scholarly journals Institutional shareholder activism in Nigeria

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 680-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinyere Uche ◽  
Emmanuel Adegbite ◽  
Michael John Jones
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Institutional Arrangement ◽  
Shareholder Activism ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
The Status ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate institutional shareholder activism in Nigeria. It addresses the paucity of empirical research on institutional shareholder activism in sub-Saharan Africa. Design/methodology/approach This study uses agency theory to understand the institutional shareholder approach to shareholder activism in Nigeria. The data are collected through qualitative interviews with expert representatives from financial institutions. Findings The findings indicate evidence of low-level shareholder activism in Nigeria. The study provides empirical insight into the reasons why institutional shareholders might adopt an active or passive approach to shareholder activism. The findings suggest the pension structure involving two types of pension institutions affects the ability to engage in shareholder activism. Research limitations/implications The research study advances our understanding of the status quo of institutional shareholder activism in an African context such as Nigeria. Practical implications The paper makes a practical contribution by highlighting that regulators need to consider how the financial market conditions and characteristics affect effective promotion of better governance practices and performance through shareholder activism. Originality/value This study draws attention to the implication for shareholder activism of complexities associated with an institutional arrangement where two types of financial institutions are expected to operate and manage the private pension funds in a country.

A borrowing cost model for effective performance of SMEs in Uganda

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulait Tumwine ◽  
Richard Akisimire ◽  
Nixon Kamukama ◽  
Gad Mutaremwa
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Cost Model ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Performance ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective cost borrowing model of qualitative factors that are relevant to micro and small enterprises (SMEs) better performance. Design/methodology/approach – A valid research instrument was utilized to conduct a survey on 359 SMEs (131 retail businesses, 125 service businesses, 48 farming businesses and 55 other businesses) and 897 respondents that are representative of 397 SMEs and 1,087 respondents. Correlation and regression analysis were conducted to ascertain the validity of the hypotheses. Findings – It was established that cost of borrowing elements (interest rate and loan processing costs) are associated with SME performance. Furthermore, cost of borrowing as a whole accounts for 31.1 percent of the variation in performance Uganda’s SMEs. Research limitations/implications – Only a single research methodological approach was employed, future research through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate. Multiple respondents in SMEs (owner, manager and cashier) were studied neglecting others. Furthermore, the study used the cross-sectional approach – a longitudinal approach should be employed to study the trend over years. Finally, cost of borrowing was studied and by the virtual of the results, there are other factors that contribute to SME performance that were not part of this study. Practical implications – There is need to intensify initiatives to encourage greater understanding and acceptance of cost of borrowing, select appropriate elements that includes interest rate and loan processing costs in order to have affordable source of financing to establish and grow SMEs, provide employment, competitive and contribute to countries GDP. Originality/value – This is the first paper in Sub-Saharan Africa to test empirically the relationship between cost of borrowing and performance of SMEs in the Ugandan context.

A taxonomy of strategic sourcing for defense forces in sub-Saharan Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Mpeera Ntayi ◽  
Ephraim Mugume
Keyword(s):  
Research Design ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Sourcing ◽  
Current Resource ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Internal Integration

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a taxonomy of strategic sourcing using the defense forces from a developing world context as a testing ground. This study builds upon the current resource-based conceptualization of strategic sourcing as a construct to introduce the institutional orientation. Design/methodology/approach – This study adopts a descriptive and analytical research design of cross-sectional nature to collect data from a sample of 120 respondents to examine the taxonomy of strategic sourcing for defense forces in sub-Saharan Africa. Data were collected using an interviewee administered questionnaire and analysed using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The conceptualization of strategic sourcing is presented using a CFA. Findings – Findings reveal that strategic sourcing is a multidimensional construct composed of: information sharing and risk management, strategic purchasing, institutions for sourcing, internal integration and performance assessment, supplier management and sourcing professionalism and ethics. Research limitations/implications – The study used cross-sectional research design which limits monitoring behaviour over time. Cross-sectional data do not allow control in the analysis for residual heterogeneity. Additionally, all item scales adapted in this study were developed in either manufacturing or profit-oriented sector. Originality/value – A taxonomy for strategic sourcing within the defense forces is presented. This study is based on the observation that despite increased research, there remains a certain level of confusion surrounding the conceptualization of “strategic sourcing”. Researchers attach a startling diversity of definitions and measures to the strategic sourcing concept. Its conceptualization and stability remains an important task for scholars to undertake. Besides, much research in strategic sourcing, are conceptual frameworks identifying key elements and procedures or processes to implement strategic sourcing with sparse empirical studies. The results of the study will be used for further research on strategic sourcing in the defense forces in sub-Saharan Africa.

Moroccan phosphates sector may see virus silver lining

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Value Added ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Western Sahara ◽  
The Past ◽  
Ongoing Work ◽  
The Status ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Silver Lining

Subject Outlook for Moroccan phosphates exports. Significance Phosphate rock prices have slumped over the past year and have since stabilised at 72.50 dollars per tonne, down almost 30% since early 2019. Morocco, the second-largest producer of phosphates after China and home to the vast majority of global reserves, has felt the resulting squeeze. The national phosphates company Office Cherifien des Phosphates (OCP) Group has managed to offset some of this by accelerating its shift to downstream production of acid and fertilisers, but margins have likely been hit and the company may lack the scope to continue scaling up value-added production without further investment. Impacts OCP's ongoing work to consolidate its position in sub-Saharan Africa will also help support Moroccan export revenues. At current extraction rates, Morocco may be the only major producing country with phosphate reserves to last beyond 50 years. Rabat's drive to increase revenue from mining other minerals and metals is likely to yield only modest results. A diplomatic shift over the status of Western Sahara (and thus key OCP mining locations) is unlikely.

An investigation of key predictors of performance of agricultural projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 676-691
Author(s):  
Gideon Nkuruziza ◽  
Francis Kasekende ◽  
Samson Omuudu Otengei ◽  
Shafic Mujabi ◽  
Joseph Mpeera Ntayi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agricultural Performance ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways of improving performance of agricultural projects through stakeholder engagement and knowledge management in a Sub-Saharan context. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from 342 agricultural projects in Mukono and Wakiso districts in Uganda. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in the analysis. Findings – The results reveal that stakeholder engagement and knowledge management are valuable intangible resources that significantly influence performance of agricultural projects. The findings, managerial and policy implications are fully discussed in this paper. Originality/value – The authors empirically show that a model that synchronizes stakeholder engagement, knowledge management and performance of agricultural projects is a requirement for promoting sustainable agricultural performance outcomes. This study makes a contribution by providing information that is relevant for filling the practical gap that exists in agricultural projects of Sub-Saharan Africa as well as contributing to the theoretical development of project management discipline.

Regulatory environment, environmental dynamism, political ties, and performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Adomako ◽  
Albert Danso
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Regulatory Environment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Firms ◽  
Environmental Dynamism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – Regulatory environment, environmental dynamism, and political ties are typically modelled as separate antecedents of firm performance. However, the boundary conditions for such models are less examined in a developing country context where regulatory environments have been argued to be weak. Accordingly, drawing on institutional and social capital theories, the purpose of this paper is to examine the interrelationship between regulatory environment, political ties, environmental dynamism, and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses primary data gathered from 372 entrepreneurial firms in Nigeria, a Sub-Saharan African country. Findings – The findings of the paper suggest that that regulatory environment is negatively related to firm performance. However, political ties and environmental dynamism moderate the regulatory environment-firm performance relationship such that such relationship is positive and significant. Research limitations/implications – First, the study provides important insights on how weak and underdeveloped regulatory environment negatively affect the performance of firms. In other words, the study represents a response to call for the development of better regulatory environment since regulatory environment plays significant role in firm performance. Second, this study also demonstrates the importance of political ties and environment dynamism on firm performance in an emerging economy such as Nigeria where regulatory environment is weak. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study from the perspective of Sub-Saharan Africa that examine the moderating role of political ties and environmental dynamism on regulatory environment-firm performance relationship.

scholarly journals Assessment of procurement capacity challenges inhibiting public infrastructure procurement

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Manu ◽  
Abdul-Majeed Mahamadu ◽  
Colin Booth ◽  
Paul Olomolaiye ◽  
Ahmed Doko Ibrahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
State Government ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Public Infrastructure ◽  
Public Agencies ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Status ◽  
National Environment ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose Public procurement capacity is composed of three facets: individual, organisational and an enabling national environment which encapsulates national legislation, policies and institutional arrangements that can facilitate or hamper the effectiveness of procurement. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which procurement capacity challenges in the national environment affect the effectiveness of infrastructure procurement by public agencies in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A total of 30 procurement capacity challenges drawn from literature were operationalized in a survey of infrastructure procurement personnel in different tiers of public agencies (i.e. local and state government) in order to ascertain the critical challenges affecting the effectiveness of infrastructure procurement. The survey yielded 288 responses, which were analysed using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test and independent-samples t-test. Findings Challenges related to transparency, integrity and accountability are amongst the topmost challenges adversely affecting the effectiveness of public infrastructure procurement. There is limited difference in the extent to which the challenges affect the effectiveness of infrastructure procurement in different tiers of public agencies in Nigeria. Originality/value Whilst various procurement capacity challenges have been identified in the extent literature, this study has shown that an assessment of their effect on the effectiveness of infrastructure procurement could reveal valuable insights regarding the status of public infrastructure procurement within a country, particularly countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions where there is acute infrastructure deficits. Such insights could inform appropriate infrastructure procurement reforms by policy makers, procurement entities and infrastructure funders.

scholarly journals Competing interests, clashing ideas and institutionalizing influence: insights into the political economy of malaria control from seven African countries

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Parkhurst ◽  
Ludovica Ghilardi ◽  
Jayne Webster ◽  
Robert W Snow ◽  
Caroline A Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Malaria Control ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Control Programmes ◽  
Control Decision ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Economic Considerations

Abstract This article explores how malaria control in sub-Saharan Africa is shaped in important ways by political and economic considerations within the contexts of aid-recipient nations and the global health community. Malaria control is often assumed to be a technically driven exercise: the remit of public health experts and epidemiologists who utilize available data to select the most effective package of activities given available resources. Yet research conducted with national and international stakeholders shows how the realities of malaria control decision-making are often more nuanced. Hegemonic ideas and interests of global actors, as well as the national and global institutional arrangements through which malaria control is funded and implemented, can all influence how national actors respond to malaria. Results from qualitative interviews in seven malaria-endemic countries indicate that malaria decision-making is constrained or directed by multiple competing objectives, including a need to balance overarching global goals with local realities, as well as a need for National Malaria Control Programmes to manage and coordinate a range of non-state stakeholders who may divide up regions and tasks within countries. Finally, beyond the influence that political and economic concerns have over programmatic decisions and action, our analysis further finds that malaria control efforts have institutionalized systems, structures and processes that may have implications for local capacity development.

Cross-cultural communication imperatives

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 170-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Baba Abugre
Keyword(s):  
Business Environment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Work Outcomes ◽  
Cultural Communication ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose Given the rising expansion of Western multinational companies (MNCs) to the African contexts, the development of expatriates and local employees has become increasingly important to the human resource management of these MNCs. This paper aims to provide critical lessons on cross-cultural communication competences for Western expatriates working in the sub-Saharan Africa business environment. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a qualitative phenomenology that makes use of lived experiences of senior expatriate staff working in Ghana in the form of direct interviews. Findings Results showed that cross-cultural communication competence is very important for Western expatriates’ functioning in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings also established a plethora of cross-cultural communication skills that are essential for Western expatriates’ successful adaptation and work outcomes in Africa. Practical implications This research argues that there is the need for the appreciations of the differing cultural patterns of expatriates and local staff, and this provides the underlying assumptions of intercultural and cross-cultural communication in global business. Originality/value A critical perspective of international business that has scarcely been studied offers lessons for Western expatriates working in sub-Saharan Africa.

The use and non-use of the government financial report by Maltese Members of Parliament

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 1124-1144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josette Caruana ◽  
Brady Farrugia
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Overload ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Report ◽  
Members Of Parliament ◽  
The Government ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Questionnaire Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the use and non-use of the Government Financial Report by Maltese Members of Parliament (MPs). It refers to information overload theory to analyse the gap between financial reports and their relevance for decision making. Design/methodology/approach A mix of qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (questionnaire) research tools are applied, with the Maltese MPs being the research participants. This method is acclaimed to be comprehensive, but this study highlights certain disadvantages when applied in the political arena. Findings The characteristics of the information itself could be the main cause of information overload, resulting in the non-use of the financial report for decision making. Politicians refer to financial data for their decision making, but not to the data presented in the financial report. Irrespective of the politician’s professional background, the data in the financial report is perceived as incomplete and outdated. Practical implications The cause of information overload and its effects are important considerations for preparers of financial information and accounting standard setters, if they wish that their production is relevant for decision makers. Originality/value There is an increase in research concerning politicians’ use of budgetary and performance information, at local and regional levels of government. This study investigates exclusively the use of the financial report by politicians at central level, in a politically stable environment.

A comparison of global suicide terrorism by region before and after 9/11 terrorist attacks

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmet Guler ◽  
Mustafa Demir
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Interrupted Time Series ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Terrorist Attacks ◽  
Suicide Terrorism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Global Terrorism Database

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on suicide terrorism in different regions of the world and changes in the trends in suicide terrorism according to regions before and after 9/11. Design/methodology/approach Using the data obtained from the Global Terrorism Database from 1981 to 2019, the descriptive statistics were computed first and then, independent samples t-tests were run to compare the monthly mean percentage of suicide-terrorism incidents that occurred in each region between the pre-9/11 and the post-9/11 periods. Finally, to statistically assess the effect of the 9/11 attacks and changes in the trends for the dependent variables over time, monthly interrupted time-series analyzes were conducted. Findings The results of monthly interrupted time series analyzes showed that after the 9/11 attacks, the trends for suicide-terrorism rates decreased significantly in three regions including South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa and Europe, while the trend for suicide-terrorism rates increased significantly in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, no statistically significant changes in the trends in suicide-terrorism rates occurred in three regions including North America, East Asia and Central Asia and Southeast Asia before 9/11, during November 2001 or after 9/11. Originality/value This study indicates the critical importance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in suicide terrorism and its impact on these events in different regions of the world. The research also provides some recommendations concerning the effectiveness of defensive and offensive counterterrorism policies against suicide terrorism.

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