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Curb cheating in Master's project
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaIn conclusion of the Business Talk mini series on Kenyan higher education, graduate student research supervisors should incorporate the following techniques into their assessment of projects and theses to significantly reduce the high prevalence of master’s project cheating.
First, nearly all students do not know how to do the quantitative analysis portion of the project. Business statistics courses often show pre-computer formulas and do not provide step-by-step instruction on how to conduct and interpret robust quantitative analysis. Instead of supervisors making the false assumption that students know how to write the analysis section of their thesis by the time they get assigned a research supervisor, the supervisor should rather know that the master’s student likely does not comprehend how to already do analysis and, unless shown by the supervisor how to do it, will likely cheat to get it done by using third party paid writers.
Inasmuch, supervisors should require students to show them all the physical hard copies of the filled-out surveys along with the signing sheet where questionnaire respondents provide their names, signatures, and sometimes identification numbers. Supervisors should check against false completion whereby the same handwriting, pen, and unnatural patterns appear in the surveys, indicating that the sample population did not really fill them out.
Second, the supervisor should do a spot check of the student’s data entry accuracy. Compare several original surveys and the data entered into Excel, Nvivo, Stata, or SPSS. Then the supervisor should check the data entry parameters to make sure the student entered the right type of data, such as ordinal, nominal, or scale and the correct width and decimals. In quantitative projects, the supervisor can then quickly and easily on a one by one basis show the student how to do descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha reliability tests, create summated scales, run correlations matrix, variance components, t-statics, and multiple regressions. More complicated exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis in structured equation modelling requiring AMOS or Mplus software is usually reserved for doctoral students
The Influence of Consumers’ Perception on Buyer Behavior: A Case Study in Selection of Mobile Devices among USIU Students
No full textA Research Project Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of consumer perception on buyer behavior in phone selection. The research was guided by fulfilling the following objectives: to investigate socio-environmental stimuli affecting buyer behavior; to evaluate the psychological stimuli impact on buyer behavior; and, to examine the market mix stimuli affecting purchase decisions among USIU-Africa students. Descriptive research design was used in the study, targeting a population of 6774 students in the spring semester, at USIU institution. The population technique employed was stratified random sampling, in order to select the target sample of 198 students. In addition, structured questionnaires were developed to collect data, which generated the descriptive and inferential statistics used in the analysis. Tables and figures presented the data, which included correlation and regression analysis.
In terms of the first objective under socio-environmental stimuli, established that aspects within the stimuli could be correlated to other factors as income, family and social background. Most respondents agreed education, gender, age and social status had an impact in consumer behavior while determining the kind of phone one is likely to select. Majority of the respondents disagreed on the choice of putting people’s needs before theirs, having an impact on their choice of phone. The study confirmed that there was a positive relationship between socio-environmental stimuli and phone selection and these factors could potentially have an in impact on consumers’ decisions. Regarding objective two, the study revealed that perceptual biasness towards extrinsic factors is based on price, quality and content of a product as critical marketing drives to gaining consumer attention. Knowledge based on experience had a positive impact on phone selection process with regards to a consumer’s accumulated experience over time. Memory was subjected to how well respondents recall advertisements and been over familiar with a product as a cause likely to affect their choices, hence resulting to loyalty or retention within brands. In addition, motivational needs critical to a consumer, showed phone performance was defined as most important in the hierarchy of needs, in terms of ease of use, speed and basic phone functionalities. The study revealed psychological stimuli to having a positive relationship with phone selection. Finally, the study show that perceived price, perceived quality, perceived value and perceived risk have a relatively weak influence on buyer behavior. The study provides evidence of a negative relationship between market mix stimuli and phone selection, as areas of research have illustrated there is a huge gap between the natures of these variables. The study found that perception of market mix elements are farfetched from reality of the consumer, thus without consistent monitoring of consumer perception it has proven quite difficult to use uni-dimensional scales to receive sufficient results, that prove existence of a relationship between market mix stimuli and phone selection.
The study concluded that consumer perception had a positive impact on phone selection. Different mobile companies should be able to assess their target markets well based on variables within the socio-environmental stimuli and work to deliver consumer expectations. Through incorporating psychological marketing tools, it should lead to optimization of phone brand selection and also companies are able to make informed decisions based on performance of their products. The concept of perceived versus objective reality creates a need for establishing the difference between managerial perception and consumers perception. The study recommended that phone companies should adopt features that reflect their target markets to enhance sales. Firms should look into manipulation techniques that give credit to their products, as well as positively affect the consumers’ behavior. Similarly, by identifying the gap between perception and reality, among companies and its consumers, would help reduce consumer retention and deliver expectations. This requires the understanding of the companies’ strategies by making careful executions; businesses could influence perceptions of consumers while fostering profitable consumer behaviors, which make it difficult for competitors to poach consumers
Nickel-Palladium-Based Electrochemical Sensor for Quantitative Detection of Formaldehyde
No full textA journal article by Dr. Naumih M. Noah a lecturer at United States International University - Africa.Formaldehyde is asmall organic molecule that has awide range of uses in societydespite its toxicity.Formaldehyde is classified as a“known carcinogen”byInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Formaldehyde electrooxidation has become asubject of major interest in the recent past due to its potentialapplication in fuel cell technologyand the need for its detection at trace levels because of its toxicity.Many studies have been conducted on formaldehyde electrooxidation, most of which suffer electrode passivation as aresult of adsorbed intermediates such as carbon monoxide adsorbed (COads) and formic acid adsorbed (H2COOads) formed from electrooxidation of formaldehyde. In this study aNickel Palladium nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode (Ni@Pd/GCE) was fabricated for electrooxidation of formaldehyde. Palladium nanoparticles were electrochemically deposited onto abare Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE) from 2mMPdCl2 in 0.1 MH 2 SO4 supporting electrolyte, at acontrolled [email protected] Vfor 240 seconds. The Nickel nanoparticles were electrochemically deposited onto the PdGCE from 0.5 MNiSO4 in 0.1 MH 2 SO4 supporting electrolyte, at acontrolledpotential of @1.25 Vfor 40 seconds. The modified glassycarbon electrode (Ni@Pd/GCE) was conditionedin0.5 MNaOH for about 50 cycles or more to obtain a reproducible voltammogram. The fabricated electrode was characterized using Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Chronoamperometry (CA). The resultsshowedthat the electrode had good electrocatalytic properties with respect to formaldehyde electrooxidation as aresult of the synergistic effect of Ni and Pd nanoparticles combined with the glassy carbontechnology.A sensitiveoxidation peak for 1mMformaldehyde was observed at about 0.43 Vv s. Ag/AgCl/KCl (3 M) in 0.5 MNaOH, with a current density of 17 mA/cm2.Ithad alinear detection range from 10 mMto1mM (R=0.9985) and adetectionlimit of 5.4 mM. The electrode showedsignificant electrocatalytic activity towardst he electrooxidation of formaldehyde in aqueous solution,was selective,reproducible and stable, hence can be used to detect formaldehyde at trace levels and can find application in fuel cells
Choosing right PHD supervisor
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaAs executives conquer the business world, they often imagine a different career for the second half of their life that involves university lecturing.
Commensurate with Kenya’s Commission for University Education (CUE) directive that all university lecturers hold an earned doctorate in their field of teaching, the demand for PhDs continues to surge.
Following last week’s Business Talk article on “What to look out for when choosing a PhD programme”, many current disgruntled doctoral students sent a flood of requests seeking advice to ascertain supervisors, courses, and institutions once already enrolled.
Inasmuch, Business Talk will undergo a multi-part series to assist doctoral learners already in programmes
Why ban on executive MBA does not hold water
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaA raging debate ensues in Kenya on the role of executive education in our tertiary institutions. During Business Talk’s education mini-series, many readers wrote in seeking opinions on executive MBAs and posed withering comments about the lack of accreditation of the programmes in the country.
Following years of accreditation of executive programmes, the Commission for University Education now deems executive MBAs as non-academic and therefore ceased to accredit them.
Inasmuch, the decision went further to even limit graduates of previously accredited executive programmes to no longer hold academic positions or proceed on to doctoral studies.
Many opinions on both sides of the debate surfaced, both admonishing and praising in equal measure the use of executive education
CTW - 29 June 2018
No full textA Campus Weekly Magazine by the Marketing and Communications Department of USIU- Afric
Causes of academic dishonesty in institutions of higher learning
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaDuring the past weeks, Business Talk took a critical look at the quality of doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s degree programs in Kenya and what prospective students should ask before starting a new course.
This week, however, we investigate the demand side of tertiary education rather than the demand side with a serious problem facing universities: student cheating.
Every fall when Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results will soon be announced, parents sit in rapt attention as Ministry of Education officials announce any cheating scandals, disqualifications, or anomalies.
The prevalence of cheating in secondary schools holds lingering detrimental effects on students and society-at-large
Effect of Strategic Management Practices on Financial Performance of Food Processing Companies in Kenya: A Case of Delmonte Kenya Ltd
No full textA Research Project Report submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)The study aimed at determining the role of goal setting, generic strategies, and strategic monitoring and evaluation on financial performance in food processing companies in Kenya with particular emphasis to Del Monte. A comprehensive literature review has been undertaken to understand various aspects of strategic management as reviewed by other authors and researchers. The chapter has addressed the effects of goal setting on financial performance; effects of Generic strategies implementation on financial performance and effects of strategy monitoring and evaluation on financial performance.
Descriptive design was employed in the study. The population under study was the two thousand and sixteen (2016) employees' working at Del Monte in both managerial and subordinates’ levels. Stratified random sampling was used select the respondents into the study. A sample size of 140 participants were targeted in the study. The collection of primary data was facilitated through the use of questionnaires. A pretest was conducted on 14 employees to establish the reliability and validity of this study’s instruments. The sample frame included the employees defined by their level of management. A multiple regression analysis was done, where also R-squared was determined.
The study found out that goal-setting was the least ranked strategic management practices adopted by Del Monte. The findings further indicated that there was a positive correlation between goal-setting and financial performance. Regression analysis showed that goal-setting had the least effect (15%) on financial performance in Del Monte. Generic strategies were the most rated among the strategic management practices implemented by Del Monte. Regression results also showed that generic strategies had the most significant influence (23%) on financial performance in Del Monte. Strategic monitoring and evaluation was the second highest rated among the strategic practices adopted by Del Monte.
The study further found a significant positive relationship between strategic monitoring and evaluation and financial performance. Regression results depict that strategic monitoring and evaluation second highest effect (16%) on financial performance in Del Monte. The study concluded that generic strategies had the greatest impact on financial performance in Del Monte followed by strategic monitoring and evaluation while goal-setting had the least impact on financial performance in Del Monte. The study therefore, recommends that Del Monte should endeavor to enhance its generic strategies through adopting cost leadership, differentiating its products and focusing of specific market niche(s) by uniquely packaging its products to attract more customers hence increasing turnover
Women in Islam and Human Rights in the Contemporary Age
No full textA Thesis Submitted To the School Of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for Masters Degree in International RelationsIn today’s contemporary age, due to the pervasive chauvinist and repressive experiences of the women in Islam, Muslim women felt that the only way to be emancipated intellectually, socially, politically and economically was through fighting for their basic human rights. There is a mounting growth of Muslim women demanding for their rights guaranteed to them by Islam to be applied in their societies. Equally, women are advancing to the ranks of Islamic scholars, therefore providing their correct literature and voices different from what had been addressed by men. This study analyses the challenges and conditions that women in Islam have, their inherent human rights, and their emancipation to create exemplary influential roles among fellow Muslim women.
This study relied mainly on secondary data through the doctrines of the Quran, Sunnah or the practices of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Hadith or spoken sayings ascribed by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and content from various journal articles, books, and major publications. The objectives of the research are to examine the conditions and challenges facing Muslim women in a rapidly globalizing world and to analyze how Islamic religious precepts have been overshadowed by conservative cultural practices and traditions of some Muslim societies. This research similarly aims to explore the gross distortions, misconceptions, falsehoods, and misinformation about the nature of Muslim women’s rights, and to analyze how the continued tradition-bound suppression has not helped the cause of gender development in many Muslim societies. It seeks to bridge the gap that women in Islam can still have their inherent human rights amidst the challenges involved within the framework of their cultural societies and in International Relations
How to know if your boss is a do-nothing
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaOchola works in a posh private secondary school in Nairobi as a deputy principal. He faithfully attends to his duties and strives to meet regularly with the teaching staff. However, according to the organisational standard operating procedures, Mr Ochola cannot make any structural changes or any decision that may cause budgetary implications without the approval of the principal.
Unfortunately for Mr Ochola and all the teachers, the principal avoids meetings, fails to respond to inquiries, pushes off decisions by asking for more analysis, and spends most of his time meeting with external stakeholders. Mr Ochola feels frustrated that his work gets frozen and he cannot act out his duties properly due to the principal shirking his responsibilities.
Many of us can imagine a time during our working careers where we ran across a manager such as Mr Ochola’s principal. Laissez-faire leaders display frequent absences and a shortage of involvement during important organisational junctures. Social scientists Anders Skogstad, Stale Einarsen, Torbjorn Torsheim, and Merethe Aasland define laissez-faire managers as do-nothing bosses who deliberately avoid the task of directing their staff. Such supervisory failures could come from not caring about the welfare of their staff, providing no structure, neglecting to communicate performance standards, not following up on holding employees accountable, and abandoning attempts at bolstering employee morale, satisfaction, and motivation.
But do employees like the increased autonomy when bosses mentally check out? Or do workers desire some sort of authority figure to stand in the gap on critical issues? In a German study by Kathrin Rothfelder, Michael Ottenbacher and Robert Harrington, employees equated other leadership traits, such as transformational leadership, as a key determinant of job satisfaction rather than lasses-faire leadership’s lack of actions which showed a non-significant impact on employee satisfaction