Management

Face-Threatening Acts and Face Management in MTN Cameroon Text Messages: A Sociolinguistic and Pragmatic Approach (Published)

Face-threatening act is ubiquitous in every single interaction. In conversations, speakers use linguistic strategies that may cause threats to their face or hearer’s face revealing the underlying nature of face-to-face interactions. This paper explores face threats in MTN Cameroon text messages from a sociolinguistic and pragmatic approach. It is a qualitative study that grounds on Lakoff (1973), Brown and Levinson (1987) politeness theories. The data collected are 21 text messages from MTN mobile phones to which the content analysis method was applied. The findings reveal that MTN text messages, at the sociolinguistic level, embody social variables such as power and status, honorifics, solidarity, and code-switching, which distance the speaker from the recipient or socially link them, thus influencing their face positively or negatively. At the pragmatic level, face-threatening acts attack the hearer’s negative face, the speaker’s negative face and the speaker’s positive face. Face threat acts range between orders, requests, advice, compliments, and flatteries. There is an overwhelming use of directives in text messages, advertisements in particular, implying that the marketing service of MTN influences customers’ face negatively saving the face of the company. Very few messages, advice or warnings, carry markers of politeness inducing that MTN prioritises the company’s profits over customers’ ethos. The study infers that the language of MTN text messages persistently puts pressure on subscribers, imposes their choices and shows low insights of friendliness when it comes to messages of advertisement. As a result of the shortcomings observed, the researcher recommends that the marketing service reconsiders the language of the text forwarded to MTN subscribers while adopting a soft language to mitigate conflicts with customers.

 

Keywords: MTN Cameroon, Management, Pragmatics, Sociolinguistics, face-threatening act

Security Management in Nigerian Secondary Schools: Focus on Ebonyi State (Published)

The study investigated security management in secondary schools in Nigeria with particular reference to Ebonyi State secondary schools. The design of the study was descriptive survey research design. Included in the study’s population are 1,519 secondary school principals and teachers from Ebonyi State. Stratified simple random sampling technique was used to select 300 respondents for the study. The instrument for data collection was a 20-item researcher developed questionnaire on a four-point scale; with Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD) response pattern weighted 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. The questionnaire was duly validated by one experts in Educational Administration and Planning and two from Educational Measurement and Evaluation all from Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Using the test-retest procedure and applying the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient analysis, the reliability of the instrument was established at 0.97 using schools in Enugu State. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviations, t-test statistics was used to test the hypothesis at 0.0.5 level of significance. Agreement was defined as mean scores of 2.50 or above, while disagreement was defined as scores below 2.50. Findings of the stud are that there are no security devices available for security improvement in Ebonyi State Secondary Schools; there are ways of improving staff security and measures for security of school plants. Based on the findings, some recommendations such as government should provide security devices and that government should encourage individuals and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to beef up the security measures in managing the school plants in secondary schools in their area

Keywords: Ebonyi State, Management, Nigeria, Security, schools

Impact of Quality Assurance Activities on the Management of Senior Secondary School Environments in Katsina Metropolis, Katsina State of Nigeria (Published)

The paper investigated impact of quality assurance activities on the management of senior secondary schools’ environments in Katsina metropolis. The population of the study consists of all the principals and inspectors in Katsina Zonal Quality Assurance Katsina State and their total number was 63. The sample size which was chosen based on the recommendation of Research Advisor (2006) was 44 inspectors. Both face and content validity were used to validate the instrument which was developed by the researchers. The instrument developed was named Questionnaire for Inspectors and School Principal (QISP). The instruments were given to the participants to tick the options that best explain their opinions regarding schools’ environmental management. Descriptive analysis of frequency tables and simple percentages were used to analyze the data collected. Based on the finding, it was found that quality assurance helped in the cleanliness of schools’ environment, quality assurance has impact on the management of school physical infrastructural facilities. The paper recommended that government should encourage inspectors by giving them incentives as this will make them work harder, Inspectors should increase their monitoring activities to schools in order to encourage teachers’ participation in the students’ inspections which in turn will encourage the students.

Keywords: Assurance, Environment, Management, Quality

The Influence of Innovative Leadership on Management of Institutions: A Case of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (Aa-Musted) In the Kumasi Metropolis (Published)

The study intended to explain the influence of innovative leadership on management of institutions: A case of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development in Kumasi Metropolis. The phenomenon explored in the study was how innovative effective leadership and management change influence other variables in organisations as it facilitates change, such as trust, commitment and clear vision. The population for the study comprises of all graduate students in the university. Qualitative research approach was employed with this study. The sample was eleven  (11) respondents who voluntary agreed to take part in the study. Interview guide was used for focus group discussions to gather empirical data. The data was analysed through transcribing each interview session and arranging them in a themes for the discussion. The study results indicated that the leader is the one who seeks to enhance and grow the patterns of thought, originations, and innovates new transformational approaches to the institutional effective change.

Keywords: Aa-Musted, Akenten Appiah-Menka University, Entrepreneurial Development, Institutions, Kumasi Metropolis., Management, innovative leadership, skills training

The Role of Village Consultative Board (BPD) in the Management of Village Funds in Limbong Village, Dolok Merawan Subdistrict, Serdang Bedagai Regency, Indonesia (Published)

The village fund in its management is carried out in an orderly manner, abiding by the provisions of the legislation, efficient, economical, effective, transparent, and accountable by paying attention to the sense of justice and propriety and prioritizing the interests of the local community, listed in Government Regulation number 22 of 2015 concerning Village Funds. Supervision of Village Fund Management by BPD in Limbong Village is done by monitoring all income and expenditure of village cash, to support the monitoring, BPD Limbong Village, Dolok Merawan District asks for Village Finance Report, both income and expenditure but in doing the monitoring are still many members Some of the BPD who do not understand what to do even know nothing about thevVillage fund.

Keywords: Management, Village Consultative Board, Village Fund

Revitalization of Women’s Cooperative (Kopwan) Based Local Wisdom (Published)

The purpose of research is to analyze the problems of women’s cooperatives in Sampang. Benefits of this study are consistent with Nawacita President Jokowi is to realize economic independence by moving the strategic sectors of the domestic economy. The methodology used in this research is qualitative descriptive. Data collection techniques in this study is the observation and interviews. The research subject is women’s cooperatives (members, administrators). The type of data in this study, there are two primary data and secondary data. Primary data were obtained from observations and interviews, while the secondary data obtained from the documentation, literature and the literature of the relevant agencies. In this study the validity or correctness of the information and the stabilization achieved by using triangulation is done by comparing the information of members of  Women`s cooperative ( Kopwan)  with the position (status) are different. The study population was women’s cooperatives in Sampang with purposive sampling election. From the research findings, Kopwan very weak performance from the aspect of technological mastery (the market), access to market information and  sources of capital .Moreover, human resource capacity is still low. The conclusion of this study is the need to strengthen management, capital support and appropriate technology. There was also need for the availability of raw materials and human resources (HR) is concerned to improve the performance of SMEs and Kopwan on Madura.

Keywords: Capital, Human Resources, Madura, Management, Women's Cooperative

Terrorism and its Management: A Case Study of Boko Haram Islamist Sect in Nigeria (Published)

This paper addresses the issue of terrorism in Nigeria, particularly in connection with the Boko Haram Islamist Sect. Terrorism, as a global phenomenon, is an ill-wind that blows no one any good. Recently, it has extended its ugly tentacles to Nigeria, precisely after the Presidential Election of April, 2011. Since then, Nigerian citizens have been on the defensive because of the great onslaught of man by the Boko Haram boys. The rampage has been on the increase and the attempt by the government to stop it has proved abortive. This has become of great concern to most Nigerians and the writer; hence, the emergence of this topic. The aims of this work are to highlight some of these religious riots encouraged by Boko Haram, to examine the root causes of the riots and to know their goals, organisational structure and sources of funding, and to proffer possible solutions that will make for the effective management of the crises.

Keywords: Boko Haram, Islamist Sect., Management, Terrorism

MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED IN WORK ORGANIZATIONS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA (Published)

The general observation in the Nigerian society is that the physically challenged has for a long time been marginalized, and socially deprived as a result of exclusion in work organizations. Management Challenges are noted as encumbrances amongst a myriad of other factors which excludes the physically challenged in work organizations. The extent to which these challenges promotes their exclusion and enhances social deprivation is not known to policy makers and advocacy groups. The Nigerian society appear not to be abreast with the negative impact of Management Challenges which denies the inclusion of the physically challenged in work organizations as relevant data are not available to give it a focus. Therefore, the justification for this research is consistent with the need to source, develop a data base, analyze, discuss findings and produce a total package that will be a reference for policy makers and advocacy groups to promote or enhance the inclusion of the physically challenged in work organizations, which would accrue benefit of reduced poverty and social deprivation. This work focused on “Management Challenges and Employment Opportunities for the Physically Challenged in Work Organizations in Rivers State, Nigeria”. The purpose was to investigate the extent to which Management of work organizations poses as a challenge for the inclusion of the physically challenged in six selected organizations in Rivers State, Nigeria. The pilot survey, simple random sampling techniques, questionnaires were employed to select respondents. Four research questions were raised. In analyzing data that addressed the research questions the descriptive and inferential methods of analysis were used. The findings of the study includes: lack of policies and practices; Negative public perception; militating cost of recruitment; barriers of physical environment; and discrimination etc. Based on these findings, the study recommends amongst others that there should be domestic policies backed by appropriate legislation which will favour employment of the physically challenged; elaborate elimination of physical environmental barriers to enhance access to employment; promotion and sensitization of advocacy groups to enhance the protection of the rights and privileges of the physically challenged.

Keywords: Access to Work Organizations, Challenges, Employment Opportunities, Management, Management Challenges, Organizational Discrimination, Rivers State, Workplace Inclusion and Exclusion, the Physically Challenged

UNITED STATES SECURITY STRATEGY AND THE MANAGEMENT OF BOKO HARAM CRISIS IN NIGERIA (Published)

The Nigerian Government has enjoyed cordial relationship with the government of the United States over the years especially given the former’s quantum of oil deposit and the latter’s access to exploiting same. However, the emergence of Boko Haram insurgence has been a source of concern to both countries especially as it portends danger to their interests. Despite the efforts of both countries in finding a lasting solution to the problem, the desired result is yet to be attained. In view of this, the study examined the effectiveness of the US security strategies in assisting Nigeria overcome the crisis of Boko Haram. Intractable conflict theory was adopted in arguing that it would be difficult to resolve the crisis of Boko Haram but it can, at least, be managed if proper strategies are put in place. Finally, the work discovered that in line with American foreign policy of zero tolerance to international terrorism, its strategies in assisting Nigeria overcome Boko Haram crisis have not been very effective.

Keywords: Boko Haram, Crisis, Management, Security, Strategy, Terrorism