Knowledgebase & Articles

Introduction Food security is a broad term used to describe an individual’s ability to have unrestricted access to an adequate quantity of nutritious and safe food. This food should meet the individual’s dietary and energy needs for an active and healthy life. Globally, the population of those within the food-insecure category has potentially nearly doubled in 2020 (FAO, 2020). This has continued to threaten the public health system and decrease human capital development. Adequate sustainable remedies for food insecurity must be put in place to attain a stable and reliable future (FAO, 2017). To achieve the sustainable development goal of a world free of hunger and malnutrition, emerging technologies must be incorporated to provide solutions to the global food crises. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a vital role in stabilizing food security through massive data generation and utilization. Though at the budding stage of development and public adoption, the challenges that trail the application of AI have begun to be addressed. Current Trend of Artificial Intelligence in Global Food Security AI technologies allow the simulation of human intelligence in machines, capable of thinking, performing tasks intelligently, and acting rationally as humans. Of recent, AI technologies are known to demonstrate various human attributes such as creativity, emotion, sensing, perception, and even a good sense of judgment (Schuetz and Venkatesh, 2020; Benbya et al., 2021). The current trend and advances in technology have given rise to the use of AI in combating global food insecurity to protect approximately 800 million people globally from the scourge of hunger (Kunze, 2021). With the advent of AI technology, scientists and farmers can increase food security by accessing real-time soil conditions and implementing the necessary strategies for correcting nutrient deficiencies. In addition, food scarcity can be averted through the use of AI as a massive amount of data is gathered and used to forecast developing situations affecting food supply (Gregory et al., 2020). This technology provides relevant information that will stabilize food supply, enhance rapid response time to price fluctuations, drought, disease outbreaks, poor weather conditions for food development, optimization of irrigation, and other global crop issues (Blasco et al., 2002; Chung et al., 2016; Chang and Lin, 2018; Talaviya et al., 2020). AI technology can improve the working conditions of farmers in rural communities by giving them access to technology and education awareness. It as well, increased crop yield that will in turn improve the economic conditions of the people. AI robotics and AI-enhanced drones have been implicated in crop planting, harvesting, farm fumigation, inspection, and security of workers (Arvind et al., 2017; Ahirwar et al., 2019). Despite the immense opportunities through AI technologies, the cognitive and rational framework of the technology, actual workers, and computer Programmemers are still required. Challenges and Way Forward to the Use of AI Technology Food security has been faced with significant difficulties like pandemics, social and military conflicts, drought, disease outbreaks, climate change, extreme weather conditions, the density of groundwater, and food wastage. Large-scale scientific interventions are currently underway to enhance the robustness and applicability of AI in global food security. Through this, adequate data which are quite difficult to gather will have real-time applicability in decision and policymaking. Though training and acquiring this technology can be expensive, the skills learned will add value and mobilize people out of extreme hunger and poverty. For global and rapid adoption by farmers, this technology could be Programmemed to be user-friendly and affordable to farmers. Conclusion There is a need to mitigate the current rise in global hunger through the use of emerging technologies. AI robotics and AI-enhanced drones can be improved to curtail the challenges mitigating global food security. Not only do these technologies improve food availability, but could be used to reduce human labor, monitor soil conditions, and correct nutrient deficiencies. Besides, farmers can utilize this technology to control pesticides and herbicides, enhance rapid response time to price changes, monitor and control plant disease outbreaks, forecast and mitigate food scarcity, and stabilize food supply. References Ahirwar, S., Swarnkar, R., Bhukya, S., Namwade, G. (2019). Application of drones in agriculture. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci., 8 (1), pp. 2500-2505. Arvind, G., Athira, V.G., Haripriya, H., Rani, R.A. and Aravind, S. (2017). Automated irrigation with advanced seed germination and pest control. 2017 IEEE Technological Innovations in ICT for Agriculture and Rural Development (TIAR), 10.1109/tiar.2017.8273687 Benbya, H., Pachidi, S. and Jarvenpaa, S.L. (2021). Artificial Intelligence in Organizations: Implications for Information Systems Research. Journal of the Association for Information Systems 22(2), 1-25. Blasco, J., Aleixos, N., Roger, J.M. Rabatel, G. and Molto, E. (2002). Robotic weed control using machine vision. Biosyst. Eng., 83 (2), 149-157. Chang, C.L. and Lin, K.M. (2018). Smart agricultural machine with a computer vision-based weeding and variable-rate irrigation scheme. Robotics, 7, p. 38, DOI: 10.3390/robotics7030038 Chung, S., Choi, M., Lee, K., Kim, Y., Hong, S., Li, M. (2016). Sensing Technologies for Grain Crop Yield Monitoring Systems: a review. Journal of Biosystems Engineering 41 (4) (2016), pp. 408-417 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2017). The State of Food and Agriculture Leveraging Food Systems for Inclusive Rural Transformation 978-92-5-109873-8 (2017), pp. 1-181 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2020). Food-based dietary guidelines. In: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [online]. Rome. [Cited 28 April 2020]. www.fao.org/nutrition/ education/food-dietary-guidelines Gregory, R. W., Henfridsson, O., Kaganer, E., & Kyriakou, H. (2020). The role of artificial intelligence and data network effects for creating user value. Academy of Management Review, 30(4), 13-47. Kunze, Z. (2021). How Implementing AI Increases Food Security. The Borgen Project. [Accessed 19 April, 2022] https://borgenproject.org/ai-increases-food-security/ Schuetz, S. & Venkatesh, V. (2020). The Rise of Human Machines: How Cognitive Computing Systems Challenge Assumptions of User-System Interaction. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 21(2), 460-482. Talaviya, T., Shah, D., Patel, N., Yagnik, H. and Shah, M. (2020). Implementation of artificial intelligence in agriculture for optimization of irrigation and application of pesticides and herbicides. Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, 4, 58-73.   Miracle Uwa Livinus is a Lecturer II in the Department of Biochemistry, School of Science and Information Studies at Skyline University Nigeria. He has M.Sc in Nutritional Biochemistry from Nasarawa State University. You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria

Employee performance is a critical aspect and a foundation for improving the whole organization’s success. Employee performance is influenced by a variety of elements, including work satisfaction, knowledge, and management, but training and development is the most essential aspect. (Anwar Khan, Fakhar Ul Afaq, 2008). Motivation, according to Burney L. and Widener SK. (2007), is an influence, a factor that causes behavior. Motivation is a technique used to persuade others to act in a certain way, without resorting to threats or coercion. Staff performance is heavily influenced by motivation, which is the internal force that drives a person to act in a certain way. Institutional success relies on staff performance in accomplishing strategic goals and overall success. According to Armstrong (2010), employee motivation produces more organizational advantages than any other managerial technique. He adds that human resource performance is one of the most commonly used techniques by firms to acquire a competitive edge. Armstrong (2010), contends that motivational strategy is concerned with how motivating aspects effect employees, as well as the final direction and strength of the consequent behavior. Armstrong further stated that motivating approach leads to a rise in productivity but only to a certain degree, where additional increase in motivation leads to a drop in output. This means that in researching employee motivation tactics, managers must be very exact in order to prevent ‘over motivation,’ which would result in workers producing less work. Armstrong defines motivation as an internal drive that causes people to feel compelled to carry out their responsibilities. This instills in employees a sense of responsibility to carry out their given duties without being pushed or overseen. HOW TO ENHANCE STAFF MOTIVATION? Be a leader who sees the big picture. Everyone wants to feel that their efforts are appreciated. What is the next way to continue? What does future hold like for the business? A destination may assist motivate a journey and make sure that the institution’s objective is well defined. Ascertain that everyone understands the ‘why.’ Our employees will comprehend what has to be done, but we must explain why; each assignment’s “why” must be stated. What is the company’s overarching mission? Even the most mundane tasks receive much-needed motivation when everyone knows how their individual efforts contribute to the organization’s overall goal. Make a habit of setting clear goals on a regular basis. They have big goals that they want to reach as a company, but it’s the smaller goals that keep  employees engaged. All goals should contribute to the overall goal, but breaking it down into smaller chunks sounds less daunting. Employees gain a strong sense of success when they regularly meet their goals, which serves as a tremendous motivator to move on to the next set of goals. Reward and recognize excellent performance Staff should be made aware that efforts are values by the management. Praise that is well-deserved promotes not only self-esteem but also energy and team spirit. Create a nice working atmosphere in our office Nobody wants to spend their days dreading the end of the day at a dull office. If firms build a friendly workplace with possibilities for leisure and recreation, employees will look forward to coming to work. The old adage “work hard, play hard” holds true in this case. A negative mood can impede focus and diminish energy levels at work since motivation and mood are intricately linked. Promote teamwork Within business teams, collaboration allows for more in-depth exploration of concepts. Working with people who have a diverse range of skills will lead to more creative outcomes. In teams, there is power in numbers, and anyone who lacks motivation should be supported by others around them. Benefits of Employee Motivation Increased Output. It should come as no surprise that using employee incentive techniques encourages employees to work more productively, resulting in increased profits. Few individuals recognize, however, that being productive has a positive influence on employee satisfaction. More ingenuity Employees are more likely to be inventive if they are rewarded with awards and other benefits. Employees are more willing to take on new tasks if they feel respected and encouraged by their boss. As a result, the importance of workplace motivation should never be underestimated, as it fosters growth. Furthermore, managers that understand what motivates their employees typically get the best results. Absenteeism is reduced.  Employers that recognize the value managerial motivation understand that managers get more out of their staff when they are helpful rather than criticizing. Absence levels tend to be lower when a management is concerned about their team’s workload and well-being, since they feel less pressured and overburdened. Staff turnover is reduced. Employee motivation and pay complement one other, resulting in exceptionally high retention  rates. Employees who receive benefits in addition to monetary incentives are more likely to stay  in their current role. Especially if other companies are unable to match their wage structure. Excellent reputation and increased recruiting Organizations that know how to increase employee motivation are more likely to deliver excellent employee experiences and have a strong corporate image. This does not, however, happen overnight. The result of data-driven strategies that rely on employee participation is a fantastic internal brand. Companies that have established brand ambassadors, or employees who are pleased and engaged, are more likely to retain and recruit top talent. Promote employee well-being When companies deploy incentive Programmes, they typically overlook the value of employee wellbeing. There’s no doubting that using rewards as an incentive may be quite effective. However, no matter how hard a person tries, they will not accomplish their best work if they are tired or overwhelmed. Taking a comprehensive approach to wellbeing, such as managing our team’s mental, emotional, and physical health, is a great way to keep them healthy, happy, and productive. Talented employees is more likely to be retained and recruited when employees are older. In conclusion, Staff motivation is crucial to their productivity. It’s vital to understand what motivates people in a certain organization so that management can devote more resources to those

Have you ever wondered why the brown color that quickly forms when a succulent fruit, for instance, an apple results at the first bite? Or have you asked yourself why do chefs, our mothers, wives, and other good cooks often tear rather than cut up lettuce leaves? Well, in response to the first question, this is actually not by chance but rather as a result of a complex enzymatic process known as “enzymatic browning” as we recall from our elementary school that enzymes are substances that speed up a Biological/chemical reaction, and this too (enzymatic browning) is one of such processes. Additionally, for the second question, this is actually because tearing rather than cutting reduces or avoids premature browning and by extension prolongs the life of the lettuce by a day or two. Food Browning is the process of food turning brown, due to the chemical reactions that take place within. Typical examples can be seen in apples, kola nuts, aubergines, and eggplants. Oftentimes than not, people see browning as a way of spoilage rather than an interesting scientific process. The method involved with cooking is one of the chemical responses that occur in food science and addresses a fascinating exploration subject in regards to health, nourishment, and food technology. Even though there is a wide range by which food chemically changes over a long time, browning specifically falls into 2 primary classes: enzymatic versus non-enzymatic cycles. Browning has numerous significant ramifications on the food sector connecting to nutrition, innovation, and economic cost. Scientists are particularly keen on concentrating on the control (inhibition) of browning and the various strategies that can be utilized to amplify this inhibition and eventually elongate the storage capacity life of food since to most people once a portion of food is browned, it is considered spoilt. It is estimated that more than 50% of produce is lost as a result of enzymatic browning. The increase in the human population and consequential depletion of natural resources has prompted many biochemists and food engineers alike to find new or improved techniques to preserve food for a longer period by using different methods to inhibit the browning reaction, which in turn, prolongs the shelf life of food varieties. A superior understanding of the enzymatic browning components, explicitly, understanding the properties of the enzymes and substrates that are engaged with the reaction might help food technologists to control specific stages in the instrument and at last apply that information to inhibit browning to the barest minimum. Apples are fruits commonly studied by researchers due to their high phenolic content, which makes them highly susceptible to enzymatic browning. As per different discoveries in regards to apples and browning movement, a connection has been found between higher phenolic quantities and more enzymatic action in apples. This gives a likely objective and consequently, trust for food enterprises wishing to genetically alter food sources to diminish polyphenol oxidase activity and along these lines reduce browning. An illustration of such achievements in food design is the invention of Arctic apples. These apples, designed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc, are a result of applying gene splicing, a research technique that brings about a decrease in polyphenol oxidase. The challenge of controlling enzymatic browning has been quite a difficult one in the food industry. A variety of approaches are used to prevent or slow down enzymatic browning of foods, each method aimed at targeting specific steps of the chemical reaction. The different types of enzymatic browning control can be classified into two large groups: physical and chemical. Usually, multiple methods are used. The utilization of sulfites (strong anti-browning chemical substances) has been reevaluated because of the potential risks associated with its use. Much exploration has been conducted with regards to the specific kinds of control components that happen when defied with the enzymatic interaction. Other than counteraction, control over browning additionally incorporates measures planned to recover the food color after its browning. For instance, ion exchange filtration or ultrafiltration can be used in winemaking to remove the brown color sediments in the solution. Some of the physical means employed to slow down and or control browning include; Heat treatment (High temperature denatures enzymes), Cold treatment (Freezing also inhibits enzyme activities), Oxygen elimination, and Irradiation. Chemical methods involve Acidification, Antioxidants, and Chelating agents. Other methods include natural agents such as onions, pineapple, lemon, and white wine are known to slow down or inhibit the browning of some products. Genetic modification is another technique employed in eliminating the browning process.  Another type of browning, non-enzymatic, is a method that equally results in brown coloration in excluding enzyme involvement. The two main forms of non-enzymatic browning are Caramelization and the Maillard reaction. Maillard reaction is responsible for the production of the flavor when foods are cooked. food examples undergoing Maillard reaction involve bread, steaks, and potatoes. The Maillard reaction is the reason for producing artificial flavors for food varieties in the seasoning industry since the kind of amino acid included determines the subsequent flavor.   References Corzo-Martínez, Marta; Corzo, Nieves; Villamiel, Mar; del Castillo, M Dolores (2012-01-01). Ph.D, Benjamin K. Simpson (ed.). Food Biochemistry and Food Processing. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 56–83.  Kaanane, A.; Labuza, T. P. (1989-01-01). “The Maillard reaction in foods”. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research. 304: 301–327. ISSN0361-7742. PMID2675033. Holderbaum, Daniel (2010). “Enzymatic Browning, Polyphenol Oxidase Activity, and Polyphenols in Four Apple Cultivars: Dynamics during Fruit Development”. HortScience. Macheix, J. J.; Sapis, J. C.; Fleuriet, A. (1991-01-01). “Phenolic compounds and polyphenoloxidase in relation to browning in grapes and wines”. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 30(4): 441–486. doi:1080/10408399109527552. ISSN 1040-8398. PMID 1910524. Nicolas, J. J.; Richard-Forget, F. C.; Goupy, P. M.; Amiot, M. J.; Aubert, S. Y. (1994-01-01). “Enzymatic browning reactions in apple and apple products”. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 34(2): 109–157. doi:1080/10408399409527653. ISSN1040-8398. PMID 8011143 Nirmal, Nilesh Prakash; Benjakul, Soottawat; Ahmad, Mehraj; Arfat, Yasir Ali; Panichayupakaranant, Pharkphoom (2015-01-01). “Undesirable Enzymatic Browning in Crustaceans: Causative Effects and Its Inhibition by Phenolic Compounds”. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 55 (14): 1992–2003.  Taylor, Steve L.; Higley, Nancy A.; Bush, Robert K. (1986). “Sulfites in Foods: Uses,

Introduction Rolling out new rules and guidelines for work and providing infrastructural and social support is a thing for the Human Resource (HR) professionals. The HR teams have endeavored to keep employees’ spirits and efficiency levels high during the Covid-19 lockdown. COVID-19 has thrown a curveball at humanity, disturbing almost all walks of life. In organizations, HR teams have been at the frontline, rapidly providing employees with the organization’s response to the pandemic. While rolling out new rules and guidelines for working and giving infrastructural and social support, they have endeavored to keep employee spirits and effectiveness levels high during the lockdown. Their work is to look ahead and make changes to policies, structures, and practices to create a better way of working. The development and usage of these changes call for collaboration and working closely with all stakeholders within the organization. In any case, their challenges are distant from over, as the COVID-19 has created a ‘new’ normal way of working that needs rapid planning. Challenges emerging from the ‘new’ normal HR teams have more than a handful of challenges to handle, with most of the staff having to work remotely. Such as having a robust attendance model. They will need new guidelines and change policies in a case where it is required. Revised work descriptions will need to be framed to suit part-time, full-time, and remote working definitions. New strategic procedures will be required to monitor the efficiency and productivity of employees working remotely. The performance management system may need a total redesign, with new targets, expectations, and rewards. The revised policies and guidelines should incorporate the process of resource accessibility and utilization for their employees to be able to work remotely. HR managers will also need to brainstorm and have innovative thoughts to keep the organization culture highly spirited both for existing employees as well as for new incumbents. For the HR teams to see to long run, they will have to realize that a lot many practices will change, redefining their roles. Remote working becomes the new norm A Gartner analysis predicts that 48% of employers are likely to work remotely, at least part of the time of post-COVID-19. A growing number of industry leaders hold the opinion that the remote working culture is here to remain, and this figure can be higher for organizations that are looking at reducing investment in real estate to offset losses during the lockdown. This would require digitalization and higher adoption of technology and resize and changing brick and mortar working environments into technology-enabled virtual ones. A significant benefit arising from this model is that managers will now be able to find the foremost suitable candidate after receiving a higher number of work applications from all over the nation – since recruitment would become location agnostic. The resurgence of the gig economy Utilizing contingent workers gives bosses greater flexibility concerning workforce management. A Gartner study uncovers that 32% of organizations are replacing full-time workers with contract laborers intending to save costs. Having said that, HR managers that are expected to fill vacant positions with contractual staff will also need to deal with challenges concerning the appropriateness of work laws upon the staff. Emphasis on employee social security Post COVID-19, organizations will proceed their focus on employee safety, security, and their emotional well-being. HR teams will expand their involvement within the lives of employees and ensure improved people connections. A shift in focus – from effectiveness to resilience. Traditionally, organizations have sharpened their focus on employee productivity, but within the post-COVID-19 world, it’s resilience that will take precedence. Keeping in mind the growing remote working culture and the possibility of future outbreaks of infections, recruiters will see a job applicant’s digital dexterity and digital collaboration skills at the time of hiring. Employee training Identified digital tools have been used to give training by employees – managers, mentors, and trainers, particularly, revolving around the concept of working remotely. These Programmes will/has helped them manage stress, build a positive outlook, and remain productive under the remote working model. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) The post-pandemic world will see an increased application of artificial intelligence (AI) within the HR function. AI will help recruiters find promising candidates from megabytes of job applications, and help organizations reached their diversity goals, objectives, and targets within the hiring process, but also hold the top talent, and engage them with employees through smart applications. Conclusion Exciting times lie ahead, albeit with a host of challenges. For HR managers, this is a time for them to play a defining role in forming the future of organizations. To sum up, people, approaches, and processes will be the three broad pillars on which they can build a new foundation for HR excellence. References: Mohan Singh, (2020) Redefining HR practices in the post COVID-19 world, https://www.peoplematters.in/site/interstitial?return_to=%2Farticle%2Fstrategic-hr%2Fredefining-hr-practices-in-the-post-covid-19-world-26308%2F Ashwin Kumar, (2021) HR strategies, Challenges HR Managers Facing due to Covid-19 and Overcoming Strategies, Challenges HR Managers Facing due to Covid-19 and Overcoming Strategies – HUMAN RESOURCE STRATEGIES – StuDocu Muhammed Ayyaz Mehmood, (2021)Redefining HR practices in the post COVID-19 world, Redefining HR practices in the post COVID-19 world (linkedin.com) Priya Chakravarty, (2021) Re-defining HR practices in the wake of pandemic, Re-defining HR practices in the wake of pandemic – Essar New normal: Re-defining HR practices in the wake of pandemic, HR News, ETHRWorld (indiatimes.com) Ashraf Elsafty, The Role of Human Resource Management towards Employees Retention during Covid-19 Pandemic in Medical Supplies Sector – Egypt-https://www.researchgate.net/publication/ 342556132_The_Role_of_Human_Resource_Management_Towards_Employees_Retention_During_Covid-19_Pandemic   Dr. Shanmugam Sundararajan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Business Management, Skyline University, Nigeria. He has a Ph.D. in Management from Periyar University Salem, Tamilnadu India. You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria

Introduction Big data is a well-known term that refers to the exponential growth and availability of structured and unstructured data. It is the process of collecting and organizing massive data sets that encompass a range of data, known as big data analytics. Big data is therefore described as data that is more diverse, arrives in greater volumes, and moves faster. In Simple words, big data refers to huge, more complicated data sets, particularly those derived from new data resources. Due to the size of these data sets, traditional data processing systems are incapable of handling them. Data are quantities, characters, or symbols that can be stored and conveyed as electrical signals and recorded on magnetic, optical, or mechanical media and on which a computer conducts operations. Big data, on the other hand, is data that is so massive and complicated that no typical data management solutions can effectively store or process it. Regular data is comparable to big data, however, it is considerably larger. Every day, 600+ terabytes of newly generated data are absorbed into the Facebook databases, according to the statistic. Photo and video submissions, chat conversations, and comments are the primary sources of this data. For example, a single Jet engine can generate 10+terabytes of data in 30 minutes of flight time. With thousands of flights every day, data production can approach petabyte levels. Here are some of the benefits of big data. Big data helps provide solutions to hard questions in business In whatever capacity, big data is one of the best ways to strategize solutions to the tough challenges facing businesses. The more you know about your business history, the more you will be able to learn from it and proffer solutions to make improvements. With big data, you have the information and clues necessary to understand exactly where, when, and how your business is changing.  Anyone can Assess it The cabinet system of searching for files is messy and time-consuming. Since big data relies on a technological infrastructure to capture, store and manage information, it’s much easier to find what you’re looking for. Through browsers like google safari, chrome, etc anyone with internet access can assess it for productive utilization in whatever business capacity. It saves time The key to efficiency in business is your data. These data can provide an insight into the numbers of increased business of different items sold, including the customer persona, preference, age, and sex that can be preserved for future business. This system can ultimately cut down costs and relieve pressure from the Marketing team. If the data is traditionally sorted, it can take weeks if not months to sort and transcribed. An analytics Programme will automate a lot of this tedious work and the luxury of digital information makes accessing data quick and easy, which can save you money in the long run References: https://www.guru99.com/what-is-big-data.html. Ashok Kumar, Dr. I. Laurence Aroquiaraj “Survey on Big Data: Issues, Challenges, and Tools. International Journal of Advanced Research in Biology Engineering Science and Technology (IJARBEST) Vol. 2, Special Issue 10, March 2016. https://www.w3schools.in/hadoop-tutorial/what-is-big-data/#:~:text=Big%20data%20can%20be%20defined,of%20data%2C%20which%20is%20essential. Dr. M. Ashok Kumar is a Lecturer I in the Department of Computer Science, Skyline University Nigeria. He has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Periyar University, India. You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria

The purpose of this paper is to examine recent research on the role of the state in economic development. It concludes that government incentives to implement sound policies are essential for economic success. It also looks at what happens after episodes of economic and political liberalization, questioning whether political liberalization strengthens government incentives to implement sound economic policies. The answer is convoluted. The majority of episodes of economic liberalization are preceded by episodes of political liberalization. The countries that have fared the best, however, are those that first liberalized their economies before liberalizing their political systems. In 1801 Thomas Jefferson believed that the government’s role should be as follows, Improvements in the institutional framework, development of Agriculture, and development of Industries. Is this minimalist viewpoint still relevant today? Or, as a result of our experiences, have we become wiser? This paper addresses this question by reviewing recent literature on economic growth and the role of government in promoting economic growth. The central conclusion of recent literature is that Jefferson was mostly correct. Not because having a small government is always preferable to have a large one. However, most developing countries’ primary challenge is to establish basic legal and institutional infrastructures that protect property rights, enforce private contracts, and allow individuals to freely exploit market opportunities. Governments can and should do far more than simply provide public goods, correct market failures, reduce income and opportunity disparities, and stabilize excessive economic fluctuations. These other government activities, however, do not determine the success or failure of economic development. The fundamental institutional and legal infrastructures that protect property rights enforce the rule of law and prevent government abuse are crucial.  This leads to a more difficult question. What can developing countries do to aid the emergence of these fundamental institutional infrastructures and, more broadly, to create appropriate government incentives? The paper concludes with a broad discussion of the issue, including a look at some recent research on the effects of economic and political factors. “In such countries, the state’s primary responsibility is to bridge social chasms and foster a psychological, ideological, social, and political environment conducive to economic development.” As a result, the scope of government action is extremely broad and comprehensive. It consists of “maintaining public services, shaping economic institutions, influencing resource use, influencing income distribution, controlling money supply, controlling fluctuations, ensuring full employment, and influencing investment level” The Key Important Role of the State Development of Agriculture In Less Developed Countries (LDCs), agriculture accounts for more than half of total national income. Agriculture, despite this, remains stagnant. It receives a disproportionately small share of national income compared to the number of people employed in it. Agriculture, for example, employs roughly 70% of the population and generates roughly 50% of India’s national income. The main reason for this is to show the low agricultural productivity per acre. The reasons for the low yield are the uneconomic size of the holdings, land fragmentation, a defective land tenure system characterized by high rents and tenure insecurity, a lack of adequate credit facilities, indebtedness, a lack of irrigational facilities and reliance on rainfall, and the use of obsolete production methods, as well as excessive population pressure on land. Peasants in LDCs are poor, illiterate, and uneducated. They are sloppy in their organization. They have no desire to make changes to the land. Customs and traditions govern their way of life. As a result, the implementation of land reforms and the development of agricultural development plans fall under the purview of state activities. The extent to which agricultural productivity is increased will ultimately determine the success of a plan. Increases in agricultural production are required to meet the raw material requirements of industry, achieve self-sufficiency in food grains, maintain price stability, raise more resources for development, and effectively utilize the economy’s unutilized and underutilized manpower resources. Development of Industries Another important role of the state is to industrialize the economy. It is the responsibility of the state to nationalize its mines, plantations, and other assets. It should investigate its natural resources, devise a plan for their exploitation and development, and construct industries to maximize its profitability. In countries where the private sector is predominantly engaged in the manufacture of a few consumer items for domestic consumption, steel, heavy electrical equipment, heavy chemicals, fertilizers, machine tools, and other materials are necessary. These industries are known for requiring significant investments and long gestation periods. As a result, private businesses are wary of entering these industries. As a result, it is the government’s job to build industries in these domains. Some consumer goods industries, such as sugar and clothes, also need to be rationalized because they rely on obsolete machinery and procedures. To achieve rapid economic development, however, export promotion and import substitution industries must be established. Furthermore, industries are concentrated in a few major cities, leaving the rest of the countryside backward and undeveloped. Other key important areas are as follows  Change in the organization Social and economics overhead Expansion of foreign trade Monetary policies and fiscal policies In Conclusion To address all of these issues, the government must develop and implement a prudent industrial policy, agricultural development and well create a better institutional framework that provides the necessary incentives for the development of cottage, small-scale, and large-scale industries. Industries should be decentralized for them to be distributed across all areas based on their factor endowments. References Acemoglou D., S. Johnson, J. Robinson and Y. Thaicharoen (2003), “Institutional Causes, Macroeconomic Symptoms: Volatility, crises and growth”, Journal of Monetary Economics, vol. 50, n. 1 January, pp. 49-123 Hall, R. E. & Marc, L. (2013). Economics: Principles and Applications. (6th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Krugman, P. & Robin, W. (2012). Economics. (3rd ed.). New York: Worth Publishers. Mankiw, N. G. (2009). Principles of Economics. (7th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. M.L JHINGAN (1966) The Economics of Development and Planning 41st Edition     Mr. Trimisiyu Omotayo Lawal is working in Skyline University Nigeria as a Lecturer II in the Department

Introduction Different scholars have explained the concept of globalization and its effect from different perspectives. Globalization is multi-faceted with a dimension of economic, political-legal, social-cultural, and environmental (Gichira, 2007). Rapid globalization is one of the most significant aspects of the new millennium, particularly since the fast development of information technology (IT) in the 1980s and 1990s (Brown, 1999). However, integration of the economic resources across the globe using trade, financial flows, the advancement of technology, communication of information, movement of people, goods, and services are part of the major challenging factors in some of the developing states. Business organizations need a comprehensive, logical, strategic network and the ability to maximize profit on a global basis. As globalization continues to increase rapidly in the current world, there is a need for academicians, specialists, and professionals to put more effort into identifying the effect of globalization on managerial strategies within and outside the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) structure. Thus, providing an optimum solution will help the respective managers to maintain their organizations as relevant and competitive. Strategic management is a technique that can be used to create a favorable future and help SMEs to prosper through predicting the most desirable upcoming, involvement of their firms.  An essential aspect of controlling the effect of globalization on SMEs is the effective and efficient implementation of the developed strategies by understanding the people communicating and working together (Brown & Weiner, 1985).  The objective of this article is to ascertain the implication of globalization on SMEs and also to ascertain the process by which the implication will be improved. Thus it has to do with an imperative throughout the SMEs, to support the resources for the firms to fulfill its mission.  Concept of Globalization  Globalization is unavoidable to both high and low-profile organizations across the world. However, numerous initiatives and efforts have been made to adapt to it to take the opportunities created from it, to develop organizations, coupled with changes in recent years. Globalization has created numerous opportunities for sharing knowledge, technology, social values, and behavioral norms and promoting development at different levels including individuals, organizations, communities, and societies across different countries and cultures (Ong’ayi, 2013).  Globalization has brought with it effects that have made companies devise means of staying competitive not only in the global market but also in the local market. Companies have been forced to diversify their product portfolio to cope with competition, maintain market share, enter into new markets and seal off any unexplored market segments that foreign competitors may come to exploit.  Effects of Globalization on SMEs ’  There is an increase in international concerns about the negative impacts of globalization on public and private organizations. Various social movements have been initiated against the threats of globalization, particularly in developing countries (Cheng, 2000). Globalization requires companies not only to be multinational and multilingual but also to be multicultural corporations. It is the same belief on the globalization effect on the SMEs. As such, it instigated many SMEs must accept, adapt and blend multicultural aspects in their business processes. The delayering of cultural strata must be a prerequisite before SMEs sign any memorandum of understanding with a host country. There is an emerging global culture that is changing social expectations and understanding. This culture provides a global reality where co-creation and innovation in knowledge-sharing and relationships are flourishing.  Survival and success of an SME occur when the organization creates and maintains a match between its strategy and the environment and also between its internal capability and its strategy. Responses to globalization require SMEs to change their strategy to match the environment and also to redesign their internal capability to match this strategy. If an SME strategy is not matched to its environment, then a strategy gap arises. If it means that internal capabilities are not matched to its strategy, then a capability gap arises (Ong’ayi, 2013).  Porter (1985) affirms that it is essential that organizations be able to shift strategy with changes in the environment and match their capabilities to the selected strategy to survive, succeed and remain relevant. Firms in dynamic industries respond to environmental changes and competitive forces in different ways. Some improve current products, diversify and divest, while others employ techniques that ensure operational effectiveness. To achieve a competitive advantage, the strategy needs to focus on unique activities. Operational effectiveness is necessary but not sufficient for achieving sustainable competitive advantage. Changes in environmental conditions shape a firm’s opportunities and challenges are paramount to the SMEs. A new environment necessitates the formulation of a new strategy best suited to cope with change. Accordingly, in most cases, noisy environments are characterized by unfamiliar rapid, and unpredictable events. Managing the effect of globalization Globalization affected the strategic system of SMEs to a great extent, it is for the lack of the SME’s commitments towards accepting the realities of the current global business trend. Most of these issues happened with SMEs in developing countries like Nigeria. As such, there is a need to engage an effective marketing team to meet the need of their customers who were expanding to other parts of their covering locations other than their home localities. However, this will necessitate the need to develop strategies that would see the SMEs expand to different locations. It is concluded that globalization affected SME’s strategic system as it determined the expansion strategies that have to be adopted by the firms is expanding its services to other business catchment areas.  A well-managed SME must deal effectively with the social, political, and legal dynamics of its environment, as well as the more traditional product and market-focused concerning their economic and technological environment needs. Management must recognize that business is a component of a broader, continually changing social system. Continued success must be “dynamic” to achieve its enduring goals. That is, it must provide continuous advantage despite changes in the environment, regulatory shifts, technological breakthroughs, or competitive markets. Anticipating possible actions by rivals is critical to delivering sustained success. To maintain sustainable

Out of the many technological advances that we have witnessed in recent times, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) need special mention. These technologies have taken the online gaming market, education, entertainment, e-commerce, and many other fields altogether to a different level. All these technologies are known for their enriched experience that brings together a virtual world and the real one with enhanced, 3-D visuals. While VR provides virtual pictures and characters whereas AR is used to provide a real-life experience for the users. Mixed reality (MR) is a virtual environment combined with the real world; interacts with both the real world and a virtual environment. Extended Reality (XR) / is a mix of VR, AR & MR which amalgamates all these technologies and recreates a completely computer-generated virtual reality of a different alternative world. Special types of equipment such as sensors, computers, special gloves, and headsets are required to create a mesmerizing simulation of any place or person dead or alive. It is now possible that a person can travel across the globe or interact with people from the past via XR technology. A virtual 3-D reality world has now been created by tech giants like Facebook (Now Meta), Google, Apple, Microsoft, Tencent, Huawei, Alibaba, TCS, Infosys, etc. which is now better known as Metaverse. Like the internet, no one will have the absolute rights of the Metaverse, but users around the world can log in and visit any place, or interact with any person virtually by paying a price. The word Metaverse was used for the first time in a futuristic science fiction book called Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson in 1992. Metaverse is taken from two words i.e., ‘Meta’ which means after, or beyond, and ‘Verse’ is taken from the universe. Recognizing the immense power of this 3-D social networking highway Disney has pledged to come up with its version of story-telling without borders. No doubt the concept of Metaverse is still in infancy as the hardware and software requirement to boost the potential of real-life experience will require more powerful computer chips and technologies that still do not exist [1]. As of today, we do have a Microsoft Flight Simulator that can handle 2.5 petabytes and provide a virtual replica of the world, and can be updated in real-time. However, handling billion-plus user in real-time in Metaverse is altogether a different challenge. To create a live vibrant virtual 3-D world we require computational efficiency that should be 1,000-more powerful than what we have today. Google is now exploring various algorithms to design more powerful chips, which could move the idea of Metaverse a step forward. Maybe the quantum computer which is supposed to be 100 million times faster than the conventional computer could be the answer. However, it will still take many more years for quantum computers to be commercially available. Though we have 5G technology available, in the future we will require even faster internet connectivity. Without a powerful internet, Metaverse can never become a reality. Once a sci-fi dream Metaverse is now a reality. Strange things have already started happening in this virtual world, one can now invest in Metaverse and buy land or business space [2]. Recently, JPMorgan, one of America’s largest banks, becomes the first major banking giant to establish itself in the Metaverse by opening a lounge in Decentraland, based on blockchain technology [3]. Barbados is opening a diplomatic embassy in the Metaverse [4]. In this captivating digital world, one may soon play, work, do business, and can have disputes. A new virtual new legal system is emerging and is called ‘Metalaw [5].’ A 43-year-old mother from London was brutally abused by several male online avatars after she logged on to Metaverse’s Horizon Worlds online game [6]. This type of behavior will be a common feature as no policing is available in the virtual world. A new stringent protecting system is required to keep Frankenstein’s monsters of the virtual world at bay. The Indian couple Abhijeet-Sansrati got married in Yug Metaverse (made in India metaverse platform), recently. They tied the knot on February 5th, 2022, and became India’s first couple to get married on a 3-D Metaverse [7]. It is very difficult to predict what exactly the Metaverse will be like 50 years from now. Maybe it will be too addictive [8] and along with children, the adults will also get hocked up to the virtual world for a considerable portion of a day. Maybe the future business and entertainment industry will entirely shift to Metaverse. However, the Metaverse is still under construction and there are currently over 100 job openings in the US on Meta’s careers site. Meta is planning to hire over 10,000 people to construct the virtual-reality world. References: Cherney MA. Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse will require computing tech no one knows how to build. Protocol; Feb 14, 2022. https://tinyurl.com/5n9x24rf How to buy land in the Metaverse investment. Business; Feb 14, 2022. https://tinyurl.com/322un3n9 Birch K. JP Morgan is first leading bank to launch in the metaverse. FinTech; Feb 17, 2022. https://tinyurl.com/49vsstyy Wyss J. Barbados Is opening a diplomatic Embassy in the Metaverse. Bloomberg; Dec 14, 2021. https://tinyurl.com/yc2za9v6 McCollum C. Metalaw: the law of the Metaverse. Jan 24, 2022. https://tinyurl.com/36pactkx First rape case in the Metaverse inspires new digital rules. The Node. https://tinyurl.com/ynx7dfa2 Metaverse weddings, tying knot in the time of Corona. IndiaTechDesk. https://tinyurl.com/4x6kuwns Hughes A. Addiction, crime and data breaches: The metaverse could become a wild west if we’re not careful. BBC Science Focus Magazine; Jan 14, 2022. https://tinyurl.com/58s4rk8r   Dr. Sanjoy Kumar Pal is a Professor of Biology in Skyline University Nigeria. He has a PhD. in Animal Genetics from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, India. You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria

Paraphrasing the words of Frederick Douglas “it is better to be true to myself, even at the point of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false.” Within this context, academic integrity is essential to the overall success of our mission as educators. It provides the basis for proper conduct in students’ lives after graduation. Additionally, many students, teachers, and administrators often adopt the principles of academic integrity as a tool within which the goals of teaching, learning, and research are effective. This knowledge update is an attempt to frame academic integrity in ways that are both positive and pragmatic.  Value education has been given priority by Nigerian governments since independence and is expressed in various policy documents. For instance, The National Policy on Education (2004, p. 8) has put in place a framework for national education goals, in part, as “the inculcation of the right type of values and attitudes.” Those who designed the policy believed that the right values are sine-qua-non “for the survival of the individual and the Nigerian society.” Promoters of this policy from time to time lamented that “lack of academic integrity in the system constitutes a major lacuna.”   Education is peculiar to character first, before skills. Without acceptable character, people can easily apply their skills in negative directions that could harm rather than develop society. As a teacher, I have learned over the years that academicians have spent quality time and resources in developing skills and sharpening professional potentials. However, some do not commensurate efforts in developing their character to conform with the acceptable values that will add to the education system for greater productivity. Teaching is a psycho-social business that goes several steps beyond paper qualification with incursions into the personal psychological dispositions in terms of behavioural antecedents and projections.  The inappropriate approach to the basic tools of scientific inquiry in the educational system also has an imprint on honest academic engagement as well as the question of moral value to the pedagogical purity in our discipline. Today, deceit has become the standard for research and learning, which often affects the quality of education in our contemporary society. In this regard, it is imperative to explore the often less academically addressed subject of academic integrity in communication scholarship. Hopefully, in a short time to come, the knowledge gap in this area across countries and continents shall be given priority by scholars to the strengthening of theory, methodology, and general knowledge based on the subject. To achieve this, the fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage is the key to this problem of an unproductive educational system.  In reality, the qualitative application and systematic involvement of scholars are fundamental to the wellbeing and professional productivity of any institutional development and growth. It safeguards the physiological, psychological, and physical quantitative approach that promotes ethical, objective, and constructive standards, which in turn guarantees free and fair expression of opinions, ideas, and thoughts. Within the academic integrity framework, dishonesty in the system is considered unethical and illegal, especially the one that affects institutional goals, and that of academic misconduct. Arguably, the essence of education is the molding of values first before skills. Without the adequate value of academic integrity, educational institutions are worthless and the products they produce will be disastrous to society (Saa-Aondo, 2018). Therefore, the ability of any institution to achieve its purposes depends upon the quality and integrity of the academic work that its faculty, staff, and students perform. Academic integrity is one step towards cutting-edge research and knowledge transfer. Incidentally, the level at which academic dishonesty is accelerating needs to be addressed in the educational system. It is better to live with trying to solve the problem of academic dishonesty than to live without trying.  References  NPE (2004). The National Policy on Education. (4th Ed.). Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.   Saa-Aondo, S. A. (2018). Academic integrity: A value orientation project. Obama Publishers.   Mr. Aondover Eric Msughter, is a Lecturer II in the Department of Mass Communication in Skyline University Nigeria. He has obtained a Master of Science Degree (M.Sc) in Mass Communication from Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria    

A workplace is an environment where individuals from different backgrounds come together on a common platform to achieve a predefined goal. Every workplace has principles and policies mandatory for employees. The beliefs, ideologies, and practices of a workplace form its culture which gives a sense of direction to the employees. Workplace culture goes a long way in creating the brand image of the organization and makes it distinct from other organizations (Odedokun, 2017).   Employees are the time assets of the workplace. They are the ones who contribute effectively towards the successful functioning of an organization. They strive to deliver their level best and achieve the assigned targets within the stipulated time frame.  Employees play an important role in deciding the culture of the workplace. The behavior, attitude, and interests of employees at the workplace form the culture. The processes and assumptions of the members of an organization contribute to its culture. A motivated and satisfied employee would promote a healthy culture at the workplace as compared to an unmotivated employee (Adekeye & Ajayi, 2020). Importance of Workplace Culture The culture of the workplace controls the way employees behave within the organization as well as with people outside the organization. Every organization has a unique modus operandi that shapes its culture. Hence, the importance of workplace culture cannot be overemphasized (Ajayi & Kayode, 2020). Workplace culture determines how employees relate to one another at the workplace. A good culture encourages employees to stay motivated and loyal towards the management. The culture of the workplace also promotes healthy competition at the workplace. Employees try their best to earn recognition, promotion, and appreciation from their superiors. It is the culture of the workplace that actually motivates the employees to perform the task assigned to them. Workplace culture unites all employees who are otherwise from different backgrounds, families and have varied attitudes and mentalities. The culture gives them a sense of purpose at the workplace. The workplace culture promotes healthy relationships among employees as no one treats work as a burden. A good workplace culture makes employees understand their roles and responsibilities in the organization and how to go about the tasks ahead of the timelines. Bad workplace culture is dangerous and engenders workplace deviant behavior. It is therefore incumbent on managers and leaders in every organization to develop a good workplace culture   References Adekeye, D.S. and Ajayi, O.A. (2020). Workplace Deviant Behaviour and Standard of Health Care Delivery in Nigerian Public Hospitals. Revista Universitară de Sociologie Year XVI, 1: 24 – 37.  http://www.sociologiecraiova.ro/revista/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/00.-FULL-VERSION-24-37.pdf Ajayi, O.A and Kayode, O.E. (2020). Workplace Deviant Behavior in Nigerian Universities and Sustainable Development: A Cross Sectional Study of Selected Universities. In Oshin, O; Sogunro, B; Joseph, I; Aluko, O (eds.) Festschrift in Honour of Rt. Rev. Prof Dapo Asaju; Reinvigorating Nigerian Universities for Sustainable Development; 203 -214. Odedokun, A. (2017) Work and Culture Interaction in an Organizational Context. Journal of Health and Social Issues 6 (1) 57- 66.   Dr. Ajayi is a Lecturer I at the School of Art, Management and Social Science, Skyline University Nigeria. He is a Sociologist, Professional Educator, Author and Socio-Political Analyst. He bagged a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree in Sociology at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. You can join the conversation on Facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on Twitter @SkylineUNigeria