Factors Affecting Manpower Capacity Development among Agribusiness-Based Entrepreneurial Organizations in Abia State, Nigeria

The study examined the factors affecting manpower development among agribusiness-based entrepreneurial organizations in Abia state, Nigeria. Data were collected from 75 agribusiness-based entrepreneurial organizations from two local government areas within the two agribusiness zones of Abia State. The method of data collection was through a random sampling technique and the instruments of data collection were questionnaire and oral interviews. The data collected were analyzed were with descriptive statistics, chi-square and Ordinary Least Square multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that, majority of the firms (56.2percent) are well informed and experienced in agribusinesses management practices used by the firms; the agribusiness-based entrepreneurial organizations that produce primary agribusiness raw inputs have more manpower (80.36percent) than organizations that used the raw materials for further production. Working condition was observed to influence (100 percent) the operations of both entrepreneurial organizations producing primary agribusiness raw inputs and that of those using the raw materials respectively. A total of the firms (68.75percent) using primary agribusiness raw materials are facing constraints of low market patronage. A further analysis showed that there is a significant difference between manpower development and productivity. Results of the multiple regression analysis showed that income, capital available for training and productivity were the major factors that positively and significantly affected manpower development. However, taxation signed negatively but significantly affected manpower development. The study recommends among others, that government and policy makers should come up with tax protection policies for agribusiness-based entrepreneurial organizations as it is found to be hampering the firms development especially manpower wise. Key words: Factors, Manpower development, Agribusiness-Based, Organization

A correlation study of nutrition and factors influencing food choices among construction workers

Abstract: Nutrition is known to be linked with worker health and safety (H&S) performance. Literature suggests that construction workers have poor nutrition and this adversely affects their health, wellbeing and safety on construction sites. Strategies to improve their nutrition warrant considerable attention. This paper aims to identify significant relationships between factors influencing nutrition and the food choices of construction workers. Empirical data for the correlational study were collected through a field questionnaire survey on site construction workers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Principal components analysis and Pearson‘s correlation analysis were conducted. Findings revealed that food context, nutritional knowledge, resources and personal ideas and systems were significantly associated with choice of foods. By highlighting the factors which are correlated with nutritional choices amongst construction workers, the study provides valuable evidence which will allow for the development and implementation of efficient and successful intervention programs geared towards improving construction workers' nutrition and thus site safety performance

Identifying factors influencing construction workers’ food choices in Gauteng, South Africa: A pilot investigation

Abstract: Background: Nutrition is linked with health and safety performance of workers. However, there is scant literature focusing on the nutrition of construction workers, especially in South Africa. Methods: This pilot study investigated the factors that influence the nutrition of construction workers. A survey was conducted and data were analysed using Microsoft Excel to determine mean scores and to rank the factors. Results: Nutritional knowledge, economic factors and physiological factors were identified as influencing construction workers’ food choices. Conclusion: These findings provide information that can be used for targeting construction workers’ nutrition which could, in turn, improve health and safety performance on construction sites. Identifying nutrition-influencing factors allows for the design of intervention programmes for construction workers

Development of a scale for assessing determinants of construction workers’ food choices

Abstract: Research on the factors influencing construction workers’ food choices and overall nutrition is limited, in South Africa and indeed Africa. The aim of the present paper is to develop and validate a questionnaire of factors influencing construction workers’ food choices. A quantitative, purposive approach was used in the study. Fourty-two items, divided into six constructs, were used to develop a field survey questionnaire after an extensive literature review. Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted to examine the structures and validity of the constructs. Cronbach’s alpha test and mean inter-item correlations were used to examine internal consistency reliability. After repeated factor analysis, the questionnaire of food choice factors revealed seven different factors: food context, biological factors, nutritional knowledge, personal ideas and systems, economic factors, resources and cultural background. These factors explained 60.09% variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from 0.62 to 0.85, indicating good internal consistency reliability. The factors which influence construction workers’ food choices are important considerations when designing and implementing nutrition interventions in the South African construction industry. Future research can adopt the instrument when conducting psychometric assessments of construction workers’ food choices

Evaluating the influence of nutritional determinants on construction workers’ nutritional intake

Abstract: Nutritional knowledge, economic, social, biological and cultural factors have been known to determine an individual’s food choice and intake. Despite the existence of research on the factors which influence nutrition globally, there is little known about the extent to which these factors influence the nutrition of construction workers, which in turn influences their health and safety performance during construction activities. The present paper investigates the extent to which construction workers’ nutrition is influenced by knowledge, economic, social, biological and cultural factors. A field questionnaire survey was conducted on site construction workers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Principal components analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that consumption of foods termed alternative foods including dairy products, eggs, nuts, fish and cereals, was influenced by nutritional knowledge and resources. Foods termed traditional core foods were identified to be influenced by cultural background; foods termed secondary core foods comprising fruits and vegetables were reported to be influenced by economic factors, resources and cultural background; while foods termed core foods were mostly influenced by nutritional knowledge. By providing evidence of the factors which most influence selection and consumption of certain foods by construction workers, relevant nutrition interventions will be designed and implemented, taking cognizance of these factors

Developing a framework of food choice determinants among construction workers in South Africa

Abstract: A plethora of factors are known to influence an individual’s food choice and overall nutrition, which in turn, influences their health and safety performance. However, it appears that little research has been conducted in South Africa, on the factors which influence the food choices and intake of construction workers in particular. The paper develops a framework of food choice determinants from literature review and tests the framework using principal components analysis of empirical data from a field questionnaire survey. Results evinced that food choices among South African construction workers aredeterminable by seven factors as opposed to six theorized factors. The study provides evidence which defines the factors that influence construction workers’ food choice. The study will be useful to construction managers and stakeholders in planning for nutrition improvement in the construction industry. Improving nutrition will contribute to improvement in health and safety performance on construction sites

Relationship between nutrition and construction safety performance : experimental work

Abstract: It is known that nutrition is linked with worker health and safety (H&S) performance. However, this relationship has not been evaluated empirically. The present paper evaluates the relationship between nutrition and safety performance on construction sites. Empirical data were collected through a field questionnaire survey conducted on site construction workers in South Africa. Principal components analysis and Spearman’s correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that increased consumption of certain foods termed “alternatives” in the current study, including dairy products, eggs, nuts, fish and cereals, was associated with improved safety performance. No significant correlation was found between nutritional choice and negative performance measures. By providing evidence of which foods may be correlated with safety performance of construction workers on construction sites, the design of explicit nutrition interventions for construction workers, particularly including planning for these significant foods, will be allowed. The study will also result in nutrition being given more attention in H&S considerations on construction sites

Copper(I)oxide Catalysis in the Synthesis of Functionalized Alanine-Based Sulphonamides: In Silico, In vitro Antibacterial Studies

The synthesis of functionalized alanine-based sulphonamides via copper(I)oxide catalyzed N-arylation reaction and the in silico antibacterial studies is reported. The study involved the initial synthesis of substituted p-toluenesulphonamides and substituted benzenesulphonamides by the reaction of alanine with p-toluenesulphonyl chloride and benzenesulphonyl chloride respectively in aqueous basic medium. The synthesized compounds were acetylated by reacting them with acetic anhydride and sodium acetate followed by acylation and amidation to yield amidated p-toluenesulphonamides and benzenesulphonamides respectively. Copper catalyzed N-arylation of the amidated products with aryltriolborates resulted in the synthesis of benzene, and 2-chlorophenyl derivatives of the amidated products. The synthesized compounds were characterized using FTIR, 1HNMR and elemental analysis and the spectra were in agreement with the assigned structures. The insilico antibacterial studies revealed that the compounds possessed significant antibacterial potency and could be further employed as potential anti-bacterial agents when validated with experimental studies. The antimicrobial study revealed that most of the synthesized compounds possess antibacterial activities

COMPARING NETWORK DESIGN APPROACHES IN AREAL RAINFALL ESTIMATE OF NIGERIA RIVER BASINS

This work shows the importance of rain gauge network analysis in the determination of the number of rain gauges that will accurately estimate the mean rainfall of an area. This research therefore looked at the two design approaches viz weighted and non-weighted approaches that will best estimate the number of rain gauges required in a catchment area. From this, it was established that the 87 existing and operating rain gauges in Nigeria is grossly inadequate and hence the need to improve the density to meet World Meteorological Organization (WMO) minimum requirement for the country’s geographical location. To do this, the reallocated existing and operating rain gauges is added to the optimum results obtained through the weighted and non-weighted design approaches and hence improve on the existing network density. It is expected that financial considerations may play a role in determining the total number of gauges chosen for the country hence should be determine

Feeling Not Wanted/Loved and Depression: Does Gender Matter?

Depression affects over 17 million American adults yearly and has been identified as the leading cause of disability in people between the ages of 15 and 44 years. There is evidence that feeling neglect or a lack of parental attachment during childhood is associated with depression. One construct that has been overlooked is love from a parent. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between individuals who felt not wanted/loved during adolescence and lifetime depression and to examine this association by gender. We examined 5114 participants aged 24–32 years at Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) public use dataset. We used logistic regression analysis to determine the association between an individual feeling not wanted/loved by their parent/caregiver prior to age 18, covariates, and lifetime depression. We then stratified by gender and ran logistic models for both men and women separately. Overall, 16.2% (n = 827) reported lifetime depression diagnosis, while 16.5% of the participants reported feeling not wanted/loved “often,” while 29.8% reported it as “sometimes.” Feeling not wanted/loved “often” was associated with higher odds of depression (AOR = 3.00; 95% CI, 2.45–3.66; p \u3c .001) versus “sometimes” (AOR = 1.59; 95% CI, 1.31–1.90; p \u3c .001). When stratified by gender, feeling not loved/wanted was associated with depression among both men (AOR = 3.70; 95% CI, 2.60–5.25; p \u3c .001) and women (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI, 2.13–3.48; p \u3c .001). Feeling not loved or wanted by a parent/caregiver during adolescence has serious implications, for both men and women. Future studies should further examine this construct and identify family-based interventions that focus on parent/caregiver and child relationships