Public Administration and Regional Studies

Determinants And Welfare Effect of Trade Flows in Sub-Saharan Africa: Empirical Evidence From SADC and COMESA

Felix Gbenga Olaifa — 2023-11-30

This study investigated the determinants and welfare effects of intra-Sub Saharan Africa trade from 1996 to 2021. The study utilized Negative Binomial Pseudo Maximum Likelihood for the analysis. The study's findings revealed that Gross Domestic Product (GDP), population, distance, time taken for import, bilateral real exchange rate, voice and accountability, law and order, and government effectiveness are the key determinants of trade flows in SADC. Furthermore, the results indicated that GDP, population, distance, common official language, landlocked of both countries, time taken for import procedures to be completed, bilateral real exchange rate, reduction in political instability and absence of violence, and regulatory quality determined trade flows in COMESA. The study also found that intra-regional trade leads to welfare reduction for SADC member countries and a welfare-enhancing situation for COMESA. Thus, the study recommended that policymakers give transportation facilities the required attention to reduce trade barriers. Also, the policymakers in SADC should introduce policies and incentives that will encourage members to import from other members of the bloc. Finally, policies towards making the governance institutions and security apparatus viable should be implemented to promote trade and enhance welfare in SADC and COMESA.

Impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic on Some Selected Macroeconomic Variable Performances in Nigeria

Sunday Festus Olasupo — 2023-11-30

Since COVID-19 first made its appearance, the economy of the whole world has been facing unprecedented challenges. As a result of this, researchers investigated the effects of COVID-19 on a variety of important macroeconomic factors pertaining to the Nigerian economy between March 2020 and July 2022. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were the sources of information regarding the number of cases of Covid-19. The Central Bank of Nigeria was the source of information regarding the value of the country's currency, the interest rate, and the inflation rate (CBN). After subjecting the data to a battery of econometric tests. The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 had a significant impact on interest rates, in contrast to the very little impact that confirmed cases of the virus had. There was a statistically and clinically significant association between COVID-19 validated cases and the inflation rate in Nigeria. This correlation was seen in the country. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic Granger was the cause of macroeconomic indices such as Nigeria's currency rate and interest rate respectively. According to the findings of this study, it is thus feasible to draw the conclusion that the COVID-19 outbreak had an effect on the naira as well as interest rates and inflation in Nigeria. According to the results of the investigation, the authors of the paper came to the conclusion that in order to keep prices stable despite the continuing pandemic, the government of Nigeria should adopt more stringent fiscal and monetary policies.

Workforce Diversity and Public Service Delivery

Chinedu Valentine Ofoma — 2023-11-30

The increasing demand for inclusion in workplaces coupled with the dynamic nature of society has necessitated the need for a diverse workforce in organizations. This is more compelling in public service due to its nature. Therefore, this paper aims to go beyond workforce diversity from point of inclusion to interrogate the correlation between a diverse workforce and public service delivery. The paper utilized search method driven by secondary sources of data which provided a strong basis for ensuing discussions, findings, conclusion and practical suggestions.

Altruism and Empathy, Essential Elements of Ethical Norms in Human Society

Andreea Matic — 2023-11-30

In the present paper, we aim to analyze concepts such as empathy, morality, generosity, and sociability and their influence on the content and applicability of ethics and moral rules. We will argue that moral rules are necessary in all groups and societies and that, their content is strongly linked to our human nature. In the first part of the paper, we will refer to the traditional theories that explain how we came to accept laws and rules in our individual lives (JJ Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes). In the second part, we will argue that rules and norms are necessary for any society to function properly and, these rules (in different shapes and with various contents) have accompanied mankind since the very beginning. People did not come to accept rules at a certain moment, society has always had rules, and sociability is in our nature. The rules and laws changed through centuries and millenniums and became more complex as society evolved, but they were always there, as we always lived in groups, not alone individually.

The Many Facets of Social Innovation

Cristina Pătrașcu — 2023-11-30

Interrogations around the concept of social innovation continue to form an important stream of scientific research and bring into focus different aspects that seem to put this concept into a different perspective.
Staying aware of the risk of considering social innovation a solution for every problem, but also avoiding considering it a „buzzword”, the present article intends to present yet another facet of social innovation, namely community-based social innovation, or „grounded social innovation” (Daniel, Jenner, 2022). This category of social innovation is considered to be both community-based and community-oriented, a characteristic that differentiates it from other categories of social innovation. This approach also allows a brief analysis of the context and factors that influence social innovation positively or negatively. The research methods used are mainly qualitative, as numerous sources of specialty literature have been evaluated and analyzed to establish several forms of social innovation and discuss and establish their main features.

Trends in Permanent Migration in Romania during the Period 1991-2022

Marina Lucian — 2023-11-30

The study aims to identify the trends in the permanent migration of the population at the county and primary city levels in Romania. The primary data source for the work is Tempo-online, along with other national and international statistics. Significant changes in the dynamics of migration in Romania are identified based on the studied data. The study notes a significant increase in emigration and permanent immigration, especially in the years post-accession to the EU. On the other hand, Romania seems to be slowly but entirely clearly entering a period of population replenishment in the last five years by attracting significant flows of permanent immigrants, leading to a relatively balanced relationship between emigration and immigration.

Industrial Development and Poverty Reduction: An Empirical Assessment of the Nigerian Human Capital Development

Olawunmi Omitogun — 2023-11-30

Nigeria's high poverty rate might be linked to the country's failure to develop its industrial sector over the past years. Against this background, this study examined the influence of industrial expansion on poverty reduction in Nigeria. Data from, 1990 to 2021 were estimated using a completely modified ordinary least squares method and Pairwise Granger causality respectively. According to the study's findings, manufacturing value added and human capital development are inversely related in Nigeria but statistically not significant. This is an indication that industrial development has less capacity to reduce poverty in Nigeria, which is contrary to the aprori expectation. The deficiency in industrial development in Nigeria might account for this result. Furthermore, there is no causal link between industrial value added and the human development index. This implies that the current level of industrial development in Nigeria could not reduce poverty in the country. Based on these findings, the study recommends for the Nigerian policymakers, among other things, that policies and programmes that would drive industrial expansion should be embarked upon in the country, this would boost job creation, and output growth, and eventually eliminate poverty in the country.

Gaslighting and Employees’ Sustainable Performance: An Empirical Study of Nestle Nigeria PLC

Nancy Izegbuwa Tongo — 2023-11-30

Gaslighting has been construed as the psychological manipulation of a person by another to gain control. This also plays out in the workplace. Although few studies on the effects of gaslighting on employees' performance have been conducted; there is a paucity of Nigerian indigenous studies in the gaslighting literature. Consequently, this study seeks to cover this knowledge gap by x-raying the effect of gaslighting on employees' sustainable performance in Nigeria. Towards achieving this end, two hundred copies of a well-structured questionnaire were administered to employees of Nestle Nigeria PLC. Regression analyses were carried out on the cross sectional data generated by the instrument in order to examine the different impacts of three nuances of gas lighting: psychological abuse of employees, depression and emotional abuse, on three measures of employees' sustainable performance: employees' commitment, employees' efficiency and employees' effectiveness. The result - B = -0.607, R2 = 0.544; F= 72.653; P value = 0.000 - for hypothesis one showed that psychological abuse has a significant influence on employees' sustainable performance. Also, the regression result - B = -0.007; R2 = 0.512; F = 65.653; P- value = 0.000 - for hypothesis two, revealed that depression has a significant impact on employees' sustainable performance. Lastly, regression result - B = 0.115; R2 = 0.579; F = 102.333; P- value = 0.000, indicates that emotional abuse has significant impact on employees' sustainable performance. Based on these results, the study concluded that gaslighting has an impact on employees' sustainable performance. Hence managers of organsations need to prioritise the detection and prevention of gaslighting behaviours; as they significantly undermine employees' commitment, employees' efficiency and employees' effectiveness. Implementing effective policies and interventions to address gas lighting could help foster employees' sustainable performance.

Public-Private Partnership in Agriculture and Rural Development: The Shonga Farm, Kwara State Experience

Joseph Adeshola Adekeye — 2023-11-30

This paper examines the contributions of public-Private partnership in Agriculture to grassroots development with emphasis on Shonga Farms’ experience. The curiosity to conduct the study was predicated on the need to determine the viability of commercializing agriculture in developing country like Nigeria. The main objectives of the study are to evaluate the contributions of Shonga Farms to rural development in food supply, income generation, infrastructural development and employment generation in Shonga communities of Kwara State. In efforts toward achieving the above objectives, stakeholder’s theory was adopted as a theoretical underpinning for the paper. Methodologically, the paper adopted a survey research design for data collection. Out of 204 questionnaire administered to selected respondents, 183 were completed and returned properly. Subsequently, descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were adopted for the analysis of research questions and test of hypotheses. The findings of the study reveal that Shonga Farm has significantly increased the capacity of employment generation, food production, income generation and infrastructural development in Shonga community. However, the inability to complete Kanji Dam irrigation project made it difficult for the company to farm during the dry seasons. Overall, the study recommended for a reduction in the high rate of tariff on imported farm equipment and inputs in order to enable Shonga Farms procure high quality inputs such as: seeds, fertilizers, herbicides and machineries. The Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigeria Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank should come to the aid of Shonga Farm by ensuring speedy completion of Kanji Dam irrigation project to encourage all round farming throughout the year.

Leveraging On Technology Incubation Programme for Skills Acquisition and Job Creation among Women and Youths in Nigeria

Musa Zakari — 2023-11-30

The study examines the role of the Technology Incubation program in leveraging skills acquisition, and sustainable job creation among women and youths in Nigeria. This study adopted a survey and analysis of existing data research design methods. The population for this study consists of staff and Entrepreneurs of Technology Incubation Centres (TICs). The study population covers two selected (2) Technology Incubation Centres in each Geo-political Zone of the Federation. This study uses both primary and secondary methods of data collection. The primary data consists of questionnaires, interviews, and observation methods. Questionnaires were administered to entrepreneurs/incubate while the staff of Technology Incubation Centres was interviewed and observation was used to complement both the questionnaire and interview. Statistical Package for Social Science such as regression analysis was used for hypotheses testing. Data entered into the package was verified to minimize human data entry errors. The hypotheses were tested at a 5% level of significance. Findings revealed that the programs have trained techno-entrepreneurs and created employment opportunities for women and youths. Employment can be reduced, economic growth stimulated, and social inclusion improved through the implementation of such programs. The study revealed that Technology Incubation Programme (TIP) is a worthy program that trained and provided employment opportunities for women and the young population in Nigeria. These hubs provided tech entrepreneurs with the tools needed to succeed. Included in this are resources such as social amenities, mentoring and training programs, and cutting-edge hardware and software. TIP can provide a realistic opportunity for women and young people in Nigeria to increase their employability and acquire new skills. More women and young people will be encouraged to launch and build successful technology-based businesses if more TIP centers are set up and the opportunities they present are better publicized. The study concludes that Government and the management of TIP should pay special attention to technologically important areas including IT, renewable energy, agrotech, e-commerce, and digital marketing. Encourage Networking by setting up opportunities for people to meet and talk to others in their field, as well as investors and future jobs. Internships, jobs, and partnerships can all result from these associations.