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Regulations and institutions influence entrepreneurship. This paper investigates whether government regulations and finance institutions help or hinder entrepreneurial performance at the small firm level in Yaoundé and Douala, Cameroon. Performance is examined in terms of growth in sales revenue, profits and labor employment. The results show that 'government regulations' have a strong and significantly adverse impact on sales revenue performance. Furthermore, 'awareness of source of funds' is found to significantly amplify sales revenue, and profit performance. Government support is significant to growth in labor employment, sales revenue and profit. However, 'government regulations' have a consistently negative influence on performance, even when using different indicators. Consequently, Cameroon should provide a more conducive environment for entrepreneurship to flourish and for small firm sales revenue, profit and employment to grow through the simplification or removal of unnecessary regulations and a provision of greater financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) practice in Cameroon has been plagued with many constraints especially from the infrastructure and EIA resource perspective. The present legal and procedural disposition vis-à-vis EIA in Cameroon is monumental and manifest some clarity of exposition with regards to the practical and fundamental steps for EIA practice in the country. However, a number of impediments still prevail that deter the full efficiency of this legislation. In search for explanations to this trend, this study was conducted to examine the current framework governing EIA in Cameroon implemented in February 2005. Content analysis and interviews with stakeholders in the EIA process were undertaken to identify key barriers associated with EIA practice in Cameroon. The paper maintains that inadequate baseline data, procedural flaws in scoping, exorbitant administrative fees, absence of an appeal procedure, unclear proviso, incompetent personnel and over centralisation of EIA powers are key barriers that appear to impede a healthy EIA practice in Cameroon. In conclusion, it is submitted that for a robust EIA practice to prevail in Cameroon, there is an urgent need for a great deal of focus on the recommendations prescribed within the context of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing appreciation for the value and impact of the informal economy on the lives and livelihood of many in developing economies. A key question for researchers has been whether those operating in it do so out of necessity or voluntarily as opportunity seekers? Unlike previous studies that have examined the informal economy as one large block, this paper took a slightly different tangent. First, we analyzed and identified three distinct sub-groups within the informal entrepreneurial sector - the street walker (st. walker), the street corner (st. corner) and store owner (st. owner) - and then examined each group's motives. Reporting the results of face-to-face structured interviews with 200 informal entrepreneurs in Cameroon (West Africa), the finding is that the majority, especially st. walker and st. corner informal entrepreneurs, are predominantly necessity-driven while st. owner entrepreneurs are predominantly opportunity-driven. Our study also revealed a progression pattern whereby st. walkers do progress to st. corner and ultimately to st. owner entrepreneurs. The assumption is that this does create a learning curve effect in the entrepreneurial abilities and effectiveness of store owners. This is an area for future research. There are policy implications for institutional support that can grow the informal economy into the formal economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the problem of modeling and parameter estimation of a deterministic model of tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus). We first propose and analyze a tuberculosis model without seasonality that incorporates the essential biological and epidemiological features of the disease. The model is shown to exhibit the phenomenon of backward bifurcation, where a stable disease-free equilibrium coexists with one or more stable endemic equilibria when the associated basic reproduction number is less than unity. The statistical data of new TB cases show seasonal fluctuations in many countries. Then, we extend the proposed TB model by incorporating seasonality. We propose a numerical study to estimate unknown parameters according to demographic and epidemiological data in Cameroon. Simulation results are in good accordance with the seasonal variation of the reported new cases of active TB in Cameroon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study empirically examines the impact of Domestic Investment (DI) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the economic development of Cameroon from 1990 to 2018. The four factors investigated include financial development, institution, infrastructure, and social capital. Both the dynamic panel estimate and standing panel lapse methods were used to evaluate the connection between DI and FDI concerning the economic development based on the factors enumerated. The results show that DI has a positive influence on and correlates with the growth of the economy. In addition, it indicated that there is an improvement in the financial progress when FDI is on the increase. Moreover, this study indicates that the increase in the institutions, human capital, and the monetary system improves the economic development of the country. It can be inferred from the results that Cameroon had a significant increase in her infrastructures and school enrolment from 2001 to date because of the increase in DI and FDI. The results show that FDI negatively affects some social capital of the Cameroon people such as the displacement of schools and markets, which is consistent with previous studies and results from the literature reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We formulate and systematically study a deterministic compartmental model of Hepatitis B. This model has some important and novel features compared with the well-known basic model in the literature. Specifically, it takes into account the differential susceptibility that follows the vaccine formulation employing three-doses schedule. It points up the HbeAg status of carriers, their levels of viral replication, the fact that treatment being not curative is recommended only to a small proportion of chronic carriers, and finally the fact that only inactive carriers are able to recover from disease. The model has simple dynamical behavior which has a globally asymptotically stable disease-free equilibrium when the basic reproduction number ℛ 0 ≤ 1 and an endemic equilibrium when ℛ 0 > 1. By the use of Lyapunov functions, when it exists, we prove the global asymptotic stability of the endemic equilibrium under some conditions. Using data from Tokombere, a rural area in Cameroon, numerical simulations are performed. These numerical simulations first confirm analytical results, second they suggest that a policy based on treatment could not significantly impact the course of the infection. Third, they show as it is well known that vaccination is a very effective measure to control the infection. Furthermore, they show that neonatal vaccination influences more the course of infection than mass vaccination strategy. Nevertheless, they picture how much loss between consecutive doses of vaccine could be harmful. Finally, it is suggested that for a Sub-saharan African rural area, two-thirds of expected incidence of Hepatitis B virus infection and one third of expected prevalence of chronic carriers could be averted by 2030 if the birth dose vaccination becomes systematic and if mass vaccination rate increases to up 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of "High Conservation Value" which was initially used by the Forest Stewardship Council, now plays an increasingly important role in several areas, and most significantly in the design and implementation of development projects. Within the framework of certification of community forests in Cameroon, this concept has been implemented in close collaboration with interested communities. Based on the activities conducted, it is worth noting that the consideration of informal management methods appear to result in better protection of biodiversity. Several categories of High Conservation Values were identified in 2 community-managed forests (Coopérative des Paysans de la Lékié & Bimbia Bonadikombo Community Forests) in Cameroon. Rare or endangered ecosystems, more than 300 plant species and more than 20 wildlife species, including endemic, rare, threatened or endangered species were found. Traditional conservation methods based on culture, as well as some ancestral practices and beliefs help to achieve this protection. Decision-makers and academics should learn from this empirical knowledge for protection programmes and projects of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]