ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
University of Ghana Financial Regulations and Governance

The Statutes of the University of Ghana highlight at Statute 8 (1) that “the University shall be managed and administered in accordance with sound and internationally acceptable practices,benchmarks, principles and ideas on university management and administration, including the principles of academic and financial integrity, confidentiality, accountability, transparency, fairness and equality of opportunity.”Accordingly, to conduct its business effectively, the University of Ghana needs to ensure that it has sound financial management systems in place and that they are strictly adhered to. Part of this process is the establishment of Financial Regulations and Governance which set out the University of Ghana's policies and procedures relating to financial management, control and reporting.These Regulations are made by Council pursuant to its powers under Statute 53 of the Statutes of the University of Ghana. The purpose of the Regulations is to provide a framework and guidelines to ensure control over the totality of the University's resources and provide management and stakeholders with assurances that these resources are properly applied for the achievement of the University's Vision and Mission.

Source: UG
University of Ghana Housing Regulations

According to current conditions of service for Senior Members and Entitled Staff, the University of Ghana shall provide accommodation to all Senior Members and to Senior Staff of the rank of at least Principal Administrative Assistant, or its equivalent. Attempts shall be made to accommodate Senior Members and Entitled Staff in the University's own houses. Where these are not readily available, the University shall provide rented premises in suitable areas outside the campus, at rates to be agreed upon by the University and the Landlords/ladies. The allocation of University houses to Senior Members and Entitled Staff is governed by regulations approved by the Academic Board and administered by the Housing Committee.

Source: UG
University of Ghana Internal Audit Charter

The University recognizes the Internal Audit Directorate as a strategic unit to promote governance, assess risk management practices, and improve internal controls. An organization is as good as the quality of its internal audit unit. The Statutes of the University of Ghana highlight at Statute 8(1) that, “the University shall be managed and administered in accordance with sound and internationally acceptable practices, benchmarks, principles and ideas on university management and administration, including the principles of academic and financial integrity, confidentiality, accountability, transparency, fairness and equality of opportunity”. As a result, this Internal Audit Charter has been developed and approved by Council to set out the policies and procedures for carrying out the internal audit function of the University. The Council of the University has approved the Charter and wishes to inform all employees of its existence and that it must be complied with at all times. All officers and units shall in accordance with the Charter and decisions of the Council, undergo internal audit processes in strict adherence to the requirements stated therein. Thus, employees who contravene the Charter will be considered to be in breach of their duties towards the University and Council, and will be considered for disciplinary action. This will also apply to employees who are aware of deliberate deviations from the Charter by others and become complicit by not reporting their concerns or knowledge to the relevant University Authorities or any member of Council.

Source: UG
University of Ghana Plagiarism Policy

The mission of the University is to create an enabling environment that makes University of Ghana increasingly relevant to national and global development through cutting edge research as well as high quality teaching and learning. In carrying out its mission, the University is committed to the highest level of integrity and ethical standards, and therefore endeavours to ensure that the academic work of its staff and students is of the highest standard. The University is committed to ensuring that its staff and students do not plagiarize the work of others. This policy document therefore seeks to clearly define what plagiarism is, spell out the University's efforts at preventing plagiarism by staff and students, give the permissible extent and formats for citing the work of others, and what the sanctions for plagiarism are.

Source: UG
University of Ghana Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Policy

The University of Ghana is committed to creating and maintaining a community in which all persons who participate in the University's programmes and activities do so in an environment free from intimidation, exploitation and abuse. The University seeks to provide an atmosphere of work and study in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. To achieve this objective, the University has adopted this policy on sexual harassment and misconduct which is intended to guide the University of Ghana community. The policy defines prohibited conduct, outlines the procedures for reporting violations, conduct of investigations, sanctions, non-retaliatory mechanisms and establishes the Anti-sexual harassment committee.

Source: UG
University students’ alcohol use behaviour and self‑efficacy to abstain from alcohol use: data from Ghana

Objectives: The university students’ alcohol use behaviour and alcohol use self-efficacy data were collected among Ghanaian university students. This survey had two main objectives: (a) to examine the factorial validity, structure, and reliability of the 20-item alcohol abstinence self-efficacy scale among undergraduate students and (b) to examine the role of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy in the pros and cons of alcohol use. These two objectives have been published as separate research articles without the data (including data management) that were used for analyses. As the data are not already available as part of these published papers, this data note provides a composite and integrated data grounded on these published research articles with detailed information on the instruments used to collect data, raw data in statistical software, managed/coded data in statistical software, and generated correlation matrix used to perform complex analysis. Data description: The data includes information on two major dimensions: (a) alcohol abstinence self-efficacy— negative affect, social interactions and positive states, physical pain/illness, and alcohol craving (thoughts about using) and (b) decisional balance—measuring the benefits (pros) of alcohol use and the costs (cons) of alcohol use. In addition, data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics of students including their age, sex, level/year in school, stream of study, place of residence and religious affiliation. The data collected is more representative of students in private universities.

Source: UG
University Teachers’ Decisions on Post retirement Employment: Do Demographic Variables Count?

This research aimed to determine whether demographic characteristics of retiring university teachers were significantly associated with their post-retirement employment decisions, using three psychosocial theories–role theory, continuity theory and life course theory. The research used the cross-sectional survey design and relied on the simple random sampling technique to sample 235 participants who were left with 5 years or less to reach Ghana’s compulsory retirement age of 60 years. The participants were selected across 20 public universities in Ghana to complete a questionnaire. Based on a binary logistic regression analysis, the research found that, apart from the rank and health status of the participants, other variables such as gender, kind of university, family size, marital status and levels of involvement in university activities significantly determined the participants’ decisions regarding a working life after retirement. Against this backdrop, the research concluded that within the academic milieu, certain demographic factors were key determinants of post-retirement employment decisions.

Source: UG
University-community engagements in africa: nature, scope and outcomes at the university of Ghana learning centres

University-community engagements (UCEs) play a critical role in fostering sustainable development, promoting lifelong learning, and addressing local and national challenges. This qualitative study examines the nature, scope, and outcomes of UCE at the University of Ghana Learning Centres (UGLC), focusing on how these ini tiatives contribute to both institutional goals and community needs. Using an exploratory case study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including the head and co ordinators of the UGLC as well as community members/students. Grounded in the theory of community of practice and through a thematic analysis, the study highlighted UCE’s diverse nature and scope including dis tance education (DE) and academic counselling, partnerships and research collaborations, economic develop ment and civic engagement, public events and workshop, and school outreach programmes. In addition, the outcomes of the UCEs include enhanced reputation and public image, student recruitment and retention, employment opportunities, educational enhancement, and well-being. The study recommended seeking more partnerships with organizations, industries, and NGOs to maximize UCE benefits.

Source: UG
Unleashing Potential Collaborative Research as a Catalyst for Capacity Building and Enhancement.

Collaborative research is a powerful way to build capacity across various domains, from academia to industry (Gamo et al., 2010). At its core, collaborative research is characterized by shared objectives, mutual trust, and collective problem-solving (Lang et al., 2012; Moeenian et al., 2022). Here, we describe the project entitled SARgassum risk across the Atlantic: building capacity for Transformational Adaptation in the Caribbean and West Africa (SARTRAC, https://sartrac.org), which brought together researchers from the global North and South from 2019 to 2023 (Figure 1). Institutions involved included the University of Southampton and the University of York (UK), University of Ghana (Ghana), Mona GeoInformatics Institute (Jamaica), and University of West Indies-Mona and -Cave Hill campuses (Barbados). The objectives were to investigate the drivers behind the Sargassum influx, understand the biology of Sargassum, develop early warning systems, identify alternative uses for Sargassum, and educate the vulnerable communities who are significantly impacted by its presence. We show how this collaborative research enhanced capacities, bridged knowledge gaps, and fostered innovation, and explore how projects like SARTRAC can serve as dynamic platforms for holistic development.

Source: UG
Unleashing salesforce performance: The impacts of personal branding and technology in an emerging market

Today's sales force play crucial roles and are considered essential and strategic for enhancing competitiveness and sales growth. Thus, effective management of the sales force has assumed top priority for the marketing function in organizations, particularly in emerging markets to capture the millions of newly affluent consumers. This paper assesses how sales force management leverages the dynamics of personal branding and technology-enabled sales tools in the emerging market context to improve sales force productivity and performance. Using structural equation modelling with SmartPLS, responses from 209 sales executives in the insurance and fast moving consumer goods sector in the Greater Accra region of Ghana were analysed. Results highlight the relevance of appropriate training, motivation and recruitment processes on sales force ability to develop personal branding and use of technology to facilitate sales.

Source: UG
Unlocking the “Black Box” in the Talent Management Employee Performance Relationship: Evidence from Ghana

Purpose Combining insights from the social exchange and signalling theories, the purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to investigate the relationship between talent management (TM) practices and four dimensions of talented employees’ performance; and, second, to examine the mediating role of job satisfaction and affective commitment on this relationship in the Ghanaian banking context. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modelling was used to survey data from 232 employees who are part of a talent pool in the Ghanaian banking sector. Findings The findings of this paper showed that TM practices increase positive talented employee performance of task, contextual and adaptive, whereas it reduces counterproductive behaviours. Second, talented employee work attitudes of job satisfaction and affective commitment partially mediate the relationship between TM practices and four dimensions of talented employees’ performance. Research limitations/implications This study used cross-sectional data; hence, conclusions regarding causality cannot be made. Practical implications Management and organisations implementing and intending to implement TM practices should implement and invest in TM practices that will trigger employee work attitudes to achieve full employee performance. Originality/value This paper advances the literature by exploring the relationship between TM practices and four dimensions of talented employees’ performance.

Source: UG
Unlocking the “black box” in the talent management employee performance relationship: evidence from Ghana

This research evaluated arsenic (As) intensity risk using sorption and geotechnical factors in the AngloGold Obuasi mine environment in Ghana. Water samples from tailings dam boreholes and surface stream were analysed for As contents over a time period of 24 months and over a distance of about 9 km respectively, under closed conditions, where there are no more discharges of waste. The porosity and bulk density of the subsurface material were also determined. Data generated from the mass-time and mass-distance analysis were used to establish As intensity risk assessment model based on documented global As impact data. From the model, a period of about 4 years is required in monitoring boreholes and a distance of about 12 km is required along the stream profile for As concentration to reduce from the maximum value of about 2.50 mg/l to 0.01 mg/l. Using the porosity, bulk density and combined degradation properties of the monitored media of the mobile As, the estimated retardation factor was 1.96 and the solute velocity estimated to be 1.53 × 10-7ms-1 in the borehole environment, and 1.074 and 9.25 × 10-1 ms-1 along the streambed, respectively. This study shows that the pollution risk assessment model can be used to spatially estimate exposure to As contamination in the environment, while the transport characteristics can be used to determine clean-up criteria for effective As remediation in drainage. © 2016, Ecological Laboratory. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Unlocking the investment impact of biomass energy utilization on environmental degradation for an isolated island

Purpose: Discussions on environment-friendly production connected with the concerns of growing biomass emissions have gained much attention. In this regard, this study aims to explore the issue of biomass energy consumption and its related emission effects on the economic and environmental well-being of the economy of Cyprus. Design/methodology/approach – This study sources time-series data on specific variables from the Global Material Flow and the World Bank’s World Development Indicators (WDI, 2020) between 1990 and 2016. The Robust least square (ROB-L2) in conjunction with Pesaran autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) methodology analysis techniques was used in addition to the Granger causality tests to examine the direction of causal flow between the variables under consideration. Findings: The results indicate that biomass energy usage in the long run reduces pollution and negatively correlates with CO2 emissions level. Also, the decline in emission is influenced by increased foreign direct investment (FDI); thus, activities of foreign investors contribute to combating emission in the country. According to empirical results, non-renewable energy consumption showed both positive and negative influences on increased emission level, whereas economic growth is increasing carbon dioxide emission for the case of Cyprus.Originality/value: This study applies current, reliable data that offers renewed insights and sheds light on the state of affairs on biomass utilization from a developing country perspective. Additionally, it extends the discourse on the impact of biomass utilization on CO2 emissions by considering the impact of FDI, trade flow and energy consumption in a carbon-income function built on the liner version of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis. Although this is by no means exhaustive, the study pioneers the discourse on how FDI and biomass utilization, among other relevant variables, influences carbon dioxide emission.

Source: UG
Unlocking the Potential of Contract Farming: Lessons from Ghana

There has been many reviews and evaluation of contract farming and its usefulness for the small farmer in Africa. Some see contractual arrangements as disadvantageous to farmers, while others see them as beneficial- Despite these debates, contract farming is to likely to continue as a means of keeping small farmers involved in markets. It is therefore important to learn from past experiences in order to improve the working of the system as a whole. This paper analyses sorghum contract farming in north-east Ghana in order to explore ways of making such arrangements viable for small farmers. The analysis draws on the convergence of sciences approach, which sees both science and social relation interactions among the relevant stakeholders as important for developing small farmer-related agricultural innovations (technology, procedures, new forms of organization). The study reveals that the failure and problem encountered in this particular contracting scheme were both technical and institutional. The technical issues were a combination of pest problems, the environment and the sorghum variety chosen. The institutional issues involved the contractual arrangements and relations between the contracting parties. The authors argue that if contracts are to be fair, they must allow for compensation, contingencies and production risks. But scientific knowledge is required in order to adequately incorporate these elements. The authors suggest technological and institutional changes to improve contract farming. Science is needed to tackle specific technical problems likely to be faced by farmers, these should then become a basis for negotiating beneficial contract terms for all parties. They also suggest that while farmers could improve their negotiation power by forming organisations, governments should also strengthen the institutional and legal framework process for small farmers, who are often the weaker of the contracting parties.

Source: UG
Unmasking resilience as governmentality: towards an Afrocentric epistemology

This paper is a discussion of how indigenous Afrocentric epistemologies proffer critiques and alternative to neoliberal discourses of resilience and what differences it makes for the study of International Politics. There has been an epistemological shift in recent times towards resilience as a form of governance aimed at enhancing the agency and adaptive capacity of populations. This has necessitated the mainstreaming and theorisation of local systems of ontology. Importantly, the current emphasis privileges how societies absorb and manage natural exigencies of life. The underlying assumption of this shift in the contemporary critical and policy discourse is that indigenous forms of ‘‘knowledge’’ and indigeneity can enhance the ability of local actors to navigate the uncertainties of a globalised world. I question this assumption by highlighting the fact that the apparent epistemological interest in local ontology is a crisis resolution strategy that has become necessary after the universal neoliberal project faced crisis and rejection. Given this, the promotion of resilience epistemology is meant to extend the reach of global actors into the deep recesses of peripheral systems and to instruct how resistance can be reduced. This makes resilience a technology or strategy of governmentality, a new emerging form of governance agenda. Given that the globalisation crisis for neoliberalism has not abated, the only insurance of Africa will be to formalise and own its ontology of resilience strategies to insulate its populations from external pressures of disruption.

Source: UG
Unmasking the contributing factors of entrepreneurial activities among men and women in Ghana

Purpose Using the 2010 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) survey data, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the contributing factors of entrepreneurial propensity among males and females in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Using a measure of entrepreneurial propensity that takes into account individuals who are involved in starting a new business (nascent entrepreneurs) as a dependent variable and socio-demographic characteristics, and perceptual variables as explanatory variables, the study adopts robust empirical estimation techniques to examine how these variables influence the probability of starting a new business among men and women in Ghana. Findings The probability of being a male nascent entrepreneur is significantly dependent upon a wide range of factors including demographic, economic, perceptual and contextual elements, albeit with important variations across gender. An individuals’ subjective assessment of fear of failure in starting a business and of having the requisite entrepreneurial capabilities; the age of the individual; gender of the individual; work status and contextual factors matters for entrepreneurial propensity in Ghana. However, important differences exist in the drivers of entrepreneurial propensity for males and females with females’ entrepreneurship attributed largely to conditions of necessity relative to their male counterparts. Originality/value The main value of this paper is to use the GEM survey (which is nationally representative) for Ghana to analyze the contributing factors of the entrepreneurial propensity among men and women in Ghana.

Source: UG
Unmasking the sociocultural constraints to career growth of married women in Ghanaian organizations.

This study investigated the question of how culture and activity can be explored towards understanding the professional career development of married women and the relative constraints associated with such development in the Ghanaian environment. Guided by the cultural–historical activity theory (CHAT) framework, data was collected from a sample of 141 married Ghanaian women professionals engaged in white collar jobs in the public and private institutions located in Accra. It is established that the acceptance by the Ghanaian traditional society of the married professional woman as a capable person who can equally perform in an organization and thus need to be trusted, supported and recognized is of relevance to her career development. This observation provides learning on the impact of the inflow of socio-cultural dynamics into a gender-oriented organizational life and the complexities that it generates in understanding the constraints to the professional career development of married women.

Source: UG