Dear Mandy, you might be alone and cold,
but you’ll never be lonely
You could be thousand miles away from home,
but you’re never forgotten
When Harmattan comes and strong winds blow,
your thoughts would be a warm cotton
When the scorching sun dries every hope;
for you, I’ll stand and fight boldly.


When the wet clouds shed tears, hail, and snow,
I’ll find strong shelter in your eyes
When you scream for help, and no one’s close,
I’m your knight in shining armor
When you jump high and land in a hole,
I’ll be the waterfall’s clamour
When you feel human without a soul,
I’ll be right there by your side.


In your presence, there’s nothing to know;
Each moment recreates a new world
Lying with you under the mistletoe,
Flying high on an angel’s wings,
Are sweet memories I cherish and hold
They remind me of the joy you bring
This thing called love is a blind oath;
A mystery only fools can solve.

Source: IROBIKO CHIMEZIE KINGSLEY https://meziesblog.com/this-thing-called-love/

Abstract[b][/b]

Geographic information systems (GIS) and the associated geospatial analytics have been proved to be comprehensive and highly effective tools. They have been widely applied in linguistic research since the 1990s with fruitful research outcomes. These include data management, storage, and analysis, spatial and temporal analysis, and mapping and visualization of linguistic data. Even with such advances, there is still much room for further applications of GIS in linguistic studies. The future directions include integrating GIS with spatiotemporal analysis, with GPS technology, with web-based mapping technology, visualization and analysis of uncertainty in linguistic data, among others. In addition, simulations of elicited linguistic data to find embedded features or to verify expected spatial and even temporal patterns may help to bring linguistic research to a new path beyond simply drawing isoglosses or statistical summaries. Simulations also enabled linguistic researchers to study spatial processes of how linguistic trends and features change in space and over time.

Keywords
ApplicationsGISLinguisticsResearch directions

Fool me with moonlight tales in black and white,
Prove that witches visit on Halloween night,
Or take me to the moon and back
Casting black magic bites you back.


Harvest comes when the Autumn Equinox falls
Near bushes, trees, and flowers danger lurks
Celebrate in autumn and preen;
Sage or cedar, make your home clean.


Go outside, pick apples, and make bonfires
Enjoy the season with food suppliers
Write down a long gratitude list
A witch’s autumn is like Thanksgiving.


Apples, bread, cranberries, pumpkin, or squash?
Don’t wait till November to feast and slosh
Hang out in a witch household, please
Halloween is time for bounties.


Will your ancestors think of you greedy,
Ungrateful, and wicked for not giving
Your harvest and luck to others?
Love friends, family, and strangers.


Invoke the energy of Halloween
In the most traditional way with tweens
Prepare for Samhain’s winter’s day,
When veils between us and spirits fade.


It’s a perfect time for paying respects
Honour dead souls with food and decorate
their graves with flower wreathe
Clean altars so good spirits can breathe.

Source: IROBIKO CHIMEZIE KINGSLEY https://meziesblog.com/celebrate-halloween/

Mental health is not just a prevalent aspect of workplace discussions. Depression, anxiety, stress, and workplace bullying are a global healthcare challenge, a scourge afflicting people everywhere who, sadly, consider the conditions a taboo that can jeopardize their reputation, professional career, and relationships. Other causal factors are exclusion from the decision-making process, poor communication, task-oriented management practices, lack of team cohesion, and inflexible work schedules. Sadly, senior managers consider employees’ financial, relationship, and family problems as private matters that shouldn’t interfere with organizational activities and performance. This is absurd, inhumane, and morally wrong in a world where business ethics and social sustainability are widely considered an effective global management strategy.

Workplace culture versus employee wellbeing[b][/b]

Workplace bullying is a common occurrence where senior managers have implicit support from top management executives who condone abusive and aggressive behaviour. Over time, more employees embrace poor ethics, moral injury, and violence as a norm because they often see colleagues get away with it. Workplace violence doesn’t only affect subordinates; senior managers also experience bullying, and the ripple effect creates widespread aggression and conflicts. This eventually triggers hate, mistrust, and resistance to change.

The mental, emotional, and psychological impact of a weak corporate culture is immeasurable. It doesn’t only reflect on employee motivation, engagement, and organizational performance; some affected individuals are resorting to self-harm, drug abuse, violence, and suicide as solutions to work-related stress. Fatal workplace shootings in the U.S. between 1982 to January 2023 is partially attributed to workplace bullying although violence does not justify the negative health effects of toxic organizational cultures. Culture in this context means the psychological predisposition that controls people’s perception and behaviour in corporate settings.

Which way forward?[/b]

There is urgent need for organizations to implement employee-centred plans that promote wellbeing. Unfortunately, mental health challenges cannot be seen although it’s everywhere around us, and studies indicate that one out of five U.S. workers has some form of mental health disorder. So, anyone who knows someone facing mental health challenges should intervene whenever they notice signs of distress that can escalate workplace disputes and disagreements to violent behaviours.

The culture dilemma[b]

In a world where mental health issues have become a key challenge to employee engagement, organizations need cultures that make employees feel respected, supported, and satisfied with their jobs. It is unacceptable for anyone to be harsh, hostile, or aggressive to others no matter the circumstance. But when bosses turn to workplace bullies, they create a toxic culture where anxiety, stress and low self-esteem become an identity that eventually results in high turnover. Further, workplace diversity is a complex issue in multicultural organizations. Due to cultural multiplicity and the often-contradictory beliefs that create conflicts, leaders must embrace fairness and equity.

Former U.S. president Barack Obama recently expressed concern about ‘cancel culture,’ a common phrase among young people that promotes the disposition to call out people whose action is considered anti-social, unethical, or irresponsible. In professional circles, cancel culture involves the act of ignoring, excluding, or disassociating with the person or group in person, online or on social media—without necessarily using violence. Perhaps, people think that passing judgment on others via tweets or hashtags is the only way to change the world. But they’re wrong. Although cancel culture also targets injustice, discrimination, inequality, and racism, it distils political discourse thereby causing social inactivity, intolerance, and cyberbullying, a reason why Obama’s comments stirred controversies among human rights activists. The problem is that people use cancel culture to alienate rather than promote good behaviours. Therefore, the question is about what organizations are doing to address the mental, emotional, and psychological impact of toxic culture?

[b][/b]Key takeaways

Strategic management solutions capable of helping leaders to enforce engagement as their organizations transit to new realities in remote and hybrid work include:
(a) Improving work/life balance and employee welfare packages.
(b) Establishing responsive leader-member communication channels that strengthen information sharing, trust, collaboration, and organizational resilience.
(c) Implementing employee-centred policies that encourage responsibility, flexibility, innovation, and anonymous reporting through robust internal or external procedures.
(d) Lending support to values that meet global standards for respect, integrity, and diversity.

Source: IROBIKO CHIMEZIE KINGSLEY https://meziesblog.com/cultural-excellence-or-employee-wellbeing-what-organizations-and-managers-need-right-now/

As much as we need employees with winsome attitude in addition to their skills, their productivity and commitment will be determined by their managers.

Managers are the key to the management of an organization, to the extent that they affect the management of the company. They connect the upper and lower levels of the organization and play an important role as the centre of organizational management as a bridge. If the managers are excellent, the management of the organization will be smooth.

Managers will make or mar your organization!

In their book “First Break all the Rules”, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman of the Gallup Organization presented the remarkable findings of its revolutionary study of more than 80,000 managers. They noted that satisfied employees are the only way to long-term success and managers control how happy employees are; in fact, people leave managers and not companies.

Here are our recommendations for managers:

1. Acknowledge efforts of your team members but only reward results – the performers
2. Always Communicate clearly & Consistently- Set Clear Goals for your team.
3. Manage by Exception: understand that each team member is different in perception and style of operation; treat them accordingly. Focus on each member’s strength, find their right fit and turn their talents into performance.
4. Give praise always in public and criticize in private.
5. Know Yourself: you need emotional fortitude to be honest with yourself and be able to accommodate divergent thoughts and opinions in the Business’s best interests.
6. Know your People and your Business: You need the technical knowledge. You cannot reasonably ask people to do what you do not understand or know how to do.
7. Insist on Realism: Make sure you are being honest with yourself and your team’s capabilities. Look at the facts. Do not hide mistakes. We can only make great decisions and execute at a high level if we understand the details and facts of the business.
8. Example is the best means to instruct or inspire others; Show and tell them to lead by examples.
9. Accept full responsibility for the actions of the people under you.
10. Never ask anyone under you to do anything you are unable—or unwilling—to do yourself.
11. Be enthusiastic always! You are daily on a stage; they are watching U!
12. When you give assignments, follow through.
13. Expand people’s capabilities by offering regular training and opportunities for career growth.
14. You must be fair but firm with your team, show concern for their needs and do all you can to meet their reasonable requests. Never pamper, familiarity breeds contempt.

IROBIKO CHIMEZIE KINGSLEY: https://meziesblog.com/the-secret-of-great-managers/

The media industry is, in many ways, perfect for globalization, or the spread of global trade without regard for traditional political borders. As discussed above, the low marginal costs of media mean that reaching a wider market creates much larger profit margins for media companies. Because information is not a physical good, shipping costs are generally inconsequential. Finally, the global reach of media allows it to be relevant in many different countries.

However, some have argued that media is actually a partial cause of globalization, rather than just another globalized industry. Media is largely a cultural product, and the transfer of such a product is likely to have an influence on the recipient’s culture. Increasingly, technology has also been propelling globalization. Technology allows for quick communication, fast and coordinated transport, and efficient mass marketing, all of which have allowed globalization—especially globalized media—to take hold.

Globalized Culture, Globalized Markets
Much globalized media content comes from the West, particularly from the United States. Driven by advertising, U.S. culture and media have a strong consumerist bent (meaning that the ever-increasing consumption of goods is encouraged as an economic virtue), thereby possibly causing foreign cultures to increasingly develop consumerist ideals. Therefore, the globalization of media could not only provide content to a foreign country, but may also create demand for U.S. products. Some believe that this will “contribute to a one-way transmission of ideas and values that result in the displacement of indigenous cultures (Santos, 2001).”

Globalization as a world economic trend generally refers to the lowering of economic trade borders, but it has much to do with culture as well. Just as transfer of industry and technology often encourages outside influence through the influx of foreign money into the economy, the transfer of culture opens up these same markets. As globalization takes hold and a particular community becomes more like the United States economically, this community may also come to adopt and personalize U.S. cultural values. The outcome of this spread can be homogenization (the local culture becomes more like the culture of the United States) or heterogenization (aspects of U.S. culture come to exist alongside local culture, causing the culture to become more diverse), or even both, depending on the specific situation (Rantanen, 2005).

Making sense of this range of possibilities can be difficult, but it helps to realize that a mix of many different factors is involved. Because of cultural differences, globalization of media follows a model unlike that of the globalization of other products. On the most basic level, much of media is language and culture based and, as such, does not necessarily translate well to foreign countries. Thus, media globalization often occurs on a more structural level, following broader “ways of organizing and creating media (Mirza, 2009).” In this sense, a media company can have many different culturally specific brands and still maintain an economically globalized corporate structure.

Vertical Integration and Globalization
Because globalization has as much to do with the corporate structure of a media company as with the products that a media company produces, vertical integration in multinational media companies becomes a necessary aspect of studying globalized media. Many large media companies practice vertical integration: Newspaper chains take care of their own reporting, printing, and distribution; television companies control their own production and broadcasting; and even small film studios often have parent companies that handle international distribution.

A media company often benefits greatly from vertical integration and globalization. Because of the proliferation of U.S. culture abroad, media outlets are able to use many of the same distribution structures with few changes. Because media rely on the speedy ability to react to current events and trends, a vertically integrated company can do all of this in a globalized rather than a localized marketplace; different branches of the company are readily able to handle different markets. Further, production values for single-country distribution are basically the same as those for multiple countries, so vertical integration allows, for example, a single film studio to make higher-budget movies than it may otherwise be able to produce without a distribution company that has as a global reach.

https://academicscores.com/2023/02/28/globalization-of-media-culture/

Abstract

As the labor market continues to evolve, how will deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) people adapt to changes in the workplace and take advantage of new employment opportunities, careers, and entrepreneurship? Although much is known about DHH individuals’ employment, job/career satisfaction, and the related financial benefits of increased education, there is also the DHH dilemma of being educated and employed, but limited in career growth. What factors influence educational attainment, employment, career growth, and entrepreneurship? More important, workplace communication must go beyond access considerations to DHH individuals’ personal responsibility and initiative to adapt communicatively with coworkers, management, and different customer or client target audiences. In the 21st-century work reality, there are a number of current drivers for DHH entrepreneurship, but also a DHH disconnect between entrepreneurial desire and reality. Will the continued expansion of digital business, technologies, and online marketing provide DHH people increased job opportunities? All these topics are examined.

Keywords: career advancement, career growth, deaf, digital business, digital communication technology, employment, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, hard of hearing, online marketing, workplace communication

Subject Social Psychology

May his soul find rest.

The first hours and days of a crisis situation are the most critical. High pressure environments and atypical events often breed additional chaos and public relations nightmares that can rapidly tarnish a company’s sterling reputation. Whether you’re company has a few domestic locations or an extensive international network of offices and facilities, designing a comprehensive Crisis Management Program (CMP) with a means for effective communication is essential to the continued success of your company.

From the minute an incident occurs, a company’s response can be publicly scrutinized and analyzed by the masses. The modern pathways of communication are so quick, companies must have effective crisis management and communication plans. Any response plan should be tested for effectiveness in the pre-crisis planning phase, not on the verge of, during, or in the aftermath of a disaster. Through pre-crisis planning, a communication plan can be fully integrated into the overall crisis management plan and be available at the onset of an incident.

Crisis Communication Planning

Communication pre-crisis planning should include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Notification methods: The standard “phone tree” has evolved to include a variety of dynamic communication formats. Do not assume that internal and external responders, stakeholders, and those impacts by the crisis scenario identify with current company communication policies, formats, or context of emergencies communications. Pre-planning efforts should include establishing and exercising coordinated notification processes, formats, and various content.

Most professionals have several phone numbers, multiple email addresses, and can receive SMS (text) messages and digital images. As a result, a clear crisis communication notification methodology must be established.

The primary notification of a crisis situation should be made by telephone or radio to ensure leadership has received the critical information to begin response procedures. All known information regarding the scenario should be provided, including but not limited to:

Type of event (technology, fire, explosion, etc.)
Immediate impact
Location of incident
Any casualties or injured parties

In an effort to minimize the communication gap between a company and the general public, companies should establish social media notifications as part of their crisis communication planning. According to a Pew Research Center October 2015 publication entitled “Social Media Usage: 2005-2015”, nearly 65% of American adults utilized at least one social media platform in 2015 compared to only 7% in 2005. As mobile technology is adopted by a greater percentage of society, those statistics should continue to grow.

Utilizing social media as a tool for Corporate Crisis Communications has numerous benefits including, but not limited to:

Opens up a dialogue to reduce miscommunication and rumors
Informs public of potential threats, impacts, and applicable countermeasures
Communicates mobilization of internal coordinating teams, staff, and/or volunteers
Improves externally communications with agencies and people affected by the crisis
Provides real-time updates and allows company personnel to have a first-person awareness of a situation
Active communication demonstrates that the company values emergency preparedness and response and its implications to the community
Eliminates an information bottleneck

2. Contact Verifications

Read full article: https://academicscores.com/2023/01/15/pre-crisis-planning-in-organizations/

ABSTRACT
Background
In low- and middle-income countries, there is scarcity of validated and reliable measurement tools for health facility management, and many interventions to improve primary health care (PHC) facilities are designed without adequate evidence based on what management practices are critical.

Objective
This article developed and validated a scorecard to measure management practices at primary health care facilities under the performance-based financing (PBF) scheme in Nigeria.

Methods
Relevant management practice domains and indicators for PHC facilities were determined based on literature review and a prior qualitative study conducted in Nigeria. The domains and indicators were tested for face validity via experts review and organized into an interviewer-administered scorecard. A stratified random sampling of PHC facilities in three States in Nigeria was conducted to assess the reliability and construct validity of the scorecard. Inter-rater reliability using inter-class correlation (ICC) (1, k) was assessed with one-way ANOVA. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to assess the construct validity, and an updated factor structure were developed.

Results
32 indicators and 6 management practice domains were initially described. Ordinal responses were derived for each indicator. Data on the scorecard were obtained from 111 PHC facilities. The ICC of mean ratings for each team of judges was 0.94. The EFA identified 6 domains (Stakeholder engagement and communication; Community-level activities; Update of plan and target; Performance management; Staff attention to planning, target, and performance; and Drugs and financial management) and reduced the number of indicators to 17. The average communality of selected items was 0.45, and item per factor ratio was 17:6.

Conclusions
Despite a few areas for further refinement, this paper presents a reliable and valid scorecard for measuring management practices in PHC facilities. The scorecard can be applied for routine supervisory visits to PHC facilities, and can help accumulate knowledge on facility management, how it affects performance, and how it may be strengthened.

KEYWORDS: Primary health care facilities, performance-based financing, health facility management, scorecard, factor analysis, Nigeria

https://academicscores.com/2023/01/06/measuring-management-practices-in-primary-health-care-facilities/

The Conceptualization and Implementation of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Nigeria
Abstract

Primary Health Care (PHC) is a grass-root management approach to providing health care services to communities. Since global leaders published the the PHC concept in 1978, various countries have attained various levels of progress in implementing the strategy. This paper reviews the historical concepts that have driven primary health care in Nigeria. Current efforts at revitalizing primary health care in Nigeria include the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), PHC Reviews, National Health Management Information System (NHMIS), and the Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week. In all, the role of the people, government, and health workers as critical stakeholders needs to be well defined and pursued to maximize the benefits of primary health care.

Introduction

After global leaders declared United Nations’ “Health for All” agenda in 1978, Nigeria adopted its primary health care (PHC) system and accepted universally to use the heath care management approach to meet this lofty goal. The world will only become healthy when we achieve Health for All- the developed and developing nations alike, the poor and the rich, the literate and the uneducated, old, and young and women, children, and the elderly. The primary health care system is a grass-root approach meant to address the main health problems in the community, by providing preventive, curative and rehabilitative services (Gofin, 2005, Olise, 2012).

As defined in the Alma Ata declaration, primary health care is the “essential care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology, made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation, and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination” (WHO, 2012).

The principles of primary health care underscore the excellent value of the approach. These principles which include essential health care, community participation, equity, intersectoral collaboration, and use of appropriate technology are the driving forces behind the efficiency of primary health care as the hope of achieving universal health coverage. This means that primary health care is meant to provide services to people based on needs without geographical, social, or financial barriers through their involvement in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health programme. It implies drawing resources from within and outside the health sector and utilizing technologies based on suitability.

The History and Conceptualization of the Primary Health Care (PHC) in Nigeria

Nigeria integrated its primary healthcare as the National Health Policy of 1988 (FMOH, 2004). The PHC became a cornerstone of Nigeria’s health system as part of efforts geared towards improving equity in access and utilization of basic health services. Since then, primary health care in Nigeria has evolved through various stages of development. In 2005, primary health care facilities make up over 85% of health care facilities in Nigeria (FMOH, 2010).

Historically, there were three major attempts at evolving and sustaining a community and people-oriented health system in Nigeria. The first attempt occurred between 1975 and 1980. The fulcrum of this period was the introduction of the Basic Health Services Scheme (BHSS). The Basic Health Services Scheme came into being in 1975 as an integral part of Nigeria’s Third National Development Plan (1975 – 79) (Dungy, 1979, Adeyomo, 2005) and was structured along “basic health units” which consisted of 20 health clinics spread across each LGA, which were backed-up by four (4) primary health care centres and supported by mobile clinics serving an approximate population of 150,000 each. The drawback of this attempt was the non-involvement of local communities who were the beneficiaries of the services. This led to the inability to sustain the Scheme at the close of the third national development plan period. A second attempt led by late Professor Olukoye Ransome-Kuti occurred between 1986 and 1992 (Kuti et al, 1991). This period characterized by the development of model primary health care in fifty-two (52) pilot local government areas all of which were implementing all eight components of primary health care. A key result of this dispensation was the attainment of 80% immunization coverage for fully immunized under-five children. Meticulous application of the principle of active community participation and focus on issues relating to health systems strengthening (HSS) was responsible for the success recorded.

The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) was established in 1992 and heralded the third attempt to make basic healthcare accessible to the grassroots. During this period, which spanned through 2001, the Ward Health System (WHS) which utilizes the electoral ward (with a representative councilor) as the basic operational unit for primary health care delivery was instituted. This was in response to the devolution of Primary Healthcare to the Local Governments by the then military government. The Ward Minimum Health Care Package (WMHCP) which outlines a set of cost-effective health interventions with significant impact on morbidity and mortality was also developed. The package took into cognizance the nation’s burden of disease, current trends in disease prevalence and priority diseases of national importance. The Ward Minimum Health Care Package was developed within context of the Ward Health System and aligned with the millennium development goal (MDG) targets of Nigeria. To drive this new policy over five hundred model health centers were established across the nation by the federal government (NPHCDA, 2012). These centers served as a fulcrum for the establishment of the Ward Health System and the community mobilization as Ward Development Committees, which is constituted of selected community representatives, were established around the model primary health care centers.

While it was logical that Primary Healthcare, which is community oriented, be established around the tier of government perceived to be closest to the people, the sudden devolution of primary health care to the local government areas may have had negative implications on sustainability of quality as that level of governance is also known to have the weakest technical capacity. Again, the Federal Government’s intervention by building model health centers for the local government areas, though well-conceived, was paradoxical to the newly initiated principle of devolution of healthcare. While this intervention may have been sustainable under the unitary military dictatorship, its sustainability was challenged by the advent of democracy in 1999.

Implementing Primary Health Care (PHC) in Nigeria

The great idea of grass-root health care delivery as encapsulated in the principles of primary health care requires the strong commitment of all stakeholders to make it work.

Stakeholders are those persons or groups that have personal stake in the delivery of primary healthcare services and in healthcare decisions (AHRQ, 2014). The key primary health care stake holders include the people, the government, and the healthcare workers. The people need to own primary health care through adequate community mobilization. Community mobilization is the process of arousing the interest of the people and encouraging them to participate actively in finding solutions to their problems (Olise, 2012). When the communities engage in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of primary healthcare services, they will not perceive them as forced decisions. Community mobilization is a veritable tool for engendering support for primary health care, especially in the rural areas where over 66% of the Nigerian population live. Rural areas have the worst health indices, findings indicate (NPC and ICF Macro, 2009; FMOH, 2010). Aspects of community mobilization include community entry, community dialogue, and operation of development and health committees. Government at all levels must express, in practical terms, political commitment through funding, capacity building and system support. They must put money where their mouth is and translate the great ideas behind primary health care into great programmers and great services. Primary health care services are not third-class services meant for third-class citizens. Therefore, adequate provision must be made in national, state, and local budgets for quality healthcare delivery using the primary healthcare system. The role of government is critical in promoting access to essential and quality health services (FMOH, 2010). This can be channeled through the building and maintenance of infrastructure, training and retraining of the workforce, and provision of materials and equipment for effective health care.

Health care workers involved in primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria include doctors, nurses/midwives, community health workers, laboratory scientists/technicians, and health assistants among others (Africa Health Workforce Observatory AHWO, 2008). To make primary health care work, workers need to contribute their quota to improving quality service delivery and achieving clients’ satisfaction. This they can do through innovative utilization of available resources, encouraging patient participation in their care, and promoting healthcare worker-patient communication (Babatunde et al, 2013). The disposition of healthcare workers is especially important in enhancing public perception and utilization of primary health care services. Commitment to duty, empathy, and a listening ear are desirable traits in primary health care workers that can enhance service delivery.

Conclusion

The concept of primary health care is still relevant to achieving equitable and quality health care for all Nigerians. However, a persistent effort at implementation at all levels is necessary to maximize the benefits of this people-oriented approach to health care.

References

https://academicscores.com/2023/01/05/the-conceptualization-and-implementation-of-primary-health-care-phc-in-nigeria/

Madness everywhere.

Nooooooooooooooooo! I saw nothing, heard nothing, and said nothing! Will comment after this nightmare.

Let the legend rest on. Ronaldo and Messi fans agree that Pele made football what it is today, a beautiful game. For his reputation as GOAT, football fans can argue as long as they care and take sides with others, but the Brazilian maestro remains and enigma.

Go ask Clifford Orji

This is truly sad!

THE LINK BETWEEN BOKO HARAM AND ISIS

The relationship, if any, between Nigeria’s Boko Haram and ISIS is a question that vexes the policy community. If there is one, it would support the argument that Boko Haram is, indeed, a new front in the international war on terrorism, as Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan maintains. If a relationship does not exist, or if it is minimal, that would support the argument that Boko Haram is a domestic Nigerian issue, while ISIS has more of a global agenda. For movements that have caused so much disruption and suffering, from a practical perspective, their internal workings and their governance remain obscure (Karram, 2013; Onukwuba, 2018).

ISIS seeks to recreate the legalities and governance of Islam’s earliest years dating back to the seventh century. He places ISIS in the context of the salafist school of Sunni Islam. Salafism is characterized by the literal reading of the Koran and the earliest scriptures while stripping away later accretions. Boko Haram is also part of that tradition. Both also emphasize the excommunication and killing of Muslims who, by behaviour or belief, diverge from their orthodoxies. Accordingly, most of the victims of both are Muslims (Cooper & Yue, 2008). However, if ISIS seeks to recover seventh century Islam, Boko Haram appears much influenced by Ibn Taymiyyah, a thirteenth century theologian originally from what is now Iraq. He is seen as one of the theological pioneers of salafism.

Boko Haram and ISIS sound similar, and they have expressed mutual admiration. But there exist significant differences beyond their differing geographies and circumstances. Among them is the emphasis that ISIS places on holding territory as the basis for a caliphate, and that a universal caliphate is a requirement for the End of Times. Hence, critiques argue that for ISIS, there can be only one caliphate (Olabode, 2018).

It is difficult to imagine that Boko Haram would accept subordination to a caliphate based in the Middle East. Islam has existed in northern Nigeria for more than a thousand years. Boko Haram’s “face,” Abubakar Shekau, may have announced the creation of his own caliphate, or he may simply have established an Islamic state. The evidence is inconclusive, but the distinction is important: a ‘caliphate’ would imply an institution with much broader reach than an ‘Islamic state’. The former has religious implications and associations far beyond the later (Ukwueze et al, 2019; Karram, 2013; Onukwuba, 2018).

CONCLUSION

Both ISIS and Boko Haram are authoritarian and reject compromise in matters of faith. Further, Boko Haram’s leadership and structure appears much more diffused than that of ISIS. Hence, Boko Haram and ISIS are unlikely to reach a political agreement that would require either of them to compromise.

Theology is only one dimension of ISIS and Boko Haram, along with alienated youth, economic depression, and predatory states. But the theological dimension is an important one if the international community is to understand and counter ISIS and Boko Haram.

The Role of Religion in Ethnic Wars: A Case Study of Boko Haram

Introduction

Prolonged crises in emerging societies jeopardize the stability of state governance structures. Recurring religious and ethnic wars characterized by wanton destruction of lives and property have also spread across state and national boundaries, creating insecurity, driving many below the poverty line, and impoverishing global economies. In West Africa, religious and ethnic wars are considered a major cause of underdevelopment. To an exceptionally considerable extent, Nigeria is a typical example of leadership incompetence as crises across the thirty-six states expose the nonchalance attitude of government officials whose key responsibility is to ensure the safety of citizens and their property (Onukwuba, 2018; Cyr & Widmeier, 2021).

Since the Nigerian civil war between 1966 and 1970, citizens have never seen a revival of violence and instability when compared to the massacre, insecurity and lawlessness caused by Boko Haram, the religious sect founded by Muslim radicals. The multi-faceted sectarian insurgency has thrown Nigeria’s leadership structure into a state of chaos, and political leaders seem not to have an answer to many questions raised by citizens and foreign observers (Karram, 2013).

Evidence-based research shows that Africans are more religious than people in other continents. Although religious crises have inflicted wounds on Europe and America, a comparative analysis of African countries indicates there is a wide gap in theory and practice. Religion has been “an opium of the masses,” according to the German scholar, Karl Marx. The Bible and Quran have been wrongly interpreted on many issues and followers of religious organizations are, mostly, brainwashed to believe and pursue the selfish interests of their leaders. So, religion is practiced differently even among Christians and Muslims (Onukwuba, 2018).

However, most Africans not only stick to a single faith, but they also regard their religious beliefs as more precious and serious than secularized Europeans. According to statistics, Africa is home to around one-fifth of the world's professed Christians denominations, one-fourth of Muslims, and half of all adherents to various kinds of traditional or ethnic religions—with few non-believers. The prevalence of religious sects in West Africa dates to centuries of contact between the continent's Indigenous religions and those of the Arabs and of the Europeans. The first phase was an Arab colonization mixed with Islamic missionary activity, followed by a Christian colonization and missionary deployment from Europe (Cyr & Widmeier, 2021).

Anyanwu and Nwanaju (2010) opined that “Africa as a continent seems to confirm the long-lasting belief that people are deeply religious because of the plurality of religion and religious beliefs found in it. So, the continent is full of moderates and extremists, fanatics and realists, simple minded believers and complex adherents, liberals, and conservatives who contribute to the multi-religious nature of West Africa in general.” This confirms that religion has remained a dynamic force in the mind of an average African man and his society's history. As a result, religious leaders increase their power and influence by their ability to change people's minds with positive or negative intentions (Karram, 2013).

When cannot discuss the role of religion in the development of West African countries without referring to the proliferation of certain religious organisations. Boko Haram has become a threat in West Africa due to its belief system which promotes violence and lawlessness. Over the past decade, Nigeria has been tumultuous due to the secessionist activities of Islamic extremist groups liked to Boko Haram and the global terror organization Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS), a militant organization that emerged as an offshoot of al Qaeda in 2014 (Onukwuba, 2018; Cyr & Widmeier, 2021).


The History and Ideology of the Boko Haram


Boko Haram's disruptive actions, according to Ewuzie (2012), are a theological and sectarian dilemma produced by a fringe sectarian problematic interpretation of Islam's essential teachings. Mohammed (2012), however, believes that the insurgency caused socioeconomic factors rather than religious or ethnic factors. But an analysis of these differing viewpoints shows that Ewuzie has a more credible and plausible idea due to Boko Haram’s use of mischief and violence. This is ironic considering the noble role played by religion across the world. According to Uche (2017), religion is not only for promoting the ideal ethical association between God, man, and society; it is also a normative institution that commands the worshipper not to engage in murder, theft, or deviant behaviour. Thus, Boko Haram's acts of terrorism are the opposite of what the author considers as true religion, and religious devotees of the Islamic sect are terrorists and murderers without conscience or respect for “God.” Their destruction or demolition system is known as massacre, and it includes the callous destruction of lives and property. As a result, their commander has bestowed power upon them by means of religious teachings, allowing them to conduct demonic operations legally (Onukwuba, 2018).

Insecurity has become a jigsaw puzzle engulfing West Africa, particularly Nigeria. Boko Haram, as the primary and most well-known perpetrators of this threat, has always relied on its erroneous notion that "western education is sin." This is how the sect derives its name, "Boko," signifying "Western European education" and Haram signifying "sin" (Anyanwu, & Nwanaju, 2010). Due to this religion-driven assumption, Boko Hara insurgents primarily target schools that provide Western education. They eventually extended target points to public places particularly churches where they believe European religion is preached and practised (Karram, 2013; Duruji et al, 2019).

An investigation into the origins and root causes of Boko Haram's emergence and insurgency shows how the phenomenon of failed leadership and weak institutions in Nigeria's North-eastern region created loopholes that selfish religious leaders exploited to incite mass condemnation and hatred for the Nigerian state. Homeless children growing up as beggars are the most vulnerable group lured or forced to serve the selfish interests of politicians. However, religious sect supporting Boko Haram’s agenda are known to recruit children, train them to become child soldiers, and deploy them to unleash mayhem on the society. Women and young girls have also been kidnapped, enslaved, and forced to bomb various locations in the country—especially churches and schools—to achieve political and religious objectives. Politicians collaborating with religious leaders often bribe or use Greek gifts to influence people’s perception of political opponents, partisan politics, and governance. Research indicates that some politicians from Muslim-majority states exploit the ignorance of their gullible and vulnerable followers, especially able-bodied youths, and use them to gain number advantage during elections. And after achieving victory at the polls through bribery, electoral fraud or other justifiable means, the politicians abandon the youths to focus on looting, arms proliferation, and ethnic/religious cleansing (Geda, 2011; Mohammed, 2012; Cyr & Widmeier, 2021).

Cases of corruption and theft of state funds have exacerbated the Boko Haram situation because sponsors of the deadly sect rely on persistent acts of violence and fear to remain in the seat of power. This explains why political institutions have failed to fulfil their constitutional obligation of providing good and responsible governance as well as development dividends to the poor masses who are perpetually marginalized and subjected to poverty and destitution. Boko Haram lay claims to the governmental failures as its motivation to bear arms against Nigeria. Kukah (2010) recently described Boko haram religious violence in Nigeria together with its sectarian upheavals as "going beyond the religious." This is a lingering political and economic issue which highlights the failure of Nigerian government to address secular matters in a timely, cost-effective, and result-oriented manner. But the level of corruption, hatred and ethnic bias among politicians who control the leadership structures creates more chaos than the solutions they were elected to offer (Onukwuba, 2018).

Furthermore, the establishment of this sectarian group underscores the link between religion and violence. Boko Haram has an ambition to Islamize Nigeria and enforce Sharia law across their caliphates. The goal of making Islam a dominant religion in society was first touted under the administration of Late Gen. Sanni Abacha. To achieve this purpose in present-day Nigeria, Boko Haram leaders use the iron fist tactic which either forces people into subjection or destroys them as infidels. So, other religions and their members have faced subjugation in various degrees. For the fear of death and a frantic search for protection, Christians and other religious groups in hard-hit areas avoid church gatherings and public display of their religious beliefs (Salvaterra et al, 2009; Cyr & Widmeier, 2021).


THE EFFECTS OF BOKO HARAM ON THE NIGERIAN STATE

Within the confines of instability, the horrible effects of the Boko Haram insurgency extend beyond the health and housing of its victims to include food and nutrition, education, and protection, all of which are essential necessities of existence (Duruji et al, 2019; Ukwueze et al, 2019).

Results from this research indicate that Nigeria’s agriculture system has been severely affected due to the increasing rate of invasions, bloody wars, and destruction of lives, farmlands, and properties in the country's most important food-growing regions. Production of cowpeas, rice, millet, tomatoes, onions, yams, corns and sorghums, animals, and fish grown in hard-hit states like Yobe, Adamawa, and Borno has significantly fallen below record numbers. Also, Nigeria has suffered food shortage, and the exorbitant price of foodstuff is a result of farmers’ fear of insurgents who attack on farmlands and in vulnerable communities (Onukwuba, 2018). "No one can move a kilometre due to fear," Abba Gambo, a lecturer at Maiduguri University, sadly stated. More than 1.5 million people, farmers, fled their homes as Boko Haram's insurgency increased death toll last year, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Cooper & Yue, 2008).

Furthermore, violent attacks on trade routes between the north and south disrupted free movement of people and goods thereby reducing food supplies. The negative impact of Boko Haran insurgency on food transit and distribution chain across Nigeria widened the poverty line and increased death tolls significantly. Food distribution problems caused by the insurgency, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, are one of the country's biggest inflationary threats. Boko Haram has halted the supply of beans, according to Eme et al. (2014). They also mentioned that two food staples in particular, pepper and tomatoes produced in the North and used in every household across Nigeria are in low supply. As a result, monthly household expenditure on food items has skyrocketed dramatically (Ukwueze et al, 2019).

If the sect's violent attacks continue, the country will plunge into long-term food shortages—with unexpected impact on economic growth indicators. Food prices will increase steadily, making it difficult for individuals and households to obtain enough nutritious foods that sustain good health and expand lifespan. Nigerians are facing hunger, famine, malnutrition, and death because of Boko Haram insurgency. Malnutrition is common in places most affected by insurgency and violence in general (Cyr & Widmeier, 2021; Salvaterra et al, 2009).

The sect has also attacked schools and colleges, injuring, killing, or kidnapping students and staff, as well as destroying buildings. "Conflict and insecurity have had a direct and compounding negative impact on children's access to education, the availability of educational spaces and materials, and the ability of teachers," says HNO (2014). According to Michael Olukoya, the National President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers commemorated the death of 600 teachers who fell victim to Boko Haram insurgency on 5th October 2015 (Pulse.ng, 2015). Bandits damaged over 882 classrooms in Borno State as of August 2013, while all schools in Yobe State closed between June to September 2013. (Awortu, 2015). The kidnapping of almost two hundred female students at the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok on April 14, 2014 (Hassan, 2014) has prevented parents from enrolling their children and wards in schools. Some parents also withdrew their children who were already enrolled in schools. All of this occurred in a region that was already educationally inferior before to the rebellion (Onukwuba, 2018).

With an increased number of school dropouts, illiterates, and unemployed youngsters who are vulnerable to people recruiting them for suicide bombing and terrorists, Boko Haram insurgency has hampered the economic development of regions/states and the education sector is collapsing day-by-day. "When the rate of illiteracy and school dropout is high, there is a tendency that violence will increase and persist in Nigeria," says Awortu (2015). According to HNO (2014), "an estimated 2.15 million men, women, girls, and boys are facing physical and psychological trauma related to insurgency." Children, particularly females, have been more manipulated in recent attacks. Islamists have conducted deadly ambushes throughout Nigeria's borders, and women have been employed in them (Audu, 2018).

Further, there is a high rate of early child marriages in Boko Haram camps. The negative health consequences on young girls, slave wives and their children are unimaginable. The humanitarian needs of people affected by the conflict, particularly internally displaced persons (IDPs), are frequently unmet by Nigerian leaders and this is heart-breaking. Employees working in IDP camps lack protection and robust administration mechanisms required to achieve objectives, according to HNO (2014). Human rights violations have been a feature of counter-insurgency operations, too. The Nigerian political system lacks coordination. As the 2023 elections loom, there is great need for the electorates, media, religious organizations, academic associations, professional bodies, and international agencies to regroup and save the nation from chaos (Audu, 2018; Onukwuba, 2018; Musa & Kurawa, 2018).

To summarise, religion has, according to Tunde Babawale (2008), “left people badly divided and deeply embittered toward one another”. It should be a beneficial instrument for the sustainable development of the Nigerian people and West Africans as a whole, rather than a source of bad influence or violence that stifles growth. The crooked politicians understand religion as a crucial campaign and leadership tool. And they will never relinquish power without a fight notwithstanding the increasing level of sensitization and self-awareness (Onukwuba, 2018; Geda, 2011; Ukwueze et al, 2019).

Unlike the destabilising effects of Boko Haram, Nigeria owes a substantial portion of its current level of growth to religious influence. As Eme (2010) argues, it is disturbing that observers of the Nigerian situation chose to link religion to crises rather than supporting the widespread campaign against ineptitude among the biased, selfish, gullible, and brazenly corrupt politicians ruling the country.


CONCLUSION

Both ISIS and Boko Haram are authoritarian and reject compromise in matters of faith. Further, Boko Haram’s leadership and structure appears much more diffused than that of ISIS. Hence, Boko Haram and ISIS are unlikely to reach a political agreement that would require either of them to compromise.

Theology is only one dimension of ISIS and Boko Haram, along with alienated youth, economic depression, and predatory states. But the theological dimension is an important one if the international community is to understand and counter ISIS and Boko Haram.

Viewed from a much broader perspective, religion is only minor to the significant socio-economic elements and variables that gave birth to Boko Haram religious violence. The solution that will reduce tension, conflict, and bring about reconciliation is intra and inter religious dialogue between the various stakeholders. But the aggressive implementation of socio-economic and democratic reforms that will strengthen the state and democratic institutions is necessary to successfully deliver democratic and development dividends to Nigerians. This enabling environment of poverty reduction, effective administration, strong state institutions, and citizen discussion will certainly provide long-term solutions to Islamic insurgency and violence against the Nigerian state and its inhabitants. Hassan (2014) emphasises that creating people's security is the first stage in counterinsurgency because no nation is secure and ready for development unless it can guarantee the security of its citizens (Danjibo, 2012; Audu, 2018; Onukwuba, 2018; Ukwueze et al, 2019).

RECOMMENDATIONS

The government should ensure that it prioritizes the needs and aspirations of citizens. While it is necessary to invest in the agricultural sector to increase food production, policymakers need to agree on R& investments that promote health innovation, improves care delivery, and make it easy for Nigerians to access quality care. Development of the Primary Health Care (PHC) systems starts with an improvement of the education system, regular training of health professionals, technology integration, and a review of payment models in the healthcare system. Additionally, education should be free and affordable at certain levels. The government, NGOs and donor agencies should also collaborate to establish more schools with high-quality facilities and experienced teachers.

Internally displaced persons deserve suitable housing programs. The government should also compensate victims of violent crimes, especially those kidnapped, extorted, raped, or maimed by insurgents. Politicians across the state therefore have a responsibility to provide adequate protection for lives and property. The government can achieve this security objective by strengthening national security with advanced internet communication technologies, intelligence=gathering systems, and robust network of initiative-taking anti-crime and terrorism organizations. Lastly, policymakers should set up a panel review to analyses the performance of Nigeria’s legal system and proffer solutions to increase efficiency, strengthen accountability, and enforce fairness and equity to protect citizens against insecurity, human rights abuse, and religious wars.

REFERENCES

Introduction
BMW is one of the leading carmakers in the world. It is an established brand, which is especially popular among high-income customers who want their cars to be functional, good-looking, and expensive. In the first decade of the century, the company has managed to grow sufficiently. Even though it maintains its competitive position in the luxury car market today, there are significant issues that affect the company’s popularity and profitability. In this essay, I will show that BMW’s place in the automobile market is likely to suffer in the next few years.

Design Issues
The key issues that have an adverse effect on the company are its risky moves with regards to new model development. It is no secret that the competition in the luxury car market is high, and the companies do everything in their power to attract customers by releasing new models and improving old ones. However, not all the BMW models released in the past few years were as great as the executives had hoped. For example, models from BMW 1-series, both old and recent, have received criticisms from customers and reviewers. The 2016 release of the 1-series aimed at correcting the problems that the customers found in its predecessor (Knapman par. 2). However, the model still had significant drawbacks to its design. For instance, the car is not as spacious as other cars of the class: Knapman notes that the rear middle seat is narrow and uncomfortable, door openings are small, and the trunk section is not spacey enough to carry family luggage (par. 3-5).
One of the most significant aspects of luxury car models is their comfort; people who buy expensive cars want to be able to drive them without feeling tired and uncomfortable. However, this might not be the case with BMW 1-series: poor road noise suppression and firm seats may affect the comfort of both the driver and passengers (Knapman par. 7-. Moreover, the rear window is small, which makes reversing and parking more difficult for the driver (Knapman par. 13). Overall, even though BMW produced the model to improve on its predecessor, the design failures make it less appealing to the buyers, hence affecting the brand’s overall popularity. Knapman notes that the original 1-series model was “cramped and uncomfortable, but it still found plenty of buyers because it had that desirable BMW badge on its nose” (par. 1). Nevertheless, given the overall drop in satisfaction levels, it is likely that the brand name will lose its effectiveness in attracting customers in the future.

Reliability Issues
Another critical issue that BMW has recently encountered concerns its reliability. Both new and old models produced in the last years show a decreasing level of customer satisfaction, particularly due to the frequency of maintenance. Reliability is also a crucial factor for customers looking to purchase a luxury car. The models offered by luxury brands are usually more expensive than medium-class cars, such as Ford or Toyota, and the cost of their maintenance and replacement parts is much higher, too. This means that customers have certain expectations when buying a higher-class car, and any reliability issues are likely to affect the brand’s reputation in the worse way possible. One of the most recent examples of BMW’s safety issues is the N47 diesel engine failures. Despite attempts to address the problem dating back to 2007 when BMW fitted its newly created 2.0-liter diesel engine to a wide range of BMW models, owners all over the world still report failures (Briscoe par. 5-6). The failures cause the engine to stop working abruptly, both at low and high speeds, posing a threat to the user’s safety (Briscoe par. 6). Moreover, the cost of repairs for this type of malfunction is quite high, since a replacement engine could be worth up to €6000, which is “Bad enough if you had bought the car from new, but disastrous if you were a second-hand buyer on a tighter budget” (Briscoe par. 6). The issue increased customers’ complaint and eventually led to lawsuits, which negatively affected the company’s public image.

Conclusion
Overall, both issues are likely to have an increasingly adverse effect on BMW’s sales in the future. The negative outcomes have already hit the company, as it reported a decrease in both annual and monthly sales in December 2016. Press Club USA says that “the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported December sales of 37,493 vehicles, a decrease of 5.4 percent from the 39,634 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago” (par. 4). Even more notable are the company’s annual sales, which were 9.5% lower compared to the previous year (Press Club USA par. 1). The customers’ opinion of the brand’s reliability is also worse than of other luxury car providers: Knapman states that BMW ranked thirteenth out of twenty-six in the 2014 satisfaction survey, whereas the company’s primary competitor Mercedes-Benz was in the third place (par. 20). If BMW leadership does not address the properly, it could affect brand image, brand equality and competitiveness.

Works Cited
Briscoe, Neil. “BMW’s Timing Chain Problem Comes Back to Haunt Carmaker.” The Irish Times, 2016. Web.
Knapman, Chris. “BMW 1-Series Review: Better Than an Audi A3?”. The Telegraph, 2016. Web.

How to Write a Good Literature Review
Do you have the assignment to write a literature review? It can be a challenging task for those who deal with this type of paper for the first time. For someone, there is need to clarify what a literature review is. But there is always a way to learn.
This article helps students to learn how to write a literature review. We will walk you through all stages of creating a decent paper and share helpful tips. So, let us start!

What Is a Literature Review: Definition & Importance
First, let us define what a literature review is. It is a document that discusses academic sources on a specific topic to identify existing theories, concepts, similarities, controversial points and more

Sometimes people need clarification on the name of this type of paper and assume that it is only useful for reviewing literary pieces like novels and poems. But that is a wrong assumption. Students can write literature reviews on any topic in any field of study, and its level of thoroughness is critical.

The primary purpose of writing a literature review is to research current scholarly sources on a particular topic, evaluate them, and discover agreed opinions, contradictions, and opportunities for future research. Thus, creating literature reviews is essential for gaining knowledge of current positions and views on specific topics and finding ways for future development in different fields of study.

Steps of Writing a Literature Review
There are stages in preparing a literature review, and writing is the final one. But it is only possible to do a decent literature review by knowing about all stages. That is why we want to tell you a little about the entire process before providing more detailed guidelines on writing.

There are five steps you need to do before writing a literature review:
• Research current articles and other academic sources on a chosen topic
• Read and evaluate them
• Identify trending ideas, theories, controversies, gaps
• Organize your findings and create an outline for your review
• Write a literature review.

It is critical to take time for each of these steps. First, you must conduct in-depth research to find enough credible academic sources. The second step will take more time, as you need to thoroughly review all the references, evaluate them, and note key ideas, concepts, and theories described in each source to compare them later and find patterns, contradictions and more.

The next step, creating an outline, is essential for making the writing process much more manageable. That is why we want to give you more information about an appropriate structure for a literature review.

Respect for the star, Mbappe. He's the next big thing in football.

2.3 Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Model

The leader-member model examines the existing relationship between leaders and their subjects. It is also known as the Dyadic relationship framework (Northouse., 2016).
According to Harris et al (2009), most leadership theories portray leaders as seeing their followers to a cluster of people with uniform attitudes, thoughts and temperament who need the same kind of management style. Nonetheless, research shows that managers flawed this assumption after the introduction of LMX theory exposed discrepancies in perspectives held by managers and every member of the group. The LMX or Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory proves how organizational leaders and staff foster relationships and how this promotes individual development.

2.3.1 How the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Model Works
The assumption of LMX is that the leadership-follower relationship has three dimensions: role-making, role-taking, and routinization (Uhl-Bien et al., 2012).

Role-Taking

At the induction stage of every recruitment process, leaders and supervisors in every organization should have a clear picture of each employee’s skills and capabilities since little is known of group members before employment (Nahrgang et al., 2009).

Role-Making

Through the role-making process, supervisors and managers scrutinize employees to get knowledge of their temperaments, loyalty, work attitudes, characteristics, skills, trustworthiness, commitment to the organization and dedication to work. With the results, managers carefully separate their staff among “In-groups” and “Out-groups” (Atwater & Carmeli., 2009).

In-Group: In every organization, this group of workers are a manager’s favourite because they possess more of the characteristics desired by organizational leaders. These employees also have easy access to managers and possess clear instructions on how to perform their daily tasks. In addition, they have job security with chances of advancement within organizational ranks and partake in the decision-making process. On their part, these “favoured” workers show high level of commitment, work ethics, trustworthiness, and loyalty. They also share the same vison and are most likely to have same personal characteristics with managers (Avolio et al., 2009).

Out-Group: These set of workers defer from those in “Out-groups” because they share no similarities with managers and have less instructions on how to perform their daily tasks. In addition, managers consider Out-group members not dependable, uncommitted, unreliable, and these members do not have chances of advancement. This segmentation among workers often breeds unhealthy competition and inspires tension within the organization (Yukl., 1994).

Routinization: At this stage, an analysis of the leader-staff relationship shows that In-group members maintain solid positions within ranks and regularly impress in their duties whereas workers in the Out-group display negative attitudes, lack of trust and may prove disrespectful to the managers. This highlights the consequences of discriminating against workers within an organization (Blanchard et al., 1993).

Routinization is not a healthy management practice because is hampers smooth administrative process and does not encourage productivity. The management of Sports Direct therefore needs effective corrective measures that can harness workers’ potentials for general good. Anand et al (2011) found the following steps to be useful in harmonizing relationships within an organization:

Identify the Out-Group

Without prejudice, managers and supervisors should conduct thorough inquiries to find out why members of the Out-group do not possess the same characteristics as their counterparts.

Re-establish the Relationship

Managers should implement workable strategies to rekindle cordial leader-staff relationships with members of the Out-group. This starts with a meeting where first-hand information on employees’ emotions, understanding of roles, and expectations from the company. In addition, managers and supervisors should ensure availability of clear procedure for performing tasks, provide the needed support for smooth integration into the management process, and offer opportunities for advancement within ranks to inspire commitment and productivity.

Provide Training and Development Opportunities

Without adequate job trainings, employees find it hard to meet expectations of the managers, therefore, Sports Direct should invest more in staff trainings for both In-group and Out-group members to ensure there is no room for discord. This will aid trust-building between management and staff. In addition, direct coaching from supervisors will have lasting effects on performance and overall behavioural attitude.

Source: https://academicscores.com/2022/12/19/how-the-leader-member-exchange-lmx-theory-works/32

On nothing more than the whim of one board member, a privately held company purchased a large tract of land for millions of dollars that included an abandoned shopping mall with the idea that the company would relocate to the facility after it was remodeled. The board member thought the large parking lot could be used to park all of the organization’s vehicles in one place for logistical benefits, security, and maintenance purposes.

The CEO of the company was against the purchase of the property for several reasons, but he did not create a counterproposal nor did he speak out against the purchase,
much to the frustration of his executive team. His apathetic response was grounded in fear of the board and his own indecisive leadership style. He adopted the philosophy that “everything will work out on its own.”

According to Nayer, leaders become indecisive for a variety of reasons but
primarily because,
1. The leader is a perfectionist who will not decide until every possible piece of
data is gathered;
2. The leader is paralyzed by uncertainty; or
3. The leader prefers the safety of the status quo – go along to get along.

The building was in such bad repair it would cost over $400,000 to renovate it. Also, upon closer inspection, it was determined that the huge parking area would have to be repaved to handle the weight of the vehicles, which included heavy equipment. The building was purchased and at the time of the publication of this book, it sits unused and deteriorating. The surrounding property has gone to seed.

That decision cost almost three million dollars of company assets because one board member insisted that it be purchased, the CEO capitulated and showed no leadership, and no other board member objected. The board and the CEO made lethal mistakes related to poor leadership: they did not plan; they let one board member dominant; they misspent assets; they did not do their homework, and they neglected due
diligence and sound leadership and stewardship principles.

On nothing more than the whim of one board member, a privately held company purchased a large tract of land for millions of dollars that included an abandoned shopping mall with the idea that the company would relocate to the facility after it was remodeled. The board member thought the large parking lot could be used to park all of the organization’s vehicles in one place for logistical benefits, security, and maintenance purposes.

The CEO of the company was against the purchase of the property for several reasons, but he did not create a counterproposal nor did he speak out against the purchase,
much to the frustration of his executive team. His apathetic response was grounded in fear of the board and his own indecisive leadership style. He adopted the philosophy that “everything will work out on its own.”

According to Nayer, leaders become indecisive for a variety of reasons but
primarily because,
1. The leader is a perfectionist who will not decide until every possible piece of
data is gathered;
2. The leader is paralyzed by uncertainty; or
3. The leader prefers the safety of the status quo – go along to get along.

The building was in such bad repair it would cost over $400,000 to renovate it. Also, upon closer inspection, it was determined that the huge parking area would have to be repaved to handle the weight of the vehicles, which included heavy equipment. The building was purchased and at the time of the publication of this book, it sits unused and deteriorating. The surrounding property has gone to seed.

That decision cost almost three million dollars of company assets because one board member insisted that it be purchased, the CEO capitulated and showed no leadership, and no other board member objected. The board and the CEO made lethal mistakes related to poor leadership: they did not plan; they let one board member dominant; they misspent assets; they did not do their homework, and they neglected due
diligence and sound leadership and stewardship principles.

True love bears no grudge. If you love someone from the bottom of your heart, there's nothing that can't be forgiven and forgotten with time. Everybody wants to be understood, forgiven and loved unconditionally. But there are always events that make us feel sad, bitter, angry or heartbroken. Sometimes, you tend to hate the one you love and at other times love the one you hate. Nothing is permanent in marriage and relationships. However, we just need to absorb the much our hearts can take and let go of those who feel happy making us sad all the time.

So sad reading this news

Can Alcohol Cause Permanent Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction is the inability of the penis to become erect. And yes, this can be caused by alcohol intake. Most times, it's just a temporary phenomenon that eventually wears off with time. Now, the question is: can erectile dysfunction be permanent?

Yes, It can be permanent. This is due to the excessive and chronic intake of alcohol. Research has made it clear that most men that dabble into taking heavy doses of alcohol have 60 percent to 70 percent chance of having sexual problems because the excess alcohol in their body system actually destabilizes the normal and proper function of their body. Chronic alcohol intake also makes men lose their sexual desires.

Can Erectile Dysfunction Be Cured?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a really bad situation for any man out there. Definitely, the search for a cure would be on a very high level. Although, not all erectile dysfunction can be cured. Such ED can only be improved through certain treatments or precautions.
Basically, the treatment of an ED patient is based on the causes of their erectile dysfunction.

Firstly, there are the "reversible" causes of erectile dysfunction. These are the kinds of causes that can actually be put to an end. For instance, erectile dysfunction caused by the side effects of taking medications. Medications such as drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. It can also be caused by stress, relationship problems and being overweight. Although the latter causes can be more difficult to Savage than the former causes. However, your erectile dysfunction can be put to an end if the stress problem and weight problem is taken care of.

More so, there are the "treatable" causes. This type of cause cannot be cured. They can only be treated or improved upon. These are causes such as depression, high cholesterol level and hormonal imbalance.

In addition, there are causes that cannot be cured at all. Treatments such as injections, surgery and implants are advisable at this point.
Finally, if you know the cause of your erectile dysfunction as a man, it would be very easy to get a cure or suitable treatment for your ED.

How Does Heavy Drinking Affects A Man's Fertility?

As stated earlier on in this article, moderation is the key to drinking alcohol and still retain a healthy body. However, if you are the type that drinks heavily as a man, then there are a lot of side effects that you should be expecting. Especially the fact that your Fertility is tampered with.

Here are some of the ways heavy drinking affects your fertility as a man:
1. It lowers your testosterone level and luteinizing hormones which eventually causes reduction in your sperm production.
2. Heavy Drinking can shrink your testes. This occurrence can lead to impotence or infertility.
3. It changes the release of gonadotropin which has an effect on sperm production. Gonadotropins are hormones released by the pituitary gland which acts on the sexual reproduction organs to increase the production of sperm and ova. When you drink heavily as a man, it causes the pituitary gland to release gonadotropin irregularly.
4. Drinking heavily can cause changes in the movement, the shape and the size of a healthy sperm.

Final Thought
Both men and women should watch the rate at which they take in alcohol regardless of the reason why it's been taken. This way, the disadvantages of taking alcohol will drastically reduce thereby giving room for the advantages.

The good deeds will come back to you in different shades. Stay blessed.