Factors and remedies for productivity and efficiency among small‐scale informal enterprises:a theoretical perspective

The growth and sustenance of firms are primarily determined by their productivity and efficiency. However, the productivity analysis has generally been skewed toward formal enterprises in the extant literature. For developing countries that characteristically have a greater share of informal employment, understanding the theoretical foundation of informal productivity and the proposed remedies could be the grounds for further research and deeper thinking for enhanced productivity. The central question of this paper is formulated on how a combined theoretical approach on the characteristics and location of firms could enhance knowledge on the hindering and promoting factors of productivity and efficiency among informal enterprises. Using the PRISMA methodology, 141 theoretical and empirical studies were reviewed, which revealed a central role of local and national governments in providing enabling infrastructure for the informal economy. It was found that factors like knowledge sharing, capitalisation, improved credit sector, geographical concentration, and decongestion of industrial clusters could promote productivity among informal producers. It, therefore, falls on various stakeholders to plan and execute policies on infrastructure, land-use policies, tax, and credit that simultaneously lessen the inherent constraints of informality, while enhancing enablers of production

Factors and remedies for productivity and efficiency among small‐scale informal enterprises:a theoretical perspective

The growth and sustenance of firms are primarily determined by their productivity and efficiency. However, the productivity analysis has generally been skewed toward formal enterprises in the extant literature. For developing countries that characteristically have a greater share of informal employment, understanding the theoretical foundation of informal productivity and the proposed remedies could be the grounds for further research and deeper thinking for enhanced productivity. The central question of this paper is formulated on how a combined theoretical approach on the characteristics and location of firms could enhance knowledge on the hindering and promoting factors of productivity and efficiency among informal enterprises. Using the PRISMA methodology, 141 theoretical and empirical studies were reviewed, which revealed a central role of local and national governments in providing enabling infrastructure for the informal economy. It was found that factors like knowledge sharing, capitalisation, improved credit sector, geographical concentration, and decongestion of industrial clusters could promote productivity among informal producers. It, therefore, falls on various stakeholders to plan and execute policies on infrastructure, land-use policies, tax, and credit that simultaneously lessen the inherent constraints of informality, while enhancing enablers of production

Essential oil constituents of Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. and Vernonia amygdalina Delile

The chemical composition of the essential oils from the leaves and stem bark of Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. and the aerial parts of Vernonia amygdalina Delile (Asteraceae) have been analyzed by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The investigation led to the identification of 33 and 30 compounds in the oils of the leaves and stem of E. prostrate, respectively, and 40 compounds in the oil of V. amygdalina. While the oil of the leaves of E. prostrata was highly dominated by sesquiterpenoids (89.3%), the stem bark was comprised of sesquiteprenoids (47.7%), straight chain hydrocarbons (25.6%) and monoterpenoids (11.1%). The main constituents of both oils were β-caryophyllene (47.7% and 15.9%) and α-humulene (31.8 and 12.9%) in the leaves and stem, respectively. In addition, ( E)-β-farnesene (10.0%) was also identified in significant amount in the stem bark. On the other hand, the major component of V. amygdalina oil was α-muurolol (45.7%)

Comparative Analysis and Performance Characteristics of Bio-Additives Induced Fuel Blend

Global demand for efficient transportation and energy dissipation in industries that use engine-powered equipment is enormous and largely supplied by liquid fuels derived from petroleum that power internal combustion engines (ICEs). Since the demand for jet fuel and diesel is anticipated to surpass gasoline consumption in the near future, low-octane gasoline components will become more widely available. As a result, low-octane gasoline components are expected to become more readily available, as demand for jet fuel and diesel is expected to outpace gasoline consumption in the near future. Experimentally, the effects of organic fuel additives (OFAs) on the performance of internal combustion engines were investigated. The findings compare plain, commercially available, neat gasoline samples to pure ethanol and fuel samples injected with OFAs. The development of various fuel blends; the analysis and characterization of fuel samples, including blended fuel samples; and the experimental investigation and comparative analysis of the engine performance powered by the various samples and blends of gasoline on the TQ TD115 MK11 testbed for single-cylinder engines were carried out in the study. The study demonstrated that the nanoadditions were superior to pure ethanol and undiluted gasoline in terms of performance. and showed that pure ethanol has a high torque value at lower speeds, but at speeds greater than 3000 rpm, D-NA outperformed ethanol additives and neat gasoline in terms of torque. At lower speeds, pure ethanol also had a high brake power value, but as speeds increased, samples containing D-NA outperformed ethanol additive and neat gasoline in brake power. Pure ethanol in a concentration of more than 3 has a high brake thermal efficiency value at lower speeds, but as speeds increased, samples containing D-NA outperformed ethanol additive and neat gasoline in terms of brake thermal efficienc

On the prediction of power loss in helical gearbox via simulation approach

Frictional loss, load variation, viscosity and speed are major causes of power loss in helical gears under normal operating conditions. The study presents the major theoretical findings to predict the possible power loss in a helical gear box. First, an analytical technique was employed to model the frictional loss and coefficient of friction resulting from the heat generated for a pair of helical gear in mesh. Then, a finite element method and Comsol Multiphysics was applied to model the helical gear structure as well as the surface displacements under static and moving conditions of the pinion. It was observed that the highest amplitude in surface displacement was 14 ×1

Study of Phytoremediation Potential of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) for Soil Contaminated with Heavy Metals

Aims: To investigate the phytoremediation potential of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) for some heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr and Co) in soil.Study Design: The experimental design was based on the assumption of homogeneity of points where the experimental soils were collected.Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna, Nigeria, between January 2011 and April 2012.Methodology: Surface soil (0 -20 cm) taken from various points of the department were used for the experiment. Pumpkin seeds were planted in polythene bags containing 1.5 kg of the soil which was contaminated with the metals of interest. The experiment consisted of six (6) contamination treatments and a control. These treatments were 5 mg kg-1, 20 mg kg-1, 75 mg kg-1, 100 mg kg-1, 200 mg kg-1 and 220 mg kg-1 of each metal. The soil and the pumpkin tissues (roots, stems and leaves) were analyzed for the metals, eight (8) weeks after planting, through atomic absorption spectroscopic (AAS) method. The physical and chemical characteristics of the soil were also determined.Results: The plant’s shoot length, 8 weeks after planting, showed that Telfairia occidentalis grew better on uncontaminated (control) soil. Generally, the trend showed that the higher the metals level in the soil the shorter was the plant shoot length. The metals (Pb and Co) accumulated more in the shoot than in the roots (Translocation factor- TF > 1) and also than in the soil (Bioaccumlation factor- BF >1). Copper and chromium on the other hand accumulated more in the root and in the soil than in the shoot (both the TF and BF values are less than one).Conclusion: The plant (pumpkin) can tolerate and survive high metals level in soil. It can be used as phytoremediator of soil contaminated with Pb and Co and to a lesser extent Cd