| 1 |
Author(s):
Theophilus Ehidiamen Oamen, Lawal Banjo Moshood (Ph.D.).
Page No : 1-8
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Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Work Attributes of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives during COVID-19 in Nigeria
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) study on the work attributes of pharmaceutical sales executives in Nigeria using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and furthermore to evaluate the relative importance of the work attributes. An analytical study design used a 13-item, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire administered to 226 pharmaceutical sales executives using a simple random sampling method. Data analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) with a significance level set at p<0.05. The measurement model was evaluated using the maximum likelihood method. Model fit criteria measures for CFA were satisfactory (CMIN/df=2.297; NFI=0.917; TLI=0.905; CFI=0.950; RMSEA=0.064). The study showed that the most dominant attribute was involvement in community education programs with a regression coefficient of 0.892, and the least was limited access to customers (0.446). Convergent validity measures were acceptable. Divergent validity can be enhanced by including more items. The study confirmed the validity of the EFA study outcomes obtained from the previous research work.
| 2 |
Author(s):
Prof. Okafor Onwuagana, Dr. Isibor Areghan.
Page No : 9-20
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Macroeconomic Variables and Nigerian Agricultural Sector Development
Abstract
The study investigated the impact of some macroeconomic variables like exchange rate and inflation on the development of the Nigerian agricultural industry. Annual time series secondary data covering a period of 33 years (1986- 2020) was utilized in the study while the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) was the estimation technique used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the exchange rate was positively significant in impacting the dependent variable while the inflation rate was negatively significant. The interest rate was insignificant in impacting the agricultural sector. From the findings, one recommendation arrived at was that the monetary authorities should make policies that would reduce inflation, for example, reduction of the money supply. Reduced inflation would positively impact the development of the agricultural sector as it would boost and increase the consumption of agricultural products.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Ajayi Ibidolapo Ezekiel, Chilokwu Innocent Darlington Okechukwu.
Page No : 21-33
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Influence of Cooperative Societies on the Wellbeing of Staff Among Universities in Ekiti State, Nigeria
Abstract
The study examined the effect of cooperative societies on the well-being of staff among Universities in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to access the effects of educational loans on the well-being of the staff, investigate the effect of land acquisition on the well-being of the staff and determine the effect of commodity purchase (household Asset) on the well-being of staff among Universities in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The total population of this study is three thousand two hundred and five (3,205) comprising the entire cooperators in the three Universities in Ekiti State, namely Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti. The study employed a stratified random sampling technique for selecting a sample size of 355 respondents which are further divided among cooperators in the three Universities in Ekiti State. Data gathered were analysed using frequency tables and multiple regression analysis to achieve the objectives of the study. The results showed that cooperative societies significantly affect the well-being of staff among Universities in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Specifically, the sub-variables of the cooperative societies were considered significant in the order of educational loan (p= 0.000), land acquisition (p= 0.000) and commodity purchase (household asset) (p= 0.000). This implies that cooperative societies have an effect on the well-being of staff among Universities in Ekiti State. The study concluded that access to educational loans, land acquisition and commodity purchases (household assets) have a significant positive relationship with the well-being of staff among Universities in Ekiti State, Nigeria at a 5% level of significance.
| 4 |
Author(s):
Dickson Ben Uche, Oby Blessing Osuagwu, Samuel Ngozichikanma Nwosu, Udoka Stephen Otika.
Page No : 34-56
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Integrating Trust into Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Conceptual Framework for E-Payment Platform Acceptance
Abstract
Innovations acceptance is attracting increasing attention. Researchers are particularly interested in factors that affect the adoption of IS and IT innovations. However, despite numerous advantages of e-payment usage such as convenience, speed, efficiency and reduced cost, the economic ecosystem is skeptical to embrace e-payment systems (Adeyelure, Pretorius & Kalema, 2014). This research develops extended TAM model by integrating the three dimensions of trust (integrity, benevolence a0nd competence) and two key constructs from technology acceptance models (perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of e-payment) to explain online consumers’ intentions to engage in the business relationship with e-payment. Through this framework, researchers can have a more accurate explanation of the consumer behavior and intention to accept new technology. This framework will be used to examine consumer’s behavioral intention to accept e-payment by researchers.
| 5 |
Author(s):
Ojo Olayinka Olabimpe (PhD), Adedayo Adedeji Matthew.
Page No : 57-67
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Industrial Relations and Labour Management and Productivity: The Imperative for Sustainable Development in Nigeria
Abstract
Industrial relations and Labour management and productivity have its roots in the industrial revolution which created the modern labour relationship by spawning large-scale industrial organizations. As society wrestled with these massive economic and social changes, labour problems arouse coupled with societal reconstruction challenges. Premised on this background, this paper is set to discuss the conceptual meaning of labour and industrial relations, assess the roles and prospects of labour in Nigeria, examine the consequential effects of labour-industrial relations and examine challenges of labour productivity and management in Nigeria. The paper also discusses some framework for labour-industrial relations. This paper focuses attention on the changing structure of labour environment and the rise of precarious working conditions orchestrated by various unrests and acrimonies from nonchalant attitudes and behaviour of government and private sectors towards labour/workers welfare and patronage. The data for this study were collected through secondary sources. The secondary data were retrieved from textbooks, journals, newspapers, internet materials and literatures from academic journals in relation to the subject studied. The study adopted Industrial Relations Theory as a theoretical framework. The paper concludes that Labour and Industrial relations is one of the critical factors and tools in advancing industrial productivity and attaining sustainable development in Nigeria.
| 6 |
Author(s):
Glory Sunday Etim, Idorenyin Udo Etuk, Edim Eka James, Sarah Ekpe.
Page No : 68-81
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Effect of Relationship Marketing on Customer Retention in the Telecommunications Industry
Abstract
his study centered on the effect of relationship marketing on customer retention in the telecommunications industry. It was conducted to assess the effects of customer care, communication, trust-building and service quality on customer retention in the telecommunications context. The study adopted survey research design. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain primary data from 198 customers of MTN Nigeria Plc and Globacom Nigeria Plc in Calabar. The data were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistics, while the hypotheses developed for the study were tested using multiple linear regression. Consequently, the findings of the study revealed that customer care, communication, trust building and service quality had significant positive effects on customer retention of telecommunication firms in Calabar. Therefore, the study recommended that: telecommunications companies should strengthen their customer care capability by using trained service professionals to elicit and promptly resolve customers enquiries and complaints; telecommunications companies should improve communications with customers by opening up more channels such as phone calls, direct messaging, social media and email through which information can be transmitted to subscribers to enhance informed patronage decisions; and it is imperative for telecommunications companies to consolidate customers’ trust in their delivery capabilities by demonstrating through effective service delivery that they are capable of satisfactorily meeting the service needs of subscribers.
| 7 |
Author(s):
Aniebiet Etuk, Joseph A. Anyadighibe, Edim Eka James, Rosemary Mbaka.
Page No : 82-98
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Service Quality and Passengers’ Loyalty of Public Transportation Companies
Abstract
This study examined service quality and passengers’ loyalty of public transportation companies. It was carried out to determine the effects of passengers’ safety, passengers’ comfort, drivers’ competence, travel time and vehicle cleanliness on passengers’ loyalty of public transportation companies. The study adopted cross-sectional survey research design. Primary data were obtained from 228 passengers of public road transportation companies using an adapted structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics while multiple linear regression was adopted to test the hypotheses of the study with the aid of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 23) software. The findings of the study revealed that passengers’ safety, passengers’ comfort, drivers’ competence and vehicle cleanliness had significant positive effects on passengers’ loyalty of public transportation companies, while travel time had a non-significant effect on passengers’ loyalty in this regard. Therefore, the study concluded that, to a large extent, service quality has a significant positive influence on passengers’ loyalty of public transportation companies. Practical implications and suggestions for further studies were made consequently.
| 8 |
Author(s):
Komene Goodnews Loanyie (Ph.D), Nweidua Lebia Patricia (Ph.D).
Page No : 99-128
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Ecological Marketing Practice and Issues of Agricultural Economic Sustainability: A Focus on Oil Firms’ Activities in Niger Delta
Abstract
This study was carried out to examine the extent to which the ecological marketing practice of the oil firms: Shell BP, Agip Oil Company, and Elf Oil Company have improved agricultural economic wellbeing of the oil-bearing communities in Niger Delta. A descriptive survey research design was employed in this study. The population of the study was 37,965,391 drawn from Niger Delta States based on which a sample size of 400 respondents was determined using Taro Yamane’s sample size determination techniques at 0.5 percent level of significance. The purposive sampling procedure was employed to enable the researcher to select the representative sample elements of the population interest from the right respondents who have adequate knowledge of the study under investigation from the different strata that makes up the population of the study. A structured instrument for data collection containing twenty (20) item questions was used for the study. The face and content validation of the instrument was obtained through the judgment of experts. A test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument and the reliability index of .83 was obtained. The data collected for the study were analyzed using the mean score test and the percentage test method to answered the research questions; while the inferential statistics of the Z-score test was used to test the null hypothesis at .05 level of significance. Results obtained revealed that “Ecological marketing practice of the oil firms does not significantly improved agricultural economic poverty, agricultural market failure, agricultural economic frustration, and agricultural land limitation in the oil-bearing communities in Niger Delta”. The implication of this finding is that the oil firms’ ecological sustainability marketing activities was considered to lack the needed proactive improvement values which, if ethical based ecological effort is not adopted to create sustainable improvement; oil firms might experience unpredicted operational interruption by the oil-bearing communities. It was therefore, recommended that oil firms should consider employing proactive ecological marketing efforts in a more ethical and responsible manner to sustain the agricultural economic wellbeing of the oil-bearing communities.
