1,721,008 research outputs found
Organizational Culture, Climate Development and Transformation
No full textA journal article by Dr. Ouma Caren Akomo Assistant Professor of Management Chandaria School of Business Faculty USIU-A.This paper is a desk review of organizational culture, climate development and transformation in regard to; how organizations adapt to external environments and are able to manage internal integration, to decipher culture for insiders and report culture to outsiders and managers’ role in culture change. The paper examines the types of culture in any organization and evaluates how organizations can adapt to various types of culture. It is emphasized that the role of managers in culture change is very critical for the success of an organization. In conclusion, it is noted in this paper that, managers must be prepared for culture change and manage various environmental factors which may be directly or indirectly affecting culture change
Marketing of Agricultural Produce
No full textA book by Dr. Ouma Caren Akomo Assistant Professor of Management Chandaria School of Business Faculty USIU-A.It is my pleasure to have written this book which I believe will be useful to all the trainers and trainees tackling marketing in general and specifically marketing of agricultural produce. This book has nine chapters depicting a conceptual framework from unknown to known concepts in marketing. The chapters are sequentially arranged such that a chapter covered leads to the beginning of the next chapter. The content is has questions and answers. In order to bring out practical aspects of marketing, this book has incorporated short case studies about real life issues. Reflections and additional reading books are suggested
Organization Development Intervention (ODI) On the Marketing Strategies for the Assessment of Profitability of the Course Programs Within Higher Learning Institutions (A Case Study of the Co-Operative University College of Kenya)
No full textA research paper by Dr. Ouma Caren Akomo Assistant Professor of Management Chandaria School of Business Faculty USIU-A.Over the time, the profitability of the course programs should be monitored and the corresponding Organization Development Intervention (ODI) on the marketing strategies should be assessed.
This study involved marketing strategy interventions on the course programs offered. The results of the study showed significant improvements in the obtained t-values. Marketing strategies on Course program operation improved with an average obtained t-value of 5.81. Marketing strategies on Leadership improved with an average obtained t-value of 5.91. Marketing strategies on Work Environment had an average t-value of 5.56. Marketing strategies on Team Work obtained an average of a t-value of 5.68. Marketing strategies on Management obtained an average of a t-value of 5.12. Marketing strategies on staff motivation obtained an average of a t-value of 6.10
The ODI helped the College to improve on its marketing strategies which assisted in the improvement of the profitability levels of the course programs
Marketing Game; Marketing for Small Holder Farmers
No full textA presentation paper by Dr. Ouma Caren Akomo Assistant Professor of Management Chandaria School of Business Faculty USIU-A.The Marketing Game has been developed to complement the course on Marketing for smallholder agribusiness farmers. To assist smallholder agribusiness farmer appreciate the challenges and opportunities in doing their own marketing of the agricultural produce. The game is reality-based and is acted out to complement the training, giving participants an opportunity to appreciate the complexities involved in marketing of agricultural produce. From misinterpretation of information to traffic accidents/jam, the participants get to see the various situations that can result in loss of opportunities and/or money. Similarly, the immense chances that exist in the open market, from contract farming to negotiated bulk sales, are acted out and appreciated.The game is played competitively in a simulated environment; after participants have gone through most of the training theory and become conscious of most of the concepts in smallholder agribusiness marketing. Much as it is supposed to address marketing, the game inevitably first retracts into some aspects of production because in agribusiness, “Marketing starts with the seed.” The Game can be applied to situations anywhere the smallholder agribusiness farmers operate. It aims to reinforce the lessons the participants learn in the training course on marketing for Smallholder agribusiness Farmers. The Game is designed to be stimulating and is “action-packed” resulting in a lot of fun, which makes it very enjoyable to play. Some lose or make much more money than others because of different missed opportunities due to lack of exposure or misinterpretation of market information. Still, all participants enjoy the game and the lessons are reinforced. Facilitators need to be conversant with the game prior to the game exercise; otherwise, due to the very many activities taking place at the same time. It is possible to lose track of the dealings of the participating groups. The trainee does not get the manual, but the information in charts is displayed on the walls, long before the game begins. (Maybe, previous day before the actual game is performed). This guide is simply an outline of what can happen during, but the facilitator is free to make changes that will suit the situation best. He/she can remove or add some components to the game to make it as user friendly as possible. The important thing is to have the lessons communicated to the participants
Problems Facing Agribusiness Farmers in Kenya: A Case Study of Middle Level Dairy Farmers Who Deliver Milk to Githunguri Dairy Sacco Ltd
No full textA paper presented at the East African Multidisciplinary Annual Research Conference by Dr. Ouma Caren Akomo Assistant Professor of Management Chandaria School of Business Faculty USIU-A.The general objective of this study was to establish problems that face dairy farming sector in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to examine how limited access to credit has affected dairy farmers in Kenya, to examine how inadequate farmer training has hindering efficient production of dairy products in Kenya and to analyse how weak lobby and advocacy has affecting dairy farming in Kenya.
The study adopted a survey design in order to obtain the necessary data, with a focus on middle level dairy farmers who deliver milk to Githunguri dairy SACCO which is located in Kiambu County. A simple random technique was employed to collect the data. This is the process by which the sample is selected randomly. The study worked with the sample population of 100 middle level dairy farmers who deliver milk to Githunguri dairy SACCO in Kiambu County as well as staff of Githunguri Dairy SACCO.
Data analysis involved descriptive statistics to determine frequency distribution for a demographic profile of participants. The demographic data was tabulated using frequency and percentages. The study also employed regression results used to make conclusions. The data was presented in the form of tables, charts and figures according to the research questions by the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPPS) software.
The findings on how limited access to credit has affected dairy farmers in Kenya revealed that majority of the farmers rely heavily on traditional informal financial system. Similarly transaction costs have been particularly high for smallholder farmers because of poor communication as well as transportation facilities. Additionally lacks of working capital, as well as the ability to invest in productivity enhancing inputs are a challenge to dairy farmers in Kenya. In the same regard, it was revealed that access to long term loans, high costs of production are major obstacles to farmers in Kenya.
The findings on how inadequate farmer training has hindering efficient production of dairy products in Kenya revealed that the lacks of adequate extension services, limited access to training, inadequate information necessary for optimal enterprise selection, and lack of training in artificial insemination technology, are challenges to dairy farmers in Kenya.
The study findings on how weak lobby and advocacy has affecting dairy farming in Kenya revealed that majority of the existing dairy policies pre-date independence and are therefore likely to be discriminative, given the standards biased towards the formal sector. Similarly implementation of legislation and regulations are generally poor. Additionally most dairy farmers in Kenya lack adequate information necessary for optimal enterprise selection for them to take advantage of prevailing market demand. In the same regard majority of the respondents agreed that SDP has brought about changes in poverty amongst participants in the Kenyan smallholder dairy sector.
In light of the findings the study therefore recommends that, the government needs to facilitate easy access to credit by farmers. This can be achieved through issuance of loans to dairy farmers to boost their activities. The study also recommends that financial agencies especially so, banks should increase the quantum of loan amount to enable the farmers to purchase quality and high yielding milk animals. Additionally price of milk should be fixed based on the cost of milk production, so as to provide remunerative price for milk and encourage the intensive dairy activities in the rural area. Finally the study recommends that the government needs to set up structures in place to enable farmers have an already market for their dairy products in order to enable them get meaningful returns from their produce and thus boost their financial positions, which in the end will enhance their productivity. Additionally training programs should be formulated by considering some important aspects like duration, time (season), place, month and interval of training as per the responses recorded by the farmers. Training fees should be minimum and affordable by the rural dairy farmers, if at all charged. Finally even the government, co-operative or private institutes should organize training program before distribution of loans and provide guidance to rural dairy farmers through guidance centre or counseling centers through an extension agency
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Systems approach to successful co-operative enterprise development in Kenya
Get PDFThis is a desk researched paper which starts with an introduction to systems approach by incorporating the understanding to the approach. The paper proposes an expert system approach that incorporates Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology for the identification of the strategic components of a Co-operative Society for a Product Data Management (PDM) system. An understanding of the systems approach is elaborated according to the phases which a system is expected to go through. The current systems approach to successful Co-operative enterprises in Kenya is explained. This has been done by noting three major components, namely; formation of the co-operative enterprise detailing what it takes for such enterprises to be formed, the management of the co-operative enterprises indicating the three major organs in the management( members, officials and staff), and the government with its two major roles, that is the promotion and the legal functions. The paper has proposed a conceptual framework for the successful co-operative enterprise development in Kenya. Further, the paper has elaborated on the various factors which should be considered for successful co-operative enterprises in Kenya. In the last chapter of this paper, there are some suggestions for the various factors that should be taken into account if the proposed model is to be implemented
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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