The Review of Social Sciences (RSS) publishes qualitative and quantitative researches in all fields of the social sciences, the humanities, and the natural sciences. Researches in Natural sciences that are discussed within the scope of social sciences are also considered for publication. The journal welcomes submission from the following disciplines: View full list The journal publishes a variety of scholarly works including research articles, discussion articles, research notes and book reviews. The journal is published monthly by the LAR Center Press, a not-for-profit organization based in Beaverton (US) and Toronto (Canada). Interested authors are strongly encouraged to submit their quality articles for review and publication. All articles judged suitable for consideration will be reviewed in a double-blind peer review process.
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Globalisation and Politics. Conceptualisation of Charismatic Power by the Modern State
Starting from the ideal-typical categories coined by Weber, this paper aims to analyse the concept of charisma and its function of unifying force in the formation of social groups. In the oldest societies, it has played an important and essential role, but with the birth of the modern State and the its bureaucratic-legal-rational form, this form of power has declined. Only in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, just when the first crisis of the liberal State, charisma presents itself as the true strength of the union group consensus. Globalization heightens the sense of maladjustment of the modern individual. He’s devoid of any social bond, but the charisma of populist leaders or neo - fundamentalists trying to redesign a fictitious community of belonging to each individual, to give meaning to their lives. The applied methodology makes use of a political-philosophical approach, based on the hypothetical-deductive method through bibliographical research. The aim of the article is to show how the sociological and political categories of charism and authority are still pregnant in contemporary Western societies and the possibility of moderating the power of charismatic personalism through democratic institutions.
Modern State – Power - Authority – Charisma – Populism
History of political thought - History of political institution
Adopting e-learning Technologies in Higher Educational Institutions: The role of Organizational Culture, Technology Acceptance and Attitude
Twenty-first century learning environments entail integration of technology into the educational settings. This study focused on organizational culture, technology acceptance and attitude as push and pull factors in the adoption of e-learning technologies in a university setting. The study is a descriptive-correlational research. The respondents of the study are faculty members from universities in the Philippines. The study utilized the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (Cameron and Quinn, 2005), Technology Acceptance Questionnaire (Davis, 1986) and Technology Infusion model. The results of the study reveal that hierarchical culture is the dominant culture that exists in higher educational institution. Teachers’ technology acceptance is strongly related in the adoption of e-learning. Linear regression revealed that four out of six dimensions of organizational culture influences adoption of technology and all constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), as well as attitude and behavior predicts actual adoption of e-learning technologies in an educational setting. Results suggests that empowerment and active involvement of faculty is a key factor in adopting technology in an educational environment. Thus, teachers are both designers of learning environment and organizational culture.
Copyright (c) 2020 ANALIN EMPAYNADO PORTO
Sustainability of Rural Communities Drinking Water Systems and Local Development Projects in the Bole, West and Central Gonja Districts of the Savannah Region, Ghana
This study employed the post-positivist epistemology and the cross-sectional survey to examine the factors influencing the sustainability of communities drinking water and local development projects in the Bole, West and Central Gonja Districts of the Savannah Region, Ghana. Proportionate, systematic and simple random techniques were utilised to sample 450 respondents, composed of 392 household heads and 58 officials. Data was collected, utilising self-designed and semi-structured face-to-face interviews and questionnaires. Correlation and regressions were generated to determine relationships between the variables. Results showed community participation (r= 0.576, p-value = 0.019), finance (r = 0.517, p-value = 0.006), sense of ownership (r = 0.573, p-value = 0.012), labour support (r = 0.474, p-value = 0.015), education (r = 0.469, p-value = 0.021), technology (r = - 0.436, p-value = 0.018), maintenance (r = -0.503, p-value = 0.029), water pollution (r = - 0.389, p-value =0.041) and transparency (r = - 0.250, p-value = 0.015), were significantly associated with water projects sustainability. 69.7 percent of variabilities were collectively explained by the independent variables. Since p-values were < α = 0.05, the null hypothesis (Ho) was ruled out in favour of the alternative hypothesis. With strong participation, funding, local ownership, labour, and citizen empowerment, coupled with improved facility maintenance, appropriate technologies, pollution control and good eco-governance, there is almost irresistible likelihood for water and development projects to be sustainable. Depoliticising water, democratisation and eco-friendly strategies are necessary preconditions for an inclusive, self-governing and ecologically responsible citizenship needed for sustainability of water projects at the lowest level of development.
Causes of Failure of the South African Solar Water Heating Programme and the Forgone Social Benefits
Access to energy is fundamental to meeting the economic and environmental needs of a country as well as the basic social needs for households. The study aimed at assessing the causes of failure of the South African Solar Water Heating Programme (SWHP) and the effect they had on the intended social, economic and environmental benefits. In 2009, the South African Government pronounced the national SWHP, which was meant to provide one million Solar Water Heaters (SWHs) by 2014 and four (4) million SWHs by 2030 across the country. The programme, however, experienced institutional, social and technical challenges which led to the non-achievement of the set targets. The study presents findings drawn from interviews conducted with households from two communities in the Gauteng Province (i.e. Soshanguve and Alexandra) and officials from the Department of Energy (DoE), the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) and two municipalities (i.e. City Power on behalf of the City of Johannesburg and the City of Tshwane). The study found that the programme failed due to the subsidisation of imported products, poor quality installations leading to non-functioning SWHs, lack of training and poor planning by the involved institutions as well as unreliable verification of the number and location of installed heaters as a result of lack of systematic reporting and independent verification. For the programme to contribute to the reduction of electricity load, reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and improving the livelihood of the poor, there is a need for better ecological governance systems which include improved institutional arrangements, improved capacity for the technology and scaling up the roll-out of the SWHs as intended.
Copyright (c) 2019 Edzisani Ellen Netshiozwi
Coping with Energy Poverty in Rural Zimbabwe: Spaces Matter
Space for participation has become de riguer in the development discourse. Nonetheless, this phenomenon has not been adequately embraced in the energy sector. The question at the centre of this article is: What spaces for participation are available to the rural people to voice their energy concerns-how participative are they? Through extensive qualitative research in Buhera, Ward 24, this study demonstrates the barriers and constraints which hinder rural people’s participation in energy issues. Interviews with the participants revealed that while rural people participate in the invited and claimed spaces, power relations and conflict of interests are major obstacles to democratic decision-making. This suggests that decision-making in the energy sector lies with the powerful elite (government actors and electricity providers). Findings from the study revealed that hidden and invisible powers prevent the rural people from voicing their energy concerns. As a result of a lack of participation in the energy sector, energy poverty is misconceived as a phenomenon which can only be technically solved. However, participation allows that government can become more responsive to citizens’ energy needs and more effective in service delivery. By assessing the space for participation in the energy sector, the article might inform the relevant stakeholders of the importance of engaging the locals in addressing energy issues. Failure to appreciate the importance of space for participation limits the understanding of rural people’s energy needs, and the significance of their views remains underestimated. It is therefore recommended that space for participation be created to allow social inclusion of the rural people in the energy sector.
Copyright (c) 2018 Ellen Fungisai Chipango
Understanding the Intended Image of Public Secondary Schools in the South West Region of Cameroon
School administrators are the backbone of a successful school culture. Successful schools are a reflection of the leadership in place which is an indication of the vision, mission, values and core competencies in place. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the unintended image of public secondary grammar schools in the South West Region of Cameroon. 20 school administrators were purposively and conveniently sampled with an open ended questionnaire from the six divisions of the region. The data collected were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis. According to the results of this study, school administrators cited morality and poor results as crucial factors that degrade the image of public secondary grammar schools. Results further explain that the school administrators of these schools are striving for excellence as they cited morality which is the backbone for personal growth and human relations as the key vision, mission, value and core competencies of their schools followed by academic excellence. Other areas school administrators mentioned include: competence, talent creation, coercive workforce and building citizenship.
Copyright (c) 2019 Nengieh Lizzie Wantchami
The Policy on Use of Debt Instruments to Cover Deficit In Indonesian State Budget Law
This article discusses Government Bonds, which are generally better known as Government Bonds (Surat Utang Negara/SUN). SUN is an instrument used to cover the deficit of the State Budget (Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Negara/APBN). Debt can be in the form of foreign debt or domestic debt. In its implementation, domestic debt is preferred because it has a smaller risk. Dependence on SUN has caused nominal SUN to rise steadily, which if not managed properly can lead to a financial crisis. A strategy is needed to anticipate, namely the first to reduce the debt stock of the State that will be due by way of cash repurchase (cash buy back) SUN before maturity, debt swiching (exchange) of old bonds with new ones, and price discovery or determination of value fair market. Besides it, in the short term it is also necessary to anticipated if any oversold (SUN issued is not sold / not absorbed by the market) by finding cash loans through banks. In the long term, it would be better to replace the budget deficit regime with a balanced budget regime so that the State is truly independent in the welfare of its people. Besides continuing to eradicate corruption.
Customer Response towards Non-deceptive Counterfeit Brands
Universally counterfeiting is a very significant growing problem and profitable business, occurring both in less and well-developed countries. A recent report, by OECD and the EU’s Intellectual Property Office (2016), estimated the Imports of counterfeit goods to around 2.5% of global imports annually. However, this paper intends to measure the response of consumer towards non-deceptive counterfeit brand in Bangladeshi market. Both primary data by administering questionnaire and secondary data were collected. The research revealed that these consumers are price- sensitive but they also want to maintain status. Moreover, the consumers are also influenced by social media advertisements and past experience. The main contribution of the research is to demonstrate that consumers’ intention to buy counterfeit products is dependent on the attitudes they have towards counterfeit brands.
Copyright (c) 2018 Md. Farhan Faruqui, Md. Anamul Hoque, Fabliha Tasnim Hride
The evaluation of the Higher Education lecturer competences in East Timor: a student inquiry
Several studies have demonstrated the impact that the quality of teacher education has on teaching and student performance. The assessment of the competences of higher education teachers by students is one way of assessing the quality of teachers and, therefore, the quality of public higher education itself. It is therefore pertinent to carry out empirical studies that make it possible to understand how students evaluate teachers' competences. The objective of this study was to evaluate the competences of higher education teachers in the public university of East Timor, based on the students' opinion. Using a random sample of 342 students enrolled in four of the nine faculties of the National University of East Timor (UNTL), surveys were carried out to evaluate the pedagogical, professional, social and personality traits of teachers. The results showed a positive evaluation by the students, although the objectives of the National Strategic Plan for Education 2011-2030 (METL, 2011) have not yet been fully achieved.
Copyright (c) 2017 Abílio António Freitas Belo
Zimbabwean female participation in physics: The use of drawings in documenting students' images of scientists
The study investigated the Zimbabwean Advanced Level female adolescent students’ images of a scientist and the influence of female students perceived images on their participation in the subject. Three high schools that were offering physics at A’ level in the Midlands Province were targeted. Four female students eighteen years and above: three doing mathematics and physics and one doing physics without mathematics were purposively chosen. The data generating instruments were classroom observation and drawing. Findings show that two out of four female students drew stereotypical image of a male scientist and listed Eurocentric names of male scientists The other two female students, gave African names to the scientists that they drew and this may suggest that scientists are not only Eurocentric but can also be Afrocentric. Their diagrams might denote a positive physics perception which may have resulted in the construction of a positive identity formation regarding physics. The positive physics identity in turn may indicate that the female participants were more attuned to continue studying physics. However, the female students did not seem to perceive scientists as ordinary people but as famous inventive people they encountered in their science text books.
Institutional arrangements governing wetland utilization and conservation in communal areas of Zimbabwe
Wetland degradation and loss has persisted in developing countries due to existence of poor institutional frameworks supporting wetland governance. Therefore, wetland ecosystem services that support the livelihoods of most subsistence populations in rural areas are concomitantly lost. This paper explores the nature and consequences of institutional arrangements governing wetland access, utilization and conservation in six communal wetlands in Zimbabwe. Data were collected through a household survey targeting one hundred and twenty-three household heads, sixty teenagers and key informant interviews. The results of the study indicate a complex, multi-institutional involvement and the roles and relationship of participating institutions often compromise wetland resources conservation as a result of conflicts, confusion and tensions exacerbated by divergent motives. There is no homogeny in the number of institutions determining utilization at each wetland nor their degree of influence on management decisions;a situation reflecting inconsistency in existing institutional structure at communal level. Given the proximity of traditional leaders and wetland committees to the people and wetlands and the poor participation of government agencies, an institutional structure which places local institutions at the core of the governance system should be formulated. This shouldbe complemented by a clear framework which promotes co-ordination of institutional roles and clarification of their relationships in order to minimize discord in execution of their duties; a situation that currently contributes todegradation of wetland ecosystems. The necessary policy and legal framework to support such institutional framework should be put in place and resources for its operations made available.
Copyright (c) 2016 Thomas Marambanyika, Heinz Beckedahl
The Eight-Consciousness Model of Ethical Decision Making
This article explores a model of Vijñānavāda generally known as the eight consciousnesses, which relates to understanding consciousness itself from the Vijñānavāda perspective. The model is mainly based on the description in the ‘Verses Delineating the Eight Consciousnesses’. According to the eight-consciousness model, our entire consciousness involves the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mental consciousness, the manas and the ālayavijñāna. These components are presented beginning with the single mind through the increasing complexity of the process of consciousness. In this article, this model is examined as a potential theoretical resource that could guide insight, knowledge and enlightenment. Herein, it is expounded how the eight-consciousness model can increase our understanding of ethical decision making and develop a perspective that can facilitate enlightenment. This paper does not treat a very dense and complex doctrine of Vijñānavāda. However, when considering the actions and intentions that occur in the mind, these investigations represent the transformation of consciousness into wisdom.
Copyright (c) 2017 JENSHENG LIAO, Charles S. Chien
Adoption of Mobile Banking in Bangladesh: A Conceptual Framework
The objective of this paper is to present a framework to study the behavioral intention of customers to use mobile banking service in Bangladesh.Though many companies have taken initiatives to make it popular among the customers, there is still no sign of significant progress. It is therefore necessary to understand what factors influence the intentions of customers to adopt mobile banking in Bangladesh. However, there is a lack of scientific frameworks available to adopt for this study purpose.
Copyright (c) 2017 Md Shamimul Islam, Noorliza Karia, Mohamed Soliman Mohamed Soliman, Mahmudul Hasan Fouji, Jamshed Khalid, Muhammad Khaleel
Internationalization as Investment for Higher Education Institutions: Introducing a Framework to Enhance Investment in Internalization Practices
Prior research has reflected various conceptualizations of internationalization in higher education and offered various perspectives on its activities and practices which in result have produced different pragmatic outcomes. In the 21st century, higher education institutions (HEIs) are progressively mobile as well as globally competitive and in response practices and strategies adopted by HEIs needed to reshape in global context. The present study is the qualitative study based on prior literature and reveals a comprehensive review about the factors influencing internationalization practices. The present study contributed to the existing literature by illustrating a conceptual framework to enhance the investment in internationalization activities by HEIs. It is argued that effectiveness of internationalization depend on the rise of internationalization at home activities, student/staff exchange programs, expanding ventures and institutional networks and alliances. The study is prominently significant for HEIs as it is offering practical suggestions to speed up internationalization process.
Copyright (c) 2017 Jamshed Khalid, Anees Janee Ali, Md Shamimul Islam, Muhammad Khaleel, Qi Fang Shu
The Road to Teacher Burnout and its Possible Protecting Factors – A Narrative Review
In this review study personality characteristics and workplace environment variables (with special attention to classroom conditions) are investigated regarding the phenomenon of teacher burnout in order to discover the basis of an effective intervention program. Regarding the studies, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Educational Survey for burnout measurement (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001) was applied in all of the researches. Samples have been collected from the USA and several countries of Europe. According to the results, workload and social support turned out to be major influencing factors as much as work characteristics are concerned, and positive affectivity, emotional stability and self-efficacy were the major influencing variables as much as personality characteristics are concerned. As a conclusion of the correlating tendencies, a hypothesized model has been created, in order to explain the process of how an individual responds to his or her environment in the process of burnout, where the steps are: (1) emotional traits (e.g.: emotional stability, positive affectivity, extraversion) -> (2) perceived work environment and work characteristics -> (3) consideration about one’s ability to cope (self-efficacy, self-confidence) -> (4) choice of a coping strategy -> (5) influence on the level of burnout (either increase or decrease).
Ethno-Religious Pluralism and Sustainable National Development: The Nigeria Experience
Ethno-religious pluralism and sustainable national development in Nigeria seem a paradox as well as an unattainable goal. Lives and properties have been wantonly destroyed with unabated zeal without due consideration to our common humanity. Resources that would have lifted the poor and underprivileged to higher levels of existence are regularly wasted in restoring damaged infrastructures. The Nigerian experience appears bleak without any hope in the horizon. This paper examines how these serious but intangible phenomena have bedeviled Nigeria as a nation. The study was carried out in sixteen Nigerian Universities. The research sample was made up of 800 lecturers from sixteen Nigerian University divided into north and south. The sampling technique adopted was the multi staged random sampling technique; data was collected through the use of structured questionnaire administered directly by the researchers and 10 research assistants over a period of 3 months. Two research questions and two hypotheses were designed to guide the study. After coding the data generated from the field using the research instrument, data was subjected to independent t-test analysis. Results obtained show that Muslim staff religious tolerance (15.9>8.2); this produced t-value of 33.9 with a p-value higher than the .05 significance level with 798 degree of freedom, this implies that religious tolerance does significantly influence sustainable national development. The result of the second hypothesis also shows that mean score for north is slightly greater than the mean score for south (11.86>10.73); this produced t-value of 2.41with a p-value higher than the .05 significance level with 798 degree of freedom. This implies ethnocentrism (religious pluralism and ethnicity) has significant influence on sustainable national development in Nigeria. The authors concluded that despite the religious pluralism as is observed in Nigeria, Nigerians can still live peacefully among the different ethnic nationalities and carry out sustainable national development. It was however recommended that leaders should make their followers understand that Nigeria is a country for all of us and as such every citizen has equal rights and privileged to govern or lead and every leader should give equal opportunities to every sector of the country.
Copyright (c) 2017 C.V.O. Eneji, G.U. Ntamu, Love Joseph Asor
Widening Access of Nigerians To Distance Education Programmes
Two distance education programmes prominently exist in Nigeria. These are the Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE) distance learning programme and the Open University distance education models. Ample evidence abounds to show that numerous Nigerians have not maximally taken advantage of these programmes to acquire requisite knowledge and skills in order to fit into the world of work and/or to improve their productivity. A plethora of factors underlie these unsavory situations. This paper highlights the inherent needs to the participation of Nigerians into these distance learning programmes and also suggests different strategies for widening or enhancing the access of more Nigerians to these new paradigms of accessing education.
Correspondence learning and teaching and Correspondence school
Copyright (c) 2017 Cecilia A. Beshel, Glory B. Asuquo, Violet O. Ekpenyong,
Putting small-scale mining in perspective: an analysis of risk perception of a southwestern Nigerian community
Across the developing world, informal small-scale mining is still growing in popularity, so are its significant socio-environmental burdens to the host communities. The assumption that understanding risk tolerance at small scale of mining is important to recommending effective planning approach, in mitigating its environmental impacts, and in promoting environmentally responsible oversight gave rise to this survey. Quantitative responses from a systematic random sampling of 506 residents of Ijero-Ekiti mining community (southwestern Nigeria) are presented with an emphasis on risk perception and management measures. By ranking 21 variables identified through an extensive literature review, residents’ tolerance index (RTI) and resident agreement index (RAI) are computed. The results suggest that while residents’ risk perception is largely motivated by socio-economic considerations brought about by a major surge in population growth in recent years, there is greater desire for an active public engagement and improved regulatory oversight. The conclusion highlights the value of local capacity building and increased awareness of less risky economic alternatives in successfully implementing long-terms solutions to risks associated with unsustainable mining practice at any scale.
Copyright (c) 2017 Sesan Adeyemi, Ayodele Olagunju
An Assessment of the Application of Occupational Ergonomics Principles in the Informal Sector of Harare and Mutare in Zimbabwe
A major challenge for the city authorities of Harare and Mutare in Zimbabwe is to come up with clear policies and actions aimed at supporting and nurturing the informal sector as well as improving health and safety in the sector. This study thus aims at assessing the awareness of ergonomics principles in the small-scale enterprises of Harare and Mutare. The level of awareness of ergonomics principles is low in the small scale informal sectors of Harare and Mutare. It was expected that builders, woodworkers and welders would have a higher level of ergonomic principles, but this was not the case. The informal workers are employed in a high-risk sector, but survey results indicated that improving their work environment is not one of their top priorities. The financial situation and the fact that occupational hazards and diseases are not always visible means that their limited resources are allocated to field other than occupational health and safety. Workers in the informal sector are not affected by the traditional employer-employee relationship as that obtains in the formal sector where the employee is obliged to care for the workers occupational health and safety needs. In order to address occupational health and safety discrepancies in the informal sector there is need for change of mindset and this can be catalysed by the local authorities and other organizations. The local authorities can begin by ensuring basic occupational hygiene skills among the informal sector workers so that they may realize their economic potential and hence sustained businesses
Occupational safety and health in the informal sector
The effectiveness of behaviour based safety (BBS) in accident prevention at a pine timber processing plant in Nyanga District, Zimbabwe
The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Behaviour Based Modelling (BBM) in the timber processing operations at a pine timber processing plant in Nyanga district in Eastern Zimbabwe. A detailed descriptive study was undertaken on the effectiveness of BBM in the timber processing operations. A sample size of 20% of all the employees directly involved in timber processing operations was used in data collection. Direct field observations, interviews and questionnaires surveys were used as primary sources of data collection. Secondary data was acquired from the division`s local clinic and the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) department at the timber processing plant. Data collected was analysed using the statistical and descriptive methods. The study showed that BBM is accomplishing its intended goals although management support could increase with the prime focus centered on timber processing operations. Improvements on the existing operational procedures of Behaviour Based Modelling could, however, improve its effectiveness. The Safety, Health and Environment department should ensure that employees have the right to refuse to work under unsafe and unhealthy work conditions. Management must ensure that hazards and risks are eliminated prior to employees commencing the work. The procurement of Personal Protective Equipment/Clothing must be improved so as to allow the outright applicability of BBM.
Copyright (c) 2017 Steven Jerie, Jenya Baldwin
Site Suitability Analysis for Solid Waste Landfill Site Location Using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Banket Town Board, Zimbabwe
The aim of this study was to map the optimal sites that were environmentally suitable for locating a dumpsite in the Zimbabwean town of Banket as well as investigating the suitability of the dumpsite being currently used by the Banket Town Board. Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing constituted the main quantitative techniques used in data collection. Digitizing, buffering and overlaying were used to map suitable sites for locating a dumpsite in Banket. Environmental parameters were extracted from Google Earth by way of digitizing, buffered using Quantum GIS 2.8 and then overlaid using Quantum GIS 2.8 to produce the suitability map. In support of the quantitative techniques, qualitative techniques that included interviews, questionnaires, observations and literature were used to compliment the quantitative methods. Results of the research presented a suitability map which showed the possible suitable sites for establishing a dumpsite in Banket as well as the most considered suitable site in the eastern part of the town. In mapping the suitable sites according to a number of buffered parameters (Central Business District, Railway line, Road, and Rivers) the current dumpsite was found to lie within the parameters designated as unsuitable. It was recommended that Banket should consider closing its current dumpsite for a better location from the possible suitable sites established by the study especially the site on the eastern part of the town which is suitable in terms of all buffered parameters as well as other confounding variables that include economy, accessibility and elevation as well as slope.
The Analysis of White House Occupant and Political Polarization in the United States
This paper examines a previously unidentified causal factor – White House Occupant (WHO) or President of the United States (POTUS) – in political polarization and then investigates its impact on legislative productivity and the aggregate economy. Objective pundits would agree that the United States has entered a new phase of “toxically pandemic political polarization” because Congressional Republicans had racial resentment of Obama and they did everything to obstruct his policy agenda; and now, in retaliation and on policy issues, Democrats resent Trump. In view of the changing American electorate, we consider WHO’s or POTUS’s race or gender or perceived religious affiliation or policy positions to be an important causal factor that will contribute to extreme political polarization in the foreseeable future. This is problematic because a WHO could take advantage of a highly polarized and dysfunctional Congress to undermine the democratic principles that American cherish if Congressional members of his/her majority party are unwilling to provide the constitutional checks and balances. We model how political polarization will in turn depress economic growth. In addition to introducing a novel element to the ongoing research on the consequences of political polarization, this paper contributes to the broader literature by asserting that a WHO or POTUS is one of the determinants of political polarization and Congressional productivity; and that the remarkable contraction in Congressional productivity during Obama’s presidency, which we found to be statistically and significantly different from the other three two-term presidents who served in the past four decades supported this assertion. This paper examines a previously unidentified causal factor – White House Occupant (WHO) or President of the United States (POTUS) – in political polarization and then investigates its impact on legislative productivity and the aggregate economy. Objective pundits would agree that the United States has entered a new phase of “toxically pandemic political polarization” because Congressional Republicans had racial resentment of Obama and they did everything to obstruct his policy agenda; and now, in retaliation and on policy issues, Democrats resent Trump. In view of the changing American electorate, we consider WHO’s or POTUS’s race or gender or perceived religious affiliation or policy positions to be an important causal factor that will contribute to extreme political polarization in the foreseeable future. This is problematic because a WHO could take advantage of a highly polarized and dysfunctional Congress to undermine the democratic principles that American cherish if Congressional members of his/her majority party are unwilling to provide the constitutional checks and balances. We model how political polarization will in turn depress economic growth. In addition to introducing a novel element to the ongoing research on the consequences of political polarization, this paper contributes to the broader literature by asserting that a WHO or POTUS is one of the determinants of political polarization and Congressional productivity; and that the remarkable contraction in Congressional productivity during Obama’s presidency, which we found to be statistically and significantly different from the other three two-term presidents who served in the past four decades supported this assertion.
Copyright (c) 2017 OLUWOLE OWOYE, MATTHEW DABROS
The effects of relief food aid on food production and consumption patterns of communal farmers in Chigodora community, Case study: Zimbabwe.
The research study focuses on the effects of relief food aid on food production and consumption patterns of communal farmers in Chigodora Ward 15, Mutare District. The researcher adopted a descriptive research design. Data collection instruments used in this research study included questionnaires, interviews as well as published documents. Questionnaires targeted households in selected villages. The researcher used a cluster sampling strategy in selecting villages and random sampling technique was used to select households from the selected villages. Interviews targeted key informants such as the Agritex Extension Officer, Mutare Rural District Council Social Services Director, and Chitakatira Health Care leader, Ward 15 Councilor, Plan International Selection Director and The Village Heads. Key informants were selected using purposive sampling technique. The researcher found out that relief food aid beneficiaries in Chigodora Ward 15 receive maize, beans, cooking oil and porridge on a monthly basis. Plan international is the only humanitarian organization which supplies food in the community. Since the involvement of food aid agencies in Chigodora, production of indigenous crops such as finger millet, sorghum and rapoko decreased. New crops such as peas are now grown. The major factors driving the persistence of relief food are HIV and AIDS, climate change, lack of fair distribution of farming inputs, the restructuring of the agricultural system and dependency syndrome. Short term impacts of relief food aid on food production and access include impacts on local taste, promotes laziness and compromises access to local foods. Long term impacts mentioned were, overall decrease in food production, disincentives on farmers to produce and exposure to low quality and unsafe products. The suggest the government of Zimbabwe needs to adequately assist and empower communal farmers to produce enough food from their fields through modern technologies as well as providing farmers with loans for inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and equipment to improve productivity.
Copyright (c) 2017 Trylee Nyasha Matongera
An Exploration of Contingent Faculty Experiences at a Private, Liberal Arts College
Both internal and external factors have incited higher education institutions to reevaluate and restructure antiquated policies and practices that influence contingent faculty support systems and contingent faculty interpersonal relationships with their institutional community members. Higher education institutions now employ over a half million contingent faculty nationwide, with numbers of contingent faculty hiring continuing to grow (Maldonado & Riman, 2009). Currently, much of the research on contingent faculty stresses the use of contingent faculty and full-time faculty perceptions of contingent faculty at the community college level (Meixner, 2010; Tomanek, 2010; Wallin, 2004). Differences between full-time and contingent faculty are difficult to label because of the diversity of contingent faculty motivations (Gappa, Austin, & Trice, 2005; Wagoner, 2007). Therefore, depending on how researchers conduct their study questions contingent faculty either seem satisfied, vulnerable and disenfranchised, or somewhere in the middle which produces a confusing picture of contingent faculty experiences (Wagoner, 2007; Waltman et al., 2012). This qualitative study explores contingent faculty experiences at a single institution through their own voice. Focus on an interpretative phenomenological approach allows for rich, descriptive storytelling that communicates the uniqueness and distinctiveness of the contingent faculty’s experiences, and their perceptions of how they identify and connect with their institutional support systems and institutional members. Such specificity also highlights the institution’s cultural values and norms. While some shared experiences were similar among contingent faculty, there were also experiences unique to the individual. Exploration of contingent faculty voice is imperative in driving institutional platforms that aid in creating positive institutional support systems for contingent faculty.
Part-time Employment and Health Insurance Reform: What Can Massachusetts Tell Us about the Affordable Care Act?
Experience with health insurance reform in Massachusetts may provide a good forecast of the impact of the Affordable Care Act [ACA] on the growth of part-time employment. Concerns have been expressed that the ACA will lead to growing part-time employment, but it will take several years to observe this effect and whether it is labor demand (firm) or labor supply (worker) initiated. Using state-level data from 1999 to 2012, I treat the 2007 implementation of the new Massachusetts health insurance system as an “experiment” to examine whether it had any differential effect on the growth in part-time employment in the state. A panel estimation including fixed cross-section and period effects reveals that voluntary part-time employment increased in Massachusetts relative to the other states, but reform measures did not have an effect on involuntary part-time employment. The impact of the reform on voluntary part-time employment suggests that some Massachusetts workers found the pre-reform system to be an obstacle to their choice of optimal work hours. The implementation of the ACA, by providing avenues for obtaining health insurance that are not directly tied to employment, may remove this obstacle for workers in other states and make part-time employment a more attractive choice for workers across the U.S.
Strategic Alliance and Operational Sustainability in the Nigerian Banking Sector
There is the heightened challenge of scarcity of organizational resources needed to cope with increased level of competitiveness arising from globalization and technological breakthroughs. One of the likely ways of ensuring survival and sustainability is creation of strategic alliances value added and this has informed the current study in the Nigerian banking sector. A survey of 76 strategic bank personnel was used and the survey instrument generated data related to the examined constructs. The Spearmen Rank statistic and multiple regression were used as analytical tools and findings showed that the multi-dimension of strategic alliance operationalized as technological, human capital development and research and development alliances have a significant relationship with operational sustainability and technological alliance with much weight based on the value = 0.312 on operational effectiveness therefore it was concluded that strategically created alliances ensures operational sustainability. This study has its implication in terms of emphasizing network or alliance appropriateness towards operational goals.
Influences of Experiential Pursuing Tendency in Experience Perception with the Moderating Role of Expertise and Demographics
This study examines the relationship of consumers' experiential pursuing tendency and experience perception with the moderating role of consumers' expertise and their demographics, sex and age. Experience pursuing tendency is based on an individual personality. Experience perception is individuals' affection in the procession of consumption or after purchase. The study found that there are relationships between consumers' experience pursuing tendency and experience perception, sensual, affective consumers perceived even more emotional dimensions of experience. Whereas the other side of consumers, the pursuers more practical are less susceptible to emotional experience and more to professional experience. Accumulated knowledge by indirect learning or directly by oneself does not control the relationship between experiential pursuing tendency and experience perception. But sex and age among demographics are involving the relationships between them. Aged consumers over 50s perceived experience less, especially to the emotional side of experience perception. Finally, managerial and research implications are presented from the results of the study.
Merger, Acquisition and Employees’ Work Attitude After Bank Reform in Nigeria
The increasing wave of merger and acquisition in organizations are global experiences and especially in Nigeria since significant banking reforms of 2005, which has created challenges over the years to policy makers, management practitioners, organizational researchers and consultants over the failure of the survival of 75% of most of these corporate marriages at post-merger and acquisition. This study examined the varying effects of the feelings and beliefs of retained employees on conditions of merger and acquisition consequent upon work attitude. Using organizational commitment scale (OCS) and job satisfaction scale (JSS), 280 participants with 140 each on conditions of merger and acquisition were assessed. There were 151 males and 129 females of the age ranged between 25 to 51 years, represented across the banks and selected by means of purposive sampling. A hypothesis was examined at .05 significant levels using the t-test. Result of the prediction that significant reactions emanating from reforms were experienced more in acquired than merged banks on employees’ measures of work attitude at post merger and acquisition. The result of the study proposes that merger and acquisition are technically distinct and vary on their effects across the varying conditions of merger and acquisition. It is further deduced that changes that emanated at post integration producedseparate qualities of marriage which caused the differential resultant effects across merged and acquired banks. The implication reveals that though negative reactions were experienced across merged and acquired banks, acquired banks had the worst of experiences thereby entailing more positive work attitude in merged than acquired banks. This statement establishes the empirical distinctiveness of merger and acquisition.
Copyright (c) 2016 VICTOR DUNG PAM, JOHN DOKOTRI, JIDONG DUNG EZEKIEL
Turkish Approach to Isil, Syria And The Kurdish Region
There have been large-scale complaints lately regarding the relationship between Turkey and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The basis of the mentioned allegations shows that Turkey is unwilling to take very strict measures regarding the security threat over its borders. This research paper examines the Turkish dilemma fighting against the ISIL threat and the contribution of Turkish policy in support of fighting ISIL. In recent meetings, U.S. officials mentioned that Turkey has made a mistake in the past with its borders. They criticize Turkey’s delayed reaction and failure to react strongly against ISIL, but that does not imply that Turkey supports a terrorist group or organization. Furthermore, Ankara has always argued that the rebels from Syria should be supported and moderated. But this point of reaction, which is even supported by the West, makes it impossible to differentiate between the 2 camps. The cross-over of arms as well, e.g. to control the deliveries of arms, is impossible to moderate. Turkey tries to keep away the emerging anti –ISIL coalition and does not support an attack on the group. It has been argued in the international view that Turkey cannot become a regional power without joining the fighting coalition against ISIL threat. However, the West and regional countries are trying to understand the Turkish reaction and they are concerned.
The Impacts of Undeveloped Roads on the Livelihoods of Rural Women.
Globally poor service delivery is a challenge faced by many rural communities in Third World Countries. The overarching issue of poverty as well as poor services impacts on rural households in Third World Countries. The aim of this study is to assess the impacts of undeveloped roads in the Nyamana community and its direct linkage on the livelihoods of rural women. The Nyamana community is characterised by poor road conditions and is considered an undeveloped area. There is a lack of infrastructural development in the area that places further restrictions on the livelihoods of residents. The use of qualitative and quantitative methods are used in this study. Findings from this study reveal that a direct relationship exist between undeveloped roads and access to many other primary services such as education, employment, healthcare facilities and livelihood strategies. Residents in the Nyamana community have no access to electricity and clean water. In addition infrastructural access is a major difficulty for these residents due to insufficient roads. The study indicates that rural women bear the burden of household chores such as fetching water and collecting fuel wood, which is indicative of the transport burden women carry. Qualitative results of the study reveal that essential services such as healthcare, education and road infrastructure are absent in the community, however no effort is being made by the municipality in improving the provision of services. In addition rural dwellers state isolation and remoteness as a major contributor to their state of poverty, as they are unreachable and non-existent to the rest of society. Additional findings reveal that patriarchy is widespread in the community, which has led to inequalities with regards to access and mobility amongst women.
Copyright (c) 2016 Shenelle Janalyn Sewell