Media Use and Perceived Academic Performance of Students in Public Universities in Osun State

This study investigated media use and perceived academic performance of students in public universities in Osun State. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. The population consists of 38,385 students of public institutions with a sample size of 381 students determined through the Raosoft sample size determinant. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select students in the selected institutions in the state. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A reliability coefficient value for each variable in this study was recorded as follows; Media Use (MU) = 0.73; Perceived Academic Performance (PAP) = 0.81. Findings revealed that MU had a significant influence on the measures of PAP; self efficacy R2 = 0.124, F(1,343)= 39.753, p= 0.000, Learning Behaviour R2 = 0.104, F(1,343)= 39.753, p= 0.000. This study concluded that MU significantly influences PAP. The study recommended that students are to employ the right use of media as it will improve and aid their academic goals at all times

Geospatial Analysis for Irrigated Land Assessment, Modeling and Mapping

Assessment of irrigated lands by conventional means of survey requires a great deal of time, but the application of geospatial analysis using remote sensing data and GIS techniques minimize time consuming and offer the possibility rapid production of maps and models. This paper gave an overview of the techniques and methods in use at different scales. The presence of salt in the soils and its variation may be because of rise in water table and the difference in elevation in irrigated lands. The combined application of conventional methods with remote sensing and geographical information system techniques in detecting these problems in irrigated lands were examined. Different salinity indexes coupled with ground truthing with the proven results in assessing such problems were also examined thereby depicting indexes as good indicator of soil salinity and water logging, which may influence decision on reclamation of degraded land for proper agricultural land management. Irrigation and drainage managers, planners, farmers, and government agencies for smart agriculture can use models and maps generated through geospatial analysis

Modelling the Relationship between Performance Appraisal and Organizational Productivity in Nigerian Public Sector

Quite a number of challenges have been identified as confronting the effective and efficient practice of the performance appraisal system which includes the effect of managerial decisions, reward and its turnout in commitment and loyalty of employees which triggers productivity within the organization. Therefore, this study concentrates on ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ as the factors generate extreme dissatisfaction among employees and employers. Descriptive survey design method was adopted with the use of questionnaire distributed to the management and staff of some selected public sectors in Lagos State, South-West, Nigeria out of which 254 representing 85% were valid for the research. The questionnaire was structured into four sections. The study pointed that if managerial decisions are fair and just with equitable reward and promotion for job done, it will increase employees’ commitment and loyalty in the organization. In the same vein, if employees were properly motivated with the necessary and adequate training needs, innovation would increase rapidly on the job and this will thereby lead to competitive positioning. In addition to this, employees agreed that if they got regular feedbacks about their performance on the jobs, it could secure competitive positioning for the organization. As this will help them to identify their strengths and weaknesses which could invariably produce opportunities to the organization they are working with and threat to their competitor

A Study of Multiple Work-life Balance Initiatives in Banking Industry in Nigeria

This study examines the effect of a time usage policy on employee’s work-life conflict and the impact of leave programmes on employes’ attitude using five selected banks in Nigeria. A sample of N=386 respondents were randomly selected from these banks to participate in the study. Questionnaire was used to collect information from respondents. The standard multiple regression was used to generate results that indicate how well the set of variables representing work-life initiatives on time usage is able to predict work-life conflict. In order to find the relationship between the work-life initiatives on time usage and work-life conflict, the Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient was used. The result also showed that the correlations between the dependent variablejob- related attitude and independent variable-Leave initiatives to determine the level of relationship the work-life balance initiative bears on job-related attitude. The finding shows that a relationship exists between job related attitude and leave initiatives; however they are not statistically significant @ .05 level

EFFECTS OF REVENUE GENERATION ON RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OROLU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA(LGA), IFON OSUN, OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

The availability of adequate funding is a major prerequisite of economic transformation of a local government area. This study examined the effects of revenue generation on rural economic development in Orolu Local Government Area, Ifon-Osun, Osun state Nigeria. It identified the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents as main determinants and parameters of rural economic development. It also examined the relationship between revenue generation and rural economic development as well as analyzed the constraints military against the effectiveness of revenue generation in the study area. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 150 (one hundred and fifty) respondents selected through systematic purposive sampling techniques in the study area. Descriptive statistical tools of percentages, frequency and table distributions were used to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. Logit Regression Analysis was used to evaluate the effects of revenue generation on rural economic development at level of 95% confidence interval as well as Regression Analysis on the constraints militating against revenue sourcing in the study area. Findings revealed that the computed F-statistic with corresponding probability value (F 5, 26) = 364.23, Prob> F = 0.0002 and for the Adjusted R2 (0.0870) and ( = 0.84534). This indicated that revenue generation has significant relationship or positive effects on economic development of the study area at p< 0.05. This paper recommended that government particularly at the local level should pay greater attention to the synergy between revenue sourcing and socio-economic transformation so that rural economic development can be stimulated and sustained. The government should ensure greater accountability and transparency on the part of its officials as also their virtues of integrity and transparency would invariably affect and effect socio-economic and rural transformation of the study are

THE LIMITATIONS IN THE OSTENSIBLE AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF PRIVATIZATION: A STUDY OF THE ELECTRICITY POWER SECTOR IN NIGERIA

The sine qua non of socio –economic development is constant supply of electricity. In Nigeria, reverse has been the case. Since the public corporation that was charged with the onus of electricity power service delivery had become a national tragedy, the nation could not resist the resolve to privatize it. However, since September 2013 when it was deregulated and privatized, power supply has further been deteriorating; leaving the impression that darkness is yet to abate at the end of the tunnel. This paper argues that Nigerians are now discovering the limit of optimism in privatization and that the magic wand for Nigeria’s energy predicament might after all not be privatization. The methodology of study is qualitative and perceptible relying essentially on objective facts and data. The paper though posits that the failed public corporation is a victim of ruling class grand conspiracy ab initio, however did not advocate the derailment of the privatization policy in view of the enormity of the resources that have been committed into it. It nevertheless recommends that the policy would be more result oriented if there are level playing fields for competition through the removal of barriers restricting trade entry and exit. This will thus give room to privatization coupled with competition rather than what currently subsists as privatized monopolies and oligopolie

AN ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF SELECTED HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON THE CORPORATE PERFORMANCE OF A MULTINATIONAL COMPANY, WESTERN NIGER

Studies have attempted to recommend designs of various HR systems to achieve organizational goals as well as determine best set of complementing HR practices that will indeed boost performance. However, several limitations spanning from different levels of analysis, size of firm, union status of organizations and business environment have limited the acceptability of several advancements, hence, the need for a contextual study such as this. It therefore sets to discover if systems of high-performance HR practices will boost productivity. It equally examines if complementing high-performance HR practices will boost productivity. The study engages Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient at 0.01 level of significance for degree of freedom 2 to test these hypotheses. Moreover, regression analysis was employed to measure the contribution of the independent variable to the dependent variable while student-t-test, beta and F-ratio were used to test the relationship in terms of nature and strength. Our findings revealed that high-performance HR practices will boost productivity. It equally ascertained that complementing high-performance HR will improve productivity of staff. Keywords: Human Resources Management Practices, Corporate Performance, Multinational Company, Western Nigeria

Use of Geoinformatics Techniques for the Assessment and Mapping of Soil Salinity: Concepts and Applications

Irrigated agriculture has a major impact on the environment, especially soil degradation. Soil salinity is a critical environmental problem, which has great impact on soil fertility and overall agricultural productivity. Since, soil salinity processes are highly dynamic, the methods of detecting soil salinity hazards should also be dynamic. Remote sensing data are modern tools that provide information on variation over time essential for environmental monitoring and change detection, as they also help in the reduction of conventional time-consuming and expensive field sampling methods, which is the traditional method of monitoring and assessment. This chapter thus reviewed the concepts and applications of remote sensing, GIS-assisted spatial analysis and modelling of the salinity issue in irrigation fields. Generally, compared to the labour, time and money invested in field work devoted to collecting soil salinity data and analysis, the availability and ease of acquiring satellite imagery data and analysis made this concept very attractive and efficient

Social Vices Associated with the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in a Private Christian Mission University, Southern Nigeria

This study is designed to address social problems associated with Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and implications they portend on studentship in a Private Christian Mission University, Southern Nigeria. It tries to find out how the engagement of ICT devices results in social vices on campus. Drawing from recorded data between 2006 and 2012 academic year, the study reported six ICT tools associated with eight social- ills. Relying on raw data of 900 students disciplined within this period, the study reported that 187 students were expelled while 46 were advised to withdraw due to their involvement in ICT-related vices. Moreover, the study shows that 78 students served 1 year suspension while 589 students were suspended for one month. Findings of the study also revealed loss of all student rights infinitely for expelled students, nearly all rights for those advised-to-withdraw and all for a specified period for the suspended students. Practical implications of these disciplinary actions are discussed and potential future directions on this subject are proposed