Inspiration from Yewol for all of us

Five years ago, communities in the dry highlands of the Yewol mountains found it difficult to grow even their staple crops. In the rainy season, rainwater gushed down the slopes eroding the soil. Free grazing of cattle and unreliable rain affected the productivity so much that crops began to dwindle along with their livestock. Migration was the only way out for some. Food shortage stalked the residents and it still is a reality for some

Organizational identification and independent sales contractor performance in professional services

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the drivers of independent sales contractor (ISC) performance. As independently contracted sales agents, the ISC model is a growing method of non-permanent employment utilized in many sectors. Specifically, this study seeks to fill a gap in the literature related to the under-researched link between ISCs and organizational identification. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts an exploratory, mixed-methods study based on data collected from 189 ISCs from a professional services firm. Findings Results demonstrate that outcomes related to sales performance, retention and advocacy are influenced directly and indirectly by organizational identification. It also shows that tangible benefits related to financial and marketing values are the strongest predictors of ISC organizational identification. Intangible dimensions such as value congruence, management trust and embeddedness play a limited role in the model. Research limitations/implications Results show that ISC sales performance is enhanced when an ISC views their identity and the identity of the firm as highly interdependent. These findings suggest that organizational identification can be a key performance indicator when evaluating the return on marketing investment for a firm. Practical implications This study provides some important guidance to managers responsible for ISCs. First, the study identifies the primary drivers of organizational identification. Specifically, the study demonstrates that financial and marketing benefits are the primary relational antecedents of organizational identification. Both value congruence and operational benefits play relatively minor roles. Similarly, the results show that both organizational identification and historic sales performance are critical predictors of sales performance. Originality/value Few researchers have examined the link between ISCs and organizational identification. Organizational identification is of particular importance in the study of ISCs, as they possess the dual identity of an independent agent and that of a sales representative of the firm they are under contract. This study contributes to existing literature by extending previous studies that examine antecedents of sales performance

Level of immunization coverage and associated factors among children aged 12–23 months in Lay Armachiho District, North Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: Immunization against childhood disease is one of the most important public health interventions with cost effective means to preventing childhood morbidity, mortality and disability. However, complete immunization coverage remains low particularly in rural areas of Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the level of immunization coverage and associated factors in Lay Armachiho District, North Gondar zone, Northwest Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in March, 2014 among 751 pairs of mothers to children aged 12–23 months in Lay Armachiho District. A two stage sampling technique was employed. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to compute association between factors and immunization status of children. Backwards stepwise regression method was used and those variables significant at p value 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of the children were fully immunized during the study period. Dropout rate was 6.5% for BCG to measles, 2.7% for Penta1 to Penta3 and 4.5% for Pnemonia1 to Pnemonia3. The likelihood of children to be fully immunized among mothers who identified the number of sessions needed for vaccination were higher than those who did not [AOR = 2.8 (95% C1 = 1.89, 4.2)]. Full immunization status of children was higher among mothers who know the age at which the child become fully immunized than who did not know [AOR = 2.93 (95% CI = 2.02, 4.3)]. Taking tetanus toxoid immunization during pregnancy showed statistically significant association with full immunization of children [AOR 1.6 (95% CI = 1.06, 2.62)]. Urban children were more likely to be fully immunized than rural [AOR = 1.82 (95% CI = 1.15, 2.80)] and being male were more likely to be fully immunized than female [AOR = 1.80 (95% CI = 1.26, 2.6)]. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Vaccination coverage was low compared to the Millennium Development Goals target. It is important to increase and maintain the immunization level to the intended target. Efforts should be made to promote women‘s’ awareness on tetanus toxoid immunization, when the child should start vaccination, number of sessions needed to complete immunization, and when a child become complete vaccination to improve immunization coverage through health development army and health professionals working at antenatal care, postnatal care and immunization units

Co-digestion of municipal organic wastes with night soil and cow dung for biogas production: A Review

Currently, biogas production is one of the most promising renewable energy sources and it represents a very promising way to overcome the problem of waste treatment. Biogas, which is principally composed of methane and carbon dioxide, can be obtained by anaerobic fermentation of biomass such as manure, night soil, sewage sludge and municipal solid wastes. Furthermore, the solid residuals of fermentation (the digested slurry) might be reused as fertilizer, to enhance the fertility of the soil. The huge amount of waste generates in the urban areas especially organic fraction of municipal solid waste or simply municipal bio-waste, which is used as feedstock for biogas production; represents an environmentally sustainable energy source since it improves solid waste management while simultaneously providing an alternative clean energy source. The primary advantages of biogas technology is the use of organic wastes with a low nutrient content to degrade by co-digesting with different substrates in the anaerobic bioreactors, and the process simultaneously leads to low cost production of biogas, which could be vital for meeting future energy needs. This review clearly indicates that co-digestion of municipal organic waste with night soil and cow dung is one of the most effective biological processes to treat a wide variety of solid organic wastes and the use of these wastes for biogas production. In addition, this review briefly discussed the factors affecting biogas production and analytical methods.Keywords: Biogas, anaerobic digestion, municipal solid waste, pretreatmen

Plants Response to the Application of Vermicompost: A Review

Organic fertilizer has long been recognized in agriculture for maintaining soil fertility and used for maximizing plant growth and yield of plants. Vermicompost: organic fertilizer is now becoming an interesting approach and proven to be effective means of improving soil structure, enhancing soil fertility and increase crop yield. Plants growth is highly stimulated by vermicompost; because it contains the nutrients and other essential nutrients like phosphorus and potassium.Vermicompost can increase growth, flowering and yields of vegetable and ornamental crops, even in a small rate. The effects of vermicompost on plants are not solely attributed to the quality of mineral nutrition is provided but also to its other growth regulating components such as plant growth hormones and humic acids. Keywords: Vermicompost, soil fertility, plant growth DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-3-0

Evaluation of Land Use/ Land Cover Changes in East of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

The objective of this study is to evaluate the Land use/ land cover changes in East of Lake Tana, Ethiopia. Data was gathered from two different years of satellite image (Landsat 5 TM of 1985 and Landsat 7 ETM+ imagery 2011). Global positioning system and topographical maps of scale 1:50,000 were used for ground verification. The data were employed using ERDAS Imagine 9.1 and ArcGIS 9.3 software. Field observations and focus group discussions of farming households were also conducted to gather additional information. The result of this study portrayed that there is an expansion of cultivated and degraded land by 72.7% and 39.34% respectively from 1985 to 2011 at the expense of forest, shrub and grazing land. The expansion of degraded land indicated that how the conversion of forest, shrub and grazing land into cultivated land aggravated land degradation. Thus, proper implementation of land use policy is recommended. Keywords: land use/land cover, change analysi

Labor-Management Cooperation or Conflict: with Special Focus in Nazareth Tractor Assembly Plant

The objective of this research was to identify possible causes of conflict between labor and management and find ways on how labor and management can work together so that both bodies can work in a cooperative spirit to advance the goal of the organization, Nazareth Tractor Assembly plant. For undertaking this research, the study used historical and self administered survey methodology to gain insight into the causes of the problem and find possible solutions. Information from different publications and documents from Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Union (CETU), and Nazareth Tractor Assembly Plant (NTAP) were used. In addition, a survey was administered on workers of the plant. The research aimed to address the following specific research questions. 1. What has been the traditional relationship between labor and management? 2. What has been the cause of conflict? 3. What has been the extent of cooperation between labor and across the nation? 4. How can labor and management interact in the plant to effectively and efficiently advance towards a common goal? It was hoped that the study would clearly reveal the causes of such conflict and offer solutions to the problem.Jimma Universit