Volume 3, Issue 1, 2015

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https://ir.unilag.edu.ng/handle/123456789/3794

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    Open Access
    Micro Health Insurance and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria: Empirical Evidence from Lagos State
    (University of Lagos Press, Akoka, 2015) Musa, A.O; Francis, S.D
    The challenge of poverty pervades all economies of the world, though in varying degrees.The challenge is however more serious for a developing economy like Nigeria with her huge population currently estimated at over 170 million.To overcome this challenge and achieve some of the millennium development goals (MDGs), various options must be evaluated.This study therefore evaluates the potentials of micro health insurance in solving the poverty challenge in Nigeria.The study argued that poor health status of individuals limit their production capacity and hence may force them to sell their valuables in order to meet health care and other basic household needs. Using a survey research design, data was collected from 150 randomly selected low income earners in Lagos State, Nigeria through a structured questionnaire administered by the researchers.The collected data was subjected to descriptive statistics, reliability test, ANOVA, correlation, and regression analysis to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables, and the explanatory power of the independent variables on the dependant variable. The results suggest that micro health insurance can be used as a strategy for improving the living condition of the poor through the elimination of catastrophic health expenditures that could otherwise cripple their earning capacity.Based on the result, it is recommended that various enlightenment programmes should be employed by stakeholders in the insurance industry to popularise the benefits of micro health insurance among low income earners.
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    Open Access
    A Review and Application of Quantitative Sales Forecasting Techniques
    (University of Lagos Press, Akoka, 2015) Mojekwu, J.N; Rahim, G.A; Ighomereho, O.S
    Quantitative sales forecasting has been a subject of investigation by many scholars and practitioners for many decades and it has been applied in several industries (e.g. healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, restaurants etc), based on the notion that improving forecast accuracy is a prerequisite to miniming forecast errors and improving organisational performance. However, findings from most of the studies revealed that no single forecasting technique performs consistently across different situations and industries. And to date, research effort is ongoing to validate the conditions or methods for the optimal combinations of forecasts. Consequently, this paper reviewed the quantitative sales forecasting techniques that managers of manufacturing companies may consider when forecasting sales. Sales forecast assists managers in planning for the future. Therefore, the need to apply the most appropriate forecasting method cannot be overemphasised. Using the turnover of Guinness Nigeria Plc from 2003 to 2012, the paper examined the factors (year and operating expenses) that predict sales. The analysis revealed that year and advertising/promotion significantly predict sales than distribution and administrative expenses in the company. The implication is that for companies operating in a competitive business environment such as the brewery and soft drink industry, some internal factors or marketing activities such as advertising and promotion are vital in forecasting sales. In such situations, associative forecasting techniques appear to be more appropriate.
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    Open Access
    What Managers Say and Do about Ethics in Financial Institutions: Implications for Employees’ Commitment
    (University of Lagos Press, Akoka, 2015) Obalola, M; Aduloju, K; Olowokudejo, F
    Employees’ Commitment has attracted a lot of research attention from both the academia and industry and bourgeoning literature has resulted therefrom. While the literature has documented many correlates of organisational commitment, little attention however has been paid to understanding the relationship between corporate ethical values and organisational commitment. Contextually, the effects of corporate ethical values on employees’ commitment in organisational settings have been relatively understudied. This is particularly so in the financial industry and insurance sub-sector where ethical dilemma has been widely reported. Considering the nature of insurance services, and high potential for ethical dilemma, this study contributes to organisational commitment literature and expands the frontiers of knowledge by providing further empirical results on the impact of corporate ethical values on organisational commitment in Nigeria. Through the lenses of cognitive dissonance theory, the study proposes a significant relationship between the two constructs. Further, while controlling for some demographic factors, corporate ethical values were hypothesised as a significant determinant of organisational commitment. Data were collected from 415 managers in the insurance industry through Hunt’s et al. (1989) Corporate Ethical Value and Hunt’s et al. (1985) organisational commitment scales and analysed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 18. The results of the multivariate analysis were then presented, and discussed with managerial implications.
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    Open Access
    Women and Career Progression in the Academia: Taking Stock of the Doctorate Degrees of the University of Lagos Since 2009
    (University of Lagos Press, Akoka, 2015) Nnorom, C.P
    Although women are gradually closing the gap in most occupations, women in the academia had consistently been fewer than men in higher ranking positions due to fewer women with doctorate degrees. Attainment of a doctorate degree is a prerequisite to promotions above Lecturer 1 in the University of Lagos (UNILAG). The requirement of ‘publish or perish’ had been expanded to include ‘no Ph.D. no promotion’ even when the papers required to get to the apex are complete. This paper reviews the number of doctorate degrees awarded by UNILAG in the past five years – from 2009 to 2013- to assess the extent of the gap existing between the male and female in the profession. It complements the data with in-depth interviews conducted with women who are still struggling to obtain their doctorate degrees to appraise the constraints which they face. This is because to be promoted above the post of a Lecturer 1, an academic must not only have obtained a doctorate (Ph.D.) degree, he/she is also expected to have a quantum of publications in the required combinations in what UNILAG has termed ‘local’ and ‘foreign’ journals. This paper found a disturbing asymmetry with respect to the margin between male and female Ph.D. graduates with the latter still in the minority. Considering the constraints faced by women both in the private and public sphere and flowing from the interviews with women academics that are pursuing their doctorate degree programmes, the paper made some suggestions. One of such is the provision of and/or creation of female TETFUND scholarships to give more opportunities for women in academia to close the ever increasing gap in the profession.
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    Open Access
    Bullying in the Nigerian Work Environment
    (University of Lagos Press, Akoka, 2015) Owoyemi, O.A; Akintayo, O.M
    Workplace bullying has attracted the attention of researchers in Europe, US, and elsewhere. It has therefore become necessary to examine the phenomenon in Nigeria, given the continuous enlightenment concerning the health of targets and the financial implications for organisations. Using qualitative data obtained from structured in-depth-interview of thirty employees randomly selected from public and private sector organisations in Nigeria, this study explores the nature of bullying in the Nigerian work environment. Considering the paucity of literature on the subject in Africa, this research contributes to knowledge on the nature of workplace bullying in Nigeria with a focus on the contexts of its occurrence. Findings reveal the prominence of bullying in the public sector with culture playing a significant part in its acceptability. Findings also reveal that bullying targets are not likely to report such behaviour because of the fear of retribution. Religion is therefore employed as a coping mechanism because jobs are scarce and social benefits do not exist to cushion the impact of unemployment. The impact on productivity is profound; disenchanted workforces that exhibit little or no ingenuity in the execution of their duties cannot function maximally. Unfortunately, diligent members of staff resign in frustration whilst a few develop psychosomatic symptoms in prolonged cases of bullying. To remain relevant and competitive in today’s dynamic world of business, the managements of establishments in Nigeria need to be proactive in analysing the risk factors that facilitate organisational deviant behaviours in their work environments, and address them in order to create more productive work climates.