Abstract: This study aimed at establishing the impact of Credit Reference Bureaus on the Kenyan financial sector. This sector has several performance indicators such as financial intermediation and access to credit. The contribution of this sector to economic growth has been tremendous. Central Bank of Kenya introduced CRBs in the financial system to mitigate risk and enhance financial stability. However, the role of Credit Reference Bureaus in the country has been underrated. The study objectives were to establish the determinants of financial sector growth in Kenya and the role of the CRBs in financial sector growth. These objectives are important since they enhance the investigation of how the presence of Credit Reference Bureaus has created change in the financial sector. Literature relating to financial sector and CRBs was reviewed to help in achieving the study objective. Times series data was collected from journals from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Central Bank of Kenya. It was shown that the main determinants of financial sector growth were interest rate, non-performing loans, access to credit and profitability in the banking sector. All these factors are affected by Credit Reference Bureaus, which indicates that these institutions are important in financial sector growth.

Abstract: The Rural Development in India has been realised as one of the most important factors for the growth of the rural economy. As majority of the population, around 65% of the people, live in rural areas, the prime goal of rural development is to enhance the wellbeing of common masses and their socio-economic empowerment by alleviating poverty through the instrument of employment programmes, by providing basic social services to the rural people specially education, health facilities, safe drinking water, electricity, road connectivity, rural housing, etc. In order to achieve this, planned attempts have been made by the Government of India (GOI) to alleviate rural poverty and ensure improved quality of life for the rural population especially those below the poverty line.  A wide spectrum of programmes undertaken in the country so far like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), National Rural Livelihood Mission, Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) etc. have been overviewed in this article. Other than the programmes undertaken by the GOI, the paper also discusses the role and importance of  various institutions and organisations  proclaimed as the vehicles  of socio-economic transformation in rural India like Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI’s), Micro Financial Institutions (MFI’s), Value Chains, Services Cooperatives, Contract Farming, etc.

Abstract: The Kenyan banking sector was in the 1980’s, 1990’s and early 2000 riddled with numerous Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) portfolio which reduced the bank’s profitability profoundly and led to the collapse of many banks Imperial Bank of Kenya being the latest to be liquidated. One of the catalysts in this scenario was serial defaulters who borrowed from various banks with no intention of repaying the loans. Undoubtedly these defaulters thrived well in the information asymmetry environment that prevailed due to lack of a credit information sharing mechanism. The objective of this study was to establish the effect of the credit reference bureau on the commercial bank’s profitability in Kenya with specific objective, to evaluate the impact of the CRBs on the bank’s loan advances. The study used Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Limited as a case study because it is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and thus its financials are in the public domain. Purposive sampling was used whereby secondary data from the bank’s quarterly reports of net profits from the year 2000 to 2014 was considered with a target population of 55. Secondary data was used from the bank’s website to collect profitability ratios of the bank for the years under study. Microsoft excel was used to derive the descriptive statistics relevant for this study. Data was presented in tables, pie charts and bar graphs. The study concludes that the bank puts greater emphasis on the credit information obtained from the bureaus that is CRB Africa and Metropol in determining who to extend their credit to.

Abstract: Organizations globally are strategizing on how best to boost their productivity through enhanced performance by the employees. Motivation of employees by the recognition of the importance of balancing their work and family life has continued to gain ground. In Nairobi central district commercial banks, use of flextime work arrangement has been noted as one of the most widely used strategy. The results of this approach in regard to employee performance should be key in pointing out whether flextime is playing a role in the wider business objectives of these banks. This study sought to establish the effects of flextime work arrangement on employee performance in Nairobi central business district commercial banks where this arrangement is popular given demanding nature of the banks in this area. This research adapted a descriptive design , specifically the survey kind. The target population was all the 1074 Nairobi CBD commercial banks employees where proportionate stratified sampling method was used to get a sample of 291 respondents from different strata (management, supervisory, clerical and sectretarial as well as the support staff). These were issued with questionnaires which served as the research tool. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data via SPSS and further analysis was  done by inferential statistics where correlation analysis was employed in finding the relationship between the variables. The findings revealed that Flextime work arrangement is positively related to employee performance at r=.344 p< .005.

Abstract: Firms within the same industry have been selling products that are good substitutes for each other, yet it is commonly the case that no firm within the industry sells a product that is identical to that sold by a competing firm. Product differentiation occurs within the products sold by a single seller and between the products sold by different sellers. The overall objective of this study sought to analyze product differentiation and its effects on a firm’s performance using the Kenya Seed Company as the case study. The specific objective of the study was to determine the effects of product differentiation in the firm’s strategic approach to management. Simple random sampling was used in selecting customers and KSC staff while purposive sampling was used in selecting agents. A total of 140 questionnaires were distributed with 125 being answered correctly and fully. Data was analyzed using SPSS, Excel and correlations obtained among independent variables. The customer’s trend has grown tremendously over the last 15 years which is reflected by the growth in agent’s base too. ASK shows provide the most important marketing strategy for KSC. The research recommends that KSC to increase market penetration by increasing agents and enhancing field days in the remote ASAL and highland areas which still plant indigenous maize seeds.

Abstract:  The capital base (#2 billion) which has become grossly inadequate to meet domestic and global realities in the financial system and hence, has been upwardly reviewed to #25billion.  It examined whether or not capital adequacy ratio affects bank profitability, it also analyzes the effect of loans and advances on bank profitability as well as the impact of capital adequacy ratio on banks’ exposure to credit risk. The study utilized secondary data covering five years financial statement taking case studies of five selected commercial banks. The positive and significant relationship between capital adequacy and bank’s profitability suggests that banks with more equity capital are perceived to have more safety and such advantage can be translated into higher profitability. The higher the capital ratio, the more profitable a bank will be. It was recommended that there should be a constant review of minimum capital requirement of deposit money banks in Nigeria to the optimal level and Nigeria banks should be capitalized to enable them enjoy assess to cheaper sources of funds with subsequent improvements in profit levels. This would go a long way in helping the public maintain confidence in the banks with the latter acquiring corresponding enablement to accommodate the credit needs of customers and safeguard depositors’ funds.

Abstract: The paper assessed the effect of advertising on sales and profitability of a company. The SPSS software package was used to adequately verify the data collected for this study. The regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis of the variables that were involved in this study in order to analyze the data. The paper concludes that there exists a significant relationship between marketing expenses and profitability of the firm and also there exists a significant relationship between turnover and marketing expenses of the firm. The paper suggests that a company should maintain a cost effective system of advertising in which high quality personnel is a major component. The advertising system should be controlled by a mechanism that fosters the good reputation of the company and its product(s).

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between formal pre-service training, work experience and job performance among hotel employees in selected four- and five- star hotels in Nairobi. The study was guided by the following objectives: to analyze the core competencies influencing job performance among employees in the hotel industry;  establish if there was any relationship between hotel employees’ pre-service training and job performance appraisal ratings by supervisors; and to determine if there was any relationship between hotel employees’ work experience and job performance appraisal ratings by supervisors. A survey of 180 operatives randomly selected from 4- and 5- star hotels in Nairobi was conducted. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. The findings indicated the important role played by education and formal hospitality training of employees in respect to job performance. Chi-square results showed that there was a significant relationship between the level of hospitality training and job performance (χ2=48.345; df=12; p=0.00001). The higher the level of education and training were the better the job performance appraisal ratings. This was demonstrated by the superior performance appraisal ratings of university degree and higher national diploma holders compared to their ordinary diploma and certificate level counterparts. The results also showed that there was a significant relationship between duration of work experience in the hotel industry and job performance (χ2=17.472; df =9; p=0.042). Respondents who had a longer work experience performed better than those who had a short time experience in the hotel industry. 

Abstract: Rural market certainly offers a big attraction to lubricant marketers, it would be naïve to think that any lubricant company can enter the market without facing any problems and walk away with a sizable share. As the rural market consumers lacks in awareness of unbranded product, this is due to low literacy and problem regard to transportation and distribution channels. Traditional urban distribution strategies will have to be localized as per the demands of the rural market. The major area of concern for lubricant companies is to make their products available in the remotest corners of the 6 lakh villages in the country. It is a challenge for any company to design a distribution model that is cost effective and that meets the growing demand from the rural lubricant market. This arises a need for the study about the distribution challenges that are prevailing in the rural markets for the marketers in order to build their brand image and overcome those challenges, the research is targeted at lubricant manufacturers and distributors who are keen to build an understanding of the automotive lubricants industry in India and the opportunities it presents. Thus, the prime objective of the study is to understand and analyze the existing structure of marketing channels of various lubricant brands and local brands by carrying out comparative analysis with a view to ascertain the adequacy of the present distribution system and to suggest strategies to be adopted  in efficient manner.

Abstract: Sandalwood is the fragrant heartwood of some species of genus Santalum (Family: Santalaceae). Santalum album L. commercially known as East Indian Sandalwood is indigenous to peninsular India. It is naturally distributed in an extent of around 9600 km2 mainly in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The essential oil obtained from this wood has occupied a significant place in perfumery industry/market. The value of a Sandalwood tree depends on three important characters (i) volume of heartwood; (ii) concentration and (iii) quality of its heartwood oil. Although Sandalwood is available in other countries, yet Indian Sandalwood has retained its dominance over other sources because of its quality. The warm, sweet, precious wood notes and the non-dominating fixative characteristics of this oil make it an ideal choice for creating wide varieties of perfumes. Due to increased global and domestic demand, and also decrease in supply, Sandalwood prices have skyrocketed. The country’s production during 1930s through 1950s was around 4000 tons of heartwood a year, which has now decreased to a meager 500 tons of wood a year or even less approximately, while the price was Rs. 20,000 per tonne in 1980, it increased to Rs. 200,000 per tonne in 1990’s; Rs. 400,000 per tonne in 2004 and presently it is around 750,000 per tonne (2014). Export of Sandalwood from India is totally banned except for handicraft pieces of Sandalwood up to 50g weight. International demand for Sandalwood is estimated to be around 10,000 mt/ year. USA and France are the two largest importers of Indian Sandalwood oil and of late imports into the Middle East are increasing. At the same time, it is disheartening to note that the import of Sandalwood oil to India during 2008-09 was as high as 61.1 thousand Kg for reasons unknown. Currently, Sandalwood oil is sold in the market at the rate of Rs.1, 20,000-1, 50,000 per Kg in the market. In this paper, the present status of production and marketing aspects of S. album is discussed in detail.

Abstract: This study was undertaken to generate information on the profile of the cut flower growers of Nueva Vizcaya, determine their operational, marketing and financial practices then identify and analyze the problems/constraints or issues affecting cut flower production. These current conditions and issues are used as bases in the formulation of interventions for the improvement of the said industry. Nueva Vizcaya cut flower growers propagated a variety of flowers in a relatively wide garden. Majority of the growers have acquired nurseries and greenhouses to propagate their plants, manual and power spray were commonly used to water their plants, and the grab hoe and cutter were generally used as tools. Growers acquired seedlings from propagators within the area and from those outside the province if seeds are unavailable. None so far used herbicides in the propagation of cut flowers. To prolong the vase life of harvested cut flowers, growers put them in water. Unsold cut flowers were dried and used as fertilizers. The growers have inadequate breeding technology and insufficient production technology and some have irrigation problems especially those areas that are frequently rain-visited. Most of their marketing problems concern linkage capabilities, inefficiency of marketing network, no specific market outlet, and inadequate access to market information on market demand. There is also the insufficiency of strategic alliances (cooperatives), high cost of raw materials and the lack of capital for expansion as financial constraints.

Abstract: Fulla, is a special traditional meal made from pre cooked millet and eaten as convenient food in most African countries due to it availability and easy to prepare nature and Ghanaians are not exceptional.  Traditionally it is mixed with bare fingers by sellers to buyers for consumption. It is known in the northern sector of Ghana as furra, however due to its tasty nature, it gradually gained patronage also in the southern sector of Ghana. The name which was furra was then pronounced as fulla by the southerners. This product name has come to stay and is now popularly known as ‘fulla’. Furra is a nutritious meal but owing to it unhygienic preparation, poor presentation, and packaging a lot of people are not attracted to patronize it. Every five hundred grams (500g) of furra contains 15.5 % protein, 14.5% carbohydrate, 6.5 % fat, 0.5% ash and food energy is 230kcl. In view of this, the research developed furra powder by making it more convenient and attractive by means of improving it preparation, flavour, packaging and presentation. Furra powder was developed by boiling moulded millet flour in boiling water for 30 minutes; the product was crushed and dried in an oven for 20 minutes. The dried product was blended with spices into a powdered form.  The powder was sieved, heated and packaged. The essential nutrient in the product provides the body with heat and energy promote growth as well as proper maintenance of the body. From the several attempts made, Powdered Instant Furra mix was developed. The study revealed there was the need to improve traditionally made furra since 80% of the respondents were of the view that there is the need to improve the traditionally made furra. The hygienic preparation, flavour and presentation, revealed that the Instant Furra Powder could be a substitute or compliment to the already existing locally made furra. 

Abstract: India a land of heritage and prosperity, a place where the origin of mankind found its relevance, beside the origin we also find it a place where numerous of human emotions are still dwells on, it is a place where many of the things have evolved and, it is a place which has seen many downfall of mighty kings and kingships. India has witnessed & still witnessing so of the drastic changes that have occurred, in the horizons of kingship, though this word has now been replaced by Leadership. In this paper of mine I would be telling my readers about the word Leader and help my readers to assess the leadership trait in themselves, I would also be letting my readers to understand the strategies for creating a leader in an organisation particularly in India, I would be comparing the organisational leadership of the two different people, that is the leadership of an India to that of a foreign, to bring out the exact meaning of leadership. One has to be very particular, about this term that is Leadership, the reason being; we often get it clogged off in its various aspects like Boss, King Dictator. We must be very particular about the difference in all the aspects, and see are these three same as leadership or a part of it, I will be including my survey and also my experiments which I have done to analyse the strategies of leadership creation, in every organisation of India, I have not covered every company but have made an attempt to have a correct preview of all. I might have taken few names in my paper I apologise if it’s defensive, but I have no personal feelings. I have tried to give an insight in everything as best as possible.

Abstract: The rapid growth of internet in last two and half decades has provided a vast scope for research activities related to internet. One of the areas of research is e-commerce. As one of the marketing channels, e-commerce can be used to display product information as well as to do the transactions. Internet buying and e-commerce has a global reach and several corporations count on global markets for expansion and growth. However consumers in different countries exhibit different behavior while buying on internet because of the cultural differences. Thus, though there are several studies done in foreign countries on e-buying behavior, they cannot be extended to India. One of the researchers therefore planned to do a doctoral study of e-buying behavior in India. The objective of this paper is to report how the researchers benefitted from the pilot study and to highlight why any researcher should do a proper pilot study before venturing in to a full-fledged survey.