MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON NIGERIAN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

The study sought to identify the causes of conflicts, the challenges encountered in managing organizational conflicts, and the appropriate strategies adopted by selected public sector organizations in Nigeria in managing organizational conflict. The study has population size of 75 out of which a sample size of 63 was realized using Taro Yamane’s formula at 5% error tolerance and 95% level of confidence. Instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and interview. A total number of 63 copies of the questionnaires were distributed while 55 copies were returned. The descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The hypotheses were tested employing Pearson chi-square using SPSS. The findings indicate that inadequacy of resources; personality differences and communication problems are the causes of conflict in Nigerian public sector organizations. Secondly, coping with change and effective implementation of strategy are the challenges encountered in managing organizational conflict. Thirdly, collaboration style, accommodation style and avoidance style are the strategies adopted by public sector organizations in managing conflict. The study recommends that managers should develop appropriate strategies such as collective bargaining and negotiation, to resolve and manage conflicts as they arise before escalating to unmanageable level.  Article visualizations

DOES PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY AFFECT SALES GROWTH OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA?

This study sought to identify and analyse promotional strategies and the extent to which they affect sales growth in some selected manufacturing firms in South East Nigeria. The survey design was used. The population of the study was 7112 staff drawn from ten (10) manufacturing firms purposively selected from the five (5) states in South-east Nigeria. A sample size of 553 was obtained using Godden’s statistical formula for calculating sample size from the finite population at 5% error margin. Proportional stratified random sampling formula was used to calculate the proportionate sample size for the clusters. Questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents after being validated by experts from the firms and the academia. Out of the 553 copies of the questionnaire administered, 526 were returned and used for the analyses while 27 copies were not returned. Data were collected through primary and secondary sources. Spearman rank order correlation coefficient was used to test the reliability of the instrument given a coefficient of 0.83, thus confirming the reliability of the instrument. The hypotheses formulated were tested using ordinal logistic regression model. Findings from the study revealed that advertising, public relations and personal selling were promotional strategies that affected sales growth in the manufacturing firms. The study also revealed that promotional strategy had a positive and significant effect on sales growth. (b = 78.234, p = 0.009 < 0.05) during the period studied. Based on these findings, it is recommended that manufacturing firms should adopt advertising, public relations and personal selling as promotional strategies for enhancing their sales growth. Again, manufacturing firms should improve their process of production and their selling and distribution strategies of their existing products and services in order to enhance their life cycles. These are necessary especially in developing countries of which Nigeria is one where environmental dynamics are regularly changing

Women’s Perception and Readiness regarding Adoption of A Healthy and Sustainable Diet: A Cross-Sectional Study in Enugu City, Nigeria

There is little knowledge about healthy and sustainable diets (HSDs) in Africa. This study assesses women’s readiness to adopt HSDs and its associated factors in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional household survey in 2021, which assessed women’s (n =450) food choice motives, perceived benefit, and readiness to adopt HSDs. The diets were categorised as pre-contemplation and contemplation (PC/C), preparation and relapse (P/R), and action and maintenance (A/M) stages. Odds ratios (OR) were generated using multinomial logistic regression. Results: Almost 57% of the women perceived HSD to be of high benefit. About 19%, 21%, and 60% of the women were in the PC/C, P/R and A/M, respectively. Low perceived benefit (OR=4.30, 95%CI: 2.30-8.05, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=6.35, 95%CI: 2.53-15.93, P<0.001), low education (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.39-5.44, P=0.004), and age <35 years (OR=2.48, 95%CI: 1.02-6.07, P=0.046) predicted being in the PC/C stage. Low perceived benefit (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.63-4.63, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=5.35, 95% CI: 2.40-11.92, P<0.001), low level of education (OR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.05-3.42, P=0.033), and being poor (OR=2.90, 95%CI: 1.05-7.97, P=0.039) predicted being in the P/R stage. Being <35 (OR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.28-0.87, P=0.014) and having low taste consideration (OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.12-0.72, P=0.008) predicted being in the A/M stage. Conclusions: Readiness to adopt HSDs needs to be improved in Enugu, Nigeria. For this purpose, respective nutrition education interventions might be implemented regarding progress in HSDs

MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON NIGERIAN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

The study sought to identify the causes of conflicts, the challenges encountered in managing organizational conflicts, and the appropriate strategies adopted by selected public sector organizations in Nigeria in managing organizational conflict. The study has population size of 75 out of which a sample size of 63 was realized using Taro Yamane’s formula at 5% error tolerance and 95% level of confidence. Instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and interview. A total number of 63 copies of the questionnaires were distributed while 55 copies were returned. The descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The hypotheses were tested employing Pearson chi-square using SPSS. The findings indicate that inadequacy of resources; personality differences and communication problems are the causes of conflict in Nigerian public sector organizations. Secondly, coping with change and effective implementation of strategy are the challenges encountered in managing organizational conflict. Thirdly, collaboration style, accommodation style and avoidance style are the strategies adopted by public sector organizations in managing conflict. The study recommends that managers should develop appropriate strategies such as collective bargaining and negotiation, to resolve and manage conflicts as they arise before escalating to unmanageable level

Determinants of anaemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study using secondary data from Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018

Background: Anaemia disproportionately affects women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. Yet, community-based studies on the prevalence and determinants of anaemia among women of reproductive age are scarce in Nigeria. Design: A cross-sectional community-based survey using a nationally representative sample. Objectives: This study described anaemia prevalence and its associated factors among women of reproductive age, pregnant women, and non-pregnant women in Nigeria. Methods: We analysed data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Pregnant women with a haemoglobin level less than 11 g/dL and non-pregnant women with a haemoglobin level less than 12 g/dL were considered anaemic. Anaemia was also categorized as mild, moderate, and severe. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between anaemia status and independent variables. All variables with ρ ⩽ 0.25 in bivariate analyses were further analysed using complex sample logistic regression. Results: Anaemia prevalence was 57.8%, 57.4%, and 61.1% for women of reproductive age, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women, respectively. The prevalence of severe anaemia was 1.6%, 1.5%, and 2.3% for overall women of reproductive age, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women, correspondingly. The southern regions, rural residence, low education, unemployment, low wealth index, and non-use of modern contraceptives significantly increased the likelihood of anaemia and severe anaemia among women of reproductive age and non-pregnant women. The likelihood of being anaemic was significantly increased by large family size among women of reproductive age and by being underweight among non-pregnant women. The South-East region, rural residence, low education, and unemployment were significantly associated with anaemia among pregnant women. The South-South region and unemployment increased the likelihood of severe anaemia among pregnant women. Short stature significantly reduced the odds of being anaemic and severely anaemic among pregnant women. Conclusions: Anaemia prevalence among all categories of women of reproductive age is high in Nigeria. Predictors of anaemia prevalence and severity should be considered in policies intended to reduce anaemia among women of reproductive age in Nigeria