Economic convergence amongst ECOWAS member countries: The role of foreign direct investment

The phenoma of per capita income convergence has a lot of welfare implications. FDI is identified as a principal candidate for technology transfer to developing countries. However, the distribution of FDI is observed to be highly skewed in favour of limited number of countries. Africa in general, and ECOWAS in particular, perfromed poorly in FDI attraction compared to other countries. ECOWAS is also characterized by huge within group gap both in terms of FDI and real GDP per capita. Using data spanning from 1970 – 2014, this study investigates the relationship between real GDP per capita and FDI for a sample of 15 ECOWAS countries. The study employs SURADF procedure to investigate on absolute convergence within each income group as well as convergence within ECOWAS at large. It is observed that seven economies tend to converge to the group average real GDP per capita, of which only one is a low-income. On the speed of convergence, the study reveals that relatively poor economies tend to catch up with relatively richer economies in the group at 1.10 percent, a rate considered very slow. The study further reveals that FDI plays a significant role in facilitating per capita income convergence amongst ECOWAS member states. Investigation of the role of FDI in attaining across group convergence for ECOWAS and each income group also yields results showing a sharp difference between the two income groups. Low income countries have positive and significant relationship between FDI and convergence as opposed to the case of lower middle income. The policy implications of these findings is that ECOWAS countries need to implement policies that would aid FDI attraction as well as ensure adequate absorptive capacity, which is an important condition to reap the benefits of FDI

A COMPARATIVE RESEARCH ON USAGE OF INFORMATION TOOLS IN THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES BY ACADEMIC STAFFS OF BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO AND UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY WUDIL, KANO

The study examines the information Usage of Information Tools in The Faculty of Agriculture University Libraries by Academic Staffs of Bayero University, Kano and University Technology Wudil, Kano in Nigeria The objective of the study is to Compare the Usage of Information Tools in The Faculty of Agriculture University Libraries by Academic Staffs of Bayero University, Kano and University Technology Wudil, Kano to analyze the types of available information resources, services and facilities, the level of usage, user satisfaction and the constraints associated with the use by faculty members. Questionnaires were provided to the academic staffs. The researcher took 2.7 % of the entire respondent population= 1910= 52 were taken by the investigator, so fifty two (52) copies of the questionnaires were given to the respondents. Thirty four (34) were retrieved and analyzed, representing 65.38 %. Key findings show that in the faculty of Agriculture University Libraries under study, the existing agricultural information tools and facilities available, accessible and used are inadequate. In the Agriculture University Libraries, infrastructural facilities and internet services existed, but were not well established. User-confronted constraints include internet access, power failure, employee attitudes, current information resources, particularly e-journals e-books and loan times, agricultural information related information resources, such as databases, e-journals e-books, as there was not much available for the established information needs. There was no access to adequate information resources for users because of the insufficient number of library employees. The study recommended the enhancement of existing information tools, services and user information needs facilities, offline database subscriptions such as AGORA, HINARI, AJOL, JSTORE and E-Granary to access agricultural information offline, with millions of textbook and journal information resources accessible and added every second

Market Size and Export-Led Growth Hypotheses: New Evidence from Malaysia

Exploring the causal relationship among exports, FDI and economic growth is of enormous importance for the policy implications the causal process among the variables assume. The relevance of investigating the causal relationship between inward FDI and exports borders on the implications of the choice between outward oriented policy and inward looking policy. Utilizing data on Malaysia spanning 1970 – 2012, this study explores the relationships as well as causal interactions among economic growth, exports and FDI employing Vector Autoregression (VAR) model and Toda and Yamamoto (1995) augmented causality test. Results from impulse response function (IRF) analysis shows that both real GDP and real FDI have increasing trend of percentage shocks in them causing fluctuations in the real exports over the period of 5 years. However, real exports was found to have dominance of own shock over the period of analysis. Similarly IRF of real FDI shows that flections in the variable are dominated by variations in its own values. However, both real exports and real FDI were found to have significant effect in determining fluctuation in real FDI with real GDP having stronger effect. Finally, we observe very significant effect on fluctuations in real GDP of real FDI and exports. Over the course of five years, it was observed that real FDI and exports dominate fluctuations in the real GDP more than its own shock. Results from the study indicate presence of bi-directional causality between exports and inward FDI. On the causal link between exports and GDP, the study finds evidence of uni-directional causality running from GDP to exports, affirming Growth-Led Exports (GLE) hypothesis. The study also provides evidence that market size hypothesis holds for Malaysia, as evident by one-way causality from GDP to FDI. Keywords: Growth-led exports hypothesis, Market size hypothesis, y, exports, FDI, real GDP, Malaysia JEL Classifications: F4, O4

AN ANALYSIS OF THE GROWTH OF ROAD CONNECTIVITY IN KADUNA STATE

Network is the interconnectivity, or linkage of a set of components of a system into a complete whole to produce a spatial and structured pattern.  A network may be either a static feature at a point in time or a dynamic phenomenon, it grows with time or as such, it is subjected to change through time. In the course of making the nodes and linkages easily identifiable, a network is transformed into a topological graph. This is a representation of the geometry of a network showing the relationship between nodes and linkages without considering the scale of the map and morphology of the actual route. The nodes refer to the settlements while the edge refers to the roads. This study attempts to determine the degree of road network connectivity over three time periods and how such growth has led to an improvement in the economy of the people of Kaduna State. To determine the  degree of road network connectivity in the study area, the road network structures were converted into topological graphs. From the graphs, the following three graphic theoretic indices (alpha, beta and gamma ) were measured. Twenty-five (25) main settlements in Kaduna State were used as nodes on the topological map. The indices of the three periods were then pooled together to show the trend in the growth in road connectivity in the state. The study revealed  that the calculated values of  alpha increased from 17.8% to 51% , beta from 1.36 to 1.96 and gamma from 49% to 71% between 1957 and 2009. While the number of nodes on the road network in the state remains constant at 25, the number of roads, increased from 34 in 1957 – 1989 period, to 49 in the 1999 - 2009 period. The study has been able to determine that road connectivity indices increased over the three time periods. This is an indication that there has been an increase in road network from one period to another, and that the economic activities of the people of Kaduna State has improved thereby. Keywords: Network, Growth, Interconnectivity, Topological Graph, Nodes, Econom

The role of domestic private investment in promoting per capita income convergence amongst ASEAN-5 economies

Using data spanning 1980-2014, this study investigates the phenomena of per capita income convergence across a panel of ASEAN-5 economies. The study also delves on the role of domestic private investment in facilitating per capita income convergence amongst the economies.Employing SURADF test to investigate per capita income convergence of the countries to the group average, it was observed that, as opposed to Malaysia and Singapore, economies of Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand tend convergence to the group average. On the impact of gross domestic investment on per capita income convergence, results from system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) indicate that GDP gap ratio between a pair of economies tend to diminish with a reduction in the gross domestic investment gap ratio between the economies

The Role of Domestic Private Investment in Promoting Per Capita Income Convergence amongst Association of Southeast Asian Nations-5 Economies

Using data spanning 1980-2014, this study investigates the phenomena of per capita income convergence across a panel of ASEAN-5 economies. The study also delves on the role of domestic private investment in facilitating per capita income convergence amongst the economies. Employing SURADF test to investigate per capita income convergence of the countries to the group average, it was observed that, as opposed to Malaysia and Singapore, economies of Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand tend convergence to the group average. On the impact of gross domestic investment on per capita income convergence, results from system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) indicate that GDP gap ratio between a pair of economies tend to diminish with a reduction in the gross domestic investment gap ratio between the economies. Keywords: Convergence; Domestic capital formation; SURADF; Generalized Method of Moments; ASEAN-5. JEL Classifications: E31, E52, E5

Surface Phonon Polariton Modes in Suspended Monolayer Hexagonal Boron Nitrides

Dispersion properties and characteristics of transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) surface phonon polaritons (SPhP) in suspended monolayer hexagonal boron nitrides (hBN) was studied extensively. The analytical results show that the hBN based TM (TE) phonon polaritons exist in restsrahlen bands when imaginary surface conductivity is positive. The effective mode index of TM phonon polaritons is much higher than that of TE phonon polaritons with respective values of ~3000 and ~1.0002 which makes TM SPhP more promising in the practical realization. In addition, the propagation length of TE SPhP is less lossy and surpass that of TM SPhP by factor of 104. This study compares these important properties and sheds more insight into their applications in optical communications, photonics and optoelectronics devices

Comparison of Phytochemical, Proximate and Mineral Composition of Fresh and Dried Peppermint (Mentha piperita) Leaves

Mentha piperita well-known as peppermint is widely cultivated worldwide and used for its medicinal values. The purpose of this research was to evaluate fresh and dried M. piperita with the aim of quantifying chemical information, that might serve as a guide to exploit its potential and benefits for human nutrition. The phytochemical screening discovered that all of them possess flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, steroid, glycosides and volatile oils. The proximate composition were determined according to the perspectives methods, while mineral elements were determined using EDTA method. Proximate analysis of both samples revealed that it contained 92.31% and 56.31% carbohydrates, 2.19% and 7.69% protein, 0.50% and 5% lipid, 1.5% and 9% fibre, 3.57% and 22%, ash, 89.5% and 9%, moisture respectively. The most predominant mineral found was potassium with a value of 72% and 23%, sodium 13% and 7.75%, and other minerals were found in low values ranging from calcium 0.5% and 0. 045%, magnesium 0.005% and 0.235%, and phosphorus 0.341% and 0.325%, respectively. This study contributes to the development of nutritional database of  edible plants worldwide. In conclusion, fresh sample of M. piperita can be an excellent source of nutrients and antioxidant components

Grey Based Taguchi Optimization Method for Abrasive Wear Appraisal of Fibre-Reinforced PTFE Composites

 The current study is aimed at optimizing the abrasive wear property of fibre reinforced polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) composites. The test was contrived based on Taguchi L9 orthogonal array for the optimization of test trials. To appraise the abrasive wear trend of the PTFE based composites satisfying multi-objective criteria, Taguchi method combined with grey relational analysis (GRA) has been used. Abrasive wear test was performed using pin-on-disc configuration as per ASTM G99 standard involving four process parameters. Analysis of variance was used to establish significant parameters which influence the abrasive wear of PTFE composites. Observation revealed that grit size has the most significant effect on abrasive wear of reinforced PTFE composites. After exhaustive investigation of parameters, optimum combination of parameters was established. Linear regression model was built to predict the optimized conditions. The model as well as the optimum parameter values could be used by the abrasion industries for reduction in the time and cost expanded on wear test thus increasing productivity