₦airaland Forum

Freedom of speech or right to self expression...Threats of violence or war has never been a solution in Nigeria. It didn't work against Niger-Delta. The protracted (not lost) war with Boko Haram and similar organizations proves a point in this regard. What pains the heart most is that innocent lives are being wasted and someone is trading words that bring back disheartening, dehumanizing and traumatizing past.

In God we trust, not arms. And posterity will judge many Nigerians for the roles played.

Freedom of speech or right to self expression...Threats of violence or war has never been a solution in Nigeria. It didn't work against Niger-Delta. The protracted (not lost) war with Boko Haram and similar organizations proves a point in this regard. What pains the heart most is that innocent lives are being wasted and someone is trading words that bring back disheartening, dehumanizing and traumatizing past.

In God we trust, not arms. And posterity will judge many Nigerians for the roles played.

From Zoogeria to a Hollywood movie scene...We've heard so many lies and cries that no one knows what to believe. We've lost credibility, integrity and love for one another. What a nation!

Some are guilty until proven innocent while others are permitted to maim and kill with reckless abandon. Law of the jungle.

This is quite sad for IMO state and Nigeria. The level of insecurity is high and human lives seem to have lost value in the hands of those saddled with the responsibility to protect us.

Hmm, things fell apart a long time ago in Nigeria...Not sure the centre will ever hold again.

May his soul Rest In Peace. No individual has to right to shed blood, except on orders from the government. But the more you look, the less you see in Zoogeria. God knows better.

Pointing accusing fingers won't help us rebuild at this time. Let the police do their job without fear or favour.

It is wrong to conclude that all lawyers are liars who don't know God. Some lawyers have high moral standards and will never defend criminals. Others fight against injustice, abuse and corruption. So, if they're buried face down, it should be seen as an act (in the profession) to acknowledge God's supremacy and righteousness. Lawyers play God to mortals and they're fully aware that legal and socio-cultural systems are complex, somewhat biased against some groups within a population, and largely prone to distortions. To some extent, lawyers have contributed immensely to the existence of humans and societies.

When will this spate of killings end in Nigeria? It's nauseating.

New strains of germs and diseases, for sure. It's a big risk to buy food and drinks from unknown sources, especially locally-prepared products. Some sellers don't have human sympathy. The quest for money has also beclouded their reasoning and some of them will risk lives to get rich quick. What a world!

Up Chelsea...Since the days of Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, Chelsea has been a home to Africans.

COVID-19 survivors have every reason to be thankful to God after seeing countries lose human and material resources to the pandemic. Oga El-Rufai has tales to tell, but not his wife running away from him. The deadly virus can't spell LOVED ONES. To love and cherish for better or worse no follow.

He should be given an Honorary Award for the exploit, and spanked until he denounces voyeurism.

Frustration.

The porn industry isn't paying as usual since COVID-19, and she's probably depressed with little or no financial backup.

RIP, Ify...May your soul find rest.

Chai! Man's inhumanity to man. This is a tough hit on our trust-building measures with security operatives in Nigeria

Many things. But first, Nigeria needs true federalism starting with a review of its current revenue sharing formula. The derivative formula should be reviewed for a more equitable sharing of resources.

Happy birthday, pretty woman. She's elegant, sexy and charming at 34.

May God help us in this country. This has an undertone of ritual killing...If he's not the murderer, shouldn't he have raised alarm? Anyway, he could be mentally unstable...But there's a limit to the stench even a mad man can take.
This is frightening.

If you think that men cheat for sex and women cheat for love, you’re totally wrong.

Alicia Walker, author of The Secret Life Of The Cheating Wife, carried out extensive research for new book Chasing Masculinity and her findings shatter gender stereotyping on infidelity.

She said: “The men in this study enjoyed the sex in their affairs, but valued emotional connection and intimacy more highly.

“The vast majority of women purely sought sexual satisfaction.”

Below, she shares some of her unexpected findings.

MEN CHEAT FOR INTIMACY, WOMEN CHEAT FOR SEX
MEN are still painted as creatures that can’t refuse sex.

Sayings like “all men cheat” and “boys will be boys” reinforce common assumptions that cheating is in their genes.

But it’s not true. The vast majority of men she spoke to craved intimacy and attention, and when they couldn’t get it at home they looked elsewhere.

Men wanted a woman to compliment them, praise them and listen to the mundane details of their days.

They wanted what we commonly call The Girlfriend Experience, with hours of sensual sex and lots of kissing and touching.

But the majority of women wanted no-strings sex. They actively vetted partners who weren’t needy or dependent.

WOMEN NEED TO CLIMAX FOR MEN TO ENJOY SEX
EVERY single man said their partner’s orgasms gave them pleasure.

Their masculinity rests on sexual prowess, and making their partner climax is proof of their manliness.

They saw their ability to satisfy as a special skill and it boosted their confidence between the sheets.

They relayed statements such as “Your wife doesn’t know what she’s missing” with pride.

MEN NEED PRAISE FROM PARTNER TO FEEL DESIRED
THE men believed their partners lacked interest in them and were “impossible to please”.

As a result, they felt like a constant disappointment to their wives.

The dynamics of the marital bed added to their sense of failure as their wives either didn’t orgasm during sex or, in a few cases, they orgasmed but rushed their lovemaking.

All the men said their wives approached sex like one more chore to complete.

Comments from their mistresses such as “Your wife is so lucky to have you” made them feel more manly and content.

MEN DESIRE MONOGAMY, WOMEN LESS SO
WHEN it comes to adultery, men are painted as “cheaters” and women as the “wronged party”.

But recent research shows that a number of men desire monogamy and are true to one person, while many women have more than one sexual partner – openly and secretly.

Racism has accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic from its early stages with reports of East Asian people experiencing racist attacks on the streets of Britain1. In the United States (US) President Trump has repeatedly chosen to refer to the ‘Chinese virus’ in his official briefings from the White House2. Whilst all of these actions have been widely condemned, they are merely the most overt expressions of racism in connection with the virus. Less overt racism may well cost numerous lives.

Early reports suggest that people from racially minoritised groups are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in the UK and US. In the UK, a national critical care audit has shown that despite making up 18% of the general population, people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups represent 32% of critical care patients3. In the US, several states report that racially minoritised groups are also bearing the brunt of the disease4. In Michigan for example, African Americans make up 14% of the state’s population, but 40% of its deaths.

To those that study health disparities, these differences may come as no surprise. Racial disparities in other health conditions are common. But how we account for these disparities informs the action we take in response to them. So what may be the causes for these racial differences with COVID-19?

In the UK, people from BAME groups are, on average, more likely to live in deprived, densely populated urban areas, where smaller living space is more common. Thus they are more likely to be exposed to the virus due to socioeconomic factors that mean that they cannot socially distance as advised. They are more likely to be persistently poor with higher rates of unemployment or in low-skilled, low-paid occupations5. They may be less able to work from home. BAME groups may also be more likely to have poor outcomes once infected. The Marmot Review Ten Years On examines health equity in England and shows that people living in economically deprived areas have a lower life expectancy and increased risk of chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension6. These chronic health conditions are associated with poorer outcomes with COVID-197. All of this points to socioeconomic factors having a great impact on health disparities.

Despite this evidence, when racial disparities are observed in health outcomes biological explanations are often proposed by commentators and indeed clinicians, and unfortunately COVID-19 is no different. The UK critical care audit cited at the start of this piece has provoked discussion about possible causes for the disparities, including biological differences. This is not surprising, as it remains common practice for doctors to use ‘race’ as a marker for ancestry and to believe that human bodies have innate differences that can be determined by physical appearance8. But ‘race’ is a poor marker of ancestry - the Human Genome Project demonstrated that there is more genetic diversity within racialised groups than between them. Categorising people into races by their appearance or cultural practices is also done with great variability amongst clinicians and researchers9. Most doctors are not taught about the historical context for now discredited scientific theories of distinct races10.

Notions of ‘race’ developed by European scientists and philosophers during the period of European colonial expansion ascribed different traits, and crucially, value to different bodies. These theories helped facilitate the subjugation, enslavement and genocide of peoples thought to be of lower human worth than Europeans. This thinking was also used to justify unethical medical experimentation on subjects11. Doctors continue to use knowledge gained from these experiments, but are rarely taught about the origins of this knowledge. This is significant, as echoes of this thinking can still be heard in current medical discussions. For example, in early April 2020 French television showed doctors suggesting that COVID-19 vaccine trials should be carried out in Africa, not Europe or Australia, as there were less healthcare facilities and protective equipment there12. This suggests that unequal value is still ascribed to different bodies.

COVID-19 is far from unusual in being a disease that some parts of the population are affected by, at a higher rate. Attempting to explain this by defaulting to theories of racial difference is, to put it mildly, not good science. Professor of Public Health and Policy, Margaret Whitehead, described health inequities as resulting from the “systematic and unjust distribution of economic, political and environmental resources needed for health” 13. If we continue to misattribute racialised health disparities to innate biological causes, we ignore the socioeconomic determinants of health that contribute to these health inequities.

With our current limitations on critical care capacity, decisions are being made rapidly about who will be most likely to survive and therefore who should have access to critical care resources. Doctors are advised to consider underlying health conditions14. It is highly likely that the underlying health conditions will include those that BAME groups are disproportionately affected by, which suggests that racial inequalities may indirectly factor in determining who gets critical care. We risk removing health resources from those who are already socially disadvantaged, thus compounding health inequities. In such a situation, there is a serious risk that racial inequality, social in origin, might implicitly be used as a justification for further racial inequality. To prepare for future pandemics, clinicians and researchers must recognise how racial pseudo-science still manifests in subtle, but potentially deadly ways in our decision-making.


References

1. Chinese students flee UK after 'maskaphobia' triggered racist attacks. The Guardian, 17/3/20.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/mar/17/chinese-students-flee-uk-after-maskaphobia-triggered-racist-attacks

2. Trump sparks anger by calling coronavirus the 'Chinese virus'. The Guardian, 17/3/20.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/17/trump-calls-covid-19-the-chinese-virus-as-rift-with-coronavirus-beijing-escalates

3. Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre, UK. 4/4/20. https://www.icnarc.org/About/Latest-News/2020/04/04/Report-On-2249-Patients-Critically-Ill-With-Covid-19

4. Early Data Shows African Americans Have Contracted and Died of Coronavirus at an Alarming Rate. ProPublica, 3/4/20.
https://www.propublica.org/article/early-data-shows-african-americans-have-contracted-and-died-of-coronavirus-at-an-alarming-rate

5. Cabinet Office, Race Disparity Audit, 2017.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/686071/Revised_RDA_report_March_2018.pdf

6. Marmot M, Allen J, Boyle T et al, 2020. Marmot Review 10 years on. http://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/marmot-review-10-years-on/the-marmot-review-10-years-on-full-report.pdf

7. Li, B., Yang, J., Zhao, F. et al. Prevalence and impact of cardiovascular metabolic diseases on COVID-19 in China. Clin Res Cardiol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-020-01626-9

8. Yudell M, Roberts D, DeSalle R, Tishkoff S. Taking race out of human genetics. Science. 2016;351(6273):565.

9. Fullwiley, D. 2007. Race and genetics: Attempts to define the relationship. BioSocieties 2(2): 221-237.

10. Braun L and Saunders B. Avoiding Racial Essentialism in Medical Science Curricula. AMA J Ethics. 2017 Jun 1;19(6):518-527. doi:10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.6.peer1-1706

11. Dhairyawan R. Acknowledge, in the curriculum, those who suffered for the advancement of medical science. BMJ. 2020 Feb 25;368:m714. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m714

12. Coronavirus: France racism row over doctors' Africa testing comments. BBC News, 3/4/20. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52151722

13. WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on social determinants of health. Geneva, WHO, 2008.

14. NICE guidelines [NG159]. COVID-19 rapid guidelines: critical care in adults. Last updated 31/3/20.

Health implications of Racism in the COVID-19 era by Irobiko Chimezie Kingsley Source: https://meziesblog.com/health-implications-of-racism-in-the-covid-19-era/

A Review of Literatures on Workplace Violence Suffered by Nurses

Stephen Tee, Yeter Sinem Üzar Özçetin, and Michele Russell-West head “Workplace violence experienced by nursing students: A UK survey”, Nurse Education Today, 2016, vol. 41 pp.30–35

The evidence-based practice, which generally refers to the direct application of scientific, quantitative/experimental research findings to professional practice has been underway in nursing for over two decades (Sarah, Walls 2008). Consequently, nurses are required to provide best evidence-based practice (EBP) wherever possible and according to Hek (2000 p 19-2t 1), to identify this 'best evidence', the nurse must undertake an evaluation and critical review of research studies, to see if the research is useful and of sufficient quality to be applied to their practice (Fink, 2005); and part of this process of providing care involves appraising primary research, based on the best available evidence (Elliot, 2001, p 555) and also assessing the quality of the available research which is relevant to their practice (Freshwater and Bishop, 2003k p. 23; Hek, 2000 p 19-21)
This essay is set to review the article, “Workplace violence experienced by nursing students: A UK survey”, by Stephen Tee, Yeter Sinem Üzar Özçetin, and Michele Russell-West which is published in a respectable journal, The Nurse Education Today, (vol 41). The research article pointedly addresses the nature and scope of workplace violence amongst a sample of the UK nursing student population during clinical placement. Now, the appraisal tools for healthcare practitioners assist them in analyzing and critiquing primary research articles, since such models are developed over time in relation to standardized conceptualizations of what constitutes quality and rigor in research and in its reporting. The primary critiquing tool used in this essay is that adapted from (Terry, L 2014), but reference will be made to other critiquing guides and information e.g., Cormack (2000) and Coughlan M, et all (2007)


BELIEVABILITY
Title
The title of the research article is crystal clear and lucid: “Workplace violence experienced by nursing students: A UK survey” (2016). From the lingual collections of the article’s introduction and background, it clearly describes fully the focus of the research (Terry, L 2014). While the nature of the research in appreciating the nature and scope of workplace violence amongst a sample of the UK nursing student population during clinical placement and to recommend strategies that educational institution can implement to successfully manage the impact, is apparent in the aim of the research, there is absolutely nothing indicating strategies that educational institution can implement to successfully manage the impact of these particular variables in the title. Though the title does indicate the research approach used as a survey method and it would not be difficult for people searching online data bases to find this particular study, it however does not indicate that solutions are discussed to manage the impact of the violence, therefore, the title is not concise (Cormack, 2000).



Authors
The qualifications and credentials of the authors are very poorly provided (Terry, L 2014). Only providing the institution and the faculty of the writer, for example: “Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Royal London House, Bournemouth, United Kingdom”, is a very lame manner of attaching qualification to a writer of any professional article. Nothing is known of their postgraduate degrees. Readers are simply left to infer the extent of their educational integrity. We could agree that they all are registered nurses, all of which should be armed with postgraduate degrees, but we could not tell if any has a doctorate. All we were made to know is that they all work within nursing education in a University context.
This could not therefore suggest that they all have the research skills and expertise to carry out such a study or that any of them have the statistical expertise for the study. (Terry, L 2014; Coughlan, Ryan, F 2007; Cormack 2000)

Abstract
All issues are importantly introduced effectively. It summarizes the research analysis by indicating clearly that it uses recognizable data collection tools. The abstract gives a wide panoramic view of the whole article as it identifies the aim, background, design, findings, and conclusion. The author successfully presents the framework of the whole article in the abstract, containing the summary of the study sample, and also identifies the research tools that have been used. The manner of which the findings were made and the results and a summary of conclusions from these findings. The abstract therefore, is a profound representation of the content of the article itself and everyone can identify just by the abstract whether the article is relevant to their interest or not.

ROBUSTNESS
Literature Review
Centrally, “Workplace violence experienced by nursing students: A UK survey” (2016), was published to appreciate the nature and scope of workplace violence amongst a sample of the UK nursing student population during clinical placement. The purpose is to recommend effective strategies that universities can implement to successfully manage the impact of violence meted on nursing students. These two distinct intentions are well conveyed within this article. The introduction clearly defines violence in the workplace, stating the impact of violence on these individuals' daily lives and how effort had been made in distant past to target workplace culture. The authors veritably discuss violence itself, how often reported or not these situations are and how these psychologically impact upon the victim. They summarize some research about this topic, and also look at how often exposed student nurses are to such unwanted conduct. There is some exploration of the vulnerability of Student nurses and new graduates entering the workforce which particularly is at an alarmingly high risk as they are often younger, less experienced and less aware of cultural norms and care, which aids understanding of the concept prior to reading the rest of the article.

Enough research materials on the subject matter of violence in the workplace are not consulted and referred to (Ryan, F 2007). They however fail to highlight some important topics in relation to the focus of the article, including prevention and mean of stopping such violence. It is left to the less experienced reader to pursue further explanation of the medical parlance. This could be considered a limitation in the reporting of this research.

Research Problems
Uncontrovertibly, the issue shot into the air like a hurling missile by the article is obviously no small one, taking into account the critical nature of which violence, within professional perimeters, as pitched to a point that it is regarded as one of the profession’s major problem. It is therefore expected that any write-up, article, or research analysis on issues of this global nature must be carefully attempted to ensure the work is unsullied and inerrant; a task which was the analysis was up to.

The major method employed in the whole research analysis, is a survey, designed with questions to be answered voluntarily by students. This method which the article employs, allows the work to enjoy a strong sense of trueness and veracity, due to the huge number of nursing students who answered the survey questions. It was gathered that “657 nursing students responded to the survey. The majority were female (88.3%), 65.9% were 18–27 years old. Most were attending university in the southeast (45.7%). Majority were UK-born (84.8%) and 75.6% of the respondents are whites (English/Scottish/Northern Irish/British). Those who speak English as their first native language was (89.6%). Most were enrolled on BSc Nursing (86.6%) with 38.4% enrolled in 2014 and 36.2% were in their 2nd year.” (p. 32). These great figures profoundly ensured that general representation of the subject matter is established. The data gathered therefore, by the method, thoroughly reflects the truth of the subject matter and the conclusion inferred from it, is worthy of true confidence, precise dependability and believability.

However, it should be noted that the number still does not represent the standings of the majority students. A fatal research problem encountered her is that the total number of student population enrolled in a nursing degree in the United Kingdom across 72 schools of nursing is approximately 60,000, whereas, this study was responded to by only 657 nursing students; just 5% of the student population. Therefore, the research result, based on the host of student who did not attend to it, is not worthy of trust. Rather than base the article solely on survey responses, a wider range of research could have been included Gerrish and Lacey, 2006, 38; Fontana, 2004, p 93),

Study Design/ Theoretical framework
The authors do not state a hypothesis neither was the word used throughout the study, but instead they present a research aim as follows: To appreciate the nature and scope of workplace violence amongst a sample of the UK nursing student population during clinical placement and to recommend strategies universities can implement to successfully manage the impact. The nature of this statement would suggest that it is not an experimental study, but that it is within a quantitative research paradigm. The quality of this study seems to rest in the choice of a quantitative approach, and the choice of data collection instruments. Quantitative research approaches are said to offer a better standard of evidence, with generally greater ability for replication and greater rigor (Kitson et al, 2000 p 149; Duffy, 2005, p 233). The authors do not give credence to that, when they fail to even state in the methodology section or even discuss the choice of a quantitative approach rather, the focus of the section on methods is solely on the instruments that are being used, which is the commercial internet survey provider (SurveyMonkey.com).



Sampling

“The research team sought to ensure there was a sample of universities across all four nations of the UK. The instruction to each Head of School was that it should only be targeted at current nursing students” (p. 32).
A sample selection of this sort is unacceptable. A very limited detail of sample selection is given. Except stating that current nursing student were targeted, nothing concerning how participants were recruited or the ethical issues considered in participant recruitment was stated. This in fact, constitutes a limitation to this research, as it is not possible to identify if there was any sampling bias, how participants were targeted, who targeted them, and what factors made participants to be chosen (Hek, 2000, p 20; PHRU, 2009, online, Bowling, 2002). From the demographical findings and variables in the article readers may go through the rigors of inferring a sampling that involves female majority, most of whom were attending university in the southeast, and that majority were UK-born, and the respondents ethnic group was, most of whom were enrolled on BSc Nursing in 2014. This is a weakness of the study, as avoiding sampling bias is a crucial elements of quality measurement in primary research within healthcare (Austin, 2001 p 1; Cooper, 2006, p 439; Nuremberg Code, 1949, online).


Ethical Considerations
From the article, it is plainly stated that ethical approval was derived from an appropriate body in United Kingdom: (KCL) Kings College London Research Ethics committee (REC). This signifies good ethical considerations (Cormack 2000; Terry, L 2014). The participant received an information sheet detailing the scope and purpose of the study with clear guidance indicating that they could proceed or exit at any point which shows the level of voluntariness involved. It also states specifically that all data was anonymous Coughlan M, et all (2007). However, it does not directly state if there is an explanation of what information was given to the participants, how informed consent was achieved and if there’s any issue with communication or accessibility for people with different needs

10. Data Collection
The data collection procedure is well described but not too adequately provided still; and the result of this is that it will pose a problem for replication and rigor. It is provided specifically that the survey questions were being uploaded in the format of a commercial internet survey provider (surveymonkey.com). This shows how data was collected and who administered it, an element which should be considered as strength of the study.
A further display of strength in this study, worthy of attention is the use of multiple data collection instruments, and the detail with which they are described, and their provenance accounted for. They have used the Bullying Frequency Questionnaire (table 1), the Source of Bullying Frequency Questionnaire (table 2), the Types of Bullying Questionnaire (table 3), the Effect of Bullying Frequency Questionnaire (table 4), Feelings Experienced When Bullying Frequency Questionnaire (table 5) and the Reporting Bullying Frequency Questionnaire (table 6).
A major problem with this data collection tool, a questionnaire, is that the researcher is not present when the questionnaire is being completed. It is therefore not possible to check if questionnaires have been honestly answered or if they were actually completed by the intended target (Gillham, 2000, p 48). While having the researcher present, however, could also introduce bias or influence of some kind, particularly in vulnerable people (Bowling, 2001).


Data analysis
Very powerful statistical analyses were carried out by the author using a computer-based management system and they then states that it was exported to the SPSS21 Statistical Software (IBMSPSS Statistics v21). How p. values are to be interpreted are discussed at reasonable interval (Terry, L 2014), which is a strength to the study that states that figures and percentages were used in the presentation of the findings depending on the data. It should be borne in mind, however, that the authors carried out their statistical analyses using SPSS 21, which is an established computer-based statistical program previously unknown to the researchers. Anyone who does not have the requisite knowledge of these programs would find it hard to determine their appropriateness here Coughlan M, et all (2007). The level of specialist statistical knowledge required to understand this would be significant. So, rather than giving a shallow explanation on what program was used, more transparency could have been achieved by this study if an explanation on how the program was used is included (Duff, 2005 p 234). The research instruments are only stated and never explained in detailed description whereas according to (Johnson and Onwuegbuzie, 2004 p 14) it is good that the research instruments are explained in such detail, because it helps overcome one of the limitations of quantitative research, that of not asking the right questions to elicit answers that relate to person al experience.



Findings
The findings of this study are accurately presented on tables which can be easily interpreted (Terry, L 2014; Coughlan M, et al 2007). The findings are clearly represented on each table in a simple and highly accessible way. The believability of the finding is an important question which the study was profoundly up to. The huge number of students who responded to the survey questions ensured proper representation of different views. This means the research results are plausible, and relate to established procedures laid down for statistical analysis, Rosswurm and Larrabee, 1999 p 317; Pepler et al, 2006, p 23. It is therefore very hard, if not impossible to establish doubts about these findings, though it may possess a potential bias based on the sampling as discussed earlier. However, the issue of sampling bias cannot just be overlooked. More transparency in reporting of key elements of this study would have made it easier to determine whether these results constitute good evidence for practice. Moreover, the authors’ sole use of tables is a little drowsy. Diagrams or charts are also statistical tools which could have help a wider range of persons to fully understand the rate of the subject matter in the study (Daggett et al, 2005, p 255; Donovan, 2002)

Usefulness of the Study

The article in general is quiet balance and very detailed considering the gravity and complexity of the subject matter of the study, as allegations of violence and harassments is no small issue. It is quite useful in forming a judgment on the extent and the fast-increasing rate of violence in the work place, the most unpalatable truth revealed by this UK survey is that an unacceptably high proportion of nursing students experience bullying and harassment whilst on clinical placement. Limitations of the study was never acknowledged, making it difficult to pick out pitfalls from the article and avoid them.


Conclusion

The article is accurately and flawlessly based on the finding that was obtained from the survey results (Terry, L 2014; Cormack 2000). The authors however include some extraneous opinions not obtained from any research works. It is worthy of note that the conclusion is a very detailed summation of the complexity of the findings of a work that is very easy to read and interpret.

Source: https://meziesblog.com/a-review-of-literatures-on-workplace-violence-against-nurses/

Pierre Cardin, the French designer whose famous name embossed everything from wristwatches to bedsheets after his iconic Space Age styles shot him into the fashion stratosphere in the 1960s, has died, the French Academy of Fine Arts said Tuesday. He was 98.

A licensing maverick, Cardin’s name went on thousands of products and in the brand’s heyday in the 1970s and ’80s, while goods bearing his fancy cursive signature were sold at some 100,000 outlets worldwide.

That number dwindled dramatically in later years, as his products were increasingly regarded as cheaply made and his clothing — which, decades later, remained virtually unchanged from its 60s-era styles — felt almost laughably dated.

A savvy businessman, Cardin used the fabulous wealth that was the fruit of his empire to snap up top-notch properties in Paris, including the Belle Epoque restaurant Maxim’s, which he also frequented.

The Fine Arts Academy announced his death in a tweet Tuesday. He had been among its illustrious members since 1992. The academy did not give a cause of death or say where or when he had died. Along with fellow Frenchman Andre Courreges and Spain’s Paco Rabanne, two other Paris-based designers known for their Space Age styles, Cardin revolutionized fashion starting in the early 1950s.

At a time when other Paris labels were obsessed with flattering the female form, Cardin’s designs cast the wearer as a sort of glorified hanger, there to showcase the clothes’ sharp shapes and graphic patterns. Destined neither for pragmatists nor for wallflowers, his designs were all about making a big entrance — sometimes very literally.

Gowns and bodysuits in fluorescent spandex were fitted with plastic hoops that stood away from the body at the waist, elbows, wrists and knees. Cardin bubble dresses and capes enveloped their wearers in oversized spheres of fabric. Toques were shaped like flying saucers; bucket hats sheathed models’ entire heads, with cutout windshields at the eyes.

“Fashion is always ridiculous, seen from before or after. But in the moment, it’s marvelous,” Cardin said in a 1970 interview with French television. Cardin was born on July 7, 1922, in a small town near Venice, Italy, to a modest, working-class family. When he was a child, the family moved to Saint Etienne in central France, where Cardin was schooled and became an apprentice to a tailor at age 14.

Cardin would later embrace his status as a self-made man, saying in the same 1970 interview that going it alone “makes you see life in a much more real way and forces you to take decision and to be courageous.

“It’s much more difficult to enter a dark woods alone than when you already know the way through,” he said. After moving to Paris, he worked as an assistant in the House of Paquin starting in 1945 and also helped design costumes for the likes of Jean Cocteau. He also was involved in creating the costumes for the director’s 1946 hit, “Beauty and the Beast.”

After working briefly with Elsa Schiaparelli and Christian Dior, Cardin opened his own house in Paris' tony first district, starting with costumes and masks. Cardin delivered his first real collection in 1953. Success quickly followed, with the 1954 launch of the celebrated “bubble” dress, which put the label on the map.

Cardin staged his first ready-to-wear show in 1959 at Paris’ Printemps department store, a bold initiative that got him temporarily kicked out of the Chambre Syndicale. Cardin’s relationship with the organization — the governing body of French fashion — was rocky, and he later left of his own volition to stage shows on his own terms.

Cardin’s high-profile relationship with French screen siren Jeanne Moreau, the smoky-voiced blond of “Jules and Jim” fame, also helped boost the brand’s profile. Described by both as a “true love,” the relationship lasted about five years and they never married.

Cardin saw the astronomical expense of producing haute couture collections as an investment. Even though the clothing’s pharaonic prices didn’t cover the cost of crafting the made-to-measure garments, the media coverage generated by his couture shows helped sell lower sticker-price items, like hats, belts and hosiery.

As Cardin’s fame and fortune spiked, so did his real estate portfolio. He long lived an austere, almost monastic existence with his sister in a sprawling apartment across from the Elysee presidential palace in Paris. He bought up so much top-flight real estate in the neighborhood that fashion insiders joked he could have mounted a coup d’etat.

In addition to his women’s and men’s clothing boutiques, Cardin opened a children’s shop, a furniture store and the Espace Cardin, a sprawling hall in central Paris where the designer would later stage fashion shows, as well as plays, ballets and other cultural events.

Beyond clothes, Cardin put his stamp on perfumes, makeup, porcelain, chocolates, a resort in the south of France and even the velvet-walled watering hole Maxim’s — where he could often be seen at lunch.

The 1970s saw a huge Cardin expansion that brought his outlets to more than 100,000, with about as many workers producing under the Cardin label worldwide. Cardin was in the vanguard of recognizing the importance of Asia to the fashion world, both as a manufacturing hub and for its consumer potential. He was present in Japan starting in the early ’60s and in 1979 became the first Western designer to stage a fashion show in China.

In 1986, he inked a deal with Soviet authorities to open a showroom in the Communist nation to sell clothes locally made under his label. In his later life, with no heir apparent, Cardin dismantled parts of his vast empire, selling dozens of his Chinese licenses to two local firms in 2009.

Two years later, he told the Wall Street Journal that he’d be willing to sell his entire company — made up at that point of an estimated 500-600 licenses — for $1.4 billion.

Switching to decaf could save your sight, claims the Daily Mail. The newspaper reports that drinking three or more cups of coffee a day is linked with vision loss and blindness.

The story is based on a study that looked at the association between caffeine consumption and exfoliation glaucoma. Exfoliation glaucoma is a condition in which fluid builds up inside the eye, putting pressure on the optic nerve. This leads to a degree of sight loss and, in serious cases, total blindness.

In the study, researchers compared rates of exfoliation glaucoma with drinking habits, focusing on caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and cola.

The study found that drinking three or more cups of caffeinated coffee daily was linked with increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma. Curiously, a similar increase was not found with other caffeinated products.

This was a large, well-conducted study, but it does not directly or conclusively show that caffeinated coffee causes vision loss. This is because it relied on people recalling their coffee intake over long periods and involved relatively few people with the condition.

By far the greatest risk of exfoliation glaucoma was among those with a family history of glaucoma – which is a factor already known to be linked with developing glaucoma.

Coffee has been linked in the past with both health problems and health benefits. So, despite the headlines, there’s no need to ditch the cappuccino altogether, but it makes sense to drink coffee and other caffeinated products in moderation.

https://meziesblog.com/can-excessive-caffeine-consumption-cause-blindness/

Management theories are concepts surrounding recommended management strategies, which may include tools such as frameworks and guidelines that can be implemented in modern organizations. Generally, professionals will not rely solely on one management theory alone, but instead, introduce several concepts from different management theories that best suit their workforce and company culture.

At a Glance

Until the day that machines are able to think, talk, and experience emotions, humans will remain the most complicated beings to manage. Humans can never achieve the kind of error-free performance that machines provide. On the upside, there are tons of things that machines aren’t capable of doing, making humans indispensable assets. For such reason, proper management is one of the most crucial things for an organization.

For a long time, theorists have been researching the most suitable forms of management for different work settings. This is where management theories come into play. Although some of these theories were developed centuries ago, they still provide stable frameworks for running businesses.

Popular Management Theories

1. Scientific Management Theory

American mechanical engineer Frederick Taylor, who was one of the earliest management theorists, pioneered the scientific management theory. He and his associates were among the first individuals to study work performance scientifically. Taylor’s philosophy emphasized the fact that forcing people to work hard wasn’t the best way to optimize results. Instead, Taylor recommended simplifying tasks so as to increase productivity.

The strategy was a bit different from how businesses were conducted beforehand. Initially, a factory executive enjoyed minimal, if any, contact with his employees. There was absolutely no way of standardizing workplace rules and the only motivation of the employees was job security.

According to Taylor, money was the key incentive for working, which is why he developed the “fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work” concept. Since then, the scientific management theory has been practiced worldwide. The resulting collaboration between employees and employers evolved into the teamwork that people now enjoy.

2. Systems Management Theory

Systems management offers an alternative approach to the planning and management of organizations. The systems management theory proposes that businesses, like the human body, consists of multiple components that work harmoniously so that the larger system can function optimally. According to the theory, the success of an organization depends on several key elements: synergy, interdependence, and interrelations between various subsystems.

Employees are one of the most important components of a company. Other elements crucial to the success of a business are departments, workgroups, and business units. In practice, managers are required to evaluate patterns and events in their companies so as to determine the best management approach. This way, they are able to collaborate on different programs so that they can work as a collective whole rather than as isolated units.

3. Contingency Management Theory

The main concept behind the contingency management theory is that no one management approach suits every organization. There are several external and internal factors that will ultimately affect the chosen management approach. The contingency theory identifies three variables that are likely to influence an organization’s structure: the size of an organization, technology being employed, and style of leadership.

Fred Fiedler is the theorist behind the contingency management theory. Fiedler proposed that the traits of a leader were directly related to how effectively he led. According to Fiedler’s theory, there’s a set of leadership traits handy for every kind of situation. It means that a leader must be flexible enough to adapt to the changing environment. The contingency management theory can be summed up as follows:

• There is no one specific technique for managing an organization.
• A leader should be quick to identify the particular management style suitable for a particular situation.
• The primary component of Fiedler’s contingency theory is LPC – the least preferred co-worker scale. LPC is used to assess how well oriented a manager is.

4. Theory X and Theory Y
Do you believe that every individual gets maximum satisfaction from the work they do? Or are you of the opinion that some view work as a burden and only do it for the money? Such assumptions influence how an organization is run. The assumptions also form the basis of Theory X and Theory Y.
Douglas McGregor is the theorist credited with developing these two contrasting concepts. More specifically, these theories refer to two management styles: the authoritarian (Theory X) and participative (Theory Y).

In an organization where team members show little passion for their work, leaders are likely to employ the authoritarian style of management. But if employees demonstrate a willingness to learn and are enthusiastic about what they do, their leader is likely to use participative management. The management style that a manager adopts will influence just how well he can keep his team members motivated.

Theory X holds a pessimistic view of employees in the sense that they cannot work in the absence of incentives. Theory Y, on the other hand, holds an optimistic opinion of employees. The latter theory proposes that employees and managers can achieve a collaborative and trust-based relationship.
Still, there are a couple of instances where Theory X can be applied. For instance, large corporations that hire thousands of employees for routine work may find adopting this form of management ideal.

https://meziesblog.com/whats-your-preferred-management-theory/

Depression is a global health problem which transcends beyond age, race, gender or social class. According to the Mayo Clinic, depression is also known as "depressive disorder" and the term is synonymous with slight sadness, dejection or utter misery. It is best understood as a mood disorder that causes loss of interest in things, people or events around us.

Depression comes with a feeling of sadness and, in most cases, makes people vulnerable to physical problems because it derails how they think as well as how they act. Moreover, depressive disorder causes people to withdraw from activities they would normally enjoy or have previously enjoyed.
Common signs of depression are sleeplessness, anger, irritation, nightmares, violence and suicide. Other signs include guilt-feeling and self-absorption.

Denial is not a Nile in Egypt; depressed people sometimes feel they are worthless due to their presumed helplessness towards the perceived cause of depressive disorder. However, the Mayo Clinic suggests exercise as the best treatment and prevention tool for depression because it releases endorphins, which are proven mood-boosters with capabilities of cleansing the human body of chemicals that may worsen depression. Don’t let depression kill you. Start exercising today!

Source: https://meziesblog.com/dont-let-depression-kill-you/

Literature Review

Corporate governance refers to the processes, structures and information used for directing and overseeing the management of an institution (Duncan and Cameron, 2005). A good corporate governance framework establishes the mechanism for achieving accountability between the board, senior management and shareholders, while protecting the interests of relevant stakeholders and they also set structure through which the division of power in the organization is determined (Duncan and

Cameron, 2005). Donaldson and Davis (2003) averred that corporate governance is a system by which corporate entity is directed. It relates to the functioning of the board of the company and the conduct of the business internally and externally. Theoretically, the control of a company is divided into two namely: the board of directors and the shareholders through the annual general meeting.

Unlike in small private companies, the board of directors in a public company tend to exercise more of a supervisory role, and individual responsibility and management are usually delegated downward to individual professional executive directors (such as a finance director or a marketing director) who deal with particular areas of the company’s affairs (McNamara, 2009). Governance is therefore considered as that organ of small or big organizations or even the large society, which is charged with the

responsibility of controlling resources of all types, within the spheres of its influences, and also having power to rule over the human and material resources of the organization or community (Ogundele, 2005). The governing of a business organization is vested in the headship of such enterprise usually the board of directors that formulate policies, to guide the behaviour of the members of the organization and relevant associates of the organization. The objective of corporate governance is to achieve corporate excellence and enhance shareholders’ value, while not neglecting the need to balance the interests of all stakeholders (Chukwudire, 2005). Tricker, (1994) associated corporate governance with managing the organization in the interest of the shareholders. This implies the agency in the context of the separation of ownership and management in corporations. Dress and Lumpkin (2002) noted that modern corporation has the feature of the separation of ownership and management.

But there is a separation between those that own the corporation and those that manage, control, and direct it. It is from those who own the corporation that the boards of directors are elected during the annual general meeting. Duncan and Cameron, (2005) asserted that shareholders at the company’s Annual General Meeting legally appoint the directors. Hence, the directors individually and the board collectively should be responsible and answerable to the shareholders for their activities and practice.

Furthermore, the directors should be willing to act as stewards of the corporation’s assets and consequently work to maintain and enhance the value. Frank and Graeme, (2005) asserted that corporate governance is seen as a set of processes, rules to be complied with, rather than the desired outcome of directors, that is the authority exercised with probity and unquestionable integrity over the corporations’ affair. This means that the corporation has nurtured an opportunity for management to act more in its own interest rather than the shareholders’ interest and this is the genesis of Modern Corporation in the Companies’ Act of 1844. It was not accidental that the 1844 Companies Act required annual accounts and reports which must be audited which will better protect the interest of shareholders.

Effective stewardship relies on justice, trust of the owners in, and in the probity of the stewards (Frank and Graeme, 2005). However, when the managers are not the owners, agency problems drag firm performance in as much as the managers as the decision makers are not the residual claimants of wealth and as such, these managers may have a tendency to act for their own interests (Fama 1980).

Source: https://meziesblog.com/a-literature-review-of-corporate-governance/

If Nigerians hate liars, how come she's the first to hit more than 100k followers on Instagram?

What a loss! May her gentle soul rest in peace.

Hi,

I hope you are healthy and safe!”

My name is Nikhil Kumar and I represent US Tech Solutions. US Tech Solutions is a global staff augmentation firm providing a wide-range of talent on-demand and total workforce solutions. To know more about US Tech Solutions, please visit our website www.ustechsolutionsinc.com.

We are constantly on the lookout for professionals to fulfill the staffing needs of our clients, and we currently have a job opening that may interest you. Below is a summary of the position. If you are interested in the opportunity listed below, please forward your updated resume along with current contact information or perhaps you can recommend someone who would be interested in this position

Title: Technical Writer
Location: Mountain View CA 94043 (remote till COVID)
Duration: 12+ Months

Project Overview:
As a Technical Writer you will partner with the Standards and Specifications teams, and the broader organization, to generate and update Standards, Specifications, and Process documentation driven by cross-functional development efforts and change control processes within the business.
This will involve the creation and maintenance of technical and non-technical documentation and websites.
These resources will directly support the ongoing operations of our Network Deployment and Operations teams.

Overall Responsibilities:
You will ensure the accuracy and timely updating of internal documentation, working with a variety of cross-functional stakeholders to ensure that all content meets the highest standards.
Your use applied reasoning and strong analytical skills to be an advocate for creating improvements in messaging and documentation.
You're sensitive to the needs of both vendors and of the users of internal documentation and can predict how they may use your writing.
When carrying out the responsibilities of the role, you will collaborate with many cross-functional teams, listening to and drawing from their experiences, challenges, and successes.
You will support a positive and open culture across the wider team and will be comfortable with a fast-paced and dynamic national working environment, being comfortable both giving and receiving constructive feedback.
You will set a high bar for quality and accuracy of your documentation and you will hold your communications and actions to the same standard.
Generate reporting on standards-driven quality metrics.

Top 3 Daily Responsibilities:
Authoring and updating Architecture, Civil and Network Engineering, and Construction standards.
Authoring and updating Business Processes and Workflow Diagrams Support of web portals and document control systems
Driving cross-functional engagement with SMEs for review and approval of documentation

Skill/Experience/Education:
Mandatory
BA/BS Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience in the telecommunication or utility industry.
2-4 years of experience in Technical Writing in civil or mechanical construction (ex. Tech writing on roadway or airplanes) or Telecomm.
Less software documentation.
Basic understanding of telecommunication design and construction processes.
Project management skills with demonstrated ability to work independently, to multi-task and to prioritize effectively while driving high impact, positive results.
Experience developing technical standards and business processes (internal or external facing).
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills (written and verbal).
Desired
Certification or license in PMP or PM knowledge.
Professional Engineer (PE) License.

Thanks & Regards,
Nikhil Kumar
Sr. Technical Recruiter
US Tech Solutions Inc.

To apply:
Visit https://meziesblog.com/technical-writers-needed-at-a-us-company-remote-work/

ABSTRACT

Entrepreneurial development is every nation’s inexorable route to economic development. Policymakers and researchers around the world have therefore invested time and resources in studies aimed at developing better strategies for poverty reduction, job creation, wealth distribution and equitable development, which rely mostly on the competitiveness, productivity level and growth of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs). This article examines why SMEs in Nigeria are underperforming despite the federal government’s huge budgetary allocations and implementation of several development schemes in favour of the sector. The research method adopts a descriptive survey. Further, collated data is evaluated using a mix of percentages, pie charts, tables and mean scores whereas a validity test of hypotheses is conducted with Chi-square. Research findings show that SMEs in Nigeria face managerial incompetency, inadequate social infrastructure and poor financing as the major challenges. The study, however, concludes that revitalizing the SME sector will boost Nigeria’s economic recovery and diversification strategy, away from the oil-dependent and constantly waning economy.

  

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) are a reliable economic development tool because they propel economic diversification strategies, generate employment, strengthen industrial linkages through production of primary goods, and encourage entrepreneurship among the citizenry. SMEs offer nearly 70% of Nigeria’s industrial employment, including about 80% of the entire workforce, and account for over 15% of total output from the manufacturing sector (Enelamah., 2018). The impact of SMEs, particularly on agriculture and the development of indigenous technology, is evident in the increasing rate of local production and use of raw materials, which are essentials for industrialization. Considering its capital-saving and labour-intensive nature, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) considers SMEs as a key to economic growth despite the sector’s unimpressive performance in recent years (Acha., 2009).

By dint of Central Bank’s introduction of a new, open and attractive forex window considered most-appealing by exporters and investors, inflation reduced significantly since April 2017 and the Naira attained stability against the U.S. dollars. The Nigerian stock market also increased returns by 40% thus gaining global recognition as one of the best performers. SMEs in Nigeria contributed 48% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2017, the same year FG confirmed a 90% decline in importation, having applaudably escaped its most-awful, decades-long recession. Yet, the documented substantial growth failed to make significant impact in poverty reduction, mortality rates and standard of living among 37 million Nigerians (Aziken & Yakubu., 2017). This study therefore delves into the performance and potentials of SMEs in Nigeria, with focus on proffering effective solutions to the identified problems.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Established in 2003, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) aimed at restructuring Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector for sustainable growth and the attainment of national economic development objectives (Ayyagari et al., 2003). In line with previous economic transformation policies, particularly the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of 1986, Nigeria has jiggled between capital-intensive projects that support large-scale industrialization and others such as SMEs, which are labour-intensive but more responsive in identifying and harnessing domestic linkages for quick, sustainable growth, self-reliant development, and progression of non-oil exports (Lalkaka., 1997).  

In its monetary policy statement released in 1998, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) described SMEs in general commerce as businesses with less than 300 employees, including total assets below ₦500,000 and/or annual revenue not above ₦100 million (Oyelaran-Oyeyinka., 2006). Business activities in the sector include: poultry farming, trading, food production and supplies, laundry services, food beverage production, fashion designing, restaurant services, creche/kindergarten education, including professional services such as law, accountancy etc (Fabayo., 1989). Developmental efforts from the World Bank and three tiers of government (Federal, State and Local governments), National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND), Nigeria Export & Import Bank (NEXIM), Peoples Bank of Nigeria (PBN), Bank of Industry (BOI) and community/microfinance banks, through budgetary allocations to SME Loan Schemes, have provided financial assistance to business owners who previously depended on private funds or cash received from informal sources (Arriyo., 1999).

The failure of these formal credit schemes in addressing problems of SMEs in Nigeria has been attributed to managerial incompetence, weak capital base and entrepreneurs’ low credit rating, which makes the argument on poor performance a vicious circle (Ayyagari et al., 2003). This study therefore aims at identifying the underlying factors impeding growth of SMEs and how change and innovation strategies can transform the sector into a catalyst for economic growth.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Dearth of accurate and verifiable information on the number of SMEs operating within Nigeria, including the total working population in the sector, is responsible for an alleged distortion of facts on job creation, production of raw materials, export earnings, development indicators, and inherent potentials of SMEs. According to a 2010 survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and SMEDAN, there are about 32.5 million employees in nearly 17.3 million SMEs, and significant improvements have been documented in the federal government’s efforts to stabilize the economy through effective macroeconomic policies, reduction of importation barriers, streamlining the taxation system and institutionalizing transparency in the nation’s customs system (Enelamah., 2018).

However, lack of reliable data management systems are not the only challenges to SME growth in Nigeria. Oyelaran-Oyeyinka (2006) notes that SMEs in countries like Korea, Vietnam, India and Singapore, which are comparatively at the same level of development with Nigeria, have made better progress. The researcher has therefore identified these as the major problems:

Lack of commitment from FG in institutionalizing a solid SME sector.
Poor infrastructure base.
Poor credit environment.
Inadequate technical/financial support.
Low-level investments from individuals, corporate bodies and foreign creditors.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This paper is an analysis of the performance, problems and prospects of SMEs in Nigeria. The objectives are:

To identify the problems militating against SMEs’ performance as a catalyst to Nigeria’s economic growth and sustainable development objectives.
To thoroughly examine sources of the identified problems.
To analyse the current situation of SMEs in Nigeria.
To ascertain the prospects of SME development in Nigeria.
To proffer solutions through change and innovative models.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Results of this analysis will be useful for the long-elusive transformation of the SME sector by:

Providing managers and policymakers with the most effective leadership and business management strategies needed to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the SME sector, for optimal development and functioning of human capital and material resources.
Providing entrepreneurs with easy access to working capital and investment funds.
Adding competitiveness to the sector and thereby attracting investors from all over the world.
Increasing local production of goods and services for exports, with less reliance on imported products.
Presenting an intellectual basis for further research on SMEs in Nigeria.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

SMEs have formidable potentials for exports, employment and economic growth, especially in Nigeria, where there are significant, unexploited opportunities spread across entertainment and leisure, agro-processing, fashion, biotechnology, telecom etc. Although the development of SMEs requires improved financial assistance, Benhabib and Spiegel (1994) noted that the problem is not in providing physical cash but in human capital investments. This is true, although domestic development of entrepreneurs with adequate technical know-how is costlier than what any country can spend to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Based on these facts, the research question is: “How can innovative policies be recommended to the Nigerian government to solve SME challenges and maximize opportunities in local and global markets?”

Additionally, the sub-questions are as follows:

How has Nigerian SMEs performed in the last five years and what are the potentials?
What are the socio-economic and political impacts on the development of SMEs in Nigeria?
How has incompetent managerial skills affected the potentials of entrepreneurs and SMEs in Nigeria?

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research investigates SME challenges and prospects using valid, verifiable and unbiased contributions from bank managers and accountants from selected Microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Enugu metropolis.

1.7 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study will focus on the overall performance of SMEs in Nigeria, including a comparative analysis with India, but narrowed down to Enugu State, where, through a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, the researcher collates useful primary data from bank managers/accountants in MFIs. Other information collected from secondary sources include materials from public libraries, journals, academic books, print media and the Internet, will are expected to add relevance to the cache of knowledge required by the researcher to successfully complete this task.

1.8 HYPOTHESES

H01: There is a relationship between availability of capital and the success of SMEs in Nigeria.

H02: Factors from socio-economic and political environment have direct influence on the development of SMEs in Nigeria.

H03: Incompetent managerial skills hampers competitiveness, growth and sustainability of SMEs in Nigeria.

1.9 LIMITATIONS

Research processes are often challenged by human limitations such as ethics, moral, culture, tradition, language and socio-political barriers. Also, lack of reliable, comprehensive and easily assessible data records in Nigeria presents one of the major challenges to this study.

1.10 CONCLUSION

According to the 2017 survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EUI), over 90% of businesses in Nigeria are categorized as SMEs which, with increased and sustainable productivity, have the potentials for champion economic diversification strategies for industrialization, development and sectoral development. Unfortunately, a unstructured taxation system drains the nation of productive time, with approximately 956 hours spent on filling tax returns in Lagos, compared to Africa’s overall average of 310. Findings from EIU also show that only 2% of adults had access to loans from MFIs. Further, 50% of Nigerians live without access to electricity supplied by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). Although about 82% of residents access the internet through mobile phones on daily basis, mobile business transactions are slow and mostly impossible due to poor network coverages, especially in rural communities (Green., 2017).

On this backdrop, SMEs in Nigeria experience low survival rate. Adeniji (2015) points out that most business outfits collapse within five years of existence whereas many others struggle to last between six and ten years. Only less than 10% of SMEs survive the highly-competitive market due to infrastructural inadequacies such as inaccessible roads, dysfunctional or inexistent water supply systems, poor knowledge market trends, lack of differentiated products, ineffective business strategies, inexperience and inadequate capital (Dӑnӑcicӑ., 2011).

For Nigerian SMEs to attain productivity and global competitiveness, there is need for collaborations, commitment and increased investments from the government, entrepreneurs, investors (local and foreign) and other stakeholders.

Source: https://meziesblog.com/problems-and-prospects-of-small-and-medium-scale-enterprises-in-nigeria/