Thesis and Research Data Repository Leeds Beckett University
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Effective Corporate Governance Practices and Sustainable Performance in the Nigerian Banking Industry
No full textThis study investigates the relationship between effective corporate governance practices and sustainable performance in the Nigerian banking industry. This investigation covers a period of five years, from 2008 to 2012. The strategic question that this research sets out to investigate is: “how do effective corporate governance practices impact on sustainable performance in the Nigerian banking industry?” This research is motivated by the desire to better understand the operationalisation of corporate governance principles/policies and the triple-bottom-line concept of sustainable performance in the Nigerian banking industry. The research philosophy is subjectivism with regard to ontology and the epistemology is interpretivism. Coming from the perspective of social constructionism, due consideration is given to social actors that are involved to establish reality. The research methodology is qualitative, the research design is comparative - studying six Nigerian banks, data sampling technique is purposive, and the data analysis is thematic. The research findings reveal that effective corporate governance practices will invariably impact on sustainable performance in the Nigerian banking industry, if the banks are committed to sustainable banking practices. This investigation will be of benefit to operators and practitioners who will better appreciate the importance of the operationalisation of corporate governance principles/polices and its integration with sustainability. The result of such integration is the triple-bottom-line effects of sustainable performance namely, economic, environmental and social. In conclusion, this study will encourage the banking industry to embrace sustainable banking practices with the aforementioned and attendant benefits of sustainable performance, for the Nigerian economy.
Key words: effective corporate governance practices, corporate performance, banking industry, sustainability/sustainable performance, effectiveness, efficiency and efficacy.</p
The Impact of Bank Capitalization on Stock Market Growth: a Nigerian Case Study
No full textThis study uses data from Nigeria to examine the impact of bank capitalization on stock market growth. A review of available literature has shown a lack of empirical studies on how the capitalization of the banks affects stock market growth. This study is explanatory and quantitative, using secondary data to contribute to a unique research by developing a theoretical model and testing it empirically to demonstrate that bank capitalization leads to stock market growth. Time series data from 1981 to 2016 have been sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators and the Central Bank of Nigeria data bases. The benchmark used to assess stock market growth were market capitalization and stock market turnover, while the index for bank capitalization was the ratio of commercial banks' equity to their total assets. The data was processed for validity using the unit root and ordinary least squares (OLS) tests. The data analysis technique used is the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL). The results of the analysis find empirical evidence to confirm the research theory that bank capitalization is important for stock market growth, channelled through risk absorption to increase in lending. The analysis shows that decrease in bank capital ratio has more impact on stock market growth than recapitalization of banks. The implication of this finding is that policy measures that prevents banking sector distress will achieve more results than measures that target growth in the banking sector. This thesis further contributes to literature as it is the first to relate bank capitalization to stock market growth using three different indicators which provides more insight on the relationships. This concept was developed from theoretical literature, forming a model of the detailed transmission channels through which bank capitalization impacts on stock market growth. The implications of the findings, of use to policy makers and finance experts, are that bank capitalization can be used to stimulate growth in the stock market and that shocks and deflections of banks' equity capital can be used to exert pressure on the stock market. This study recommends that policy makers and finance managers should guard against erosion of bank capital as they use adjustments in bank capital requirements to effect growth in the stock market
"Who Kares About Kim Kardashian?!"
No full textAccording to Instagram (2015) 54.6 million people do. This critical reflection is not solely about Kim Kardashian but about celebrities as a whole and what they represent in the society that we live in today. This reflection will unpack and deconstruct the processes behind celebrity culture as a new and expanding phenomenon focusing particularly on Foucault's (1979) use of Jeremy Bentham's concept of the 'panopticon' and surveillance; Ritzer's (2005) ideas around consumerism; and ideas that suggest that we are now in a knowledge/ information society. In using these theories, this critical reflection will explore the negative implications that the celebrity culture has for wider society, and in particular young girls.</p
Preface
No full textThis collection of critical reflections by students on the BA (Hons) Sociology degree at Leeds Beckett University, is an excellent record of the achievement of those studying on this course. Each of the reflections demonstrates the ability of the author not only to use the tools of the social sciences to analyse and interpret the world around them, but to communicate this through clear and concise writing for a wider audience. The products are critical, vibrant and incisive commentaries on the contemporary social world that shed light on the everyday and allow us see the familiar through a different lens.</p
At What Cost? Consumerism vs Sustainability
No full textThis critical reflection will consider how our current lifestyles and the unsustainability of our consumer habits, and the energies required to power new technologies, are the biggest ignored threates to the environment and the continuation of the Earth. It will do so by examining the overwhelming rate at which new technologies are upgraded which consequently not only creates physical waste, but also mandates enormous energies to power them. By identifying why we consume and waste at our current rate, this reflection critically examines the impact our practices have on nature, wildlife and climate change and also the reason why we are doing very little to tackle it.</p
State Surveillance and Civil Liberty
No full textIn the backdrop of the 9/11 terror attacks in America, the state's increasing powers of surveillance, especially here in the United Kingdom, have been presented to us as essential in order to protect our society and the Western world from terrorism. This reflections aims to critically debate whether the state's use of surveillance is limited to just terrorism, or whether it threatens democracy for wider society, by impeding our ability and right to protest.</p
Promoting confidence and reducing anxiety after stroke – a feasibility study of using tailored relaxation techniques delivered on a relaxation DVD
No full textBackground: The present research examined the perceived feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of using a set of multi-component tailored relaxation techniques administered on a relaxation DVD for stroke survivors, including those with aphasia.
Method: A mixed-methods design was utilised during a two-phase study. During T1 38 stroke survivors completed baseline questionnaire measures and were presented with the relaxation techniques delivered on a relaxation DVD within their support group setting. Participants received a copy of the DVD to practice twice a day, five times a week at home over the 4 weeks. They then returned to T2 to complete the follow-up measures (n=24 at T2). Focus group discussions/interviews were also conducted at the end of T2.
Results: Qualitative findings portray stroke survivors perceived the set of tailored relaxation techniques as feasible to practice and appropriate for those who have experienced stroke. They demonstrate a perceived effectiveness of the techniques in relation to their confidence and in feeling less anxious/stressed. However, only their situation-specific confidence scores showed an improvement after using the relaxation techniques. All of the techniques are deemed useful, however certain techniques are perceived as more effective in inducing relaxation. Generally, survivors appeared to prefer practicing at home as opposed to the group setting, yet they outline potential benefits of group activities.
Conclusion: This feasibility study provides a basis for a larger, future research study to test the effectiveness of multi-component, tailored relaxation techniques on stroke survivors’ confidence, anxiety and distress levels. The evidence regards the tailored relaxation techniques as a promising, feasible and appropriate intervention for stroke survivors, although a lower frequency of practice would be helpful.</p
Impact of technology-related factors on customer experience : the case of the Mauritian banking sector
No full textResearch integrating technology and customer experience (CX) in banking is limited to very few in the past decades. The banking sector has always been the first mover to adopt the technology. Banks invest in various technologies to introduce service delivery channels to its customers with the view to facilitate the banking operations, thus enhancing their experience. However, the technology penetration is not felt to the expected level. This study identifies the impact of technology-related factors on customer experience in the banking sector, more specifically in Mauritius. In the literature, no much was found in relating customer experience technology and banking. However, many studies show the importance of a series of factors that influence the behavioural intention to use technology in many sectors. Nine technology-related factors were investigated to find the relationship with the customer experience. Perceived usefulness of technology, perceived ease of use of technology, attitude towards the use of technology, technology as an enabler, barriers to acceptance of technology, the degree of technology maturity, trust on technology, cultural diversity of the customer and customer engagement were used independent variables. The use of technology acceptance model (TAM) originally developed by Davis (1989) moved through variations, and this model was used to develop the approach in this study. The evolution of TAM as a tool to study the behavioural intention to use technology was further reviewed to identify the technology-related factors that may influence the customer experience in banking sector.
Using TAM, studies were carried in financial services, online services, mobile telephony, education and e-learning and e-services linked to health care. From the literature, it was found that the factors listed above do influence the behavioural intention to use technology. Data collection from 503 respondents as customers in the banking sector of Mauritius were used. The results show that perceived usefulness of technology, perceived ease of use of technology, attitude towards the use of technology, technology as an enabler, barriers to iii acceptance of technology, trust on technology and cultural diveristy do not have significant impact on customer experience at p
The results of this study can be used to plan better and considers key factors while implementing new technology services in the banking sector of Mauritius. It can also help to reconsider the existing technology services implemented and review the approach to attain better customer experience. The study can be carried out in other 57 countries, mostly, those member countries of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) for external validity as Mauritius is a member state of SIDS.</p
The development of a conceptual framework for sport coaching
No full textThis synopsis of existing published work provides a rationale for, and describes the development of, a conceptual framework for the study of sport coaching. The framework comprises an extensive and comprehensive set of constructs and relationships that form a basis for discourse and the conduct of research, education and development. The origins of the framework are identified, within an academic field of study that was under-theorised, under-resourced and displayed ill-defined concepts. Each of the submitted works is then described and its contribution to a coherent thread of conceptual development illustrated. There is an attempt to situate the incremental development of the framework within the understanding of coaching concepts at that time. Key features of this conceptual framework are described in detail and their insinuation into the literature illustrated: coaching as process, definitions of coaching, roles and boundaries, coaching domains, models of coaching and a coordination function.
An analysis of later publications demonstrates how these concepts have been further elaborated over an extended period of time in response to a maturing field of study. Although judged to have impacted successfully, particularly the notion of coaching domains, the synopsis recommends that more needs to be done to emphasise the importance of conceptual clarity, especially in research design and dissemination. Attention is drawn to the sport coaching construct as a family of roles, identification of core functions, the contextual particularity of coaching practice and expertise, and the conceptual precursors of coaches’ decision making. An evaluative summary concludes that key concepts have impacted policy documentation and the academic debate. The conceptual framework, as identified in these works, has acted as a reference point for academic writing and research, and has made a coherent, original and substantial contribution to the academic study of sport coaching.</p
The national health insurance scheme in Ghana : policy, equity, community and healthcare
No full textAfrica has made great progress through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), however, it still faces challenges like high disease burdens, poverty, health inequalities and weak healthcare finances and systems. Improving health and well-being through the post-2015 development agenda cannot be an end but a means to addressing the causes of these health determinants and problems. The study uses the work of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (2008) to expand healthcare financing in Ghana with the principles of equity, human rights and health needs. It places social determinants of health and health promotion in a historical, economic and social context.
The first stage involved a desk assessment to extract data from literature and policy documents. The assessment revealed that transportation, income, education, food security and nutrition, health status, assets, gender, age, employment and social position are the main determinants of NHIS. A second qualitative phase of study followed; gathering data from the field. Informed by social constructionism, nine focus group discussions were conducted in nine different communities within the Agogo Ashanti Akim North District of Ghana with seventy-two respondents. Nine key informants, including policy makers, heads of institutions and civil servants were also interviewed. The sampling approach tried to gain maximum variation so that a broad based understanding of NHIS could be obtained. The qualitative data of focus groups and the interviews of key informants were analysed using AttrideStirling’s (2001) thematic network framework. The qualitative data revealed that membership selection of the NHIS depends on ability to pay both the fees of the NHIS card and the premiums. However, an individual may also become a member of the scheme free of charge if exempted from payment on the grounds of age or through being accepted as core poor (indigent). The focus groups present a different perspective to inform policy makers in Ghana that the current official criteria for classifying the core poor are not appropriate. Despite the NHIS policy allowing free indigent registration, priority was also not given to reaching out to the indigents within the scheme's authority.Another key theme that emerged indicates that the poor struggles to manage the NHIS by sacrificing basic needs such as clothing and food or having to borrow to pay for health services out of pocket (OOP). There is therefore a gap between NHIS policy and real life.Insured and non-insured still pay OOP despite the generous benefits package. The FGDs find that the NHIS is progressive for formal sector employees, whose payments were by direct taxes and payments but regressive for the informal sector workers, whose payments were by premiums and other indirect payments.The results further noted lack of voice and lack of understanding as features limiting people from accessing the NHIS facilities. Understanding of equity as a key theme revealed: first, lack of stakeholder engagement and a lack of consultation or participation in the NHIS decision making process.Second, the NHIS displayed an overreliance on healthcare and an emphasis on a biomedical approach. Third, it was established that while the policy indicated a will to include all the core poor patients for an equitable NHIS, there is lack of willingness to implement this aim fully. Finally, health and local authorities are not sharing responsibility for tackling the unfairness inherent in the NHIS contributions.
The thesis argues that much more needs to be done to address the social determinants of NHIS by advancing concrete and meaningful Health Equity in All Policies for the post -2015 development agenda in Ghana. This entails improving the health of Ghanaians by coordinating action across health and non-health sectors to bridge the policy implementation gaps, increase access and reduce inequities that are not only unnecessary and avoidable but unfair. In conclusion, the research’s contribution to knowledge recommends clear directional philosophies that can help facilitate continued progress to improve health in the post-MDGs agenda and beyond.</p