African Journals Online
The Lagos Business School Management Review

Volume 6 No 1 January - June 2001

Theme: PERSPECTIVES ON DEVELOMENT

CONSTRUCTION OF BANK BRANCHES CRITICAL ISSUES FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

BAYO ADEOLA

This paper attempts to highlight some of the more critical lessons learnt through the author's experience as part of the development of over 40 bank branches, and proposes an approach that may lead to successful branch delivery. It does this using the framework of the project management body of knowledge, PMBoK. In particular, it examines branch delivery from the parameters of the project management process and the nine area of knowledge identified by the Project Management Institute.

MAKING RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS RELEVANT TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREAS

E. F. SCHMITTER and J. AMAEZECHI

Fostering an even and rational spread of Focuses of Development throughout the country through rural industrialisation can solve the problems stemming from the underdevelopment of rural areas in developing countries. This task has to be tackled by many forces. The Nigerian Research Institutes (RI) and Technological Institutions (TI) should play the role of catalysers of Upward Industrialisation Processes, helped by both the Central and the Local Governments..

A sustainable industrial development in a rural community i) must be based on the economic activities of the rural labour force, ii) simple technologies or machinery should be applied, iii) the rural people themselves must be involved in its organisation and management. In fact they should see the project as theirs; and iv) it must result in production of goods and services that are in constant demand primarily within the immediate community and its environs. In one word it must be market-driven.

The RI and TI can be relevant to the industrial development by: i) Emphasizing Applied Research, ii) Providing Technology Demonstration Centres (TDC), iii) Training Community Personnel and iv) Developing an efficient Public Relations Unit.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF AFRICA'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE CHALLENGE OF VALUES AND ETHICS

PAT UTOMI

This article offers snapshots of competing paradigms for explaining Africa's slow growth. It then offers other ideas that suggest linkages between phenomena that have produced prolonged stagnation. These additional perspectives focus on the role of institutions and values in economic development. Africa's path to economic development has been constrained by destiny and policy choices to different degrees, but evidence does suggest that if institutions are built up, market economy values introduced, and the work ethic harvested, this opening century of a new millennium could indeed by Africa's century.

MAKING BOARDS MORE EFFECTIVE: THE ISSUE OF INDEPENDENCE

FABIAN AJOGWU and OGBONNA IKE

One of the critical issues in ensuring the effectiveness of the corporate board is independence, that of the board and that of the directors who constitute it. The present article looks at this issue, drawing on best practice guidelines from different parts of the world and contrasting with the situation in Nigeria, as drawn from a survey of Nigerian companies and a review of data from several publicly quoted companies. The authors argue that the independence of the board will be put in jeopardy if the board is made up mainly of executive directors, and if the non-executive directors, where they exist, have significant relationships with parties connected to the firm. Other sources of threat to the independence of the board are the combination of the positions of the chairman and the chief executive, and a system of appointing directors in which the management plays a predominant role. The article recommends the development of corporate governance guidelines for Nigeria, with clear criteria for evaluating independence.

EQUITY INCENTIVES: ALIGNING THE INTERESTS OF EMPLOYEES AND OWNERS OF BUSINESSES

YOMI SANNI

This paper reviews how to align the interests of employees and of owners of businesses and directs attention to policy issues that are critical to the attainment of this noble objective. It demonstrates that Tax Incentives and Reforms are necessary and offers recommendations on how to promote equity incentives in Nigeria.