frameworks for dealing with various macroeconomic shocks, developing countries respond to the influx of COVID-19 on heterogeneous scales, borne out of varying institutional bottlenecks. These inadequate transport facilities are not diversified enough to deal with an impending public health crisis. With the growing divergence in public transport management procedures and societal responses and willingness to adjust to a "new normal" transport procedures in time of COVID-19 and postpandemic, it becomes expedient to learn evidence-based policy responses to transport service delivery. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with commuters and operators were thematically analysed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on transportation in Lagos Nigeria. The analysis revealed that increased cost of transportation, financial sustainability, changes in travel needs and loss of revenue were the significant impacts of the pandemic. This study contributes such that transport stakeholders can better understand how to navigate their transportation needs at this time of global uncertainty. The understanding of these impacts advances policy recommendations that are most inclined to the development objectives of developing nations in the time of COVID-19 and beyond. The limitations and suggestions for further research were discussed

Digital transformation in financial services provision: A Nigerian perspective to the adoption of chatbot

Purpose: Recognising the high numbers of unbanked and financially excluded adults in Nigeria, this study positions chatbot as a digital transformation tool to radically change business model, improve customer experience, and enhance financial inclusion in emerging markets. Methodology: The Search-Access-Test (S-A-T) model was adopted to understand how Nigerian banks are adopting chatbots. Findings: Majority of Nigerian banks now have chatbots which enhance customer engagement and financial inclusion. WhatsApp was the most frequently used platform. Chatbots were often branded and presented with female gender identification. The chatbots were less responsive beyond their pre-defined path. While Nigeria is a multilingual country with English being the original language, none of the chatbots used any of the Nigerian’s local languages. Originality: While many theoretically based model for investigating the adoption of digital technologies has often placed focus on users’ ability to engage, this study takes an alternative perspective; by using the Search-Access-Test (S-A-T) model, it lays the responsibilities on the banks and chatbot developer to ensure that their chatbots are secure, responsive and able to meet the needs of the customers. Practical implications: Brands needs to reevaluate their chatbots with regards to responsiveness, pre-defined questions, verification and privacy. There are also possibilities of branding the chatbot and developing content creation strategies for proper engagement. Beyond English, the integration of African languages into chatbot is essential for digital transformation. Digital literacy and skills, particularly in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) should be supported to equip future developers and create more jobs

Does organizational formalization facilitate voice and helping organizational citizenship behaviors? It depends on (national) uncertainty norms

Prosocial work behaviors in a globalized environment do not operate in a cultural vacuum. We assess to what extent voice and helping organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) vary across cultures, depending on employees’ perceived level of organizational formalization and national uncertainty. We predict that in contexts of uncertainty, cognitive resources are engaged in coping with this uncertainty. Organizational formalization can provide structure that frees up cognitive resources to engage in OCB. In contrast, in contexts of low uncertainty, organizational formalization is not necessary for providing structure and may increase constraints on discretionary behavior. A three-level hierarchical linear modeling analysis of data from 7,537 employees in 267 organizations across 17 countries provides broad support for our hypothesis: perceived organizational formalization is weakly related to OCB, but where uncertainty is high; formalization facilitates voice significantly, helping OCB to a lesser extent. Our findings contribute to clarifying the dynamics between perceptions of norms at organizational and national levels for understanding when employees may engage in helping and voice behaviors. The key implication is that managers can foster OCB through organizational formalization interventions in uncertain environments that are cognitively demanding

Factors influencing students’ choice of a federal university: a case study of a Nigerian federal university

The factors affecting students’ choice of higher education is essential for the university’s management. Various research across the world has been carried out to understand how students select their preferred universities for tertiary study; however, there is a shortage of insight from an African perspective. Specifically focusing on a federal university in Nigeria, this study aims to explore factors influencing students’ interest in the school and why they selected it as their study location. A structured questionnaire from 282 undergraduate students based on stratified random sampling was used to understand these choice factors. The study found that personal interest greatly influenced students’ decisions, followed by parental influence, university reputation, university ranking, and fees. The results provide an understanding of students’ choices for universities in a Nigerian context, which is a loose representation of the general influences of students’ choice for study sites on the continent. This would enable stakeholders working in the Nigerian education sector including academics, administrators and practitioners and international collaborators to understand the most effective ways to reach out to prospective students and draw useful lessons for universities' marketing strategies, which could be recommended not only in Nigeria but in Africa at large