The Impact and Inability of Leaders to Address Employee Grievances

Grievances are common within the workplace representing the major challenges that employees face making it difficult for them to work. Employee grievances are harmful to organizations because they reduce productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction undermining performance. The purpose of this flexible qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and expand the understanding of the impact and the inability of leaders to provide solutions to employee grievances in the healthcare industry in the northeastern part of the United States resulting in the reduction of organizational performance. The study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 research participants consisting of 10 organizational leaders and 10 junior employees. Thematic analysis was conducted resulting in the identification of nine main themes: employee grievances in the healthcare environment; causes of employee grievances; the impact of employee grievances; addressing employee grievances; leaders’ role in addressing employee grievances; leaders’ actions/behaviours that cause their inability to address employee grievances; leaders’ action/behaviors that enhance their ability to address employee grievances; and changes needed to improve leaders’ ability in addressing employee grievances. Accordingly, several key conclusions were made based on the findings of this research study. One of the conclusions reached was there are several grievances faced by healthcare workers (HCWs) that include, heavy workload, poor response to the effects of COVID-19, burnout, long workhours and minimum work-life balance, and inadequate compensation and pay. Further, the conclusions of this study include organizational leaders are integral towards addressing employee grievances through their actions and behavior. Accordingly, leaders must recognize ways of enhancing their ability to address employee grievances and the impact this has on the employees. Based on the findings of this study, the following are the recommendations for further research, additional research regarding the training of leaders on employee grievance management, conducting quantitative research entailing a larger sample size, and more research on the collaboration between leaders and employees towards addressing grievances

African Nuclear Weapon Technology: A Search for Nigerian Perspective

Right from when nuclear research began, discovered, developed and deployed, it brought to the fore the destructive capabilities of this latest discovery, while its peaceful means was also sought years later. Many countries of the world, including the then apartheid South Africa, either began to develop their own nuclear weapon program or invested heavily into research for the development or acquisition of nuclear technology. Some developed countries, notably the United States, Union of Soviet Socialist Republic {USSR} and Britain went into more research, others such as France, China and Japan, though got their nuclear breakthrough late between the 60s and 80s, eventually joined the nuclear club. A few African Countries, notably, South Africa, had experiences and took positions with respect to nuclear weapons technology, while other countries such as Egypt, Algeria,  Libya and Nigeria also made attempt at various times. Therefore, the overall objective of this study is to explain the rationale for African desire at acquiring nuclear technology, whether for military purpose like other countries or for a peaceful means and why the continent has failed to achieved this noble desire. Keywords:-nuclear weapon, nuclear proliferation nuclear technology, radioactivity, explosive devic

Portrayals of Socio-Structural Issues in Homosexuality by the Social Media in Nigeria: A Theoretical Discourse

The anti-homosexual stance of the Nigerian government has provoked intense debate and threats from some parts of the West especially the pro-homosexual parts However this campaign will remain a hoax if left at its current level without a deeper look at the socio-structural issues giving impetus to the growing homosexual community around the world Thus this paper examines the social and structural indicators of homosexuality in certain Nigeria educational institutions and the contra-cultural elements stemming from the social media The single sex educational institutions and the unrestrained pluralization of the social media are implicit enablers of this social phenomenon The social learning theory and the post-modernity theory aptly provide the theoretical framework for understanding the subject-matter It argues that homosexuality is socially learnt and a product of a post-modernizing societ

Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus and Uptake of its Vaccine among Female Undergraduate Students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a prerequisite for the development of cervical cancer which is the fourth most common cancer affecting women worldwide. The use of HPV vaccine has been found to be responsible for significant decline in the prevalence of HPV infection and consequently, of cervical cancer. This study assessed the knowledge of HPV and the uptake of HPV vaccine among female undergraduate students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.Methods: This institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 229 students selected using multi-staged sampling technique. A structured, pretested, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. IBM SPSS version 21.0 was used for data analysis. Statistical significance was set at p-value less than 0.05.Results: Only 12 (5.2%) students were knowledgeable about HPV and 39 (17.0%) were aware of the existence of HPV vaccines. The participants’ age (p = 0.031) and level of study (p = 0.026) were significantly associated with knowledge of HPV. Only 1 (0.44%) student had received the vaccine. Eight (10.8%) students had their sexual debut at 10 to 14 years, 9 (12.1%) had more than five sexual partners and 21 (23.4%) never used condom during sexual intercourse.Conclusion: The knowledge about HPV infection and uptake of HPV vaccine were very low in this study. Concerted effort should be made by health authorities to create awareness about HPV infection and its vaccine among university students. This will improve HPV vaccine uptake, prevent HPV infections and reduce the prevalence of cervical cancer

Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among workers of an oil palm company in Edo State, Nigeria

Background: Hypertension is one of the most important preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality globally. This condition which was initially considered rare in sub-Saharan Africa is now a major non-communicable disease threatening sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among workers of the Oil Palm Company in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Edo State Nigeria.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 354 workers of Oil Palm Company selected using stratified sampling technique. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire (adapted in line with the WHO stepwise surveillance questionnaire for chronic disease risk factors) was used to obtain data. Data analysis was by IBM SPSS version 21.0. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were done and level of significance was set at p < 0.05.Results: The mean age (SD) of respondents was 37.9 (10.4) years. The prevalence of hypertension was 18.4%. Sixteen (4.5%) of respondents were current tobacco users and 34 (9.6%) were obese. Significant determinants of hypertension were age (p = 0.001), current tobacco use (p = 0.007), BMI (p = 0.027) and Waist Hip Ratio (p = 0.033).Conclusion: Hypertension is a public health problem among the study population and the determinants of hypertension identified include age, tobacco use, and obesity. There is need for health education on how to reduce these risk factors and screening programs among the staff for early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.Keywords: Hypertension, Prevalence, Risk factors, Oil Palm Compan

Distribution and Abundance of Airborne Palynomorphs in Aku, Enugu State, Nigeria

A study of airborne palynomorphs of Aku was carried out with the use of tauber pollen sampler from October to December, 2004. A total of 3,390 palynomorphs was recorded with the breakdown as follows: October, 1248; November, 1156 and December, 1526. Out of the counted palynomorphs, pollen grains constituted 2,125.The count of 736 pollen in October was followed by a decrease to 545 in November and a further increase to 844 in December. The pollen grains belonged to 20 families of flowering plants (17 dicotyledons and 3 monocotyledons) consisting of 20 genera. The result revealed dominance of wooded shrub grassland/woodland  vegetation sub-type, relics of tropical lowland rainforest and secondarygrassland. The taxa of both tropical lowland rainforest and secondary Grassland decreased from October to November and increased again in December. Fungi were the major spore contributors to the atmosphere and were dominated by the spores of Spadicoides, Curvularia, Dreschlera/Helminthosporium and Nigrospora. Pollen grains were next to fungi in total abundance and were dominated by the pollen of; Elaeis guineensis Jacq, Poaceae, Milicia excelsa Wild C.C. Berg, Irvingia wombolu Vermoesen, Syzygium guineense Engl. and Ageratum conyzoides L. December had a high influx of charred gramineae cuticles indicative of increased burning  activities in the area. Fungal spores recorded per month had an inverse relationship with the monthly rainfall and relative humidity.Keywords: Distribution, Abundance, Airborne spore, Palynomorphs, Ak

Aeropalynological study of Obukpa town, Enugu State, Nigeria

The diversity and abundance of airborne palynomorphs and other bio particles in the atmosphere of Obukpa was studied for a period of three months, from June through August 2010. The palynomorphs were trapped with Tauber sampler mounted at three locations during the period of study. A total of three thousand, eight hundred and ninety-nine (3,899) palynomorphs consisting of 3365 (86.3%) pollen grains, 496 (12.72%) fungal spores and 38 (0.98%) of other bio particles (insect parts and trichomes) was identified from the study. The pollen types which dominated the atmosphere of the sampled area included members of Combretaceae/Melastomataceae, Poaceae, Asteraceae, Amarathaceae, Lannea sp., Pentaclethra macrophylla and Alchornea cordifolia. The identified pollen grains were representatives of some trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. The major contributors to the fugal aerospora were Glomerularia sp., Nigrospora sp., Cercospora sp., Asperosporium sp., Fusoma, Dreschlera, Helminthosporium and so on. Comparatively, there were variations in the quantity of the trapped palynomorphs during the three months study period which could have resulted from differences in the flowering period of the plants as well as influence of some meteorological factors such as rainfall, temperature, wind speed, relative humidity and wind direction.Keywords: Palynomorphs, Pollen types, bio particles, fungal spores, atmospher

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF YAM PROCESSING INTO YAM FLOUR IN SAKI AGRO ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the economic analysis of yam processing into yam flour in Saki Agro ecological Zone of Oyo State. It specifically described the profitability of yam processing; examined the technical efficiency of yam processors and determined the effect of the socio-economic characteristics on technical efficiency. Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, profitability and budgetary analysis as well as stochastic frontier model and Garrett scale. The study reveals that majority of the respondents were female (88%) with a mean age of 47. The result shows that the rate of return on investment was 12 percent. The mean technical efficiency of the processors was 85% indicating that the yam processors were relatively efficient in allocating their limited resources. Some observable variables relating to socioeconomic characteristics such as processing experience and sex of the respondents significantly explains the variation in technical efficiency. Factors such as high cost of yam tubers, poor weather condition and inadequate processing facilities are the major factors that hinder the processing activities in the study area. The study therefore recommends that government policies should be made to improve the provision of inputs such as yam tubers and capital equipment at affordable price.     &nbsp

Risk Management Approach and Banks’ Portfolio Investment Performance in Nigeria

The study examined risk management approach and banks’ portfolio investment performance in Nigeria. The study hypothesized that there is no relationship between risk management and banks’ portfolio investment performance in Nigeria. Employing secondary data based on a 5 year annual reports and financial statements of accounts of 10 Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria and using the Generalized Method of Moment (GMM), the result shows a negative but significant relationship between risk management and banks’ portfolio investment performance measured by Return on Asset (ROA) while the explanatory variables were measured by credit risk (CRD) doubtful and non performing loans (NPLS), liquidity risk (LQR) measured by current ratio and market risk (MKR) measured by interest rate. In the light of the foregoing findings and using the result of the t-statistic, the study rejects the null hypothesis and concludes that a significant relationship exists between risk management approach and banks’ portfolio investment performance and thus recommends the need for banks to practise prudential risks management approach as risk management is critical in the banking sector in order to improve on their portfolio investment performance so as to protect not just both the stakeholders and shareholders’ interest but also the national economic growth and general macroeconomic stability and business development. Keywords: Banking Sector, Financial Statement, Portfolio Performance, Risk Management. DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/10-6-10 Publication date:March 31st 201