Browsing by Author "Okafor, Godwin"
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Item Metadata only Big Brother or Harbinger of Best Practice: Can Lecture Capture Actually Improve Teaching?(Wiley, 2018-04-17) Joseph‐Richard, P.; Jessop, T.; Okafor, Godwin; Almpanis, T.; Price, D.Lecture capture is used increasingly in the UK, and has become a normal feature of higher education. Most studies on the impact of lecture capture have focused on benefits to student learning, the flipped classroom or student non-attendance at lectures following its introduction. It is less clear how the use of lecture capture has impacted on lecturers’ own academic practice. In this study, we use a mixed-methods approach to explore the impact of this intrusive yet invisible technology on the quality of teaching. We have mapped our findings to the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF). In doing so, our data paints a mixed picture of lecture capture’s Janus-faced reality. On the one hand, it enhances lecturer self-awareness, planning and conscious ‘performance’; on the other hand, it crushes spontaneity, impairs interaction and breeds wariness through constant surveillance. While the Teaching Excellence Framework rewards institutions for providing state-of the-art technology and lecture recording systems, our findings pose awkward questions as to whether lecture capture is making teaching more bland and instrumental, albeit neatly aligned to dimensions of the UKPSF. We provide contradictory evidence about lecture capture technology, embraced by students, yet tentatively adopted by most academics. The implications of our study are not straightforward, except to proceed with caution, valuing the benefits but ensuring that learning is not dehumanised through blind acceptance at the moment we press the record button.Item Open Access Dynamic linkage between Economic growth and human development: time series evidence from Nigeria(Wiley, 2018-09-07) Chikalipah, S.; Okafor, GodwinA consensus among academics and policymakers holds that investing in human development not only improves lives, but also by itself promotes stellar economic growth. We investigate these claims by estimating the two-way causality between economic growth and human development in Nigeria over the period from 1961 to 2015. By employing three statistical frameworks (Gregory-Hansen Cointegration, Stock-Watson DOLS and VECM), our estimates suggest the following. First, economic growth and human development share a long run relationship, that is, they are cointegrated. Second, despite the two variables sharing a long run relationship, only economic growth can exercise a positive effect on human development, and no evidence of reverse causality was observable. Far importantly, we prescribe a policy recommendation from these findings.Item Open Access Empirical Evidence of the Relationship between Terrorism and Firm Financial Performance in Nigeria(Emerald, 2022-05-31) Calderon, Camilo; Okafor, GodwinPurpose This paper investigates the relationship between terrorism and firm financial performance in Nigeria. The country has become one of the riskiest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa due to the intensity of recent terror attacks. Also, there is a growing focus on the importance of firms given their economic contribution towards growth, employment, and economic and industrial transformation. However, no study has tried establishing a relationship between terrorism and firm financial performance. Therefore, providing empirical proof of this relationship is the primary purpose and motivation of this paper. Design/methodology/approach Data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) and the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) were used for this study. The baseline analysis was estimated using the pooled OLS regression technique. For robustness checks, the fixed effects technique was used to control for heterogeneity across our sample of firms and unobserved factors that are time-invariant, while the IV technique was employed to control for any potential endogeneity. Findings The results obtained from the regression analysis were robust to different econometric estimations and approaches. Terrorism was found to have a consistent and significant negative impact on firm financial performance. Furthermore, the marginal effect of terrorism on firm performance was more substantial when state-level terrorism data was used. Originality Studies often focus on the impact of political instability (which is a measure subjectively based on perception) on foreign direct investment or on the activities of multinational corporations. Our research is new in supplying evidence of the relationship between terrorism (an objective measure) and the financial performance of manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Methodologically, this study also employed spatially distributed incidents of terrorism within the country. This is because incidents of terrorism are often spatially distributed within a country (i.e., province or state). This will provide new evidence of the effects of within-country variations of terrorism on firm financial performance.Item Embargo Enterprise survival and growth: A conceptual exposition of entrepreneurial activities in Sub-Saharan Africa(Palgrave Macmillan, 2021) Olagboye, Deji Osigbodi; Obembe, Demola; Okafor, GodwinResearch on Informal Economy has advanced over recent years and gained increasing popularity. Despite this interest, there is a dearth of research exploring the institutionalisation of informal economy enterprises (IEE), particularly enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and implications for the institutional environment. This chapter begins to address the deficit by conceptualising the establishment of a Nano Enterprise (NE) classification as an enabler for the institutionalisation of informal economy enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. The survival and growth of IEE would be inherently challenging as informality creates resource-constraints. We argue that the establishment of a Nano Enterprise classification as an enabler for institutionalisation should operationally enhance the legitimacy and prospect of survival and growth among IEE in Sub-Saharan Africa. Also, that the nature of the context and institutionalisation pressures will equally impact any outcome. Finally, the chapter explores new avenues for entrepreneurship researchers to empirically test the institutionalisation proposal presented in this study.Item Open Access Estimating the Effect of Terrorism on Agricultural Production in Nigeria(Wiley, 2021-11-06) Okafor, Godwin; Chikalipah, S.Nigeria has always been affected by terrorism but since the late 2000s, there has been a sharp increase in terrorism perpetrated by Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen terror groups. The rise in terrorism and insurgency has decimated communities and farmers have fled to protected camps. In view of that background, this paper estimates the effect of terrorism on agricultural output in Nigeria over the period 1971 to 2019. Our empirical results provide evidence which indicates that terrorism (as measured by the number of fatalities) has a negative and significant effect on agricultural output. Furthermore, this negative impact was larger over the period 2011 to 2019. This period corresponds with the onset of escalated violence from Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen terror groups. The following policy implications were deduced. First, government should pursue credible policies in reducing the violent attacks on farmers. Second, nomadic cattle herders should be trained and encouraged to adopt modern techniques in animal husbandry. Third, government should equip forest rangers and guards to help safeguard rural and farming communities.Item Open Access FDI Determinants in Least Recipient Regions: The Case of Sub‐Saharan Africa and MENA.(Wiley, 2017-12) Okafor, Godwin; Piesse, J.; Webster, A.This paper explores the determinants of FDI into FDI least recipient regions. Panel data for 20 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and 11 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries are used for the period 2000 – 2012. Findings of the fixed effects estimations suggest that FDI inflows into these regions are influenced by GDP per capita, infrastructure development, trade openness, and control of corruption. Conversely, inflation negatively affects FDI inflows and rents from natural resources do not significantly influence FDI. Furthermore, the findings show that marginal benefits from any increase in the quantity of FDI determinants (with the exception of control of corruption) will be less for SSA countries. The paper concludes with important policy implications deduced from the findings.Item Open Access Foreign Ownership and Firm Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa.(Taylor and Francis, 2022-05) Okafor, GodwinOur study investigates the effects of foreign ownership on firm performance with respect to profitability, productivity, export intensity, and skills acquisition in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This is particularly important given that in the last 3 decades, stock of FDI has increased over 20,000% in SSA countries. To achieve the objectives of this paper, we employed firm- and country-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys and the World Bank Development Indicators respectively. Results of the least squares dummy variable (LSDV) and propensity score matching (PSM) estimations showed that foreign ownership was positively associated with higher levels of financial profitability, productivity, exports, and skilled labour acquisition. Policy implications were deduced from the findings.Item Open Access The Impact of Kidnapping on Foreign Ownership of Firms in Nigeria(Wiley, 2022-12-09) Obiajulu, Ede; Okafor, GodwinNigeria is one of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that has faced high incidents of kidnapping. As a result of that, some studies have investigated its determinants and economic consequences in Nigeria. However, no study is yet to investigate its impact on the foreign ownership of firms. This is a research void that this paper has attempted to fill. Using the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), we found empirical evidence of the negative impact of kidnapping on the foreign ownership of firms. An increase in the kidnapping rate by one (1 per 100,000 of population) will reduce the foreign ownership of firms by 4.855% to 10.098% depending on the econometric model. There is also empirical evidence that the impact of kidnapping on foreign ownership will vary by geographical regions in Nigeria and by firm size. Policy implications were deduced from our findings.Item Open Access The impact of political instability on the economic growth of ECOWAS member countries(Taylor and Francis, 2015-10-09) Okafor, GodwinThis study contributes to the literature on political instability and economic growth by specifically investigating the impact of political instability on the economic growth of member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). West Africa is regarded as the riskiest sub-region within the African continent. To achieve this objective, the study employed panel data techniques (fixed effects and generalised method of moments – GMM) on a sample of 15 ECOWAS member countries for the period 2005 – 2012. Findings from the analyses showed that terrorism, poor governance, social unrest, youth unemployment, death rate, and natural resource rent have negative relationships with economic growth. The findings and policy implications deduced from this study could not have been any timelier considering the recent escalation of instability in West African countries and their fragile growth prospects.Item Open Access Internet Adoption and Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa(Elsevier, 2020-09-09) Okafor, GodwinInformation and communication technology adoption (ICT), and its penetration and use, in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have steadily grown since the turn of the century. Subsequently, studies have sought to investigate several of its benefits particularly on economic growth and entrepreneurial activities. Little attention has been paid to SSA, human capital development and economic freedom within studies on ICT and financial development. Using data from the Global Financial Development and the World Bank Development Indicator databases for the period 2000-2016 on 42 countries in SSA, we found evidence of the positive impact of internet use on different measures of financial development. Further analysis reveals that sub-samples of SSA countries differ on their levels of human capital development and economic freedom. Our results are robust to different estimations and specifications that account for heteroskedasticity in our sample and potential endogeneity. Implications of the study are also highlighted.Item Open Access Kidnapping Rate and Capital Flight: Empirical Evidence from Developing Countries(Wiley, 2021-02-03) Okafor, Godwin; Ede, O.This paper contributes to the literature on capital flight by investigating the relationship between kidnapping rate and capital flight in developing countries. Numerous empirical studies exist on the determinants of capital flight but, surprisingly, none of them have investigated the empirical link between kidnapping and capital flight. To fill this existing void in the literature, this paper utilised a sample of 67 developing countries for the period 2003-2017. Estimates of the GMM technique show that kidnapping rate has a positive and significant impact on capital flight. However, estimations of the marginal differences show that this significant effect remained consistent only in the sample of ‘fragile’ developing countries. The results remained consistent to alternative measures of capital flight.Item Open Access The Motives for Inward FDI into Sub-Saharan Africa Countries(Elsevier, 2015-08-22) Webster, A.; Piesse, J.; Okafor, GodwinThis study contributes to the FDI literature by investigating the impact of all four locational motives of FDI in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries for the period 1996 – 2010. To achieve this aim, panel data techniques (pooled OLS, fixed effects and GMM) were employed on a sample of SSA countries. The empirical results showed that efficiency and strategic asset seeking factors influenced FDI activities in SSA for the period investigated. Market size also influenced FDI however this was less robust to specifications. Surprisingly, FDI in SSA was not resource seeking. Furthermore, a statistical test confirmed structural and behavioural differences in FDI determinants between SSA sub-regional groups and when analysed separately, FDI in West and Central SSA was market and efficiency seeking while FDI in South and East Africa was best explained by efficiency seeking factors. Based on the empirical findings, a number of policy implications were derived. These policy implications include further implementation of policies targeted at increasing and sustaining trade liberalisation and trade diversification, control of corruption, credible upgrades and productive investments in infrastructure, and support for human capital accumulation as FDI is increasingly directed towards R&D, innovation and strategic asset activities.Item Open Access Ownership Structure, Corruption, and Capital Investment: Evidence from Firms in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries(Wiley, 2021) Okafor, Godwin; Ede, O.; Chijoke-Mgbame, Aruoriwo Marian; Ohalehi, Paschal; Chijoke, C.In this study, we investigate the relationship between ownership structure, corruption, and capital investments in firms operating in a selected sample of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. Using a sample of an unbalanced panel of firms over different time periods that ranged from 2003–2016, and estimating with the fixed effects technique, we find that foreign ownership and bribery payments have positive and negative effects, respectively, on the capital investment of firms. Furthermore, the marginal effects analysis reveals that the effects of ownership structure and bribery payments differ significantly across our selected sample of countries and across different firm sizes. Policy implications were deduced from the findings.Item Open Access The Relationship Between Sexual Violence and Girl-Child Primary School Education in Developing Countries(Tennessee State University College of Business, 2021) Okafor, Godwin; Piesse, JeniferAll children have the right to quality education that respects their human dignity and their right to be protected from violence and abuse. However, in some developing countries this is not the case. According to the latest data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), sexual violence in developing countries over the past 15 years rose by over 370%. Sexual violence on girls results in physical and psychological harm including long-lasting suffering. In this study, our interest mainly lies in the social impact sexual violence is likely to cause to the victims. This includes, but not limited to, rejection by family and community, exclusion from economic engagement, isolation, and the likelihood of further violence. All things being equal, all of the these will affect the demand for schooling and the desire to acquire formal education. Therefore, the contribution of this study is to quantify the impact of sexual violence on girl-child education in a broad range of developing countries. To achieve this, we used country-level data from 72 developing countries between 2003-2017. The pooled OLS and fixed effects techniques were then used in estimating the impact of sexual violence on different measures of girl-child education. The results of the estimations showed a negative relationship between sexual violence and the different measures of the girl-child education. For example, using the fixed effects results, an increase in sexual violence by one standard deviation from the sample mean, will reduce girls’ enrolment rate and completion rate by 2.385% and 3.150% points, respectively. The results provide an interesting dimension to what is already known of the girl-child education and can aid policymakers in their interventions in improving educational outcomes for girls. With respect to policy implications from the findings, countries must formulate adequate responses to protect their young citizens from the cruelty of sexual abuse. In addition, effective support mechanisms for victims of sexual violence should be facilitated and sustained in developing countries. This will help in ameliorating some of the negative impact of their violent experiences and help to prepare them to re-enter society and return to education.Item Open Access Terrorism and Country-Level Global Business Failure(Elsevier, 2018-09-07) Tingbani, Ishmael; Okafor, Godwin; Tauringana, V.; Zalata, AlaaThis paper contributes to the literature on business failure by investigating the relationship between terrorism and country-level global business failure by using a sample of 174 countries over the period 2009–2015. To proxy for business failure, the ‘Resolving Insolvency’ index, which is a component of the World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ index, was adapted and used. The results of the fixed-effects estimation show that terrorism has a positive and significant relationship with business failure for the full sample. When the sample is divided into developed, developing and fragile states, the results show that terrorism is positively and significantly related with business failure in developing and fragile states only. Estimates show that for every 100 terrorist incidents, business failure increases by 1% and 0.7% points, in South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) countries, respectively. The findings contribute to our understanding of the effects of terrorism on business failure, and how this differs depending on whether the country is developing, developed, or is a fragile state.Item Open Access Terrorism and Global Business Performance(Wiley, 2020-08-20) Okafor, Godwin; Tauringana, Venancio; Tingbani, Ishmael; Sha'ven, Widin BongasuThis paper contributes to the literature on business performance by investigating the relationship between terrorism and global business performance at country level. A measure of a country’s distance from the frontier score of the World Bank’s Doing Business index is used to proxy for business performance. The results of the fixed-effects estimations based on 173 countries over seven years (2009–2017) show that terrorism has no significant relationship with global business performance. We then partition our sample into developed, developing and fragile countries. The results still show that there is no robust significant relationship between terrorism and business performance for the sub-samples of developed and developing countries. However, the results based on the fragile countries’ sub-sample suggest a significant negative relationship between terrorism and business performance. The results are consistent with an alternative measure of business performance and estimation technique that controls for endogeneity.Item Open Access Understanding China’s Economic Engagement in Africa: An Exploration of the FDI-Trade Nexus(MDPI, 2022-11-24) Zhang, Qiyue; Wang, Zheng; Okafor, GodwinThe rapid rise of China on the global stage has promoted a widely held concern about the country’s political intention behind its expanding overseas economic activities. This paper attempts to shed new light on this old question: Is the abundance of natural resources in Africa the primary motivation for Chinese economic engagement in the continent? To this end, we investigate the nexus of China’s direct investment in 54 African countries and its international trade with the region between 2003 and 2014 to estimate how and to which extent Chinese investment affects its trade with the continent. This empirical task is facilitated using a transaction-level trade database from Chinese customs, which allows us to trace the trade records by product, destination, and exporting firm. Our empirical results support the trade-promoting effect of China’s foreign direct investment in the region, and this effect is found to be more significant for China’s exports of consumption and processed goods to the continent than for China’s imports of primary goods from this same region. Furthermore, we do not find systematic evidence that these investment activities lead to more primary goods being imported by Chinese state-owned enterprises. While these findings do not rule out the existence of resource-seeking motivation, they cast doubt on that being a primary driving force behind Chinese investment in Africa.