ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
A cross-cultural analysis of refusal responses in British English and Ga (A language spoken in Ghana)

There are cultural differences between Ghana and Britain. Researchers like; Dzameshi (2001), Scollon (2000), Anderson (2009), Keleve (1995) and others argue that Ghana is a country with a collectivistic culture and Britain an individualistic culture. Therefore, cultural differences between Ghanaians and the British may be reflected in speech acts; (suggestion, request, invitations and offers) that elicited refusal responses. The study aimed to shed light on; how British and uneducated Ga differ from one another in their direct and indirect incomparable social situations; which sociolinguistic transfers affected educated Ga refusal responses; which politeness strategy did the British and uneducated Ga use and which factors influenced the choice of semantic formulae used by the British and the uneducated Ga. The present study employed ethnographic research methodology and complemented it with the Discourse Completion Test (DCT). One hundred and twenty-five respondents (125) participated in the study; fifty educated Ga respondents, twenty-five British respondents, twenty five uneducated Ga respondents, fifteen Ga respondents in the focus group discussion and ten British respondents in the focus group discussion. The findings indicated that both British and uneducated Ga used less direct refusals, although different cultural values influenced their decisions. Educated Ga imported the norms of speaking in English and Ga into their responses, and this resulted in the negative pragmatic transfer and backward pragmatic transfer. Both Ga and British perceived the face threats inherent in the initiative act to refuse, but the British did not attend to ‘face’ in certain situations, but the uneducated Ga attended to ‘face’ in all the situations. The semantic formulae of the respondents were influenced by context internal and context external factors. The findings concluded that different understanding of social situations and cultural dimensions by British and uneducated Ga led to the cross-cultural variation in direct and indirectness strategies. It was evident that cross-cultural differences were not the only cause of communication conflict, but that pragmatic transfers could lead to miscommunication (educated Ga responses). Brown and Lenvinson’s (1987) claim that language is universal was made evident when both uneducated Ga and British used negative politeness strategy to mitigate the illocutionary force of their refusal responses. However, Wierzbicka (1991) counterclaim was revealed when the British attended to ‘face’ through direct ‘on record’ strategies and the uneducated Ga did theirs through indirect ‘on record’ strategies. Finally, context external factors and context internal factors led to cross-situational variations of the choice of semantic formulae used by uneducated Ga and British. The study recommends that refusal responses should be used appropriately for discourse suitability.

Source: UEW
A cross-cultural analysis of refusal responses in British English and Ga (A language spoken in Ghana)

There are cultural differences between Ghana and Britain. Researchers like; Dzameshi (2001), Scollon (2000), Anderson (2009), Keleve (1995) and others argue that Ghana is a country with a collectivistic culture and Britain an individualistic culture. Therefore, cultural differences between Ghanaians and the British may be reflected in speech acts; (suggestion, request, invitations and offers) that elicited refusal responses. The study aimed to shed light on; how British and uneducated Ga differ from one another in their direct and indirect incomparable social situations; which sociolinguistic transfers affected educated Ga refusal responses; which politeness strategy did the British and uneducated Ga use and which factors influenced the choice of semantic formulae used by the British and the uneducated Ga. The present study employed ethnographic research methodology and complemented it with the Discourse Completion Test (DCT). One hundred and twenty-five respondents (125) participated in the study; fifty educated Ga respondents, twenty-five British respondents, twenty-five uneducated Ga respondents, fifteen Ga respondents in the focus group discussion and ten British respondents in the focus group discussion. The findings indicated that both British and uneducated Ga used less direct refusals, although different cultural values influenced their decisions. Educated Ga imported the norms of speaking in English and Ga into their responses, and this resulted in the negative pragmatic transfer and backward pragmatic transfer. Both Ga and British perceived the face threats inherent in the initiative act to refuse, but the British did not attend to ‘face’ in certain situations, but the uneducated Ga attended to ‘face’ in all the situations. The semantic formulae of the respondents were influenced by context internal and context external factors. The findings concluded that different understanding of social situations and cultural dimensions by British and uneducated Ga led to the cross-cultural variation in direct and indirectness strategies. It was evident that cross-cultural differences were not the only cause of communication conflict, but that pragmatic transfers could lead to miscommunication (educated Ga responses). Brown and Lenvinson’s (1987) claim that language is universal was made evident when both uneducated Ga and British used negative politeness strategy to mitigate the illocutionary force of their refusal responses. However, Wierzbicka (1991) counterclaim was revealed when the British attended to ‘face’ through direct ‘on record’ strategies and the uneducated Ga did theirs through indirect ‘on record’ strategies. Finally, context external factors and context internal factors led to cross-situational variations of the choice of semantic formulae used by uneducated Ga and British. The study recommends that refusal responses should be used appropriately for discourse suitability.

Source: UEW
Cross-Cultural Applicability of Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sport Performers Questionnaire in Ghana Using Structural Equation Modeling Approach

The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-cultural validity of the Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sport Performers (OSI-SP) scale by investigating its psychometric properties with Ghanaian footballers. The study particularly sought to assess in the Ghanaian context, 1, the convergence validity and reliability of the OSI-SP scale, 2, the discriminant validity of the OSI-SP scale to understand the applicability of its factor structure, and 3, whether the OSI-SP hypothesized model fits the data collected within the study context. The intensity aspect of the OSI-SP questionnaire was administered to 424 Ghana Premier League (GPL) male footballers who took part in the 2020/2021 season. Quality control strategies were put in place to ensure consistency across interpreters and as well improve the validity of the data. The results from a multi-factor first-order confirmatory factor analysis showed some level of convergence validity of the OSI-SP scale in the Ghanaian context using football players. Out of the 23 items on the original scale, 20 met the factor loadings criterion. In assessing the discriminant validity of the OSI-SP scale using Heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT), 50% of the correlation ratios met the criterion for the original 23-item instrument. Comparing the new model (with the 20-items) with the original model (with 23-items) using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) value, the model fit indices for the modified model (20-items) appeared better than the original model with 23-items. Generally, there was minimal support for the applicability of the OSI-SP instrument across the sample of Ghanaian footballers. The implications of these findings are discussed in detail. Copyright � 2021 Srem-Sai, Quansah, Frimpong, Hagan and Schack.

Source: UEW
The Cry of “Sumampa”: A River in Mampong Ashanti in Crisis

The Sumampa River in Mampong-Ashanti in Ghana is a very important river that supplies water to the water processing company for treatment for the whole community and its environs. In spite of its importance, the buffer area of the river has been encroached by settlers. Residential houses sited along the river have channeled their waste water into the river and several anthropo genic activities go on along the river. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the effects of anthropogenic activities on the quality of the river. Water samples were collected from various parts of the river including the source and outflow for physico-chemical and microbial analyses. The results showed that, the water was highly turbid with high total dissolved solids at some points because of intense anthropogenic activities. High turbidity and total dissolved solids greatly influence the microbial load of the water. We therefore recommend that measures are put in place to protect the Sumampa River through the creation of a buffer zone by planting trees along the banks of the river. The trees could help detoxify the run-off water that flows into the river

Source: UEW
Cultural elements in branding strategies of Ghanaian alcoholic beverage companie an analysis of television advertisements

One of the most widely used branding techniques used worldwide is advertising. In television commercials, businesses employ various branding techniques to attract viewers. These techniques include incorporating culturally relevant elements that shape viewers’ opinion of the brand they promote. This study explored how Ghanaian alcoholic companies incorporate cultural elements into their advertisements as branding strategies. Adopting qualitative content analysis, the advertisements were systematically dissected, identifying and categorizing the cultural components utilized. The videos were carefully analyzed to provide a deeper contextual understanding, tracing the historical and sociocultural influences that shape advertising strategies. Findings from the data were then synthesized, highlighting recurring themes and patterns in the use of cultural elements. Through the lens of the brand positioning model by Kotler and Keller, and Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory, the study analyzed a total of 15 advertisements (five from each) from Kasapreko Company Limited, Adonko Limited, and Joy Dadi Limited. The study revealed that the cultural elements incorporated in the advertisements captured local ideas, institutions and artifacts which were used to define the targeted audience. The cultural elements in the advertisements gave each alcoholic company a competitive urge over other companies through brand differential tactics and brand promise. Additionally, the study revealed a representation of power distribution, representation of communal values, a reflection of an indulgent society and reinforced stereotypical gender roles in the Ghanaian society by the use of the cultural elements in the television advertisement. It was concluded that, given the abundance of competitors and the expanding alcoholic beverage market in Ghana and around the world, each alcoholic brand aims to stand out from the others.

Source: UEW
Cultural influence and its effect on personality and appearance management in Ellembelle District of the Western Region

The main purpose of the study was to assess culture influence on personality and appearance management, using female teenagers in Ellembelle District of Western Region of Ghana as case study. The researcher employed the descriptive survey. The population of the study comprised of Ghanaian female teenagers from the ages of 13 to 25 years within Ellembelle District, Western Region. Convenient sampling technique was used to select one hundred and twenty (120) female teenagers for the research. Questionnaires and interviews were the main instrument used to gather primary data for the study. Descriptive statistics in the form of percentages and frequencies was used by the researcher in the data analysis process. The study results indicated that culture influence and fashion affect appearance and personality for Ghanaians female teenagers. Moreover, in Ghana individuals are now conscious of their appearance and engaged in good dieting, regular exercise, enough sleep, weight training, good grooming and the use of cosmetics in order to beautify their own physical appearance. The study concluded that the majority of the respondents believe that their clothing, grooming, body shape affects the way they think and feel. The study therefore proposed that academic institutions and other organizations should educate young females on the significance of appropriate dressing, as their appearance is more likely to communicate their personality traits to others. Also, it is recommended that State Institutions such as the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and National Commission for Culture should develop and implement policies, as well as intensify public sensitization on the ‘Wear Ghana Initiative’ and the ‘National Everyday Wear Programme’, in order to promote the sale of Ghana-made clothing, which will in turn create jobs, and maintain the cultural identity of Ghana.

Source: UEW
Cultural representation in works of selected scenic designers in Ghana

Theatre as an art employs varied expertise ranging from the Playwright; who gives the blue print, the Director; the interpreter and creative artist, Actors as the performers and the Technical units thus; the Scenic Designers who served as the creator of the world of the play production. These creators create the scenery. Scenery has experienced so many stages in terms of era and location. Undoubtedly, consciously or unconsciously when telling a story, the imagery existence is the locale around which the story unfolds. This research sought to examine the varied approaches to cultural representation evident in the selected works of four Ghanaian Scenic Designers. The research approach employed was qualitative. The study employed two research designs; the case study design and the historic design. A sample size of ten (10) was selected and used in analyzing the data. Respondents were purposively selected for the study. The data was analyzed using thematic and content analysis, which reveals that cultural relies such as Adinkrah symbols happens to convey cryptic message that these Artist used in creating the world of the play production. In conclusion; the concept of portraying an African theme and African locale is the goal. The study recommends that, their background, styles and philosophies, their intent of establishing and using Ghanaian cultural elements in creation of scenic design must be upheld

Source: UEW
Culture matters: A test of rationality on economic growth

There are widespread debates as to whether cultural values have a bearing on economic growth. Scholarly articles have actually had conflicting results with proponents arguing there is whiles opponents have thought otherwise. The aim of this paper is to verify the assertions made by these two schools of thought from the perspective of culture as a rationality component using an input-output growth model. We basically employed an approach that sought to define and aggregate cultural values under rationality indices: instrumental, affective, value and traditional rationality from 29 countries with data from world value survey (1981-2009). We systematically had them tested in an endogenous growth model alongside traditional economic variables. We conclude that when these cultural variables are combined with the so-called economic variables, there is an improvement in the model explanation than before. In addition, two of these cultural indices indicated a statistically positive effect on economic growth (instrumental and affective rationality). However, traditional rationality index was also robust but with a negative coefficient. Value rationality showed a somewhat weaker link to economic growth and was statistically insignificant. The policy implications of these findings are also discussed. Keywords: economic growth, rationality, cultural traits

Source: UEW
Curatorial interventions for lesser known art-forms in Ghana.

Ghana abounds in interesting yet unacknowledged art forms of great value spread along the length and breadth of the country. From the home to the farm; from the bed room to the kitchen; from the parties to the funerals, the functionalities of these lesser known art forms are put to use and manipulated. Whilst other art forms enjoy museum collections, displays and elaborate exhibitions, the lesser known Art forms remain in the dark, even though they are very close to us. Interestingly however, low recognition and neglect have affected the production of the lesser known art forms, a phenomenon that has motivated the conduct of this study. The study therefore sought to elicit attention and recognition for these important cultural art forms through curatorial interventions. Efforts were made at investigating what are lesser known art forms, the philosophical bases for their creation as well as their aesthetic values in the Ghanaian society. A select group of One hundred and thirty (130) individuals comprising curators, crafts producers and rural inhabitants were purposively sampled to take part in the study. The outcome of the study indicated that lesser known art forms are gradually fading away from contemporary Ghana. The study therefore recommended the inclusion of lesser known art forms in museum collections, preservation, documentation and displays of other curatorial activities so that their place as viable art forms in the society would be established and appreciated

Source: UEW
Curbing indiscipline behaviours among basic school learners in Nyamasekpor to improve academic performance.The case of stakeholders.

The purpose of this research was to investigate how indiscipline behaviours in Nyamasekpor Basic School affects learners‟ academic performance. Indiscipline in junior high school has in contemporary eras become a serious issue of worry to all stakeholders in Ghana. The study adopted a concurrent research design under the umbrella of a mixed-method approach. This design involves a single study containing qualitative and quantitative data collection. The population of the study included Form Two and Three learners of the school, Form masters and teachers of the school, guidance and counselling coordinators, and the head teachers of the selected school which formed the total respondents for the study to be 90. Out of which 79 were learners, five teachers, four parents, and two head teachers. Multistage sampling method was employed in the study where purposive sampling was used to select the school, the head teachers and parents. Systematic sampling was used to select the learners. An interview guide was used to solicit qualitative data from the head teacher and two guidance and counselling teachers to collect data for the research. The questionnaire schedule was used to take quantitative data from the students, parents, and teachers. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS and presented in tables as percentages, mean and standard deviation and t-tests. From the analyses, it was discovered that; improper dressing and hairstyles to school, insubordination, truancy, fighting, assault of female students and lateness to school are forms of indiscipline behaviours exhibited by both male and female learners. Also, factors that influence indiscipline behaviours exhibited by learners include family problems, divorce, and inadequate attention from parents, peer group influence, and high enrollment of learners in schools. To manage these indiscipline behaviours exhibited by learners by their heads, learners must be involved in deciding the forms of punishment, learners should also be entrusted with the management of the punishment, parent‟s involvement in learners' discipline, teachers should be informed of the disciplinary measures applied in schools and all stakeholders should be involved in the discipline of learners.

Source: UEW
The curious case of green human resource management practices in the Ghanaian manufacturing industry; a reality or a mirage?

Purpose: Based on the legitimacy theory, this study sought to explore specific Green Human Resource Management Practices implemented by manufacturing firms in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: The study purposively sourced data from five manufacturing firms operating in Ghana, specifically, Cocoa Processing Company, Dannex Aryton Starwin PLC, Fan Milk Limited, Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited and Unilever Ghana PLC. The qualitative data from 10 interviewees were thematically analysed. Findings: Pervasively, it was evident that Ghanaian manufacturing firms have integrated environmental concerns into their human resource management functions, hence they place more emphasis on online tools and platforms in attracting, selecting, involving, training, paying and managing the performance of employees. Lastly, manufacturing firms operating in Ghana give priority to online job applications ahead of manual applications. Practical implications: In an era of sustainability, green human resource management practices provide a basis for the legitimation and sustenance of businesses through enhanced environmental performance and its resultant corporate image. Originality/value: The study highlights the extent to which green human resource management is practised in a Sub-Saharan African country and the specific practices adopted in promoting the concept. � 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Source: UEW
The current state of fire protection of domestic buildings in Wa in Ghana

Fire Safety is not given much attention in Ghana especially in domestic buildings and it is usually neglected and the consequence cannot be over emphasized.. The purpose of the study was to investigate the current state of fire protection of domestic buildings in Ghana. The study was conducted through administering of questionnaires to Domestic households, personal interviews and discussions with individuals living in domestic buildings and experts in organizations in charge of fire protection and fighting in the domestic buildings and as well as the internet. These were analyzed accordingly. The study was limited to domestic structures in the Wa Municipality. The findings revealed that most of the occupants do not know fire fighting techniques or protection methods not even the simple use of the fire extinguishers. It was also realized that over eighty percent of domestic buildings were inadequately equipped with fire fighting equipments .It was recommended that occupants should be regularly taken through sensitization training lessons on how to prevent, protect and fight fire and also the use and operating of fire extinguishers

Source: UEW