THE EFFECTS OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MARKETING ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY OF GLOBAL SYSTEM OF MOBILE COMMUNICATION SERVICES. ( A STUDY OF NETWORK SERVICE PROVIDERS IN NIGERIA)

The study was on the effects of customer relationship marketing on customer loyalty of global system of mobile communication services; A study of the network service providers in Nigeria. The objectives of the study was to investigate the effects of customer relationship marketing existing between;  complaint handling and customer loyalty, lower call rates and customer loyalty, lower interconnectivity rates and customer loyalty and bonus offer on calls and customer loyalty of the network providers. The study adopted a survey research method. The population of the study consisted of the subscribers of both MTN, AIRTEL, 9MOBILE and GLO networks in the South-East Nigeria and the sample size was 400. The questionnaire was designed in 5 likert scale and was administered to the respondents through face to face contact. Out of the 400questionnaires, 351 of these questionnaires were properly filled and returned. The hypotheses were tested using the Spearman Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (SPMCC) statistical tool. This was facilitated through the use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 17. The findings of the study revealed high level insignificant relationship existing between complaint handling and customer loyalty while weak relationship existed between lower call rates, lower interconnectivity rates and bonus offer on calls with customer loyalty. This implied that subscribers will stay with their network providers as long as the network providers are able to satisfy the subscribers’ various needs and meet customer requirements within their expectations. The study recommended that the network providers should sensitize the operators on the better ways of dealing with customers’ complaints in order to create loyal customers. The national communication commission should be pro-active in their control and oversight functions with the network providers in order to improve the overall quality of their services. The operators should make their customer relationship marketing packages to be more interactive and participatory, carryout research to identify the different needs of the subscribers, create awareness of the customer relationship marketing benefits and losses, create new lines for busy subscribers, and develop new customer relationship marketing packages that will attract, hold and maintain long term relationship with their subscribers

Impact of Customer Satisfaction on Customer Retention: A Study of Customers of Selected Restaurants in Enugu Metropolis

The study examined the impact of customer satisfaction on customer retention of some selected fast food restaurants in Enugu metropolis. The research was conducted to provide empirical evidence on the relationship existing between customer satisfaction and customer retention to assist the management of fast food restaurants in Enugu metropolis to initiate policies and programs that will help them to continue to satisfy their customers. The specific objectives of the study was to examine the effects of trust, customer care, better communication, after sales service and promise fulfillment on customer retention in the fast food restaurants in Enugu metropolis. The research design used was the cross- sectional survey research design. The area covered by the study was Enugu metropolis and the instrument used was questionnaire that was confirmed using content validity and test-retest for reliability. The employed analytical techniques comprises of simple tables, percentages, simple regression in statistical package for social sciences ( SPSS version 20) to analyze and treat the data collected. The results obtained from the study revealed that trust, customer care, better communication, after sale services and fulfilled promises have positive and significant effects on customer retention of fast food restaurants in Enugu metropolis. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the managements of all the fast food  restaurants in Enugu metropolis should deliver consistent, reliable and dependable services to their customers to gain their trust, provide adequate customer care to ensure that customers’ needs are met during and after the services are delivered, provide adequate and better communication networks to enable them collect and handle all complaints arising from product use, develop and maintain effective and efficient after sale services to ensure periodic calls and visit to keep customers informed of new offers and benefits and consistently re-evaluate performance against standard to ensure all promises made during the transaction are fulfilled.Customers are assets to every business organization and getting them satisfied after service use makes them to be loyal to the organization

Re-Evaluating the ICT Utilisation Options in Programme Production by Broadcast Stations in South-Eastern Nigeria

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been introduced to virtually all aspects of human endeavour.  The developments in the areas of ICT application have become very rapid especially with the need for all broadcast stations to become digitalised.  This study investigated the availability, accessibility and influence of ICT tools in programme production; and thus evaluated the options available for programme producers in utilising ICT facilities to facilitate the processes as well as improve contents of the programmes in the broadcast stations in South East Nigeria.  Four sets of population – broadcast stations (33); programme producers (271); select audience (infinite), and programme production managers (33) – were studied.  A sample of 30% was randomly selected and studied from each population.  The study adopted mixed methods research design in a triangulation of survey, observation and content analysis. Finally, the data were descriptively analysed and thematically explained. It was found that both digital and analogue ICT tools were available and that the producers had access to them thereby enabling utilisation.  It was also found that ICT tools facilitated programme processing as well as improved the quality elements. It was therefore concluded that available ICT tools were appropriate for facilitating the process of programme production by broadcast stations in South-Eastern Nigeria. It is recommended that all stakeholders should join hands to encourage greater utilisation of ICT in programme production by broadcast stations. Key words: ICT, broadcast programme, digital tools, utilisation, programme productio

Community Radio as a Dependable Pathway to Achieving Sustainable Food Security in Nigeria: A Development Communication Discourse

Effective communication is essential for mass mobilization for food security goals achievement in Nigeria. For any development programme or task to be accomplished in the community, there must be a conscious and effective use of existing resources of the mass media. The fact that the whole world, including Nigeria is facing the hydra-headed phenomenon known as economic meltdown cannot be overemphasized. One sure way of mitigating this rising phenomenon is to ensure sustainable food security in the nation by laying emphasis on the development of agriculture and agro-allied sectors. The study seeks to drive the need for community radio initiatives that explore sensitization and enlightenment programmes on issues that are geared towards mobilizing the citizenry for food security. Historical and library research methods were employed for analysis in this study. The study submits that there is a significant relationship between food security and media in development, should community radio be given serious attention. Keywords: Community radio, community mobilization, food security, media for development, sustainable development DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-12-05 Publication date:June 30th 202

Impact Assessment of Exclusive Breastfeeding Media Campaign Among Mothers in Selected Metropolitan Cities in South East Nigeria

This research is funded by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) of the Federal Government of Nigeria through Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria. Abstract Unarguably, the mass media by virtue of their information dissemination function play vital role in communication for health and sustainable development of the society. Health communication involves the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individuals and community decisions in enhancing healthy living. Therefore, the health sector, like any given sector of the society, shares a remarkable and unalienable relationship with the mass media, as evidenced through the radio, television, newspapers and magazines, among others, in communicating health policies, reporting activities in the health sector, embarking on health campaigns and in publicizing health programmes. The study is an impact assessment of exclusive breastfeeding media campaign among mothers in selected metropolitan cities in South East Nigeria to ascertain their disposition to exclusive breastfeeding media campaign messages amidst prevailing lack of interest among majority of mothers in upholding this auspicious agelong practice which invariably impacts on the wellbeing of the infant child, perhaps as a result of ignorance and lack of education, among other social factors. Qualitative and quantitative (mixed) research approaches were employed in this study. Findings reveal evident positive impact of exclusive breastfeeding media campaign messages on mother in South East Nigeria. However, antenatal channel rather than the traditional media channels remains the major source of information to mothers on exclusive breastfeeding practice in the region. The study, therefore, strongly affirms that much more is still required from the traditional media platforms especially in terms of enlivened programme design and committed publicity to rightly occupy their place in this campaign role considering the heterogeneous nature of the audience they serve, which predisposes them more advantageous to reach even prospective mothers (those not yet expecting babies) who may not have immediate need to come for antenatal to access such beneficial nutritional and health information. Key words: exclusive breastfeeding, health communication, media campaign, mothers, South East Nigeria, sustainable development DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-14-16 Publication date:July 31st 201

A review on gene pyramiding of agronomic, biotic and abiotic traits in rice variety development

Rice Oryza sativa L is a staple food crop, and its seeds are the most important component part of the agronomic trait of the cereal crop, rich in nutrient and of economic value to human and even livestock. But, it is often threatened by various abiotic and biotic conditions that reduce the yield, because of high incidences of infectious disease agents and non-pathogenic conditions respectively. Pyramiding of the requisite resistance and tolerance genes into single elite high yielding variety of rice, confers wider spectrum of stress management, resulting to development of single multiline variety of rice. Marker-assisted selection utilizes DNA marker-linked primers for blast resistant gene (RM8225;Piz, RM6836;Piz, Pi2,Pi9), bacteria leaf blight (RM224; Xa-4, RM122;xa-5, RG136; xa-13, RM21;Xa-21) and drought tolerance (RM236;qDTY2.2, RM520;qDTY3.1, RM511;qDTY12.1) in pedigree, backcross and recurrent selection breeding methods. The objectives are to create awareness on the environmental safety of host-resistance, significance of single multiline resistance variety, effect of the interaction of stress conditions and associated simple sequence repeat (SSR) linked markers

Administrative Roles of Principals on Teachers Job Performance in Private Secondary Schools in Nigeria

This study examined administrative roles of principals on teacher’s job performance in private secondary schools in Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey design. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population was 3, 027. The study sample 1,816 teachers’ drew from Owerri and Orlu Education Zones using simple random sampling techniques. The study adopted a structured questionnaire as instrument for data collection. The instrument was faced validated by three experts from the Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Mean and standard deviation were adopted, while t-test was used to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed principal’s administrative roles in the area of staff personnel administration to enhance teachers’ job performance. It was concluded that government should organize trainings to improve principals’ administrative roles and teachers’ job performance. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that effort should be made by the principals on their responsibilities of ensuring the success of this listed school administration. The principal also desperately need the cooperation of their teaching staff by encourage one another on their various task so as to facilities various task and also to facilitate learning and curriculum development collectively

Genetic diversity and utilization of cultivated eggplant germplasm in varietal improvement

Eggplant is the fifth economically most important vegetable in the Solanaceae family after tomato, potato, chili, and tobacco. Apart from the well-cultivated brinjal or aubergine eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), two other underutilized eggplant species, the African eggplant (S. macrocarpon L.) and the scarlet eggplant (S. aethiopicum L.), were also cultivated with local importance where the leaves and fruits are used for food and medicinal purposes. The major objectives of the eggplant breeding program are to improve fruit quality, increase yield performance through heterosis breeding, and introduce pest and disease resistances from wild relatives. Europe and Asia hold a wide collection of germplasm resources with significant potential for genetic improvement. While cultivated eggplant is susceptible to several fungi and bacteria, many wild relatives offer potential resistance to these pathogens. In this paper, we review the genetic resources and diversity of cultivated eggplant and its wild relatives. As a point of departure, we examine the economic importance, domestication, taxonomy characterization, and relationships of the crop and its wild relatives. The importance of evaluating and safeguarding wild relatives is highlighted, as crop wild relatives are highly underrepresented. A key section in this study is an overview dedicated to genetic resources, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, pre-breeding, and breeding for sustainable eggplant production

Genetic diversity and variability among pigmented rice germplasm using molecular marker and morphological traits

Exploring the genetic aspects of germplasm using genotypic and phenotypic analysis is more reliable for the development of rice varieties that could lead to the attainment of food security. This is because genetic variations provide a space for recombinants, which is an important factor in new varietal development. This study was conducted to evaluate genetic variability and diversity among 32 coloured rice accessions using agro-morphological characteristics and simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers. Quantitative traits (morphological, grain quality and antioxidant properties) and 34 SSR molecular markers were used as tools for determining cultivar identities and genetic diversity. Most of the quantitative traits showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) among all rice accessions. Clustering analysis from quantitative traits categorised the accessions into four groups. Similarly, the 32 accessions were grouped into 4 cluster groups based on the analysis of 34 SSR markers. The accessions YTM15, Pulut Merah 3, Padi Randau, Ringan Bawang, DNJ128 and DV 107 can be potentially selected for development of new varieties for local cultivation. Finally, these accessions can be used as parents in further breeding programmes