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Increase in losses borne by banks as a result of inadequate operational risk management practices and the adverse impact on banks’ financial performance has been a major concern to bank management and regulators. This study analysed the impact of operational risk management practices on the financial performance of commercial banks in Nigeria. 10-years (2008 - 2017) secondary data extracted from audited financial statements of selected commercial banks in Nigeria was used for the study. The data was analysed using the Linear Multiple Regression Model. The results showed that there is a positive relationship between operational risk management and the financial performance of banks. The findings revealed that sound operational risk management practices impact positively on the financial performance of banks. We, therefore, recommend that banks’ management should deploy adequate resources towards understanding operational risk to ensure sound operational risk management and improved financial performance of banks.

This paper examines various models of entrepreneurship in the recruiting, managing, and organizing of Human Resources of an enterprise or organization. It adds to the growing body of literature in entrepreneurship by reviewing literature that examines the relationship between entrepreneurship and the Human resource management practice. It examines the theoretical framework that underpins the relationship between HRM and entrepreneurship. The study introduces strategic HRM as an entrepreneurial strategy whereby employees are applied as instruments needed to fully accomplish organizational objectives. It concludes that in starting a new firm or maintaining an already established organization where resources are limited, entrepreneurship and the role of an entrepreneur becomes a crucial management function in the selection and personal development of the human resource competencies. Organizations are therefore encouraged to imbibe the role of entrepreneurship in the managing of Human Resources in order to drive innovativeness, lead change, and make continuous improvements.

The academic discourse on ‘family’ perpetuity in family-owned businesses (FOB) is still burgeoning.  Current findings suggest the importance of family control and family inter-generational sustainability in family-owned businesses. Though literature in family perpetuity and sustainability is well documented from the advanced economies, there is a scarcity of insights from emerging markets where this research relates.  The study, therefore, sought to investigate, understand and interpret the underlying drivers of sustainability in small and medium family businesses using the stewardship theory paradigm and relying on evidence from an emerging market economy the Nigerian family business environment. A qualitative method with 41 in-depth interviews involving owners and managers of family-owned small and medium businesses was conducted. The study empirically shows that there is an interrelationship between family structure and business sustainability, hence the practice of polygamy was found to be inimical to family business success and sustainability. The study also showed that the element of spirituality arising from the ideals and values of the owning family is a significant factor for ensuring family wellbeing and business sustainability, and founding owner characteristics (industry experience) and impacts positively on the business performance and continuity. The study confirmed that the stewardship of non-family member employees within the business is provisional stewardship as non-family members rely on other incentives from the owning family members to behave as stewards.  Building on the stewardship theory, the paper develops a model of sustainability for small and medium family businesses. The study contributes to the theoretical literature on stewardship and family business sustainability

The study described and explained forensic accounting and the incidence of fraud detection in Nigeria. The objectives of this study were to identify personal skills requirements and, assess the types of investigative techniques used in forensic accounting. A literature review was conducted to set up the conceptual and theoretical framework for the study. A quantitative approach was used by administering a structured questionnaire. A total of 101 investigators from Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were used as sample for the study. We employed Jarque Bera statistics to conduct the analysis using the E views software. There is a significant relationship between forensic accounting personal skills; investigative techniques and fraud detection in Nigeria. The scope of the study was only in Nigeria and all samples were drawn from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The study concluded despite all fraudulent activities, forensic accounting is proffering solutions for fraud prevention and detection in Nigeria.  It was recommended for practitioners to engage in further training on forensic accounting personal skills and techniques.

It is observed that despite the legislative endorsement of the West Africa Countries there is still a glaring divergence in economic structures, which impedes the performance to realize macroeconomic convergence and economic growth within the region. This paper investigated the effects of trade and financial indexes in WAMZ on economic growth. The paper uses three variables and a host of control measures to focus on six countries of WAMZ covering the periods of 2001-2018. Given the heterogeneous nature of the information gathered for the study, the models are cast in static and dynamic panel frameworks that provided micro-structure for the combined data analysis. The models were tested with various econometric and statistical instruments. Results from the analysis show that exported trade is highly concentrated to fewer goods, while imported trade is concentrated on more products and partners; that is, countries in WAMZ tend to shadow liberal import policy. The weak link was also noticed among financial and trade indexes and economic growth in the WAMZ economies. The implications call for short term economic plans and policies in the WAMZ economies so as to collectively monitor economic policies and growth. We equally observed that the structures of the economies in the region are heterogeneous making it rather difficult for regional trade and financial indicators to accelerate output growth in the region. Thus our basic postulations are an inter-policy approach on social, political and economic (trade and finance) arrangements that would neutralize the heterogeneity and foster institutional and attitudinal reforms, eliminate insecurity challenges, and spur political stability and responsible leadership within the regions.

This paper focuses on the phenomenon of suicide ravaging Nigerian society. It specifically espouses the causes, manifestations, and feasible panacea to the scourge of suicide in the context of students in higher education in Nigeria. It adopted the content analysis methodology whereby existing secondary data on suicide were comprehensively reviewed and major strands and themes in the data analyzed were used as the basis for the discourse in this paper. The results of the reviewed data reveal that the major causal factors of the upsurge in suicide in Nigeria are attributed to a myriad of problems bedeviling Nigerian society such as; the comatose economy, abject poverty, anomie, globalization, get-rich-syndrome, peer influence, stress, and anxiety associated with socio-economic and political realities of the Nigerian society. These systemic and personal problems negatively impact the youths especially those in the higher institutions of learning because of the rigors associated with academic pursuits in Nigeria. A feasible panacea on how to stem the tide of suicide in Nigeria was discussed at the end of the paper.

This study sought to examine the effect of foreign private investment on the development of small and medium scale enterprises (SME’s) in Nigeria. The study adopted a longitudinal research design which made the use of secondary data imperative. The study employed data on the foreign private investments and development of SMEs in Nigeria covering 1991-2018. The variables used are Net Foreign direct investment, Net Foreign Portfolio investment, percentage of foreign direct investment in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and development of SMEs in Nigeria. The technique adopted in this study is multiple regressions to test the hypotheses. E-view econometric software 3:1 was used for the analysis. The result revealed that the value of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) have a negative relationship with the development of SME’s and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the percentage of gross domestic product and exchange rate have a negative and significant impact on the development of SME’s in Nigeria. It was recommended among others that government should increase its funding of small and medium scale enterprises, SME’s should be encouraged to go on public offer to expand the scope of funds, the exchange rate must be strengthened to encourage SME’s to attract funds and the needs to stabilized the economy to discourage divestment.

The academic discourse on ‘family’ perpetuity in family-owned businesses (FOB) is still burgeoning.  Current findings suggest the importance of family control and family inter-generational sustainability in family-owned businesses. Though literature in family perpetuity and sustainability is well documented from the advanced economies, there is a scarcity of insights from emerging markets where this research relates.  The study, therefore, sought to investigate, understand and interpret the underlying drivers of sustainability in small and medium family businesses using the stewardship theory paradigm and relying on evidence from an emerging market economy the Nigerian family business environment. A qualitative method with 41 in-depth interviews involving owners and managers of family-owned small and medium businesses was conducted. The study empirically shows that there is an interrelationship between family structure and business sustainability, hence the practice of polygamy was found to be inimical to family business success and sustainability. The study also showed that the element of spirituality arising from the ideals and values of the owning family is a significant factor for ensuring family wellbeing and business sustainability, and founding owner characteristics (industry experience) and impacts positively on the business performance and continuity. The study confirmed that the stewardship of non-family member employees within the business is provisional stewardship as non-family members rely on other incentives from the owning family members to behave as stewards.  Building on the stewardship theory, the paper develops a model of sustainability for small and medium family businesses. The study contributes to the theoretical literature on stewardship and family business sustainability

It is observed that despite the legislative endorsement of the West Africa Countries there is still a glaring divergence in economic structures, which impedes the performance to realize macroeconomic convergence and economic growth within the region. This paper investigated the effects of trade and financial indexes in WAMZ on economic growth. The paper uses three variables and a host of control measures to focus on six countries of WAMZ covering the periods of 2001-2018. Given the heterogeneous nature of the information gathered for the study, the models are cast in static and dynamic panel frameworks that provided micro-structure for the combined data analysis. The models were tested with various econometric and statistical instruments. Results from the analysis show that exported trade is highly concentrated to fewer goods, while imported trade is concentrated on more products and partners; that is, countries in WAMZ tend to shadow liberal import policy. The weak link was also noticed among financial and trade indexes and economic growth in the WAMZ economies. The implications call for short term economic plans and policies in the WAMZ economies so as to collectively monitor economic policies and growth. We equally observed that the structures of the economies in the region are heterogeneous making it rather difficult for regional trade and financial indicators to accelerate output growth in the region. Thus our basic postulations are an inter-policy approach on social, political and economic (trade and finance) arrangements that would neutralize the heterogeneity and foster institutional and attitudinal reforms, eliminate insecurity challenges, and spur political stability and responsible leadership within the regions.

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of bank lending on the growth of selected small and medium scale businesses in Nigeria. There are two basic research designs in social sciences, qualitative and quantitative orientation. However, the literature suggests a growing interest in a mixed approach (triangulation) following on from the argument that one is used to strengthen the other. Often, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, also known as the triangulation of methods, can capture a more holistic, complete, and contextual view of a phenomenon. The research is based on both qualitative and quantitative research designs.  Three research questions were addressed. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 200 respondents drawn from a population of 400 respondents. A research developed questionnaire was used for the data collection. Data were analyzed using simple percentages and tables. The result of the study revealed that Lending to SMEs encourages self-employment thereby reducing the rate of unemployment and crime in Nigeria. It also boosts industrialization as well as improving the economic situation in the Country. In conclusion, bank lending influence positively the level of economic activities and the growth of SMEs in the country. A number of recommendations were made based on the findings prominent among them is the need for Government, Commercial bank, and Central bank of Nigeria to increase lending to small and medium scale business with a view to create more jobs, reduce crime and unemployment as well as boost industrialization in Nigeria.