Archives-December  

This study examined the economic analysis of modern beekeeping in Kogi State, Nigeria. The socio-economic characteristics, level of profitability, the factors affecting bee-keeping production and problems of modern bee keeping in the study area were analyzed. Data were collected through structured questionnaires from 70 bee farmers selected randomly in fifteen villages across the State. Analytical tools employed include Descriptive statistics; Net farm income Analysis and Production Function. Results of the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers reveals that majority (97.14%) of the farmers were males with a mean age of 43 years. And have an average family size of 8 persons. More than half (57.14%) of the farmers has been into beekeeping for more than 16 years and have a mean bee – keeping experience of 14 years. On the average the farmers employed 5 persons and have an average of 7 hives. Results revealed a net farm income of ?21, 000 per hives and profitability index of 0.76 indicating that modern bee keeping is profitable in the study area. Production function analysis showed that size of the bee hives, number of harvest, numbers of employee and capital have positive and significant effects (p<0.01) on bee keeping. The major constraints associated with beekeeping are inadequate capital, high cost of equipment, illiteracy, inadequate of extension visit, bororo invasion (Fulani), and inadequate management/managerial skills or knowledge. It is therefore recommended that youth ,women, retiree’s should be encouraged to venture into bee-keeping as a means of reducing unemployment and farmers should be ready to adopt modern bee-keeping techniques in the study area.

This part of the book is the summary that highlightsin briefly the overall five chapters of the book. Most previous researchers have concentrated on examining, investigating and describing the behavior of Business Enterprises in practicing financial management.Although they provided much descriptive and empirical evidence on financial management practices, it appears that there are still some gaps in the literature which need to be addressed.Previous researchers focus on investigating and describing financial management practices, but there has been little research examining the effect of financial management practices on business profitability. to achieve this objective this book focused on four variablesby targeting selected SMEs in Mogadishu. These four variablesare; to investigate the effects of working capital management on profitability, to investigate the effects of financial planning management on profitability, to investigate the effects of financial literacy on profitability and to investigate the effects of resource allocation on profitability of small businesses in Mogadishu Somalia. The target population of this study was150 SMEs operating in Mogadishu, howlwdag district in bakaro market. Stratified random sampling technique was used since the population consists of managers, owners and employees. The sample size of this study contained 109 of the owners, managers and employees of SMEs. This study used a questionnaire to collect data.Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0, which is a software tool for data analysis.Data collected was purely quantitative and it was analyzed using descriptive analysis. Regression analysis was used to come up with the model. The study used a multiple regression equation. Implementing efficiently and effectively financial management practices through employing financial manager practitioners or training and developing the old ones bring SMEs to be profitable.Most problem faced SMEs was they lack enough financial management practices that could made possible all the financial transactions, investments and financing decisions to line in order to reach financial objectives of the business. The finding of the study reveals that only few owners and managers have proper financial management practices and able their business to be profitable. The study findings established that there was a positive relationship (R= 0.991) between the variables. The study also revealed that 98.2% of profitability in the SMEs could be explained by the variables under study. The recommending SMEs’ owners/managers should employ financial management practices to increase profitability of their business.

This paper investigates Electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRMs) strategy and organizational success in Nigeria. The objective of this paper is to empirically investigate into the nature of Electronic Human Resource Management Strategy and to examine if organizations in Nigeria actually benefit from its use. EHRMS help organizations achieve competitive success through strategic people. Such requires a fundamental strategic change in how managers think about organization’s workforce and how they view the work relationship. Data were obtained from 10 organizations constituting 100 Human Resources Managers of both government and private sector businesses, all in Rivers State of Nigeria. Data obtained from the field were analyzed using Multiple Regression Statistical Techniques. The paper finds that there is a significant relationship between the rotational e-HRMS and productivity improvements. This paper further revealed that there is an inverse relationship between relational e-HRMs and cost reductions. The paper recommends that organizations in Nigeria whether small or large should learn to engage the use of web-based technology to facilitate human resource processes; the application of the web-based technology will assist the corporation in reducing costs. Keywords: e-HRMs, Relational e-HRMs, Productivity Improvements, Cost Reductions, Transformation e – HRMs, Operational e-HRMs.

In this study, estimation capabilities of response surface methodology and optimization acceptability of desirability functions methodology in an air drying process were investigated. The air temperature, air velocity, drying time and banana thickness were selected as independent factors in the process of drying banana slices. The dependent variables or responses were the moisture content, drying rate, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency. A rotatable central composite design as an adequate method was used to develop models for the responses. The regression coefficient, regression equation and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also obtained to analysis of responses. In addition to this 3D response surface plot were helpful to predict the results by performing only limited set of experiments. Simultaneously, a minimum value for the moisture content and maximum value for the other responses was desired. Finally desirability functions found a maximum desirability equal to 0.49.

Geothermal heat pumps (GSHPs), or direct expansion (DX) ground source heat pumps, are a highly efficient renewable energy technology, which uses the earth, groundwater or surface water as a heat source when operating in heating mode or as a heat sink when operating in a cooling mode. It is receiving increasing interest because of its potential to reduce primary energy consumption and thus reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases (GHGs). The main concept of this technology is that it utilises the lower temperature of the ground (approximately <32°C), which remains relatively stable throughout the year, to provide space heating, cooling and domestic hot water inside the building area. The main goal of this study is to stimulate the uptake of the GSHPs. Recent attempts to stimulate alternative energy sources for heating and cooling of buildings has emphasised the utilisation of the ambient energy from ground source and other renewable energy sources. The purpose of this study, however, is to examine the means of reduction of energy consumption in buildings, identify GSHPs as an environmental friendly technology able to provide efficient utilisation of energy in the buildings sector, promote using GSHPs applications as an optimum means of heating and cooling, and to present typical applications and recent advances of the DX GSHPs. The study highlighted the potential energy saving that could be achieved through the use of ground energy sources. It also focuses on the optimisation and improvement of the operation conditions of the heat cycle and performance of the DX GSHP. It is concluded that the direct expansion of the GSHP, combined with the ground heat exchanger in foundation piles and the seasonal thermal energy storage from solar thermal collectors, is extendable to more comprehensive applications.

Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV) is a promising real-time non-invasive technique for diagnosing the health of an individual and identifying any potential disorders in their early stages. In this paper, we give a detailed description of the theory behind the GDV technique and the GDV-grams (images of fingertips) that could present unique signature patterns characteristic of specific health disorders. We then present two computational models, developed in our earlier work, to analyze the GDV-grams and illustrate the results from pilot studies obtained using these models. The two models studied are: (i) A quadrant-based visualization and computational model to assess the functional state of human organs and organ systems and its application to Autistic children and (ii) A clustering model to analyze English language anxiety in non-native speakers. The results from the pilot studies have been very encouraging. We conjecture that GDV will be a valuable tool for Medical Biometrics to identify as well as confirm the presence of health disorders at an early stage.

The main endeavor of this study is to calculate the relationship and nature of relationship betweeen Employee Perceived Performance and Human Resource (HR) Practices (Compensation, Performance Evaluation, and Promotion Practices) in the Islamic Banks of Pakistan. for exploring this relationship primary data is collected from 193 employees of Islamic banks through personally administered questionnaire. The relationship and nature of the relationship is calculated by applying the Spearman’s Correlation Matrix and Multiple Regression Analysis. The Spearman’s correlation results demonstrate that, the employee perceived performance and HR practices has the positive and significant relationship. The regression results indicate that from HR practices: only performance evaluation practices is significant while remaining two compensation and promotion practices are not significant. Although little research having been done on Human Resource practices of banking sector by researchers. This study investigates the impact of Human Resource practices in Islamic banks of Pakistan by utilizing response of employees through surveys. Moreover, this research provides top-management of banking sector to design or revise their HR policies and make practices to attain high employee performance.

Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun is about the experience of an African American family who struggles against racism and tries to keep their dignity. It discusses racial, sexual, social, and economical discriminations on black community and individuals. The main black characters were not happened to be female but they were chosen preciously to present the challenges that black women confront within the racist and patriarchal society of America. Hansberry, a black female writer, utilized her masterpiece A Raisin in the Sun as a platform to present her womanistic ideas that inherited from her master, Dubois. Following Dubois’ ideas on womanism, this study undertakes to examine the plays’ representation of black women’s experience of discriminations .It further highlights the rights and the true image of black women who are twice oppressed by gender and race in the American society.

Malaysia Education Development Plan from 2013 to 2025 is an educational transformation plan towards providing a 21st century education. Education is the spark of creativity and innovation generators that act as enablers to intellectual progress and humanity in tandem towards placing Malaysia row of other developed countries in the 21st century. In vibrant transformation Ministry of Education, the important thing to note is the extent to which awareness of school leaders in providing a 21st century education to transform the national education can be achieved successfully. The leadership style of some lecturers also affect the success of the educational preparation of the 21st century. The main focus of this study was to examine the awareness and knowledge of lecturers Living Skills Department, Institute of Teacher Education Campus Tun Hussein Onn, Batu Pahat, Johor as change agents in providing 21st century education. Conceptual framework is based on instructional leadership style. The study used qualitative interviews and observations involving respondents from lecturers of Life Skills at the Institute Teacher Education Campus Tun Hussein Onn.

Table of contents for the month of August 2012