Political risk and foreign direct investment in Africa: the case of the Nigerian telecommunications industry

Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are expected to be influenced by political risk factors. However, studies that evaluate the relationship between political risk and FDI flows in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are scarce. This study examines the impact of political risk on FDI flows in a SSA context using the 12 political risk components published as the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) by the Political Risk Services Group (PRS) with the Nigerian telecommunications sector as a case study. The study finds that political risk has a significant influence on the inflow of FDI into developing economies in SSA such as Nigeria and that the 12 components affect FDI in different ways. Irrespective of the political risk rating, a consistent improvement in composite political risk enhances FDI inflow. Among the 12 components, corruption, law and order, democratic accountability and investment profile were found to have significant influences on FDI inflow into the Nigerian telecommunications sector. Corruption, in particular, explains nearly two-thirds of the FDI inflow

Emotional Intelligence And Cross-Cultural Communication Competence: An Analysis Of Group Dynamics And Interpersonal Relationships In A Diverse Classroom

This study discusses the significance ofemotional intelligence and intercultural communication competence in globallydiverse classroom settings.  Specifically,the research shows a correlation between degrees of emotional intelligence and humancommunication competence (age, gender, and culture). The dataset consists of364 participants.   Nearly six tenths (n= 215; 59.1%) were women. About two-thirds of participants were undergraduate students(n = 243; 66.8%), and one-third were graduate students (n = 121; 33.2%).  Further, most respondents were AfricanAmerican (n = 303; 83.2%). The remaining students were of African and Caribbeanorigin (n = 61; 61.8%). Among the African/Caribbean students, they had thefollowing national origins: Nigerian, 45 students; Jamaican, 5, Ghanaian, 4;Ugandan, 3; Trinidadian, 2; and Liberian, 2

Duplication cyst of the bowel causing ileal volvulus. A case report

A10 month old male infant presents to us with features of acute intestinal obstruction and a palpable abdominal mass of five days duration. A prior ultrasound report had made a diagnosis of intussusception. Subtle butimportant details in history and examination cast doubts on the ultrasound diagnosis. Exploratory laparotomy revealed ileal volvulus secondary to duplication cyst. This case is reported because of its rarity and to show thestrength of sound clinical evaluation even in the face of technological advancements.Keywords: Duplication cyst, alimentary tract, ileal volvulu

Investigation of GSM Signal Strength in Rural Communities in the South-Eastern Region of Nigeria

This paper focuses on the investigation of GSM networks’ signal strength coverage in rural communities in the South-Eastern region of Nigeria. The Network Cell Info Lite application installed in two Gionee M5 phones was used to carry out measurement of the signal strength received from the transmitting stations of various GSM networks. Signal strength obtained from the application was compared with the Gionee android inbuilt signal meter for authentication purposes. The signal strength measurements were conducted in Amaigbo from 18th August to 26 th August 2018, Uli from 29th August to 6 th September 2018 and Amasa from 8 th September to 16th September 2018, all in South-Eastern region of Nigeria. The data obtained was analyzed to determine the GSM networks coverage levels, the availability of the networks, and the quality of the network provided in the aforementioned rural communities. The result of the study shows that most rural communities in the South-East region of Nigeria, like Amaigbo and Amasa, experiences a lot of periods of out of service as a result of poor network coverage level. It was also observed that in some rural communities in the east with high population density such as Uli, the network coverage level is relatively high. Thus, quality network services were recorded in Uli. It is therefore recommended that more booster stations be sited to enhance good network coverage level in rural communities within the South-Eastern region of Nigeria

Double-stator switched flux permanent magnet machines having low rotor pole numbers

In this paper, double-stator switched flux permanent magnet (DS-SFPM) machines having low rotor numbers and whose stator teeth and rotor pole numbers are relatively same is investigated. Quantitative comparison of their electromagnetic performance is also given. Two-dimensional finite element (2D-FEA) analysis is employed in the prediction of the developed machines’ performance. It is observed that the open circuit flux-linkage waveforms of the analysed machines having odd rotor poles are both symmetrical and sinusoidal in contrast to its even number rotor pole counterparts whose waveforms are asymmetrical, non-sinusoidal and unbalanced. More importantly, the developed machines with odd rotor pole numbers exhibit higher torque density than its even rotor pole equivalents.Keywords: Harmonics, low rotor pole, PM usage, and unbalanced back-EMF

Showcasing African Story through Multimedia Performance: A Review of Rejected Blessing

Oral story telling as an African tradition used in safeguarding and transferring values from one generation to another has come under serious threat as a result of the modernization and digitalization of the arts. These oral traditions, like folk stories, are sometimes told and performed under the moonlight games, but seem to be going extinct with the advent of digital platforms where children can watch only foreign content, thereby forgetting African didactic content which inculcates values in them. Using the performance of Rejected Blessing in a multimedia approach, this study sees the infusion of media elements as a catalyst in reinvigorating and sustaining African storytelling and also refreshing the interest of the theatre audience in watching live performances. The methodology of exploring the multimedia and the stage in presenting the play is the recommendation of this paper. This paper also recommends that the infusion of multimedia creates a new spice for children and theatre-goers who may have lost interest in African traditional stories due to the influence of new media. Finally, this study suggests more experimentation with multimedia in order to sustain the values of African storytelling

Demonstration of an optical-coherence converter

Studying the coherence of an optical field is typically compartmentalized with respect to its different optical degrees of freedom (DoFs) -- spatial, temporal, and polarization. Although this traditional approach succeeds when the DoFs are uncoupled, it fails at capturing key features of the field's coherence if the DOFs are indeed correlated -- a situation that arises often. By viewing coherence as a `resource' that can be shared among the DoFs, it becomes possible to convert the entropy associated with the fluctuations in one DoF to another DoF that is initially fluctuation-free. Here, we verify experimentally that coherence can indeed be reversibly exchanged -- without loss of energy -- between polarization and the spatial DoF of a partially coherent field. Starting from a linearly polarized spatially incoherent field -- one that produces no spatial interference fringes -- we obtain a spatially coherent field that is unpolarized. By reallocating the entropy to polarization, the field becomes invariant with regards to the action of a polarization scrambler, thus suggesting a strategy for avoiding the deleterious effects of a randomizing system on a DoF of the optical field.Comment: 7 pages; 6 figure

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

Workforce Diversity And Organizational Communication: Analysis Of Human Capital Performance And Productivity

The twenty-first century organizations are increasingly becoming multicultural workplaces for communication. This paper explores recent literature on the increasing global influence of workforce diversity and its affect on workplace communication. It provides a model for the discussion of the opportunities and challenges of diversity in the workplace. The paper then provides an analytical framework that guides readers with practical ideas that can assist them in their endeavors to effectively communicate in a globally diverse work environment.  The paper stresses that effective communication in a diverse workforce ensures a high level of performance and productivity for human and intellectual capital and   provides business organizations a competitive advantage in their expanded markets and in the global economy

Microbial community structure of a low sulfate oil producing facility indicate dominance of oil degrading/nitrate reducing bacteria and Methanogens

Analysis of microbial community structure of a low sulfate oil producing facility in Nigeria using 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique revealed dominance of oil degrading and nitrate reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea in produced waters and oil samples namely, Marinobacter (37%), Azovibrio (21%), Thauera (10–28%), and Methanolobus (22%). On the contrary, the associated oil pipeline samples revealed massive dominance of potentially corrosive Methanolobus (60%) and Methanobacterium (25-27%). Further experimentation shows that the methanogens implicated in oil pipelines are corrosive moderate halophile that utilizes H2/CO2 and methanol as substrates. More emphasis should therefore be on methanogenic archaea as opposed to sulfate reducing bacteria (SRBs) during mitigation plans for microbially induced corrosion (MIC) in a low sulfate oil producing facilit