The effect of board size and composition on the efficiency of UK banks

We examine a sample of 17 banking institutions operating in the UK between 2001 and 2006 to provide empirical evidence on the association between the efficiency of UK banks and board structure, namely board size and composition. Our approach is to use data envelopment analysis to estimate several measures of the efficiency of banks, and then to use panel data regressions for investigating the impact of board structure on efficiency. After controlling for bank size and capital strength, we find some evidence of a positive association between board size and efficiency, although this is not robust across all our specifications. Board composition, by contrast, has a robustly significant and positive impact on all measures of efficiency. © 2011 Copyright International Journal of the Economics of Business

Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract: Higher temperatures, more variable precipitation and changes in the frequency and severity of extreme climate events will have significant consequences on food production and food security. The frequency of heat stress, drought, and flooding are also expected to increase, even though they cannot be modeled satisfactorily with current climate models. All of these will undoubtedly have adverse effects on crops and agricultural productivity over and above the effects due to changes in mean variables alone. The impacts of climate change on agriculture are likely to be regionally distinct and highly heterogeneous spatially requiring sophisticated understanding of causes and effects and careful design and dissemination of appropriate responses. Adaptation measures are needed urgently to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, facilitated by concerted action and strategic planning. As a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture also has much untapped potential to reduce emissions through reduced deforestation and changes in land use and agricultural practices. This is where indigenous knowledge comes in to play as a key to climate change mitigation and adaptation. African communities and farmers have always coped with changing environments. They have the knowledge and practices to cope with adverse environments and shocks

Human factors analysis and classification system for the oil and gas industry (HFACS-OGI)

The oil and gas industry has been beset with several catastrophic accidents, most of which have been attributed to organisational and operational human factor errors. The current HFACS developed for the aviation industry, cannot be used to simultaneously analyse regulatory deficiencies and emerging violation issues, such as sabotage in the oil and gas industry. This paper presents an attempt to improve the existing HFACS investigation tool and proposes a novel HFACS named the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System for the Oil and Gas Industry (HFACS-OGI). Results found the HFACS-OGI system to be suitable for categorising accidents, following the analysis of 11 accident reports from the US Chemical Safety Board (US CSB). The HFACS-OGI system moreover revealed some significant relationships between the different categories. Furthermore, the results indicated that failures in national and international industry regulatory standards would automatically create the preconditions for accidents to occur

Development of a software solution for solar-PV power systems sizing and monitoring

Power systems sizing and monitoring are very important design components in determining the overall performance of solar-photovoltaic (PV) systems. These design components represent the pre-installation and post-installation stages of solar-PV systems planning respectively, and paying adequate attention to them can go a long way to increasing the working life of solar-PV system installations. The SolarHelper developed in this work is a small software solution package that monitors and records vital system variables that will give the state and performance of an existing solar-PV installation at any given time; and it is able to accurately provide a simulated output of the required battery storage capacity, and PV array size based on load demands

Prospects of Quantity Surveyors in a dynamic world of climate change, digitalization and economic recession

Environmental, social and economic challenges cause serious changes that can affect the sustainability of businesses. Climate change, digitalization and economic recession have become topical in recent times. These issues are shaping the way businesses operate. Empirical and anecdotal evidences show that businesses can become worse off, if they do not embrace change. This paper is a desk research which focuses on the prospects of Quantity Surveying businesses in an era of climate change, digitalization and economic recession. It concludes that Quantity Surveyors can thrive in the face of climate change, digitalization and economic recession if they adopt sustainable construction, leverage on Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) and practice Value Managemen

Effects of Climate Change on Fluted Pumpkin Production and Adaptaton Measures Used Among Farmers in Rivers State

The importance of fluted pumpkin crop in rural household economy cannot be over emphasized. Farmers in the South South Nigeria depend greatly on fluted pumpkin for its many uses. The production however is beset with a myriad of constraints of which climate change is one of the most outstanding. The study assessed the effects of climate change and adaptation measures used by fluted pumpkin farmers in Ikwerre Local Government Area(LGA) of Rivers State, Southsouth Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. Out of the twelve communities that make up Ikwerre LGA, six communities were randomly chosen from which one hundred and eighty fluted pumpkin farmers were proportionately selected. Interview schedule and focus group discussion were used to elicit in depth information from respondents. Data were analyzed using percentage, frequency count and mean. Tables and charts were used in presentation of data. The result of the study showed that 51 percent of the respondents were female, majority were married (77 percent) and were full time farmers (79 percent). Relatively large proportion had no formal education (42 percent) and indicated both consumption and sale (79 percent) as the major aim of production. The respondents perceived that unpredictable climate condition, changes in rainfall pattern, changes in rainfall distribution, reduced yield of fluted pumpkin and reduction of family income were the major effects of climate change on fluted pumpkin production. A combination of fluted pumpkin production with other income generating activities was shown to be the most widely used adaptation strategy by respondents. Based on the results of the study it was recommended that improved extension services that can provide the needed farming inputs (fluted pumpkin seedlings, fertilizers e.t.c) as well as useful and relevant information on climate change and adaptation strategies should be made available to the people

Effects of Climate Change on Fluted Pumpkin Production and Adaptaton Measures Used Among Farmers in Rivers State

The importance of fluted pumpkin crop in rural household economy cannot be over emphasized. Farmers in the South South Nigeria depend greatly on fluted pumpkin for its many uses. The production however is beset with a myriad of constraints of which climate change is one of the most outstanding. The study assessed the effects of climate change and adaptation measures used by fluted pumpkin farmers in Ikwerre Local Government Area(LGA) of Rivers State, Southsouth Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. Out of the twelve communities that make up Ikwerre LGA, six communities were randomly chosen from which one hundred and eighty fluted pumpkin farmers were proportionately selected. Interview schedule and focus group discussion were used to elicit in depth information from respondents. Data were analyzed using percentage, frequency count and mean. Tables and charts were used in presentation of data. The result of the study showed that 51 percent of the respondents were female, majority were married (77 percent) and were full time farmers (79 percent). Relatively large proportion had no formal education (42 percent) and indicated both consumption and sale (79 percent) as the major aim of production. The respondents perceived that unpredictable climate condition, changes in rainfall pattern, changes in rainfall distribution, reduced yield of fluted pumpkin and reduction of family income were the major effects of climate change on fluted pumpkin production. A combination of fluted pumpkin production with other income generating activities was shown to be the most widely used adaptation strategy by respondents. Based on the results of the study it was recommended that improved extension services that can provide the needed farming inputs (fluted pumpkin seedlings, fertilizers e.t.c) as well as useful and relevant information on climate change and adaptation strategies should be made available to the people