ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of the old and new pension schemes in Ghana and their effects on the informal sector

This study examined the Old and the New Three-Tier pension schemes in Ghana with respect to their respective benefits and extent of coverage specifically in the informal sector. It has become an accepted norm for individuals to have some sort of economic security and assistance after retirement. About 80% percent of the Ghanaian workforce belong to the informal sector hence, the relevance of this study on this particular sect. Even though the study found the New Three-Tier system to have certain provisions for the informal sector, the measure of coverage showed the provisions were not reaching the informal sector. This study gathered data through the use of interviews with social security policy makers and interactions with a sample from the informal sector. The data collected showed that most respondents were not aware of the existing pension scheme and its benefits. This study in concluding, recommended the use of a designed mobile application, which will help make access to the informal sector better. The application is designed to register and upload contributions through a mobile platform. Educational programs through extension services and social media were also recommended to better educate the informal sector on the benefits and structure of the existing pension scheme.

Source: Ashesi
An examination of the relationship between public debt and economic growth: A focus on Ghana

Ghana’s public debt has been rising for the entire post-independence era. The only time Ghana’s public debt fell was when there were international interventions in the form of debt relief such as the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) in the 1990s. Despite the continues rise in public debt, economic growth has been moderate. In fact, according to the IMF, although Ghana’s debt was at an all-time high in August 2019, Ghana was also one of the four fastest growing economies in Africa in October 2019. This study investigated whether the surging public debt levels in Ghana is a credible challenge to growth similar to what occurred in Latin America and European countries. The study used an OLS regression model, the discrete threshold regression technique, and the Granger causality test to analyze the relationship between Ghana’s rising debt and its economic growth using data from 1970 to 2018. The discrete threshold regression technique was used to investigate nonlinear relationships between the variables. The study revealed that debt granger-causes growth (unidirectional). At debt-to-GDP ratio below 25 percent, growth is negative (-1.348), but becomes insignificant at debt threshold between 25 percent and 45 percent. However, when debt is above 45 percent of GDP, growth is significantly positive. Between 45 and 60 percent of GDP, growth is 3.21 percent, whiles when debt supersedes 60 percent of GDP growth is significantly around 6 percent. The study recommends prudent borrowing above 45 percent of GDP by the Ghanaian government to invest in productive sectors of the economy whiles ramping up efforts in formalizing the huge informal sector to spur growth.

Source: Ashesi
Examining challenges facing women pursuing doctorate degrees in Ghana

This study examines the challenges faced by women pursuing doctorate degrees in Ghana using doctorate students from the University of Ghana as the case study. While women's participation in education in Ghana has improved significantly over the past years, data suggests that women are still missing at higher levels of education, especially at the doctorate level. Using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach to qualitative research, this study aims to understand gender-specific differences in the key identity transition from student to a scholar for men and women pursuing PhDs in Ghana. Identifying these challenges will help policymakers know how to better support women through their gender-specific challenges and could help increase the ranks and number of women relative to men in teaching and research roles within universities. Primary data was collected through semistructured interviews with male and female doctorate students at the University of Ghana. Transcripts from the research were analysed using thematic analysis. The results show that women in this study are under much more pressure from society than men to perform certain gender roles or meet societal gender expectations. Compared to men, women’s gender roles and expectations more often clashed with roles and expectations of their emerging scholarly identity, causing tension. These tensions make the PhD journey more challenging for women, especially married women compared to men. It is recommended that the government and higher education institutions provide priority funding for married women with dependents during the PhD programs. Also, PhD lecturers and supervisors should be more empathetic toward PhD students balancing family demands with intense academic programs.

Source: Ashesi
Examining gender barriers of women entrepreneurs in tech; A case study of MEST incubator.

This paper aimed at examining the gender barriers of women entrepreneurs in the technological sector in Accra using a tech incubator as a case study. This study used the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) incubator as a case study. This study was carried out for one year, and it was limited to MEST incubator because MEST has entrepreneurs from different parts of Africa. These entrepreneurs helped in bringing out different perceptions and opinions of entrepreneurs in the tech sector, coming from different developing economies. The three objectives of this study included; documenting gender barriers affecting women entrepreneurs in tech incubators and what efforts incubators have made to eliminate these barriers. Secondly, identifying what defines success for an entrepreneur working in a business incubator globally to aid in establishing how gender influences their success. Thirdly, to recommend strategies that tech incubators and policymakers can adopt to improve the success rates of female entrepreneurs. These objectives were achieved by carrying out qualitative research using both primary and secondary data. The primary data was obtained through in-depth interviews with both female and male entrepreneurs at MEST incubator and one of the facilitators at this incubator. The secondary data was obtained from literature research. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from this study. Three main themes were developed; Assumptions and Expectations, Resources, and Mentorship. From the analysis, this study concluded that training, mentorship, and providing resources for entrepreneurship to women entrepreneurs help reduce the gender barriers in tech entrepreneurship. This study recommends setting up more incubators and providing mentorship to girls who show interest in tech at an early age.

Source: Ashesi
Examining Sexual Harassment Policies and Their Impacts on Their Organizations: A Comparative Study of Ghanaian Private Companies.

Sexual harassment in the workplace covers a broader range of misconduct beyond overt acts of assault. It is a widespread problem with far-reaching negative consequences for both the victims and the organizations. Victims may suffer from psychological and associated consequences, while organizations can face legal, regulatory, and financial issues. The present policies, which are usually the only means of defining the scope of the problem, fall short of addressing the issue quite frequently. This highlights a critical gap in knowledge: how should we make these laws and policies that consider not just the legal and the socio-scientific but also the ethically salient extra-legal factors. This thesis examines the effectiveness of sexual misconduct policies within Ghanaian private companies to identify policy combinations that effectively tackle policy. The study conducts a qualitative analysis using interviews, questionnaires, and company policies to understand employee perceptions of policy effectiveness. It concludes with four main findings on what influences the effectiveness of a sexual misconduct policy with suggestions as to why. The research calls for further studies and assessments to design more effective policies and strategies to combat sexual misconduct, aiming to create a safer workplace environment.

Source: Ashesi
Examining the Determinants of Contemporary and Future Demand and Supply Dynamics Of the Global Oil Industry: Implications for Ghana as an Oil Exporter.

Global Oil industry demand and supply dynamics have historically been and remain a major current concern because of how pertinent and far reaching the global oil industry is for global, national, and local economies. The current problem is that we do not know where oil will trend in the future, because the demand and supply determinants of the industry keeps shifting with global dynamics including pandemics like COVID 19 and for geopolitical reasons. Hence, it is imperative to understand what is happening in the oil industry now, and the industry’s outlook. This study posed a simple question “What are the contemporary and future demand and supply factors of global oil and how should an oil exporting African country like Ghana position itself given it is currently reliant on oil revenue?” Primary data was collected using one-on-one semi-structured interviews with industry experts. Thematic text analysis via a concept mapping approach was also used to analyze data. The results showed that geopolitics, the push for renewable energy, and energy efficiency methods are factors influencing supply of global oil. Also, robust economies and industries, covid-19, energy generation, and environmental concerns are key determinants of demand of global oil. The outlook of the industry reveals that the oil industry will change going forward, with renewables forming a bigger part of the energy mix. As an implication, Ghana will likely benefit from high cash inflows from oil, and that the global dynamics do not pose a catastrophic threat on the country. The study recommends that Ghana quickly expedites the exploration and production of the country's oil reserves. Most importantly, the government is advised to start developing and implementing policies that will allow it to diversify away from oil and to invest in and adopt the use of renewables in the long run.

Source: Ashesi
Examining the Determinants of Contemporary and Future Demand and Supply Dynamics of the Global Oil Industry: Implications for Ghana as an Oil Exporter.

Global Oil industry demand and supply dynamics have historically been and remain a major current concern because of how pertinent and far reaching the global oil industry is for global, national, and local economies. The current problem is that we do not know where oil will trend in the future, because the demand and supply determinants of the industry keeps shifting with global dynamics including pandemics like COVID 19 and for geopolitical reasons. Hence, it is imperative to understand what is happening in the oil industry now, and the .

Source: Ashesi
Examining The Effect of Net Migration and International Remittances on Economic Growth in Ghana.

This study aims to analyze the impact of international remittances and net migration on economic growth in Ghana, spanning the period from 1990 to 2023. Using an explanatory design and quantitative methods, the research leverages time series data sourced from the World Development Indicators. The main objective is to ascertain whether international remittances offset the negative impacts of net migration on Ghana's economic growth and to assess the extent at which international remittances and net migration impact growth. To achieve this, the study employs the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method along with various diagnostic tests, including unit root tests, multicollinearity tests, heteroskedasticity tests, and autocorrelation tests, to ensure the validity and reliability of the model. STATA software was used for all statistical analyses. The variables in this study include GDP growth, trade as a percentage of GDP, government expenditure, international remittances, net migration, and inflation. The findings indicate a highly significant positive impact of international remittances on GDP growth, highlighting their crucial role in supporting economic growth through increased consumption and investment. Conversely, net migration exhibits a small but significant negative impact on GDP growth, suggesting that higher emigration rates slightly reduce economic growth due to the loss of labor and human capital. The study concludes that enhancing government expenditure in productive sectors, improving the trade balance, creating domestic job opportunities to retain skilled labor, supporting remittances through efficient channels, and maintaining stable inflation are essential for fostering sustainable economic growth in Ghana.

Source: Ashesi
Examining the influence of influencer advertising and Instagram paid advertising strategies on brand loyalty among the youth within the fashion market in Accra

This thesis paper highlights the significance of social media marketing in Ghana’s fashion market. It identifies the gap regarding the influence of selected social media marketing strategies such as influencer advertising and Instagram paid/sponsored advertising and its comparative effectiveness on brand loyalty within Accra’s fashion market. Through Literature Review, an emphasis is placed on the relationship between social media marketing (influencer advertising and Instagram paid advertising) and brand loyalty, while identifying knowledge gaps. The literature review encompasses of a conceptual review, theoretical review and empirical review that were used to discuss key concepts in the research topic, findings from previous literature as well as theories grounded in the research paper that aid in explaining some phenomenon. This paper employed the quantitative method, by distributing questionnaires to a sample size of 50 respondents and analysing the data using regression. Results obtained indicate that there both instragram sponsored and influencer advertisements have a strong correlation with brand loyalty. However, Instagram sponsored advertisements have a more statistically significant relationship with brand loyalty. It is therefore important that fashion brand owners make use of the insights from this study to modify their social media advertising strategies to yield more brand loyalty among customers.

Source: Ashesi
Excellent Performance Academy: Effective Administration and Finance Systems

Excellent Performance Academy is a low fee-paying school established in 1999. Currently, the school has a population of about 150 students and 20 teaching and non-teaching staff. The daily administration of the school is taken care of by a proprietor. There is also a headmaster who oversees the school's academic activities. Over the years, Excellent Performance Academy has faced some challenges that impede its smooth running. Junior consultants were tasked to diagnose the situation and find the main issue. In trying to address the challenges of the school, an organizational scan, industry analysis, and SWOT analysis were conducted to understand the business and the education industry at large. After gaining knowledge about the industry, situational analysis and a needs assessment were conducted to place the school in context and identify the main problems facing Excellent Performance Academy. The main problem identified was the lack of essential financial management systems to ensure smooth operations, especially regarding the teacher remuneration and school fees collection. As a result, junior consultants concluded that the school needs a well-structured system for fees collection. The team created a comprehensive financial management system for the school. The system comes mainly in two parts. The first part is a school fees tracker, which would help the school track fees, reduce the cost of fee collection, and help keep records. The second part of the management system is a budget template to help the school plan and ensure it operates within its means.

Source: Ashesi
Exchange rates and the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP): A monetary approach to Ghana’s exchange rate 1972-2013

Before 1983 Government of Ghana operated a fixed exchange rate system that was subject to occasional devaluations. However, events such as a high inflation of 123 percent and an exchange rate depreciation to ¢3654.25 in 1983 among others led Ghana into a reform period known as the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) between 1983 and 1991. It had a goal of correcting the differences in the balance of trade, liberalizing the economy and restoring the market value of the exchange rate. This research seeks to ascertain the determinants of Ghana’s exchange rate and the impact of the ERP on Ghana’s exchange rate Post-1983. Sample data from 1972 to 2013 is analysed using the monetary approach, regression and time series analysis. The research stems from an enquiry to ascertain the determinants of Ghana’s exchange rate in order to inform policy makers on the specific policy areas to tackle in exchange rate controls. The research shows that there is a high correlation between exchange rate, and the ERP, inflation and interest rates. That is, a high inflation rate leads to a depreciation in Ghana’s exchange rate relative to the US and a low inflation rate leads to an appreciation in the cedi-dollar exchange rate. The ERP reform has the greatest impact on the exchange rate of Ghana. GDP per capita growth and money growth have low impacts on the exchange rate. However, the low effect subsides with the inclusion of the interest rate variable. This result is further explained below.

Source: Ashesi
Exploration of alternative revenue streams for airlines in South Africa

This research investigates alternative streams of income for airlines in South Africa in the absence of, or shortage of passenger travel income caused by the pandemic. The study uses content analysis and reviews news articles from March 2020 to March 2021, to discover how airlines across the world have improved on their ancillary offerings and cargo to generate revenue, and the results thereafter. The study looks for ancillary and cargo themes in each article and breaks them into categories and sub-categories for analysis. The results show that airlines have greatly benefited from maximizing both ancillary services and cargo transportation as substitutes for the traditional ticket revenue. These two streams of income play a crucial role in helping airlines survive the pandemic-induced financial losses. Ultimately, conclusions are made in the context of the South African airline industry, and we draw lessons that can be learnt from these different airlines that can equally benefit South African airlines.

Source: Ashesi
An exploration of the impact of technology and digitization on commercial qualitative research in Ghana

Over the last few decades the world has witnessed an increase in the use of technology across industries and brought along with it digitization. The qualitative market research space has not been an exception. Ghana, which like many other African countries lacks bodies of knowledge on this branch of research which depends heavily on the interventions of human researchers and subjects has also witnessed increased technology use. This research paper therefore explored how technology and digitization has impacted the commercial qualitative market research industry in Ghana by answering the following research questions; 1. What forms of technology are available to qualitative market researchers in Ghana, and how have they been used? 2. In what ways has technology impacted the commercial qualitative research space in Ghana? 3. How can market research personnel in Ghana successfully moderate the impact of technology and digitization to better their work outcomes? A review of literature from different authors was done to build a conceptual framework for the study, with the final stage of the ICT4D value chain developed in 2009 being settled on. Three skilled qualitative researchers from three commercial market research firms in Ghana, were interviewed to get a sense of their perceptions of technology’s impact on their work, with one of the firms was observed closely as well. The data collected was then analyzed and themes identified as; access to respondents, duration of projects, roles of researchers and data management. By analyzing the unique experiences and perceptions of the researchers, lessons were drawn on how researchers could sustainably improve the qualitative research process in the presence of new technology and recommendations made for industry as well as for future research.

Source: Ashesi
Explorative Study: The Use of HR Analytics in the Recruitment and Selection Process of Firms in Ghana

Human resource management is a critical part of a business since it involves making proper judgments about human capital. The ambiguity around best-fit jobs, combined with growing knowledge of HR analytics to assist businesses to obtain a competitive advantage, is the primary driver for this research. As a result, the use and maturity level of HR analytics in Ghanaian companies' recruiting and selection processes was explored in this research. The study employed a mixed method approach to research interviewing eight companies from Ghana's Club 100 companies, which were chosen using a multi-stage sampling process. In March 2022, semi-structured online and in-person interviews were conducted. The data was analyzed in Excel using a thematic content method. HR analytics is more prevalent in other HR functions than Recruitment and Selection. The most prevalent type of analytics across businesses was descriptive analytics, with Microsoft Excel being the widely used tool for HR analytics.

Source: Ashesi
Exploring business partnerships between communities and universities: An exploratory study on Ashesi and the Berekuso community

University-Community relationships is one an avenue of development that is yet to be explored in Ghana although there exist some form of unofficial partnerships. Intentional efforts are required to explore meaningful university-community partnerships. The establishment of institutions of higher learning at particular location affects the physical, social and economic landscape of this sites. In 2011, Ashesi University College opened its doors to students and the general public at its Berekuso campus. This exploratory study involving respondents from the Berekuso community, students, and staff and faculty members from the Ashesi University sought to answer the question: “what can a partnership between Ashesi and Berekuso do to improve the way of doing business in Berekuso?” Data were obtained through questionnaires that were administered to respondents. The study revealed that people doing business in the community have inadequate business knowledge and thus stand a chance of benefiting from business support services like book keeping offered by students as part of their semester’s projects. Also the absence of a financial institution in the community came out as one major bottleneck to doing business in the community. However, to harness a meaningful relationship between the university and the community a more structured partnership is required. Also there is a need to be set up a committee to plan for short and long term partnership objectives. Improving communication and a feedback collection system are also recommended for improving the partnership between Ashesi and the Berekuso community.

Source: Ashesi