SOCIAL CAPITAL: AN EXPLORATIVE INVESTIGATION OF EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER

¹Kuteyi Raymond Kayode & ²Fasoranti Temitayo Victor

^1&2Department of Sociology

  Federal University, Oye-Ekiti

Email:  ¹rayskuti@yahoo.com, ²temitayofash@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Following diagnosis and treatments, breast cancer patients often find themselves vulnerable and in need of social capital. However, social capital has received little attention when designing behavioural interventions for breast cancer. The aim of this study is to describe breast cancer patients’ experiences of social capital while managing their illness.

Method: The study was non-experimental in design. Twenty-nine women with breast cancer, who were receiving treatment, that consented to participate were purposively recruited for the study. The Data were content-analysed using free narrative.

Result: The data show that relatives, spouses and friends play important role in providing social capital. Supportive behaviours through the provision of emotional support, such as empathy, and the provision of instrumental support, such as paying for medications and helping patients apply drugs, aid patients in managing and coping with the breast cancer.

Conclusion: Social capital through civic provision and individual efforts alone, without considering social network, cannot yield a desirable result in the process of managing breast cancer. Health care interventionists should identify and capitalize on socio-dynamic pathways involved in social capital in formulating policy for managing breast cancer.

Key words: Breast cancer, patients, relatives, spouses, empathy,

THE ROLE OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE IN EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA’S PRIVATE SECTOR

Mbwa Williams Adiak

Department of Management Studies

Plateau State University, Bokkos.

Email: mwadiak1@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study examines the relationship between organisational culture and the performance of employees in Nigerian organisations, as most of the focus has been on organisational performance. It focuses on specific cultural traits of involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission, using the Denison Organisational Cultural Survey model, involving 139 employees of 7 offices of large-scale organisations in Jos metropolis. The data collected through structured questionnaires were analysed using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, validated by Linear Regression Analysis, which resulted to significant positive relationships being established between involvement, adaptability and mission and the performance measures of quality output/service delivery, quantitative target achievement and job satisfaction. However, when subjected to regression analysis, only involvement and adaptability were found to have significant effect on employee performance. These results have been discussed, with appropriate recommendations and suggestions made.

Keywords: Adaptability, Consistency, Involvement, Mission, Organisational culture, Performance.

VIRTUAL REALITY AND PATRONAGE OF HOSPITALITY SECTOR IN PORT HARCOURT

 DIKE, LAWRENCE BEKWELE & ANTHONY CHUKS NWADOR

Department of Marketing,

Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni Port Harcourt

ABSTRACT

This study investigated Virtual Reality and Patronage of Hospitality Sector in Port Harcourt.  One Hundred and Forty manager staff of hospitality sector staff in Port Harcourt were studied.  Out of the 140 questionnaires distributed, 120 copies representing 91% were duly completed and returned upon which the analysis as done.  The four research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while the four hypotheses were tested using the Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient (PPMC).  The reliability testing was done using SPSS version 23 Crumbach Alpha at .95>.71 indicating that the instrument were highly reliable.  The 40 items questionnaire instrument was validated by a senior lecturer in the department of Marketing, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.  The findings showed that Hypothesis one p-value of .671>.05 which implies that virtual reality has no influence on hospitality patronage in Port Harcourt hypothesis 2 p-value of .041<.05 which implies that Customer virtual experience affect purchase intention of hospitality patronage in Port Harcourt. Hypothesis 3 p-value of .447>.05 which implies that customer virtual presence does not affect service quality of hospital patronage in Port Harcourt. Hypothesis 4 p-value of .012<.05 implying that there is customer virtual perception influences repeat purchase of hospital patronage in Port Harcourt.  The study recommended that Since  virtual reality has no influence on hospitality patronage in Port Harcourt, practitioners should lay more emphasy and effort in ensuring greater awareness of the new technology. Customer virtual experience affect purchase intention of hospitality patronage in Port Harcourt, the management of hospitality homes should therefore invest in virtual reality as it will influence purchase intention of customers. Customer virtual presence does not affect service quality of hospital patronage in Port Harcourt, management of hospitality homes should engender more presence of virtual presence. Customer virtual perception influences repeat purchase of hospital patronage in Port Harcourt, virtual perception should therefore be made attractive to tourists and for hospitality patronage in Port Harcourt.

Key Words: Virtual Reality, Patronage, Hospitality Sector, Port Harcourt

TIME SERIES MODELING OF NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE INDEX (NSEI) AND USD/NGN EXCHANGE RATES

Amala Isabella  .S,  Davis Iyal and  E. H. Etuk

Department of Mathematics

Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study performed time series modeling of  and  Exchange rates. Monthly data spanning from January 2007 to December 2018 was used. Data was sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria statistical bulletin. The models employed were  model,  model and Granger Causality test. Both series were stationary at first difference. The All Share Index of the Nigerian Stock Exchange suggests ARIMA  a white noise process, and at such,  model was adopted, while USD/NGN exchange rate suggested  model, but residual were conditionally heteroskedastic, hence  model was also adopted and estimated and they Granger Cause each other.

Keywords: Exchange rate, Stock Price, ARMA Model, GARCH (1, 1) Model, Granger Causality Test.

THE PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND VENTURE CREATION AMONG GRADUATES OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN PLATEAU STATE NIGERIA

Nanfa Nimvyap¹, Miba’am Walwai Benjamin¹, Lekmak Felix²

¹Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Plateau State University Bokkos.

²Graduate Student, University of Jos

Email: nnimvyap@gmail.com, mibaam@gmail.com, felixlekmak@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The problems of rising social vices and poverty is associated with the increase in unemployment especially among the youths in Nigeria, more youths graduate from tertiary institutions of learning only to face limited employment opportunities that are difficult to secure. One of the solutions to the problems of graduates’ unemployment in Nigeria is the promotion of entrepreneurship and venture creation among students in tertiary institutions with a view to prepare them to be job creators and not job seekers after graduation. Entrepreneurship can help reduce increasing rate of employment if encourage in the right way. The study seeks to find out the prospect and challenges of entrepreneurship and venture creation among graduates of tertiary institutions in Nigeria with Plateau state as a case study. Using the survey method of data collection, sample size of 800 questionnaires were administered, 720 were retrieved and 620 valid questionnaires were analysed after sorting. The questionnaire combined multiple choice closed and opened ended questions. A multistage sampling was adopted where the state is stratified into three senatorial zones, 4 Local Government Areas (LGA) from each of the senatorial zones were identified and graduates of tertiary institution were thereafter randomly selected. The study adopted the descriptive and evaluation methods of data analysis to analyse data gathered. Findings revealed that entrepreneurship opportunities exist in Plateau State and that more graduates are willing to venture into business creation provided there is an enabling environment. The findings also found that entrepreneurship and venture creation in Plateau state is faced with a lot of challenges among which include challenging environment for entrepreneurship practice and venture creation, limited access to start-up capital for intending graduates, unfavourable government policies, inadequate infrastructures especially in the rural areas among other challenges. The study recommends entrepreneurship education be sustained in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria, creating enabling environment by policy makers to encourage new start-up business and small and medium enterprises, access to reasonable interest loan in financial institutions that is less stringent and infrastructures should be provided in the rural areas among other recommendations.

Key words: Entrepreneurship, Venture Creation, Graduates, Tertiary Institutions.