Peeking into the future is a waste of time
No one knows what tomorrow brings
But gleaning through the pictures makes me smile with pride
Love is such a beautiful thing
What a sweet thing to dream, feel and cherish
It's an adventure for the brave hearts
Not a selfish game for gold diggers
Love, oh sweet love, makes you live forever

The Naira is depreciating with fast wheels
Word on the street says everyone has Buhari on their lips
CBN has no magic for the excruciating pain we feel
Like traditional priests in a feast, they need abokiFX to appease their hidden gods

Nigeria is comparable to an x-rated movie scene where obscene moves are always expected

Once a thief, always a thief...Change is something most people don't believe exists
Give them cash, send them guards, blame it on Buhari...Real transformation starts from within

;DPolice officer in bum shorts grabbing his hot balls is soft porn

May your soul rest in peace, Reverend

Whistleblower Protection and COVID-19

The pivotal role of accountability and transparency in building and maintaining public trust in organizations is indisputable. How the Chinese government and World Health Organization (WHO) undermined public health at the initial and peak stage of COVID-19 pandemic, and consequential global spread of the deadly virus, buttress this assertion. Good corporate governance therefore lends credence, in most cases, to the effectiveness of whistleblowing activities and the level of protection offered in legal systems (Samantha., 2020; Nath et al., 2019; Alam et al., 2019).

According to the United States Department of Labour, a whistleblower is an individual who—without authorization—divulges classified information about an organization. The disclosed private data is usually related to fraud, corruption, mismanagement etc. Whistleblowers generally attribute their actions to selfless concern and commitment to public interest. The term “whistleblower” was first used to refer to public office holders who reported corruption, waste of resources and mismanagement in the government. Whistleblowing now includes activities of employees in public/private establishments which alert a larger group of past or present setbacks to their interests as a result of unethical conducts. On the other hand, whistleblower protection refers to the international framework which offers legal cover from disciplinary or discriminatory actions against people who report workplace wrongdoings to competent authorities in good faith. Whistleblowing is an act of good faith conducted on reasonable grounds. It is usually buoyed by commitment to legal and moral standards (Noam & Brian., 2020; Alam et al., 2019).

Why is whistleblower protection a trending issue?

Whistleblower protection is the bedrock of transparency reforms in corporate governance but most countries are yet to enact and strictly enforce legislations for this purpose (Waheduzzaman., 2019). For example, the coronavirus pandemic which originated from Wuhan, China could have been averted if the Chinese government and WHO responded swiftly to claims by Li Wenliang, the whistleblowing doctor who first warned colleagues of the fast-spreading disease. Unfortunately, due to the government’s strong internal anti-corruption framework which suppresses freedom of speech, Wenliang was arrested, detained and charged for disrupting public order by spreading false rumours. He was later exonerated from the charges but his acquittal was a result of public outcry. The doctor who first reported existence of COVID-19 to the international community in December 2019 eventually contacted the disease in late January 2020 and died the following month (Helen., 2020; McDald et al., 2019).

However, his courage and retaliatory action from the Chinese Communist Party (CPP) highlight lack of commitment to whistleblowing protect even in developed nations, inclusive of the United Kingdom, Canada, France and USA, where nurses and doctors were reportedly warned, disciplined and even fired for reporting workplace concerns about coronavirus precautions (Mintz., 2015). This highlights the need for an institutional, normative and judicial framework at the global level where governments and corporate organizations are most likely to choose profit maximization (including bribery and money laundering) to the detriment of the law—a circumstance which calls for collaborative efforts among civil society groups, media, international organizations, governments, private sector, anti-corruption and labour protection agencies. Few examples are Snowden, Panama Papers, Cambridge Analytica, Dieselgate and LuxLeaks (Moore et al., 2017; House., 2014).

Read more from Irobiko Chimezie Kingsley: https://meziesblog.com/why-is-whistleblower-protection-a-trending-issue/

Un-men-known gun everywhere in this country.
Can men owe God and live long enough to face His blazing wrath?
Not when God knows those with pot belly attract a**licking dogs
Pay your debt to this country with responsible behaviors
It's a mandate for everyone to say no to kidnapping

The economy is too hard
The hoteliers need cool cash
Our police say dem too harsh
Same police know say guys ain't smiling
Niggas died with EndSARS cos nothing works in this country
All they need are just laptops, free hotspot, some hot drinks, and what more?

A house can't stand on faulty foundation.
Integrity, faithfulness, loyalty, self-respect and good morals--and whatever you've got.
You hardly find all these virtues in one person
No one should throw stones unless, of course, you're 100% clean

Young crooks and big fools they are
They hate school and books
They love booze and boobs

You should not scam people.
Why?
Because it's a crime
But the government of my country is guilty, too
Everyone knows. Your government hates competition.

HOW IS FINTECH MAKING MONEY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS?

The past few decades have been very important in the development of financial technology. The world of finance has also witnessed numerous changes that have helped it to further develop. The older banking industry is slowly starting to go out of fashion, and the new financial technology is helping countries around the world to face the challenges raised in the modern world.

The Fintech industry is giving people around the world more autonomy and better control over their finances. This means potentially greater access to wealth as well. Modern technology in the financial markets is actually helping ordinary people to better control their finances and even have access to money in a more efficient way.

Well-designed, user-friendly platforms and applications have the power to change people’s relationships with money. This happens very fast and in a way that has never been possible before.

Thanks to modern technology, more people than ever before have access to the financial markets. No matter what you are interested in, you can easily become part of the trading markets around the world. Whether it is Forex trading or any other investment market, all you need is an internet connection to get started.

By taking advantage of modern technology, Forex brokers around the world are able to offer traders access to numerous trading assets without any barriers. In fact, some of the brokers even let you start trading with no money by using different types of promotions and bonuses. They also work very hard to help newbies further develop their trading skills. This is primarily done by offering traders demo trading accounts and other, similar services.

As the Fintech industry continues to develop, people have a lot easier access to money. This is a very positive development for individuals all around the world. As of today, it is not a problem to send money from one place to another using Mobile Banks, and the industry still has huge room for growth.

FINTECH & ACCESSIBILITY
One of the best things about Fintech is how much it can make everything more accessible for everyone. Fintech gives people the ability to easily access not only money but investment opportunities as well.

What makes Fintech truly unique is its ease of use. No matter what you are using it for, it gives you access to everything you need in just a few clicks, on your smartphone or on your personal computer.

Read more: https://meziesblog.com/how-fintech-is-benefiting-individuals-and-businesses/

Great suggestions. But this is Naija, a country where most bosses/employers see themselves as demi-gods. Very few job seekers know their value, and among this group, the current economic condition and financial challenges deprive many of the courage to negotiate. You might have seen job adverts specifying "very fair, pretty and sociable" females or "tall and handsome" males.

Kudos to Saudi Arabia...This is a giant stride for womanhood and mankind

The Covid-19 (a mutation of the SAARS family of viruses) virus pandemic made its way across the borders of the United Kingdom, from Far East Asia, during January 2020. In response to this public health crisis, following the advice given to the Conservative UK government headed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson; by Epidemiologists, Medical Scientists, and other Medical Academics; The UK initiated a lockdown and containment strategy for the purpose of controlling and eradicating the Covid-19 virus. This involved the legal enforcement of self-isolation and social distancing protocols, which entailed a shutdown of the majority of the UK economy.

As of May 7th 2020, the UK is amidst its 7th week of Covid-19 restrictions, with little sign of these restrictions either being scaled back or coming to an end. Thus, by self-evidence and implication, the economic situation that the UK now finds itself in is nothing short of dire and catastrophic. After, according to the Bank of England, the first 3 weeks of Covid-19 restrictions yielded a -35% drop in GDP, it follows logically, that the UK economy will find itself in a severe economic depression after the Covid-19 restrictions have ended, the likes of which it has never experienced before. With less tax revenue to accrue as a result of business closures and job cuts, conjoined with an inability to borrow enough due to a degrading of the UK’s credit rating by Fitch and others, this is clearly the time for new thinking and new ideas when it comes to governmental procurement of resources and finance.

Henceforth, in this paper I will argue for the direction in which feel I feel The United Kingdom ought to be headed in after these Covid-19 restrictions have ended.

Now it has been reported by various sources in the media that national debt will exceed well over 100% of GDP over the coming year. Of course, this provides incontrovertible proof that economic austerity as a mid-long-term fiscal strategy has been a catastrophic failure for the UK economy. From this, of course, it must be concluded already that, the successive Conservative governments led by Theresa May and Boris Johnson have both let this country down badly with respect to economic policy.

Consider that the UK economy is already going to be around 40% over budget in terms of public spending due to the Covid-19 economic measures, and that is before increased spending on the NHS, Policing and other public sector commitments are taken into account. This should push public spending up to; possibly well above; 100% over budget if the crisis continues into mid-late 2020. What this implies then, is that there has been a 25% increase in public spending attributable to each of the four years which have passed since the EU Referendum. There’s a name for that – it’s called “kamikaze economics.” The failure to invest in our safety has turned austerity into its opposite and put our country and its people under existential threat.

The correct strategy, I ascertain, would have been a Keynesian type model where the UK increased public spending in order to invest in vital infrastructure projects, such as the HS2 High Speed Rail Network, a third runway at Heathrow Airport, building new towns in Mid and North Wales, in order to ease the pressure on the M4 corridor in South Wales, and, redeveloping other economically underperforming areas of the UK such as the North West and North East of England.

It has long been pointed out that the UK economy is characterised by an unhealthy asymmetry in terms of GDP, given that London and the South East of England economically outperforms the rest of the UK in some cases, by approximately 25-50% - possibly more in some cases due to the structural abnormalities outlined above. Of course, we have all been idiots to have tolerated this for so long. Henceforth, it needs to be pointed out right now, in the following paragraph, that this is not just a problem pertinent to the political right.

To elaborate, it’s just a simple case of having to spend money in order to make money. There has never been anyway round this. It’s the same old rule for any economic entity – system, organisation, or business etc -- looking to market itself as a brand offering services for consumption. Thus, it is necessarily the case, that upgrading and developing what is produced is absolutely essential, for anyone, or anything, to remain economically competitive. Our country is not exempt from this rule, though it is as if we have been trying to pretend that it is throughout the entirety of its existence.

Of course, taxation and borrowing alone would not have been the solution to this problem – lest we would surely be levelling the kamikaze economics critique mentioned above at Labour and the political left instead. To put things bluntly, the problem with our state, The United Kingdom, is that our state takes money, but it doesn’t make money.

Occam’s razor, of course, obviates the solution to this, that by implication, the UK has to acquire revenue from other sources, and by other means, for the purpose of making itself economically viable again. To not only rescue itself from this current economic mire, but also to use this catastrophe as an opportunity, as a springboard, to rebalance the UK economy in order to make it strong and resolute for future generations. Specifically, what I’m broadly proposing here is the following tri-conceptual plan:

The Establishment of a “Corporate State”
*The “Corporate State” argued for in the following, needs to be distinguished from the Corporate Sate (or “Corporate Statism” ) from the pre-2nd World War era of the 20th century. In clarification, this Corporate State has nothing to do with the political ideology of fascism, and does not entail the corporate economic community as a whole partaking in governmental policy making for its own benefit. Additionally, it does not imply “State Capitalism” either. To elaborate, the Corporate State argued for here does not own nor seek to own, either the entirety, or majority part of the economic system of which it tasked with administering.

Conversely, this Corporate State concept implies, that the Post-Covid-19 restricted State of The United Kingdom should effectively bail out capitalism, in order to go into business (i.e. hedge-funding, stock market, shareholding etc.) as a fully functioning, competitive economic entity operating within its own economic system. This for the purpose of making money for itself, and by entailment, for the people of The United Kingdom, for the purpose of building the type of society that we all want to live in – one that is safe, secure and prosperous. A society that not only prioritises reproducing itself monetarily and economically, but more importantly, prioritises its own survivability; above anything else.

The Establishment of a Benign Form of “Neo-Colonialism”
*The “Neo-Colonialism” concept argued for in the following needs to be distinguished from the “Neo-Colonialism” concept postulated by Marxian influenced 20th century Geopolitical and Economic theorists on the political left. According to the Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy their “Neo-Colonialism” can be described as:
“[T]he subtle propagation of socio-economic and political activity by former colonial rulers aimed at reinforcing capitalism, neo-liberal globalization, and cultural subjugation of their former colonies. In a Neo-Colonial state, the former colonial masters ensure that the newly independent colonies remain dependent on them for economic and political direction. The dependency and exploitation of the socio-economic and political lives of the now independent colonies are carried out for the economic, political, ideological, cultural, and military benefits of the colonial masters’ home states. This is usually carried out through indirect control of the economic and political practices of the newly independent states instead of through direct military control as was the case in the colonial era.”

Just to clarify, the benign Neo-Colonialism argued for here exists primarily for the purpose of assisting, and not dominating; nor indirectly controlling, both ex-British Empire and non-British Empire states for the purpose of maximising their economic potential; potentially facilitating the fulfilment of their economic aspirations in the process.

In relation to this, it is contemporarily the case that large subsets of the UK population are constantly bemoaning the ill-effects of inward migration upon the UK’s economy and public sector service commitments. As some form of remedy, perhaps the country could return the favour to the likes of Pakistan, India and Poland et al., by exporting some of its skilled UK citizens in return. This for the purpose of helping to optimise their economies, and their public sectors, whilst releasing some of the burden upon our own economic and public sector commitments.

Consider that an advantageous by-product, might be the facilitation of a shift of public attitudes towards inward migration, in a more positive direction, in turn, facilitating a more blended and harmonised form of multi-culturalism, enabling smoother cooperation, social-cohesion, and more nuanced understandings between different ethnic communities.

Also in support of Benign Neo-Colonialism, consider the fact that in Latin America and Africa there are, on the negative side, constant economic woes, but approaching two billion potential consumers. UK benign neo-colonial intervention within these areas could not only help to fix and optimise these problem economies, but also help to extend global capitalism, and create new markets, by effectively creating new consumers. This of course, implies more money to be made and the generation of extra resources for them, for us, and potentially, for other members of the global economic community.

Instilling a Societal Attitude Change
To intellect, to power and to each other. Firstly, to intellect. As mentioned earlier, UK society needs to shift its primary priority from reproducing itself monetarily and economically, towards facilitating its own survivability. In order to achieve this, there needs to be a change in both the lay public, and academic attitude, towards the scientific method and the quantitative disciplines. More specifically, the focus of attention here needs to be directed towards the humanities, which have become in recent times, stuck-fast within a quagmire of theological and Freudio-Marxist quicksand.

The metaphysical and lexical simplicity of such all explanatory theological and Freudio-Marxist conceptual schemas, and their derivatives, appeals to the lay public in a way that scientific and quantitative explanations cannot. This due mainly to the fact that such conceptual schemas are usually composed of maybe a half-dozen or so concepts, which offer quick and easy, but mainly fallacious, interpretive explanations, of the various economic and socio-existential circumstances that ordinary people usually find themselves in. The epistemic respect that these ideas command within the lay public, only serves to build up unreasonable expectations within the publics minds of what can be achieved both politically and economically. Of course, this negates any effort at instilling any kind of political or economic realism within the public psyche.

Secondly, to power. UK society needs to revise its attitude towards accountability, and to become more system focused, supporting a more engineer-like approach to government and economic management. To elucidate, the command and control model of government needs to be consigned to history, because it is widely accepted, as both a social scientific and axiomatic fact, that the “person in control pulling the levers and steering the ship” idea, is of course, a complete and utter logical fallacy. This needs to be exchanged for something akin to a “circuit-board” type analogy, whereby the engineers (the people in charge) seek to optimise parts of the system (the circuit-board) by systematically repairing and improving its function – via intermittent “piecemeal testing”. The public need to accept this as being closer to reality than either Plato or Descartes, and thus, to accept some measure of political and economic realism in the process.

Thirdly, towards each other. Given the current economic context, it would be profoundly unhealthy for the various members of UK society to keep on killing each other over Jesus Christ and Karl Marx. What UK society collectively needs to kill right now at this very moment, is this toxic ideological dialectic itself, which has in large part, caused a stymying of both economic growth and intellectual progress – hampering the UK’s efforts at maximising its own survivability in the process. The Covid-19 crisis and its existential implications ought to serve as a wake-up call to everybody right now with respect to this.

Of course, then, by logical implication it follows, that the UK simply cannot tolerate members or supporters of any one political party in opposition attempting to cause socio-economic problems for the incumbent government any longer. For this only serves to deprive the country of the vital resources it needs to protect itself from problems like pandemics.

Finally, what also needs to be killed, is the jealousy and antipathy shown towards each other by ordinary members of the public over ideology, theology, economic circumstance and career success etc. What ought to be aimed for, is a shift from jealousy and antipathy towards a culture of self-improvement, where ordinary people can take pleasure in the success of each other. In further support of pushing against such social negativity, the question needs to be asked – “how much economic growth is lost due to individuals sniping and trying to throw a spanner in the works for each other, rather than focussing upon getting the job done?” The answer to this must be, by logical abstraction, well into the negative quantitatively, but obviously in practice it is practically immeasurable.

Of course, overcoming this sort of problem entails facilitating a more equal society characterised by pragmatism and instrumentality rather than ideological or theological fixation. Personally, I would much rather members of the public continue to worship Jesus Christ, and to celebrate Karl Marx and the workers movement in a more moderate and positive fashion, than to cease to exist entirely.

Bibliography...

Irobiko Chimezie Kingsley offers academic writing services (such as Thesis, Dissertation, Research Proposal, Personal Statement, Term Papers etc). Hire him for top grades. https://meziesblog.com/how-to-revive-the-uk-economy-after-covid-19/

RIP

I suddenly forgot how to laugh at this stuff.
Cucumber and cocks, what a turn-off.
That ain't funny at all nowweww
Ain't that a man's pants upside down?
I see bank accounts upended
Even heart that pounds like Pacman

Some students are smart but too busy to write
Many students prefer professional academic writing service from experienced academic writers for many reasons
I'm one of those experienced academic writers with a track record satisfactory service.
We are like tailors and students our models.
We sew beautiful unbranded clothes (anonymity and data privacy).
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The intelligent students among our clients usually score A or B, and rarely C.
Academic writing in Nigeria, Canada, USA or the UK is ethical although universities kick against it.
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May her soul rest in peace

Education in Nigeria is heartache
Many gave up their studies with heartbreak
First class results don't make sense
Creativity and confidence students crave
Frustration and poor results most get instead
You might have a heart attack in universities with egoistic lecturers
But education isn't an end by itself, it's all about grades, and a means to an end
Poor results aren't worth suicide

When men play god, it takes grace for the upright to live long
When men play god, even brave ones fall victims to injustice
The arms of the law may not too long
The cries of the poor may not be too loud
But when Karma calls, even the gods know a word is enough

THE TALLEST MAN IN THE UNITED STATES, UKRAINIAN-BORN IGOR VOVKOVINSKIY, DIED ON FRIDAY AT 38 YEARS OLD. HE BATTLED HEART DISEASE UNTIL HIS DEATH AT THE MAYO CLINIC IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA.

His mother, Svetlana Vovkovinska, an ICU nurse at Mayo, initially posted about his death on Facebook.

After coming to the Mayo Clinic as a child for treatment in 1989, a tumor pressing against his pituitary gland was discovered, causing it to secrete abnormal levels of growth hormone.

Growing to 7 feet 8 inches, Vovkovinskiy became the tallest man in the U.S.

Vovkovinskiy was a celebrity when he arrived from Ukraine because of his height. However, his elder brother, Oleh Ladan, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, that Vovkovinskiy “would have rather lived a normal life than be known.”

Vovkovinskiy appeared on the Dr. Oz Show and was mentioned by President Barack Obama during a campaign rally in 2009.

Vovkovinskiy traveled to New York City and was declared America’s tallest living person by a Guinness World Records adjudicator on Oz’s show at the age of 27, edging out a sheriff’s deputy from Virginia by a third of an inch.

In 2012, he issued a plea for funds to cover the cost of specially made shoes estimated at $16,000 that could prevent crippling pain, stating that he had not owned a pair for years that fit his size 26 feet.

Thousands responded to his plea and Reebok provided custom shoes for free.

According to Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, which is holding a memorial service, Vovkovinskiy was born on 8th September, 1982, in Bar, Ukraine, to Vovkovinska and Oleksandr Ladan.

https://meziesblog.com/americas-tallest-man-dies-at-38/

TEACHING ABROAD IS NO BIG DEAL EXCEPT THAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE FOR SOME COMMUNICATION-RELATED CHALLENGES.

Let’s start with the tense. Most teachers use common set of gestures to show the required tense – e.g. pointing forwards with one finger means the future tense, pointing down to one’s feet means the present tense, while indicating over one shoulder with the thumb implies the past tense. These different gestures are first taught by giving oral instruction along with the particular gesture and, gradually, your students will get the point.

Of course, you can add to the common set of gestures and develop your own catalogue of gestures.

But you should be very careful with some gestures.

Quite few gestures are universally understood and interpreted. What is perfectly acceptable in, say, the USA or the UK may be rude, frowned upon, or misleading in other cultures.

Here are some useful examples:

Beckoning with your index finger. This means come here in the UK but not in the Middle or the Far East, Portugal, Spain, Latin America, Japan, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. It is more acceptable to beckon with the palm down, with fingers or your whole hand waving.

Pointing at something or someone in the room, using your index finger. It is impolite to point with the index finger in the Middle and the Far East. Using an open hand or your thumb is more acceptable.

Making a V sign. This means Victory in most of Europe when you make this sign with your palm facing away from you. If you face your palm in, the same gesture means get lost or worse.

Forming a circle with fingers to indicate OK. Although this gesture may mean OK in the U.S.A. and some other countries around the world, there are some notable exceptions. In Brazil and Germany, this gesture is obscene. In Japan, this means money. In France, it has the additional meaning of zero or worthless.

Patting a student on the head. This can be very upsetting for some Asian students. In the Buddhist religion, the head is deemed sacred. So, some children from cultures influenced by Buddhism may feel uncomfortable if their head is touched.

Passing an item to someone with one hand. In some Far East countries, this is very rude. Even a small object such as a pencil or business card must be passed with two hands. In many Middle and Far Eastern countries, it is rude to pass something with your left hand, which is considered unclean.

Nodding your head up and down to say Yes. In Bulgaria, for example, nodding your head up and down means No.

Source: https://meziesblog.com/do-you-want-to-teach-abroad-learn-these-useful-tips-about-gestures/

Irobiko Chimezie Kingsley is an experienced teacher, researcher and academic writer. He provides academic writing services such as Thesis, Dissertation, Personal Statement, Research Proposal etc.

We’ve all heard of SMART goals but more and more people are wondering which to use in the choice between SMART goals and CLEAR goals. Both acronyms help you create goals for your team that are more measurable and focused, and thus, easier to conceptualize and to achieve. At the same time, there are several key differences that separate them.

SMART STANDS FOR:
Specific – this step means that every goal should be as concrete as possible. What is its purpose? Who is involved? What are the steps? What do you need to complete it?
Measurable – each goal should have a quantifiable outcome. This step helps you ensure you’re using assessable factors to judge if it has been completed. Ask questions like “how much?” and “how many?”
Achievable – You should be able to complete your goal. That means you should be able to do it with the resources, time, and team members you have available.
Relevant – Why are you setting this goal? Does it align with your team’s purpose? Does each individual have a stake in the goal? Does it fit with your team’s culture?
Time-bound – Like “measurable,” your goal should have a timeframe, as well. That means you should determine how long it will take to complete

SMART has become a successful goal-setting acronym because it encourages teams to be reasonable and set external constraints like quantifiable achievement and timeframes.

Still, there are some in the business world who think SMART has reached the limits of its usefulness. They suggest that SMART goals are too fixed, as today’s businesses need to be ever-changing and adaptable.

Read more: https://meziesblog.com/whats-the-difference-between-smart-goals-and-clear-goals/

Pray not to sleep with the enemy watching over you
Say 'God forbid' when you read bad news like this one

Like a catalyst, jealousy fuels the passion of love
It's not fallacy, dying for love makes sense only to 'bravehearts'

Inecurity
Peace and Unity
I can hardly differentiate

Don’t be fooled by the term ‘disruption’. Many people misinterpret this as meaning the process of digital disruption is a negative one; that it is an attack on their business.

In reality, it is only a negative force for those who chose to ignore it or try to fight it. Those who embrace it often find that it can benefit their business in various ways, contributing to their success.

What Is Digital Disruption?

Digital disruption is a transformation that is caused by emerging digital technologies and business models. These innovative new technologies and models can impact the value of existing products and services offered in the industry. This is why the term ‘disruption’ is used, as the emergence of these new digital products/services/businesses disrupts the current market and causes the need for re-evaluation.

An Example of Digital Disruption: Kodak Cameras Fail To Capture Future Markets

Kodak were one of the first to introduce cameras to the mainstream market. They monopolised the markets for the majority of the 20th century, but unfortunately failed to keep up with the changing identities of their customers and the changing needs and expectations that came along with them.

Digital cameras made the move from being a just piece of photographic equipment to being a much more life-friendly, fun gadget. And where as Kodak originally had their target consumer pegged as female, the male digital camera market opened up thanks to the ‘gadget’ culture. Some clever marketing from other digital technology brands led to changes in consumer perceptions and created a new ‘need’ for photographic gadgets.

This allowed brands such as Sony and Canon to swoop in and steal the hearts of the consumers with their new technologies and approaches, while Kodak stuck to their guns and fought the change for as long as they could. Despite rapidly losing market share, they refused to succumb to the inevitable force of digital disruption and in 2012 they eventually declared bankruptcy.

How Does Digital Disruption Impact Businesses?

The lesson we can learn from Kodak is that digital disruption is an unstoppable force and to try and fight it is futile.

But what businesses can do is embrace digital disruption, even plan for it. Keeping an eye on the ball and knowing the signs of digital disruption emerging in your industry means you can get ahead of the game and work with the flow rather than against it. Not only does this prevent the wave of digital disruption from washing away your success, it can also lead to further growth and new opportunities for the business.

Digital disruption typically marks changes in consumer needs and therefore working with the tide allows you to fulfil these emerging needs, keeping existing customers happy and opening up opportunities for new customers to find what they need from your brand.

Hire Irobiko Chimezie Kingsley to write your Thesis, Dissertation, Research Proposal, Personal Statement etc. https://meziesblog.com/digital-disruption-everything-you-should-know/

Wasting energy on frivolities.

FOREWORD BY THE AUTHOR

Whistleblower Protection and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic in December 2019, a large number of whistleblowers have suffered retaliatory actions and punishment from their employers for daring to air opinions about unethical practices, corruption and public safety issues. In China, for example, coronavirus whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang allegedly breached disclosure agreement by warning colleagues of the looming pandemic and sharing the information on social media. Internet users praised his courage against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). But he was immediately arrested and detailed for many days, with allegations of “spreading false rumours” and “seriously disrupting public order.” In January 2020, the 34-year-old tested positive to COVID-19 and died in early February. His death sparked outrage in China, particularly against the government’s powerful internal anti-corruption setup.

Wenliang was eventually exonerated. After an investigative committee set up by the Chinese government bowed to protests from human rights activists (mostly millions of social media users who supported corporate whistleblowing), the reprimand against him was withdrawn. But about eight more citizens were reported disciplined for breaching the law with regards to their involvement in spreading rumours about the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) did not declare coronavirus a global health emergency until March 2020. Most of the Chinese doctors that worked with Wenliang on the novel coronavirus are speculated to be dead. This analysis explains the crucial role of whistleblowing as a globally-accepted control mechanism on corporate governance. Unfortunately, recurring incidents of retaliatory actions against whistleblowers during the coronavirus pandemic indicate the current protections available are flawed, ineffective and poorly implemented in almost every country.

Whistleblower protection needs to be strengthened through an extensive consultation and debate among relevant stakeholders in every government. In Nigeria and Canada, the absence of whistleblowing culture in private and public sectors is a major setback in disaster risk management—as seen during the coronavirus pandemic—and the huge financial and human costs are immeasurable. Further, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) established Whistleblower Protection Fund with N50 million for the purpose of supporting the fight against corruption, fraud and mismanagement. But unlike the mirrored UK protection law, which is responsible for the whistleblowing achievements in Ghana and Jamaica, the adapted Nigerian framework has yielded insignificant results. The problem is an absence of ethical standards and culture of whistleblowing among Nigerians. In addition, whistleblowing causes disruptions in organizations, leading to loss of investors and earnings—with noticeable dents on its credibility and public image. For these reasons, organizations always attempt to suppress actions from insiders and observers who consider it a moral and legal obligation to publicly report any perceived and/or actual cases of unethical practices.

Whistleblowing in corporate governance therefore serves as a preventive measure against fraud, corruption and mismanagement. But anonymous whistleblowing should be encouraged to avoid punishment from employers where existing protection mechanisms are not effective. For example, most hospitals in the United States and other countries are alleged to have warned, disciplined and even fired staff members (including doctors and nurses) who went public with workplace concerns about coronavirus precautions. This research aims at examining the loopholes in whistleblower protection laws and how the identified weaknesses enabled violation of human rights to the detriment of public health safety during COVID-19 pandemic.

To achieve the main purposes of whistleblowing, each country needs peculiar, unified whistleblower law such as Australia’s integrated system which includes the Corporations Act, Banking Act, Insurance Act, Life Insurance Act and Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act. In addition, corporate whistleblowing must: (1) be made in “good faith” to qualify as a protected disclosure, (b) not offend or contravene rights of corporations and financial services legislation, or violate any other governmental law which may be punishable, (ii) and, not involve conduct that represents a danger to the public or financial system. This study on the listed areas of corporate whistleblowing with certainly add to the body of knowledge and provide foundational guide for more inquiries on the subject.

From the results of this study, recommendations will be made on how governments can improve legal frameworks to protect whistleblowers, build trust among employees and observers, revitalise whistleblowing channels, improve corporate compliance and prevent unnecessary loss of lives in the future – as would have been the case if the Chinese government had taken responsibility to protect its citizens and the world, long before Li Wenliang’s public outcry.

By IROBIKO CHIMEZIE KINGSLEY, a freelance academic writer https://meziesblog.com/whistleblower-protection-and-the-covid-19-pandemic/

What a dehumanizing way to take a bow! Keep your pride and dignity no matter the challenge...It gets darkest before dawn.