Sustainability and corporate governance: A comparative evaluation of approach for Dangote Group and Gallagher Group

Sustainability has been resonating within the business community and the academia. Indeed, sustainability has moved from being an ideology to a technique that guarantees business profitability. As corporate social responsibility (CSR) is expanding its frontiers to respond to continued agitation for business to treat the planet and its people with respect, sustainability is no longer optional. This research paper aims to demonstrate the curiosity of the author to develop a project in the area of sustainability and corporate governance; in particular, the correlation between sustainability and corporate governance, with the main objective of embarking on a comparative study of the sustainability approach of two companies from two continents. For this work, the author has in mind to evaluate the sustainability approaches of these companies in their supply chain management. Unlike the conventional approach, an intercontinental perspective on sustainability is rare. Therefore, the primary focus of the research will be to investigate the sustainability practices in the supply chain management of two indigenous companies (Gallagher and Dangote) from two continents. The research will adopt a qualitative method for collecting data and other relevant materials from involved parties and triangulation will be used for the analysis. This investigation could potentially identify similarities and difference in approach to sustainability, which could improve best practices for both companies. The report will highlight areas of advantage for both parties in line with current demand for business to be part of the solution to the problems surrounding people, planet, and profits. The work will conclude with a benchmark document for sustainability

Inserting extant corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of international oil companies in the Niger Delta Region

In this paper, the author aims to draw on his thesis to discuss extant CSR activities of IOCs in the NDR. The paper presents a compelling insight on the CSR activities of select IOCs in the NDR and how such activities identify in Carroll’s Pyramid of CSR for the purposes of relevance and generalisability. The issue of equitable distribution of oil resources has been very contentious in the NDR within the last couple of decades and its implications can hardly be exaggerated. The paper confirms the salient role of some IOCs in the provision of social welfare packages and the overall development of the region. Furthermore, the paper examines the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) framework, an approach considered as ``best practice’’ model by IOCs in the region. The model combines IOCs’ expertise with local stakeholder intelligence to achieve the desired results. The author presents a summary of the evolution of CSR in the NDR underscoring the significance of localized ``best practice`` approach. The paper concludes by highlighting the limitations of CSR in the sustainable development of the NDR

Investigating different strategies for increasing sales and customer base

The study primarily discusses about the different strategies that the management of the company can implement in order to boost their customer base and net sales. The main aim of the research is to evaluate different strategies for increasing sales and customer base. A qualitative method was taken for this research, and data was collected with the help of primary and secondary methods. In the primary method, a semi-structured interview was conducted on the organisation’s premises with the store manager and other staff members. The secondary data was collected from books and the internet. The study has an emphasised focus on laying down several goals and objectives that the study plans to achieve. In this study, the researcher has tried to formulate the latest data and information about the company in order to provide the management with the latest insights about customer preferences and techniques that can be used for improving their decision-making process. The study has laid down processes and procedures that were followed in order to prepare the entire study. The key findings of the research are to introduce the new product, give some rewards points and add some more options for customers. The foremost recommendations for the organisation will be to improve communication with their customers, and to use PayWave service and wi-fi facility. Moreover, they should use social media and other platforms to advertise their products and add more features and varieties to the existing product to attract the attention of customers

Inserting Extant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Activities of International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the Niger Delta Region (NDR) in Carroll’s Pyramid of CSR: A Case of Generalizability

In this paper, the author aims to draw on his thesis to discuss extant CSR activities of IOCs in the NDR. The paper presents a compelling insight on the CSR activities of select IOCs in the NDR and how such activities identify in Carroll’s Pyramid of CSR for the purposes of relevance and generalisability. The issue of equitable distribution of oil resources has been very contentious in the NDR within the last couple of decades and its implications can hardly be exaggerated. The paper confirms the salient role of some IOCs in the provision of social welfare packages and the overall development of the region. Furthermore, the paper examines the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) framework, an approach considered as ``best practice’’ model by IOCs in the region. The model combines IOCs’ expertise with local stakeholder intelligence to achieve the desired results. The author presents a summary of the evolution of CSR in the NDR underscoring the significance of localized ``best practice`` approach. The paper concludes by highlighting the limitations of CSR in the sustainable development of the NDR

The Effect of the Affordable Care Act on the Ability of Health Departments in the Appalachian Regions to offer Primary Care Services

In the Appalachian region, the need for primary care services has increased due to an increase in morbidity rates from coal mining, obesity, drugs, and poor health care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in part to expand access to patient care. The ACA aimed to help solve these problems and help underdeveloped communities such as the ones in the Appalachian region that do not have access to affordable and quality health care. This project examines differences before and after the ACA was passed on the delivery of primary care services by local health departments within the Appalachian region. Data on the local health departments within the Appalachian region was obtained from the National Profile of Local Health Departments census, which was taken by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The data showed that after the implementation of the ACA in 2010 there was a clear decrease in the primary care services offered by LHDs within the Appalachian region

Police Beats and City Streets: An Examination of Black American and Latinx Youth Interactions with and Perceptions of Police

Existing research on issues of race and police suggest that Black Americans and Latinx youth tend to have more negative experiences with, and views of, police than individuals from other ethnoracial groups. This finding is even more robust among Black American and Latinx youth, notably those living in low-income and high crime communities. The victimization and constant burden such perceptions of police and police interactions have on Black American youth can potentially cause psychological damage. When coupled with repeated exposure to social, economic, and racially-related stressors, the former may result in greater adverse psychological outcomes. However, resilience factors such as neighborhood context and ethnic identity may buffer the relationship. This thesis aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively identify the impact perceptions of police and police interactions may pose on internalizing symptoms for 81 Black American and Latinx youth, moderated by neighborhood context, ethnic identity membership, and gender. Unexpectedly, neutral to positive experiences with police significantly predicted higher levels of internalizing symptoms than neutral to negative experiences with police, with youth quantitatively equally reporting positive, neutral, and negative attitudes of police. Qualitative data, on the other hand, offered a more nuanced view of youth/police interactions. When asked open-endedly, youth reported more negative encounters with police than positive and neutral encounters. This inconsistency between youth attitudes of police and the reality of youth/police interactions, suggests potential desensitization of negative police encounters by urban youth of color. These findings have implications for a greater understanding of the extent to which police interactions impact youth psychosocial outcomes

The role of foreign and indigenous languages in primary schools: The case of Kenya

This article investigates the use of English and other African languages in Kenyan primary schools. English is a foreign language to the majority of Kenyans, although there are some who claim that it is a Kenyan language. English is however the official language of Kenya and, in terms of policy, the medium of instruction from Grade 4 onwards. Kiswahili, an indigenous language, is the national language in Kenya which is taught and examined as a compulsory subject from Grade 1 up to Grade 12. Kiswahili is also a subject at Kenyan universities. The other indigenous languages are only taught up to Grade 3 and only in rural schools. While the situation described above is the language policy inschools, the practice differs from the policy. Based on a comprehensive study conducted in 2006, this paper shows how English and the indigenous languages complement each other to facilitate teachingand learning in primary schools. It is shown that Mathematics and Science lessons in Grade 4 (when English becomes the medium of instruction) are conducted in bilingual English-Kiswahili code switching and in trilingual English-Kiswahili-native language code switching in urban schools and peri-urban and rural schools, respectively.Keywords: Medium of instruction, Kiswahili, English, mother tongue, primary school, urban, periurba

Re (Civic) Function The Cultural Value of L’ Aquila

I want to start by exploring with you the meaning of you these numbers. From 2000 to 2012 natural disasters have caused 1.7 trillion dollars in damage and affected 2.9 billion people. Nearly 50% of the fatalities caused by natural disasters were due to flooding or earthquakes events. If we also look at the regions affected, these are usually facing social, cultural and environmental difficulties; therefore, the process of recovery of the communities in most of the time is slowly effective or unsuccessful. In order to face better future calamities, this research aims to analyze the displacing effect of the community and space functionality, as a solution of regaining and re-linking what has been lost such as gathering spaces, conducting commercial and educational activities, while maintaining the cultural context of the site. In my thesis, I am looking to a small historical town called l’ Aquila, which on 6th April 2009 have been struck by an earthquake and led to 300 death, 1500,000 people injured, about 100,000 buildings were severely damaged and 67,000 people were left homeless by the disaster. During past natural calamities, the relief timeline starts from emergency shelter move to transitional housing, and finally to permanent housing. My methodology is to propose a new type of resilient civic space and housing which will combine all three stages, based on an earthquake resistant structure in bedded to public spaces, in order to create one useful solution for the location at risk. In addition, through a literature research and case studies, I am also intending to eliminate the unsustainable conditions and focus on creating a safe and functional space where they will be able to regain the integrity of their community while learning the educational strategies of preservation of material and construction. The goal of this research is to design alternative ways of constructions that can alleviate the physical and psychological effect of undergoing to a natural disaster

Publishing in Kiswahili and indigenous languages for enhanced adult literacy in Kenya

This paper argues a case for the preparation of reading materials in Kiswahili and other African languages in order to enhance adult education in Kenya. Adult education clientele are defined as those aged over 15 who (a) were either never enrolled in primary schools or dropped out before completing and (b) `graduated` and currently participate in community extension services. Cognisance of mothertongues as the best languages to begin basic literacy is taken. However, since the literacy so acquired should be useful to the individual at both local and national levels, one needs Kiswahili for wider communication. Therefore, reading materials, especially for post literacy and adult literacy teacher training should be in Kiswahili. This will not only guard against relapsing to illiteracy and misinformation but will also alleviate the scarcity of reading materials in the face of hard economic times in Kenya