Henry Okwo

Bio: Henry Okwo is an academic researcher from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The author has contributed to research in topics: Index (economics) & Competence (human resources). The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 7 publications receiving 16 citations.

Exploring employer-employee relationship: A psychological contract breach-exit voice and loyalty effect mediated by the dark triad

Abstract: Purpose: To understand the underlying employer–employee relationships when there are weak labour laws and high unemployment, we tested a mediation of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ – 12 – items measuring the dark triad (Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism) on the Psychological Contract Breach (PCB) – Exit, Voice and Loyalty (EVL) effect. Design/methodology/approach: Using 391 respondents comprising the staff of a large financial institution in Nigeria, we formulated the hypotheses to establish direct, indirect and total effects of the variables studied. Constructs diagnostics were performed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for construct validity, composite reliability for internal consistency and Hayes’ mediated regression to test the hypotheses. Findings/results: All direct effects were statistically significant. Narcissism is shown as the non-statistically supported mediator amongst the dark triad, whilst the study showed that the total effect of the multiple mediators worsens loyalty behaviour more than they predict exit behaviour. Practical Implications: This implies that employers should do better to maintain a healthy work climate in developing climes, as the dominant response to contract breach would not be exit, but rather disloyalty, which would be more disruptive to the organisation than either exit or voice. Originality/value: Post Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) there could be a threat to sustainable work systems. Both employers and employees would have to develop methods to deal with perceived breach from employers and idiosyncratic work behaviour of employees. The contributions of this study would aid sustainable work-related practices, especially within unregulated work environments as present in Africa and other developing nations across the world.

Medical intern job demands and job carry-over strain: The moderating role of psychosocial mentoring and job satisfaction

Abstract: This study examined the relationship between psychological job demands and job carry-over strain among medical interns, and the moderating role of mentoring and job satisfaction in that relationship. Medical interns (n = 229) at teaching hospitals in Southeastern Nigeria (male = 84.28%; modal age group = 31–35 years). completed validated surveys on psychological job demands, job carry-over strain, mentoring, and job satisfaction. Simultaneous moderated regression analyses indicated psychosocial mentoring and job satisfaction to moderate the relationship between job demands and job carry-over strain. Mentorship programs for medical interns may be helpful to their quality of work life.

Excessive job demands may lower job satisfaction and risk job carry-over while straining other aspects of the employee ’ s life ( Attell et al .

Abstract: Journal of Psychology in Africa is co-published by NISC (Pty) Ltd and Informa UK Limited (trading as Taylor & Francis Group) Introduction Work mentoring or psychosocial support helps employee achieve organisational goals (Arora & Rangnekar, 2016) . Excessive job demands may lower job satisfaction and risk job carry-over while straining other aspects of the employee’s life (Attell et al ., 2017; Frone et al ., 1995; Klein et al ., 2020; Marchand et al ., 2016; Zapf et al ., 2001) . When poorly managed, psychological work demands, and job carry-over strain could be deleterious to general work performance . This effect may be from employees feeling exploited and overloaded after work and experiencing complete exhaustion after the day’s work (Balducci et al ., 2021; Santa Maria et al ., 2018) . Hence, there is a need for mentoring, which is the support given by senior workers towards younger employees, to help lessen the burden of work and achieve their career goals (Arora & Rangnekar, 2016) . According to Spitzmüller and colleagues (2008) there are two main types of mentoring within the job environment, including career-related mentoring and psychosocial support . In career-related mentoring, the mentor restricts guidance, support, and training to jobrelated issues such as provision of aid, job training, public support and protection, and assistance in career advancement (Eby et al ., 2013) . In psychosocial mentoring, the mentor aims to improve the protégé’s sense of effectiveness, identity, competence, emotions, and psychological stability beyond the basic requirements of the mentorship relationship . Psychosocial mentoring is provided through instruction, encouragement, counselling, unconditional love and acceptance, friendship, inspiration, and role modelling (Bang & Reio, 2017; Craig et al ., 2013; Eby et al ., 2013) . Where psychosocial mentoring is present, mentees are more satisfied, stable, and professionally rewarded beyond the extrinsic rewards of pay which their mentors are obliged to provide (Bang & Reio, 2017) . Such relationships are more intimate, probing, and personal (Arora, 2020; Arora & Rangnekar, 2016; Craig et al ., 2012; Kao et al ., 2020) . Among medical interns, psychosocial mentoring improves patient-management skills, and empowers them to navigate the stress and hurdles associated carry-overs into their nonwork lives (Chen et al ., 2009; Fallatah et al ., 2018; Han et al ., 2014; Johnson et al ., 2014; Ramanan et al ., 2006) . However, studies are needed on the moderating influence of psychosocial mentoring of medical interns on mitigating job demands, and work carry-over into personal lives . Moreover, medical internees’ job satisfaction may be influenced by their sense of job demands and carryover strain (Chandramouleeswaran et al ., 2014; Stepien & Baernstein, 2006; Vinothkumar et al ., 2016) . Job satisfaction is also associated with emotional awareness (Chen et al ., 2009), job stress (Fasbender et al ., 2018), and turnover intention and burnout (Chen et al ., 2019) . We examined these relationships in the developing country of Nigeria .

A comparative analysis of value management practices between consumer and construction based firms

Abstract: The use of value management tools in non-management and non-business domains appears to be high, as exemplified by numerous studies conducted on the subject matter in the construction based disciplines, but understanding how such essential tool works in the consumer based domains seems lacking, this study becomes relevant in this regard. The aim of the study therefore is to understand how consumer based and construction based firms differ with regard to the use, focus and control of value management on a firm-by-firm basis, locational basis and on the basis of industrial typology. The researchers adopted a survey research design using a 16-item questionnaire instrument administered to 509 respondents across 10 firms: 5 being consumer and the other 5 being construction based firms. The formulated hypotheses were tested using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney’s U-test for non-parametric comparisons. The results obtained showed that consumer based firms ranked higher than construction based firms, both on a firm-by-firm (CSB = 256.9, CTB = 247.4, p@0.005; CSB=264.6, CTB = 234.3, p@0.011) for focus and control, respectively, and on an industrial type (CSB = 267.65, CTB = 235.93, p@0.017; CSB = 268.71, CTB = 234.33, p@0.009; CSB = 269.21, CTB = 233.58, p@0.007; CSB = 268.38, CTB = 234.83, p@0.011) comparison basis on actual usage, perceived usage, focus and control of value management, respectively. For the locational difference, there were no statistical significance. The study concludes that there is a case for a multidisciplinary study of value management as it appears more present in consumer than construction based firms.

The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy

Abstract: Poruka koju nam salje knjiga Paradoks globalizacije može se jednostavno sažeti rijecima da je samo stabilna i zdrava domaca ekonomska politika temelj otvorene međunarodne ekonomije i da su samo stabilne politicke zajednice temelj mirom prožetog i stabilnog međunarodnog poretka. Implikacije ove dvije teze su siroke, ali vrlo su zanimljive u kontekstu dužnicke krize koja potresa eurozonu vec pune dvije godine. Dubinska ekonomska integracija u domeni fiskalne politike bez demokratizacije EU i nametanje tehnokratskih rjesenja izvana uz zanemarivanje domacih razvojnih potreba nije rjesenje za probleme u kojima se ona trenutacno nalazi. Rodrik navodi EU kao primjer uspjesne regionalne ekonomske integracije, ali koja u ovo krizno vrijeme pokazuje totalnu konfuziju oko odabira dvije od tri ponuđene opcije. Uz sve sto je autor naveo kao dio friedmanovske hiperglobalisticke zablude sasvim je izvjesno da bi u kontekstu europske integracije autor na prvo mjesto stavio kombinaciju ekonomske integracije i demokratizacije EU, na drugo mjesto nacionalni suverenitet i demokratsku politiku, a kao najnepoželjniji scenarij duboku ekonomsku integraciju i nacionalne države kao dio integracije sui generis sputane luđackom kosuljom supranacionalne politike bez demokratskog legitimiteta ili diktatom Merkozy.

How Enhancing Information and Communication Technology has affected Inequality in Africa for Sustainable Development: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract: This study examines if enhancing ICT reduces inequality in 48 countries in Africa for the period 2004-2014. Three inequality indictors are used, namely, the: Gini coefficient, Atkinson index and Palma ratio. The adopted ICT indicators include: mobile phone penetration, internet penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions. The empirical evidence is based on the Generalised Method of Moments. Enhancing internet penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions have a net effect on reducing the Gini coefficient and the Atkinson index, whereas increasing mobile phone penetration and internet penetration reduces the Palma ratio. Policy implications are discussed in the light of challenges to Sustainable Development Goals.

Social Entrepreneurship: An Overview

Abstract: This chapter provides a short history of social entrepreneurship in order to frame up a discussion of youth-centered social entrepreneurship. The chapter explores the basic concepts and foundational elements of social entrepreneurship as a whole before differentiating it with youth social entrepreneurship. It includes a description of early movements of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise. The reader who is new to the field of social entrepreneurship will find this chapter to be an appropriate introduction, while readers who are more experienced in this area will find it to be a review that shapes the explorations of youth social entrepreneurship to come.

Firm age and performance

Abstract: Amid increasing interest in firm age and its effects on firm performance, this special issue offers an exhaustive review of the literature and a novel collection of evidence on the effects of firm age on performance, including a special focus of interest on innovation performance, financial performance, exports, survival and growth. This editorial positions the theme in the extant literature, and provides key definitions and challenges ahead in the field of evolutionary economics. It introduces the collection of articles composing the special issue. The papers offer a diversity of country contexts, as well as analytical approaches and methods. They include an exhaustive review of the literature on age and firms' performance, and present original empirical studies focusing on the effects of age on firms' economic outcomes on the one hand, and on innovation outcomes on the other hand. While most of the papers use econometric analysis, the level of analysis ranges from firm to individual.

Exploring the relevance of Igbo Traditional Business School in the development of entrepreneurial potential and intention in Nigeria

Abstract: This study extends the literature on the relevance of the Igbo Traditional Business School (ITBS) in building entrepreneurial potential and intention in an emerging African economy – Nigeria. Two k...