Private Universities In Nigeria Research Articles

Using WhatsApp as a medium of postgraduate instruction in a private university in Nigeria: fall-outs of the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a global lockdown and the cessation of all academic activities on-site. Higher education in Nigeria was not exempt, as a paradigm shift was required for university officials to explore non-conventional teaching methods to prevent students from wasting time and to keep them intellectually engaged. During the pandemic, our research examines how a private institution in Ede, Osun State, Nigeria, utilised the social networking platform WhatsApp for Ph.D. student seminars. The study obtained data from ten doctoral students in the Department of Library and Information Science at Adeleke University via online interviews. The difficulties faced by the students and the benefits of utilising ICT were highlighted. Due to the constant insecurity and poor road network in Nig eria, as well as the risk of long-distance travel, especially for postgraduate students who are not always resident on campus, we recommend the continued use of E-learning platforms in Higher Education Institutions as a solution to reducing transportation costs.

Librarians’ ICT skills and service delivery in private universities in Nigeria

This paper examined the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills of librarians for service delivery in private universities with particular reference to Southern Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research method. Forty-five (45) private university libraries in Southern Nigeria and their librarians constituted the sample size for the study. The study’s samples consisted of 181 librarians in the private universities, hence, total enumeration was adopted. Questionnaire was used for data collection from the respondents. Out of the 181 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 173 were returned and found valid for analysis. Data gathered was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21 and the results were presented in frequency count, percentage, mean and chart. Findings of the study revealed that librarians in private universities in Southern Nigeria delivered various library services to their users. The librarians have acquired basic ICT skills and were versatile in its application for Internet searches, information retrieval, social communication and Microsoft-office related activities with the exception of programming skills. Majority of the librarians acquired their ICT skills through self-learning. The finding revealed that the acquisition of ICT skills by librarians in Southern Nigeria private universities is relevant to their delivery of improved library services. The paper recommended that regular acquisition of relevant ICT skills is essential for librarians and university management should support librarians’ ICT capacity development at national and international levels as this would enhance their relevance and get them abreast of the latest development for effective service delivery.

Bringing quality management to perspective in higher education institutions’ research output: A focus on selected private universities in Nigeria

Bringing quality management research into perspective is a critical need in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of most developing nations, including Nigeria. The existing literature has not sufficiently explained the relationship between total quality management implementation and the research performance in the educational industry, especially from a developing economy perspective. Therefore, this study investigated total quality management (TQM) and the research output of HEIs in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive design to draw insights from research-based faculty members of three reputable Universities in Nigeria and adopting the PLS-SEM analysis this study established the relationship between components of TQM tools, values, and methodologies on the research output of HEIs. Our study found that dimensions of TQM, specifically TQM tools and values were found to relate positively with HEI's research output. Our study suggests that implementing total quality management, especially through its various tools, values, and methodologies will be beneficial to improving HEIs' research outputs.

Knowledge and Mental Health Needs of the Elderly during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a South-Western Private University in Nigeria

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak, and related public health initiatives have disrupted the lives of many people worldwide. Evidently, the COVID-19 pandemic has produced detrimental social and psychological impact on the mental health of the vast populations especially the elderly. . This study sought to assess the knowledge resources and mental health needs of the elderly emerging from COVID-19 Pandemic of the elderly population at Babcock University in Southwest Nigeria.
 Methods: A total of 196 consenting elders resident at Babcock University were enrolled in an online survey at Babcock University to assess the mental health needs of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hypotheses were tested using bivariate analysis at 0.05 level of significance.
 Results: Majority [104 (58.4%)] of the elderly respondents are between the age bracket 60-64 and [51 (28.7%)] for the age bracket 65-74 years old. The respondents' top four needs during the pandemic are financial aid [108 (60.7%)], social support [41 (23.0%)], the presence of a caregiver [24 (13.5%)], and housing [5 (2.8%)]. The respondents' social condition might be summarized as follows: minimal social interaction with others, leaving them socially isolated [61 (34.3%)] and insufficient social contact with others [53 (29.8%)]. There was a significant relationship between knowledge and emotional state during the pandemic (p <0.05).
 Conclusion/Recommendation: Given the respondents' emotional state and other mental health problems that come with age, this study has supplied information about potential services that the elderly may find valuable. Government organizations and other partners should design planned interventions for the elderly throughout this period of life.

Liberalization Policy and Spread of Private University in Nigeria: The North-South Dichotomy in Perspective

Contemporary Nigeria provides an excellent example of a society in the labyrinth of the era of mass education. This era is particularly underscored by the quantum leap in the demand for higher education. Scholars of development studies have predicted this social change, referring to it as a significant attribute of societies in transition. Thus, in the last three decades or so, the increasing demand for higher education has been met with the liberalization of tertiary education by the federal government. Liberalization which seeks to unbundle government monopoly in the provision of tertiary education has equally been received with an impressive intervention by the private sector. Today, there are 111 private universities in Nigeria and the list is likely to grow considering the spate of applications by prospective investors. The paper seeks to examine this spectacular development in terms of the spread of investment in private university across regions. In specific terms, the paper undertakes a comparative study of southern and northern regional responses to the liberalization policy. It argues that the spread of private universities across regional divide leaves much to be desired, the implication being that a preponderance of the gains of liberalization of tertiary education is skewed against the northern region of Nigeria. This is predictably so in the light of the historical predisposing factors for western education in Southern Nigeria when compared to the north dating back to the colonial time. The paper established that apart from the historic poor reception of the north to western education, the equally poor private investment in tertiary education in the region, are some of the factors that extenuate spread. Moreover, the higher incidence of poverty in the north when compared to the south is partly responsible for the poor investment in the region, considering that the return on investment may not be attractive to sustain the enterprise. The paper concludes that though, the withdrawal of state monopoly in the provision of higher education is a welcomed development, the policy cannot be pursued at the expense of even spread that can contribute to improved access among the constituent regions. Therefore, it recommends among other that, the federal government should adopt an incremental approach towards meeting the UNESCO minimum benchmark of 26% budgetary allocation for education and that, while encouraging private participation in the provision of higher education, a deliberate policy to encourage even spread in investment in private university should be implemented.

Factors Influencing Human Capital Development Activities of Public and Private Universities in Rivers State, Nigeria

The study focused on factors influencing human capital development activities in Public and Private Universities in Nigeria. The population of the study consisted of undergraduate students from two universities in Rivers State, Nigeria, this is as a result of university students graduating without full impact to development of the nation. Purposive and simple random sampling by balloting was used to draw a sample of 320 respondents for the study. An instrument titled “Influence of Human Capital Development Activities Questionnaire” (IHCDAQ) was constructed by the researcher and used as means of retrieving data from the respondent. Validation of the instrument was done by three experts in measurement and evaluation while Cronbach Alpha method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument in sections and reliability index of 0.86 was realized. The data was analysed using frequency and percentage while t – test at 0.05 alpha level. Finding showed that there is a significant difference in the mean response scores of respondents in public and private universities on the extent to which constant strike actions (p=0.034<0.05) and Provision of library facilities (p=0.021<0.05) influence human capital development in Nigerian public and private Universities. There was no significant difference in the mean response scores of respondents in public and private universities on the extent to which constant provision of infrastructure (p=0.34>0.05) influence human capital development in Nigerian public and private Universities. Thus, government and every other stakeholders should be sincere in their deliberation as way of avoiding strike actions since it has been proven that such actions has a significant effect on human capital development index as perceived by student in public and private institution.

Exploring Academic Staff Perception of Organizational Climate and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: Lessons from Private Universities In Nigeria

This study explored academic staff perception of organisational climate and organizational citizenship behaviour private universities in Southeast, Nigeria. Five specific objectives, research questions and hypotheses were formulated with the decomposed variables of the study. The study was anchored on Social Exchange Theory (SET). A survey design was carried out using the sampled academic staff in the selected private universities. The study population was 4654 while the sample size was 355 arrived. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire from the random sample of academic staff of the selected private universities in Southeast Nigeria. The data using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in this study. The results revealed that there is a positive significant relationship between organizational climate and organizational citizenship behaviour. The results showed that there is a significant relationship between the organizational climate dimensions and organizational citizenship behaviour dimensions. This implied that the success of an institution is dependent upon the effective management of organisational climate, which is an important path to the success of employee’s citizenship behaviour. The study recommended that equity and fairness should be entrenched during appointments and promotions so as to reduce incidence of service sabotage among academic staff of private universities. In the spirit of harmony, management of private universities should score collaborative works more than individual outputs in order to encourage teamwork among academic staff

The Influence of Perceived Organizational Support on Talent Management and Job Performance

The purpose of this present study stems from the fact that weak talent management in Nigerian private universities has contributed tremendously to the poor performance of the academic employees of the institutions, which is severely affecting the country's university education system and causing them to decline. The study employed a descriptive research survey to analysis the demography respondents of the study while partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was used to test the formulated hypotheses of the study. The population was 1,249 academic employees of the selected private universities in Nigeria, while 355 self administered questionnaires were administered, fully completed and returned. According to the findings, talent management has a significant impact on job performance, and POS mediates the relationship between talent management and job performance. Based on previous research, this study contributes to the field of study both practically and theoretically by adding to the body of knowledge by providing insight into the mediating position of POS on talent management and job performance in the Nigerian private university system. It also helps to identify the need for talent management in the Nigerian university system, likewise, providing empirical solutions to the performance challenges experienced by private universities in Nigeria. Keywords: job performance, pos, talent attraction, talent management, talent retention

Innovative Entrepreneurship and Economic Sustainability in the Selected Private Universities in Nigeria

Extant studies have found that entrepreneurship remains immune from business uncertainties to achieve economic Sustainability. Although fewer studies show that innovative entrepreneurship is more than creating an enterprise, a destructive process is an impetus in achieving economic Sustainability amid business uncertainties. To this end, this study empirically examines the impact of innovative entrepreneurship on economic Sustainability in the selected private universities in Nigeria during the Pre and Post COVID-19 era. Five private universities in Nigeria were selected from the four phases of private universities in Nigeria since the deregulation of university education in 1999. In addition, descriptive statistics results from the last five Universities Webometrics rankings found that Covenant University only had a persistent economic sustainable trend between 2016 to 2019, while all the selected private universities except Covenant University were not remarkable in economic Sustainability amid the post-COVID-19 era between 2019 and 2020 in this study. To this end, the study concluded that before COVID-19, most selected private universities failed to display innovative entrepreneurship vis-à-vis lecturers to students teaching ratio, routine teaching methods, stagnated learning techniques, limited sectoral competitions, presence rank, impact rank, openness rank, excellence rank, and among others. Therefore, establishing a university is entrepreneurship but will not guarantee economic Sustainability if not driven by evolutionary innovation amid the post-COVID-19 and beyond uncertainties. Thus, the study recommends all stakeholders, including the University management, staff members, and the government, to be evolutionary in their mindset to achieving economic Sustainability amid COVID-19 and beyond among Nigerian private universities.

Innovative Entrepreneurship and Economic Sustainability in the Selected Private Universities in Nigeria

Extant studies have found that entrepreneurship remains immune from business uncertainties to achieve economic Sustainability. Although fewer studies show that innovative entrepreneurship is more than creating an enterprise, a destructive process is an impetus in achieving economic Sustainability amid business uncertainties. To this end, this study empirically examines the impact of innovative entrepreneurship on economic Sustainability in the selected private universities in Nigeria during the Pre and Post COVID-19 era. Five private universities in Nigeria were selected from the four phases of private universities in Nigeria since the deregulation of university education in 1999. In addition, descriptive statistics results from the last five Universities Webometrics rankings found that Covenant University only had a persistent economic sustainable trend between 2016 to 2019, while all the selected private universities except Covenant University were not remarkable in economic Sustainability amid the post-COVID-19 era between 2019 and 2020 in this study. To this end, the study concluded that before COVID-19, most selected private universities failed to display innovative entrepreneurship vis-à-vis lecturers to students teaching ratio, routine teaching methods, stagnated learning techniques, limited sectoral competitions, presence rank, impact rank, openness rank, excellence rank, and among others. Therefore, establishing a university is entrepreneurship but will not guarantee economic Sustainability if not driven by evolutionary innovation amid the post-COVID-19 and beyond uncertainties. Thus, the study recommends all stakeholders, including the University management, staff members, and the government, to be evolutionary in their mindset to achieving economic Sustainability amid COVID-19 and beyond among Nigerian private universities.

Synergizing Learning Resources and Online Experience: The Pivotal Role of Digital Lecturing Skill in Higher Education

Objective - This article aims to examine the relationship between learning resources toward online learning experiences. This is an attempt to examine the impact of personal persistence, collaborative learning, and digital lecture skills on e-satisfaction as well as on learning engagement Methodology/Technique - This article has collected and analysed perceptual responses from 106 students of selected private universities in Nigeria. Data were collected with a purposive sampling approach. The data was calculated by using the Smart PLS application. The second-order construction was applied to the research model and hypothesizes testing. Findings – The results showed that learning engagement was strongly influenced by e-satisfaction and indirectly by collaborative learning. Collaborative learning is influenced by personal persistence directly and digital teaching skills Novelty - This article has found empirical facts of digital lecturing skills as an influential institutional resource that influences other resources – such as grit as a personal resource and collaborative learning as a social resource. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: M12, M15 Keywords: Engagement, Satisfaction, Digital Lecturing Skill Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Saputra, N; Onyemaechi, U; Sutanto, H. (2022). Synergizing Learning Resources and Online Experience: The Pivotal Role of Digital Lecturing Skill in Higher Education, J. Mgt. Mkt. Review, 7(2), 54 – 65. https://doi.org/10.35609/jmmr.2022.7.2(1)

Influence of Professional Career Development and Teamwork on Employee Job Satisfaction: Evidence From Private Universities in Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of professional career development and teamwork on job satisfaction among lecturers in selected private universities in Nigeria. Social exchange theory was used to establish the theoretical framework of this study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design to establish the relationship between professional career development, teamwork and job satisfaction. Structured questionnaire was distributed to 428 respondents in six selected private universities in Nigeria. The reliability of the measuring instrument was tested using Cronbach Alpha. Hypothesis one was tested using correlation analysis and regression analysis were employed for testing of hypotheses two, three and four. The result of the analysis showed that there is a statistical influence between the three constructs professional career development, teamwork and job satisfaction of private university lecturers in Nigeria. The research concludes that professional career development and teamwork exert different levels of influence on private university lecturers’ job satisfaction and that teamwork exerts greater level of influence on lecturers’ job satisfaction. Hence it was suggested that management of private universities should promote the establishment of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research teams and centres in order to blend the experience of academics. Also, private universities should make annual plans to sponsor or subsidize conferences, seminars and workshop expenses of lecturers in order to encourage frequent participation in academic events so as to sustain the lecturer’s satisfaction and commitment on the job.

The Role of Collaborative Learning on Learning Engagement: An Empirical Facts from Nigeria

This study aims to examine the influence of various learning resources in personal, social, and institutional contexts on online learning experiences, especially in the Covid-19 pandemic era. This was an attempt to examine the impact of personal persistence, collaborative learning, and digital lecture skills on electronic satisfaction as well as on learning engagement. This study was based on cross-sectional survey which spread online questionnaire to the students of selected higher education in Nigeria. The sampling method was convenience - a non-probabilistic approach. This study successfully involved 106 students from three private universities in Nigeria (80%) - Caritas University, Gregory University, and Madonna University. The respondents were equally distributed into male (51%) and female (49%). Most of them has age below than 26-year-old (80%). They are mostly in first and second semester (92%) in regular program (79%) at 200 level (23%0, 300 level (25%) and graduated (23%).The research model was constructed by five variables, such as: Learning Engagement (LENG), e-Satisfaction (ESAT), Personal Perseverance (GRIT), Collaborative Learning (COLE), and Digital Lecturing Skill (DLEC). Those variables are described into second order constructs which each variable is reflected into its dimensions and each dimension was measured by its items or indicators. All variables were measured by instruments adapted from previous studies Keywords: Learning Engagement, Collaborative Learning, E-Satisfaction

Exploring Sustainable E-Learning Platforms for Improved Universities’ Faculty Engagement in the New World of Work

The familiar places where faculty and students engage, collaborate, debate, interact and exchange viewpoints appear to have been improved by introducing digital technology. This study investigates the influence of e-learning opportunities on faculty engagement in Nigerian universities. Five hundred faculty members were surveyed across eight private universities in Nigeria using purposive and convenient sampling techniques. Only 431 copies of the questionnaire, representing 86.2% response rate, were analysed with Smart PLS 3.0. The results show that virtual learning platforms, digital databases, online short courses and webinar learning platforms significantly influenced teaching, research, administrative and community engagements. The study concludes that the faculty of various universities should leverage e-learning platforms to be more engaged. The study recommends the machinery needed by the faculty members of Nigerian universities during the COVID-19 lockdown that challenged the conventional practice. The study empirically contributes to strengthening the current teaching, research, partnership and collaboration trends for improved faculty engagement in the new-normal world of work.

Knowledge, attitude and acceptance of bilateral prophylactic mastectomy among female staff in a private university in Nigeria

IntroductionThe decision to remove both breasts through preventive bilateral mastectomy among high-risk individuals in developing countries would transcend social, cultural and even spiritual boundaries. The purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitude and acceptance of faculty members of a private university towards bilateral prophylactic mastectomy (BPM). MethodsThe study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. Respondents were selected using multistage sampling technique. Questionnaires were given to female staff in all the different colleges of the University. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with level of significance set at (p < 0.05). ResultsMore than half (56.9%) of the female staff were administrative staff of the university and 43.1% were lecturers. Further findings revealed that 56.4% of the respondents had poor knowledge about BPM, majority (65.1%) of the respondents had negative attitude towards BPM and the acceptance was low, as 62.6% of the respondents less accepted BPM while 37.4% much accepted it. The major reasons for not accepting BPM were coping with the shame of losing their breast and that removal of breast might affect their self-esteem. A significant association was found between lecturers and administrative staff in respect to their knowledge of BPM (p < 0.05) and also knowledge about BPM was significantly associated with acceptance of BPM among respondents (p < 0.05). ConclusionKnowledge about BPM among respondents is average and attitude is negative with acceptance still very low among faculty members of a private university.

Psychological Contract Breach and Turnover Intentions Among Lecturers: The Moderating Role of Organizational Climate

Lecturing in private universities in Nigeria is one of the most challenging jobs for early career scholars. Regrettably, there is a high rate of turnover once an opportunity for exit presents itself. Researchers have proposed a relationship between psychological contract breach and turnover intentions. This study attempted to evaluate the effect of organizational climate in the link between psychological contract breach and turnover intentions using a sample of 584 private university lecturers in a two-wave investigation (time-lagged design) during a 1-month period (with 2 weeks interval). The ages ranged between 24–53 years old (38.24 ± 7.33). The questionnaires used to collect data were the Psychological Contract Breach Scale, Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire and Turnover Intention Scale. The result suggested that lecturers who received support from management were less likely to leave their jobs, while experiencing peace in the school played a significant factor in reducing turnover intention. The study’s implications were raised, and further suggestions were made to improve our organizations, particularly, universities.

MARKETING FACTORS AND STUDENTS LOW ENROLMENT IN BSC MARKETING DEGREE PROGRAMME IN BABCOCK UNIVERSITY

Students’ enrollment in any institution is a critical factor that cannot be taken with laxity as it is the lead way to the growth of educational system. Private universities in Nigeria have been experiencing low students’ enrolment in B.Sc. marketing program. This could be attributed to little or non-incorporation of some marketing factors by the education providers on the importance of marketing as a course and the vital role it plays in industries as awareness creator. The study examines the effect of marketing orientation and service quality on student retention and satisfaction in B.Sc. Marketing degree programs at Babcock University Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State Nigeria. Theoretical approach was adopted for the study by the employment of expo-facto research design method hence; the researcher collected updated historical data on students’ enrolment into the program of B.Sc. Marketing degree as well as other cognate courses for comparison purposes from the registry of Babcock University as well as confirmatory data from Covenant University. The study from literature established that Service quality and market orientation have significant effect on student satisfaction and retention for B.Sc. Marketing degree programs in Babcock University. The study among others, recommended that Babcock University and other private universities in Nigeria must deliver quality services through impeccable market orientation and introduce career fairs that help outline their perception of the marketing course as multifaceted, and diverse, in a way that reflects aggressive management function that aims to achieving organizational growth and sustainability. This no doubt will enhance students’ satisfaction, enrollment and retention in B.Sc. Marketing degree program

Occurrence, antibiotic susceptibility and resistance genes among Staphylococcus aureus isolated from keypads of automated teller machines (ATM) in a private university, Nigeria

Environmental surfaces and objects associated with dermal contact by multiple users are suspects of being reservoirs of microorganisms; the ATM is likely to be one of such surfaces. Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic organism and causes infection. S. aureus is a major public health interest because of its antibiotic resistance attributes. Considering this fact, a study on the occurrence, susceptibility pattern, and resistant genes among S. aureus isolates from ATM keypads of three different banks located in a private university in Nigeria, was carried out. A total of 56 swabbed samples were collected from seven ATM keypads belonging to the three different banks, and cultured on Mannitol Salt Agar for the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. Using disk diffusion technique, 0.5 McFarland of each isolate was screened for antibiotic susceptibility, on Mueller-Hinton agar. Also, six of the isolates were screened for genotypic characterization and the detection of β-lactam (blaZ) and macrolide (ermB) resistance genes. Out of 56 isolates obtained, 30 (54%) were phenotypically identified as Staphylococcus aureus using the standard biochemical test. The isolates were 100% resistant to augmentin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cloxacillin and cefuroxime but were susceptible to gentamycin and ofloxacin. On the molecular level, four out of the six randomly selected isolates showed amplified base pair product for S. aureus, blaZ gene as well as the absence of the gene encoding ermB. The present result has shown the potential contamination of ATM keyboards with Staphylococcus aureus and the ATM keypads can also serve as prospective platforms for cross-contamination with antibiotic-resistant strains especially when frequently used by clients of affiliated financial institutions. Therefore, this implies that the hygiene practice of handwashing with soap and water after ATM usage should be further reinforced to reduce the level of contamination and spread of this pathogen.

Emerging Technologies - E-Counselling Amidst Covid-19 and the Role of ICT for Quality TeachingLearning in Private Universities in Nigeria: A Case Study of Veritas University Abuja

Emerging Technologies - E-Counselling Amidst Covid-19 and the Role of ICT for Quality TeachingLearning in Private Universities in Nigeria: A Case Study of Veritas University Abuja

Apple internetwork operating system and Google's Android in sub-Saharan Africa: the mobile internet services dimension

Technology acceptance model (TAM) was extended to enable the researcher to carry out a comparative study of iOS and Android in sub-Saharan Africa on mobile internet services for educational purpose in a natural end-user environment. To test the model, a survey of 180 students from a private university in Nigeria was conducted. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was tested on the latent variables to analyse test items measuring the constructs and the ordinary least squares multiple regression to analyse the results. The results showed a 75% and 36% predictive power of the model for iOS and Android respectively. Additionally, perceived ease of use significantly influenced adoption decisions for both iOS and Android. Perceived cost, social norms and all other constructs except perceived enjoyment were supported for iOS and rejected for Android. Strategies that factor in reduced cost and ease of use must be considered if full penetration is to be achieved.