Resilience through agricultural water management: Gender matters

Poster prepared for a share fair, Addis Ababa, May 201

Citizen science to fill hydro-meteorological data gaps in rural watersheds

Poster prepared for a share fair, Addis Ababa, May 201

Determinants of Rural Livelihood Strategies: The Case of Rural Kebeles of Dire Dawa Administration

This study investigates the push and pulls factors that influence rural households, choice of livelihood strategies. The data for this study are obtained from a survey of 200 households’ selected using multi stages random and purposive sampling technique from rural areas of Dire Dawa Administration in the year 2010. Multinomial logit regression was applied to identify the determinants of rural livelihood strategies followed by the rural household heads. Descriptive results addressed the economic status and livelihood strategies practiced by rural households.  Out of the total sample household heads about 39 % of the total household income was derived from agriculture only, 25% from a combination of agriculture and nonfarm, 17.5% from a combination of agriculture, non-farm and off-farm and 10.5% from a combination of agriculture and off-farm activities. The multinomial logit analysis revealed that family size, safety net, age of household head, sex and distance to the market were theoretically consistent and statistically significant effect to the likelihood choice of livelihood diversification, while livestock holding, farming system and dependence ratio, were partially contrary to the expectation. Livestock holding, family size, farming system, safety net, and dependency ratio were positively and significantly related at 1% to agriculture plus off-farm, at 5% to agriculture plus non-farm and at 1% to agriculture plus non-farm plus off-farm, at 1% to agriculture plus non-farm plus off-farm and at 5% off-farm plus non-farm, 1% to agriculture plus non-farm plus off-farm and at 5% probability level to off-farm and non-farm livelihood strategy respectively. In contrary, age of household head, sex, distance to the market, livestock holding, farming system and dependency ratio were negatively significant at 10% agriculture plus off-farm,10% to agriculture plus non-farm plus off-farm,1% to agriculture plus off-farm,1% agriculture plus non-farm plus off-farm, 5% to agriculture plus off-farm and 1% probability level to agriculture plus off-farm livelihood strategy respectively. The findings of the study suggest that efforts should focus on the promotion of options, substitution between assets and activities to diversify household specific agriculture-linked non-farm and off farm livelihood rather than focusing on the single agricultural productive farm by taking action to improve information, mobility and asset accumulation. Keywords: determinants, Dire Dawa, livelihood strategies, rura

Strategic Planning and Its Contribution to Organizational Performance: A Case of Selected Public Sectors in Yirgalem Town, Ethiopia

The study sought to investigate the contributions of strategic planning to organizational performances in the selected sectors of yirgalem Town. The study has also sorted out the context of strategic planning prior to its design. In addition, the research investigated the practices and challenges in the course of designing, implementing and over sighting the plan in the ex-post implementation. In order to systematically approach the problem. This approach was selected on the ground that it helps the selection of Case Study approach. To this effect, a case study is chosen as an overall approach for its ability to incorporate to qualitative and quantitative methods in the collection and analysis of data that focuses on the various issues of the study. Besides, in order to meet the objectives of the research, both primary and secondary sources of data were accessed using questionnaire, interviews and observations. Moreover, from 22 public sector organizations that have implemented strategic planning, 5 sectors were randomly selected from where 37 respondents were selected using simple random sampling and 13 were selected as key informants who were purposely considered.  The results show that though there has been a gap to improve, to a better degree there has been awareness creation prior to the design of Strategic Planning. However, results show that there was a gap in participating wider level of management and stakeholders in the course of designing the plan. This study also shows that the Strategic Planning has resulted in positive changes with regard to revenue collection, efficient service delivery and increased desire for qualified manpower. Finally, the researcher recommends that, in the planning processes to come in the future, the Town Administration should create adequate awareness for both employees and the stakeholders. It is also recommended that good performing units and employees should be rewarded so as to motivate the poorly performing ones. Moreover, further research is recommended as strategic planning multiple dimensions. Keywords: Strategic planning, Organizational performance, Contribution

The Effect of Time Management Practice on the Academic Achievement: A Case of Dire Dawa University, Ethiopia

The aim of the study or the research was to assess general time management practice /behavior of regular program students of Dire Dawa University and its association with their academic achievement, gender, and year of study. The research was conducted on Dire Dawa University the school business and economics regular program student. The total population of the study was 998. Therefore, the researcher employed proportionate stratified random sampling technique on the basis of the student’s year of study and academic achievement measured in terms of CGPA. The sample size was 120 students. The study predominantly sticks on primary data. The time management questionnaire developed by Britton and Tesser (1991) was used to measure time management behavior of participant students. Descriptive statistics was used to generate means, standard deviation and frequencies for the study variables, the prevalence of exposure conditions were checked for different sub-groups of the questionnaire and difference is was tested by using chi-square test. The result of this study showed that most students 45(35%) and 42(35%) possess time management score at moderate and high level respectively. With respect to gender difference is in time management, the result revealed that male students score in time management (mean score=55.72) were higher than female (50.5) students. With respect to the significance association between time management and academic achievement (CGPA), it was found in this study that the better students time management behavior, the higher the students CGPA. With respect to year of study, the results showed that the student’s general time management score were no significantly different between students due to year of study. Generally, this study underscores the importance of understanding the role time management in academic achievement. Certainly those who are unable to manage time well may be at risk for underachievement. Keywords: General time management, Academic achievement, Student DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-4-0

Judicial Power Decentralization in Ethiopia: Practical Limitations and Implications on Self-governance of Regional States

Ethiopia’s Constitution provides for a parallel –federal and state– court system. While federal courts entertain cases of federal matter, state courts adjudicate regional matters. However, there are ambiguous issues and practical limitations relating to this judicial power decentralization, some of which have an undesirable implication on the self-governance of regional states. These are the federal versus state matter controversy, the scope of the Federal Judicial Administration Council’s involvement in the nomination of state court judges, lack of standard criteria to calculate the cost regional state courts incur in exercising delegated judicial powers and the issue of cassation over cassation on state matters. Several challenges arise from the distribution of judicial authority in Ethiopia. First, regional states have done little with regard to distinguishing state matters from federal matters, and claiming reimbursement for costs they incur in exercising delegated federal judicial power. Second, the federal Supreme Court allocates nominal compensatory budget without considering the number of federal cases that are adjudicated in state courts and accordingly computing the cost incurred while state courts exercise delegated federal judicial power. Third, cassation over cassation on state matters seems to be inconsistent with the federal arrangement. These factors indicate gaps in the decentralization of judicial power which necessitate constitutional and legislative measures that can rectify these limitations commensurate with the power of regional states to exercise judicial power in regional matters.  Key terms Judicial power, Federalism, Decentralization, Self-governance, Ethiopi

The Determinants of Customers Attitude Toward Services of Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation: A Case of Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

This study emphasizes the determinants of customer attitude toward EEPCO service, Addis Ababa by considering 3 independent variables; cognitive, affective, conative. The study was performed in quantitative research approaches. To reveal the determinants of customer attitude, explanatory research design were used. For selecting sample respondents’ disproportionate stratified sampling was used. The data analysis was performed by inferential and descriptive statistics. The data analysis was processed by IBM SPSS statistical software version 24. The total sample size was 387 Out of which, 310 were returned as 248 residential, 60 commercial and 2 industrial Customers respondents with a response rate of 80.0%, 19.4% and 0.6%, respectively. The researcher supposed that EEPCO shall improve of quality of service in the term maintenance, Customer service and transformers and lines performance. All determinant factors of tri- components have a positive correlation with customer attitude. The ANOVA test result showed that, the value of R and R2 obtained under the model summary part was statistically significant. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that all variables have a statistically significant relationship for customer attitude. The researcher concluded that the tri component models on EEPCO service is significantly determined by these 3 factors of customer attitude. Keywords: Customer Attitude, Eepco, Cognative, Affective, Conative

The Practice of Informal Changes to the Ethiopian Constitution in the Course of Application

Given the generality of a constitution, it requires amendments in order to enable it to cope up with the socio-economic and political dynamics. As a result, formal constitutional amendment procedures have remained vital mechanisms in this regard. However, the rigidity of formal constitutional amendment procedures and/or the political context of a country have often kept constitutions static and frequently induce politicians to look for alternatives. Informal constitutional amendment mechanisms are thus designed in response to the difficulty of formally amending the constitution. In this sense, the role of non-constitutional mechanisms in the alteration of a constitution is essential. The FDRE Constitution encompasses a constitutional provision that spells out how the Constitution can be amended. However, there has not yet been a single formal constitutional amendment. This article examines instances of actual but unwritten constitutional changes in the course of application that have been occurring in Ethiopia for which formal constitutional amendment cannot account for. These include constitutional changes through constitutional interpretation, or by legislation. The article contends that there are time-honoured practices that regulate and continue to guide the course of the Ethiopian federal state in contradiction to the Constitution. Equally important, party structure also influences the federal distribution of power.Key termsFDRE Constitution, informal constitutional changes, constitutional amendment, constitutional interpretation, political custom, law enforcement, Ethiopia

Phenotypic and Morphological Characterization of Indigenous Chicken Populations in Southern Zone of Tigray, Ethiopia

Phenotypic characterization of indigenous chicken resources is a prerequisite for their rational utilization. Data were collected from 210 randomly selected households (HHs) using structured questionnaires. Visual appraisal was conducted to study morphological traits of indigenous chicken populations. Quantitative data were collected on body weight, shank length, body length, chest circumference, back length, keel length, wingspan, comb height, comb length, and wattle length from a total of 720 chickens (237 male and 483 females) aged more than 6 month. Descriptive statistics, Frequency procedures, and General linear model of SAS 2008 were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that a total of eighteen distinct plumage colors were identified in which the predominant plumage colors were red (24.17%) followed by white (13.33%) and black (13.06%). The results also indicated that (57.08%) of chicken populations were rose combed followed by pea (27.36%), single (12.22%), walnut (2.5%), strawberry (0.56%) and cushion (0.28%) combs. Yellow was the major shank color (50.55%), followed by white (38.89%) and black (10.56%). The majority (40.28%) of chicken population exhibited white and red earlobe, followed by red (28.89%), white (26.94%) and yellow (3.89%). Males in all populations are heavier and taller than females. The mean body weight of indigenous male and female chickens was 1271±12.6g and 1034±8.05g, respectively. The present study suggests that indigenous chicken populations might possess useful genetic potentials for improved productivity under scavenging feed resource-based production systems. Therefore, efforts need to be made in services like health, husbandry, research, extension, training and credit interventions. In addition morphological and phenotypical variations have been observed among the indigenous chicken populations; hence an in-depth molecular evaluation is needed to prove the level of genetic differentiation and relationship among them. Keywords: Households, indigenous chicken, productivity, qualitative trait, quantitative trai