A Literature Review on the Relatiohship between Competition and Efficiency for Takaful and Conventional Insurance

When there are many players operate in a particular market, it encourages competition. Thus, healthy competition in the market leads to efficiency performance. Takaful and conventional insurance are the two parallel methods used to transact insurance business. The emergence of the Takaful market has contributed to competitiveness and conventional insurance is facing competition with Takaful. Therefore, this paper attempts to review the literatures relating to the relationship between competition and efficiency between Takaful and conventional and whether there exist a positive or a negative relationship.

Joint Participation of the State and Community Based Organizations (CBOS) In Poverty Alleviation: An Impact Study

The study was undertaken to examine the joint contributions of the state and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in poverty alleviation and the impact thereof in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study adopted survey research methodology. The hypothesis of the study was set up to test the relationship between joint participation of the state and community based organizations (CBOs) in social infrastructural development and poverty alleviation. Simple random sampling and multi stage cluster sampling techniques were used to select the sample size for the study. The instrument for data collection was a 20 item, well validated questionnaire. The data analysis revealed that joint participation strategy of the state and CBOs has significant and positive relationship with poverty alleviation through the provision of social infrastructure such as water and electricity supply, skill acquisition, educational and health facilities in local communities of Akwa Ibom State. The study also revealed that the provision of such social infrastructure in the local communities through joint participation of state and CBOs enhanced establishment and spread of small scale business enterprises which in turn increased job opportunities and income earnings of the members of the communities under study. Based on the finding, the study recommends that the state should develop policies that would involve and integrate the people and their CBOs in the development of rural communities in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria at large particularly in social infrastructural development for purposes of poverty alleviation in the state and the country as well.

Theoretical and Conceptual Issues on Covid-19 Pandemic

The study set out to evaluate the theoretical, empirical and conceptual issues on COVID-19 Pandemic. It stated that the American system is described as a liberal capitalist system, which theoretically operates upon private ownership of the means of production, pursues profit in business trading as the motivation and production are for the markets. In this system, price mechanism determines demand and supply. China on the hand, had started reforms where they transited from Communism to Socialist market economy with strong State –Owned- Enterprises driving the economy. They have acquired the capitalist ethics of profit and competition hence aiming at profit in the global market place. In the course of this, they obtained favorable balance of trade with the U.S. The former U.S. president was desirous to change the situation, and started a trade-war with China which negotiations failed. In the midst of this came COVID-19,which this study termed the third World War given the fact that the number of nations and casualties caused by COVID-19, is greater than both the first and second World Wars. The study applied the descriptive research technique and deployed the Elite theory and the political economy perspective of analysis. It alluded to the logic of competition in capitalism which operates in both systems as accounting for the COVID-19 as ammunition to outwit one another. It outlined the manifest and latent manifest outcomes of the COVID-19, showing the various military ships in which their occupants were infected by COVID-19 after participating in the 7th CISM world Military games in Wuhan,-China. It also listed a number of Cruise-Liners which were docked because the occupants were infected by the virus. It concluded that just as global alliance helped to resolve the World wars and previous pandemic, global solidarity in finding out where and how the virus started and conduct research to find potent vaccine to end the pandemic is the solution to covid-19, else mankind would live with it.

Assessing the Benefits of a One-Stop Medical and Financial Support Program: From the Standpoint of Patients of Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital in the Philippines

This study described the benefits of the Malasakit Center based on the perspectives and experiences of patients of Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital. It employed mixed research methods and interviews as the primary data collection tool. The study was conducted in March 2020 with thirty patients and patient's relatives receiving services of the hospital. Most of the respondents are male and within the age bracket of 30 to 39 years old. All the participants reflected a positive response to Malasakit Center, as it lessened the burden of producing documentary evidences to avail of the services. A procedure observed prior to implementing the Malasakit program. This study also focuses on how the Center made the service more accessible. To further maximize its benefits, information dissemination needs to be widened and its location in the province and in the Philippines should be advertised for increase patronage. Posting of the requirements for availment of Malasakit Center services is likewise essential and may considerably increase the number of applicants for the services of the Center.

Local Revenue Mobilization and Composite Budget Implementation in Ghana: Examining the Challenges

Central governments recognize the key role played by local governments in the developmental agenda of these local areas, especially the effort at generating sufficient revenue locally to fund its own projects and programs. Ensuring effectiveness in decentralization calls for sufficient financial resources to help run the administrative machinery and foster local-level development. The study set out to examine the main challenges affecting local revenue mobilization in Ghana using the experience of three selected districts. To understand these key challenges, this study adopted the case study design to select three administrative assemblies in Ghana. The study found many delays in releasing funds from the central government in terms of releases, poor IGF mobilization affecting operationalization of the district budgets, and ability to carry out socio-economic and infrastructural projects. The study recommends that a PPP arrangement for revenue mobilization should be structured to benefit the Assembly.

The Influence of Organizational Culture, Competence and Motivation toward the Quality of Education Services in State High Schools in West Java Province

The phenomenon that is used as the object of research is the Quality of Education Services at State Senior High Schools in West Java Province. The research objectives are (1) to discuss the influence of organizational culture toward the quality of education services; (2) Discussing the influence of competence toward the quality of education services; (3) Discussing the influence of motivation toward the quality of education services; (4) Get a new concept from discussing the influence of Organizational Culture toward the Quality of Educational Services; (5) Get a new concept from the discussion of the influence of Competence toward the Quality of Education Services; (6) Get a new concept from the discussion of the influence of motivation toward the quality of education services. The research sample of 381 respondents was taken from a population of 54,150 people with the Krejcie sampling technique. Determination of 10 Research Informants using snow ball technique. Collecting data using Literature Study, Questionnaire, Interview and Observation. The data analysis technique used SEM Analysis and Descriptive Analysis which was developed using Observer Triangulation and ASOCA methods. The following research results:The magnitude of the influence of Organizational Culture toward the Quality of Education Services at State Senior High Schools in West Java Province reached 0.69, which is quite strong and significant. The magnitude of the influence of Competence toward the Quality of Education Services at State Senior High Schools in West Java Province reached 0.55, which is quite strong and significant. The magnitude of the influence of motivation toward the quality of education services at public high schools in West Java province reached 0.86, which is very strong and significant.The new concepts that can be compiled from the discussion of the influence of Organizational Culture, Competence and Motivation toward the Quality of Education Services at State Senior High Schools in West Java Province are (1) a new concept of School Organizational Patterns; (2) a new concept on the Characteristics of Responses of Education Providers and (3) a new concept on the Drive for Achievement.

The Considerations on a Classification Scheme for Community College Workforce Development Programs

Community colleges actively engage in a broad array of pre- and in-employment workforce development programs. These programs have typically been categorized as credit or non-credit bearing, but this classification is problematic and does not account for the complexity of the type, size, or motivation for offering the program. This discussion categorizes workforce development programs based on their funding source, including federal, state, industry/private, institutional, and user based programs. This type of classification allows for a better understanding of who is being served by programs, how they might be used in the future, and ultimately, provides some foundation for program assessment.

Political Elites and Politics of Exclusion as Challenges of Governance in Oyo State, Nigeria

This paper examined how political elites have excluded a number of people from partisan politics, and discussed the effect of the domineering role of political elites on good governance in Oyo state, Nigeria. The paper also examined the challenges that politics of exclusion pose on good governance in the study area. The study adopted primary and secondary data. For the primary data, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten purposively chosen respondents which comprised of former and serving lawmakers, party chairman, local government chairman, a labour leader, member of a social cultural group, and a serving commissioner. The secondary data was sourced from journal articles, books, newspapers and online publications. The primary and secondary data were content analyzed. The study found that political elites used the electorate to achieve their selfish political agenda; politics of exclusion is responsible for the poor participation of the people in partisan politics, undermining of democratic principles, and breeding of political violence in Oyo state, Nigeria. The study recommended that the Nigerian youths need to be more assertive to demand for accountability from political actors; while political elites should learn to do away with selfish interests. In addition, rule of law, freedom of the press and independence of the judiciary must be upheld in the country.

Telehuman Services Improves the Engagement of Low-Income Populations

The paper describes a range of evidence-informed strategies that a Historically Black, Colleges and University (HBCU) work readiness program adopted to increase the engagement of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program successfully engaged half of the program participants through two-generational (2Gen) approach. The 2Gen approaches target low-income children and parents from the same household and combine parent and child interventions to interrupt the cycle of poverty. These approaches emphasize early childhood education, economic supports, postsecondary education, social capital and health and well-being to create a legacy of economic security. The paper highlights the human services delivery strategies utilized to engage individuals into work readiness training activities during the pandemic. The paper presents data where certain 2Gen activities engaged TANF participants more than other 2Gen activities. The data reveals that half of the participants completed online digital literacy courses and earned training certifications. The intent of the paper is to offer state and local human service agency policymakers’ guidance on strategies to increase TANF participant engagement.

Policy Formulation During Pandemic COVID-19: A New Evidence of Multiple Streams Theory from Yogyakarta, Indonesia

This study aims to answer how the policy formulation process resolves the pandemic's impact in DIY Province, Indonesia, in 2020. DIY is chosen as the case in this study because the governor is also a king in this region. It was also considered the best province in handling the pandemic Covid-19 in 2020. This study used multiple streams proposed by John W. Kingdon to elaborate on the policy formulation process. This research method is qualitative, conducted using an online questionnaire, in-depth interview, documentary from March to October 2020. It found that policy, problems, and political streams overlapped in a policy window, i.e., pandemic crisis, as a common concern that must be addressed immediately. The new finding is that the government administration system that combines monarchy and decentralization models has encouraged crises to be resolved more quickly through an integrated multiple streams formulation. The other new finding is the governor, as a policymaker, can take advantage of the pandemic as a policy window to act as the sole policy entrepreneur.