ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Analytical study of saving habits among informal sector employees in Ghana: A case study of Manhyia sub-metro

This study is centered on the analytical study of saving habits of the informal sector employees in Ghana. The study is conducted purposely to assess the saving habits and unearth the factors that influence the saving habits of informal sector employees at Manhyia Sub-Metro, the capacity of the saving institutions are also evaluated. The population estimated to be all informal sector employees at the Manhyia Sub-Metro and 240 employees are sampled for the purpose of the study. Convenience and purposive type of non-probability sampling technique is adopted. Purposive involves the selection of key informants considered to be the most appropriate source of data in terms of objectives of the study. With the purposive only employees who are considered to be in the informal sector are selected and given questionnaire to answer. Convenience also involves in selecting those respondents who are easiest to obtain for one‟s sample. From the study conducted, it revealed that the informal sector employees do have saving habit. It was also came to light that; quality of life, to avoid over spending, unforeseen contingency, income satisfaction, and low level of dependency are the reasons for savings. Again, low income, low interest, number of dependent family, inflation and high cost of expenditure are also the factors that influence saving according to the study conducted. Moreover, it also reveals that the informal sector personnel use formal method of saving their money. Finally, the financial institutions do not have the absolute capacity to help improve the informal sector business and to enrich their standard of living in the country. It is also recommend that, their unions should also provide information on credit facilities, so that the workers can assess to support them in their business.

Source: KNUST
Analyzing outsourced software development in the downstream petroleum sector in Ghana

Making a decision of going outsourcing for software development, can be a very confusing and difficult task. Both young companies and well-established ones are adopting software development outsourcing (SDO). A lot of organisations, if not most, don’t consider all the necessary factors needed to make the choice of developing software using the outsourcing approach. This study sought to make an in-depth analysis of developing software by contracting third-party developers(outsourcing), in the downstream petroleum sector in Ghana by outlining the merits and demerits of outsourcing software development in the industry, identifying vital technical and management decisions that influence outsourcing and identifying the effects that outsourcing software has on the project and operations of an organisation. The mixed methods approach was employed for this research work. Purposive and snowballing sampling methods were used to select individuals within the downstream petroleum industry in Ghana to be interviewed and administered questionnaires. The qualitative data helped in identifying some of the factors that influence outsourcing while also pointing out some of its advantages and disadvantages. The findings from the study indicated that, though the organisations within the industry share some of the merits and demerits, there were some of such that were organisation-specific. It also highlighted eight (8) factors that play a major role when deciding to outsource. Finally, the impact of outsourcing on an organisation; both on the project and the operations of the entity were realised. It is of worth to note that, both positive and negative impacts were realised, though the benefits outweighed the shortcomings. The study concludes with strategies that can be put in place to curb the shortcomings of the outsourcing approach to software development

Source: KNUST
Analyzing the effect of credit risk on construction project implementation success in Barclays Bank Ghana Limited Head office Accra.

Most financial institutions are liable to credit risk activities which affects their existence. Credit risk is simply defined as the potential that a bank borrower or counterparty will fail to meet its obligations in accordance with agreed terms of a contract. This activity has become more prominent in Ghana which affect project implementation. The research sought to assess the effect of credit risk on project implementation success specifically at Barclays Bank Ghana Limited. The study investigation was mainly based on the quantitative research approach using primary data obtained through questionnaire administered to 40 respondents from the credit risk department. Findings based on the study indicated that the bank has methodologies for credit risk measurement which aided the bank to quantify credit risk exposures of individuals who borrow from the bank. The study also revealed that there was minimum attention to control the adherence of processes as well as poor portfolio risk management. The study again revealed that ineffective credit policies and guidelines lacks strict adherence to credit standards by counterparties and borrowers, due to insufficient institutional capacity and proper banking supervision on the part of central bank. It was also found that projects were successful if completed within the planned cost and time reducing credit risks. The study recommended that effective credit risk management policy will increase the successful completion of project. In addition, Barclays Bank Ghana Limited should continue to diversify its lending activities and should allocate more funds to the productive sectors of the economy, especially private sector, businesses should be prioritized and supported by the government to help complete project.

Source: KNUST
Analyzing the effect of employee cultural diversity on organizational performance – a case study of electoral commission –Ghana.

Organisations all over the world require resources for their effective operations. These resources include financial, material, and human. Of all the resources however, human resource is the most important (valuable asset) one. It is through employees that all other resources of an organisation are put to use to achieve organisational objectives - be it production of goods or rendering of services to clients. On this premise, this study sought to analyse the effects of employees’ cultural diversity on organisational performance. The study area of this research covered the staff of the headquarters of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the staff of the E.C at the Volta Region. A case study under the descriptive research design was used and data collected using structured questionnaires are analysed using SPSS version 20. From the results, majority of the respondents agreed on elements of cultural diversity existing in Electoral Commission to include age discrimination, gender differentiation, and national origin, etc. These elements gave them the opportunity to accept each other without holding any form of prejudice against their co-workers be it on religious or ethnic grounds. Social relations were also found not to be affected by language barrier which in-turn translates into enhanced productivity. Cultural diversity was also found to reduce turnover intentions which brings about increased market share, promotes creativity among employees, and leads to high levels of organisational performance. It was also found that cultural differences in the Electoral Commission do not have any substantial effect on communication process. Based on the conclusions, it was recommended that, measures must be put in place to ensure that such elements do not have negative effects on the organisation. Also, it was further recommended that, both employees and employers need to play their part in ensuring that there is effective communication in the organisation. Finally, the organisation must ensure that employee cultural diversity is managed effectively to helpthe organisation have competitive advantage, provide quality services to the people of Ghana and enhance organisational performance.

Source: KNUST
Analyzing the effectiveness of project management on project success of financial services in Ghana

In a world where change is becoming increasingly more significant phenomenon, project management has been adopted to provide a priceless approach for organizations to manage this change effectively. This study then seeks to analyse the effectiveness of project management on project success in financial services in greater Accra Metropolis; to identify the principal project management theories that are related to project delivery; the most significant factors or indicators for measuring project success; the effects of the intricate/underlying relationships between principal project management and project success of financial service were objectives put forward to achieve the aim of the study. As a result of this in-depth literature reviewed, questionnaires were designed and administered to professionals in the financial services sector (project managers, operations managers, branch managers, credit managers, and other members of staff) operating within the greater Accra metropolis. Findings of the of the analysis of data suggested that there were Ten factors that were identified to have a link to the principal project management that are related to projects delivery in financial services; the most significant factors/indicators for measuring project success of financial services to be project management success, business success, product success, strategic success, and process success in the order of importance. As part of the findings the following recommendations were proposed.The principal project management theories on project success delivery in financial services of Ghana can be implemented on other fields or sectors such as health and agriculture to ascertain their relevance.

Source: KNUST
Analyzing the causes of project failure: the case of the Apremdo Market Project

Infrastructural projects have been established to be a firm basis for national development. Many investors have sought to participate in the investment of such projects. However, the funding gaps linking the infrastructural needs and the available resources are quite broad, especially on developing countries like Ghana. Government and all funding agencies must therefore seek to promote the proper allocation of scarce resources for improved national development. The Apremdo market project was initiated two decades ago to serve the best interest of the people within the then Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly. However, numerous efforts to relocate the traders to the market has failed. Using the case study approach, the study focused on identifying the failure factors, the causes of these failure factors and to recommend best project management practices for future projects with similar scope. Questionnaires were distributed to a sample size of fifty traders from the assembly. Sampling techniques adopted were convenience sampling and purposive sampling. Respondents were made to respond according to their degree of agreement with the factors. The Municipal Head of Works for the newly developed assembly under which Apremdo falls was also interviewed. This ensured both qualitative and quantitative measures are used. From the fifty self-administered questionnaires, forty-six were responded to and used as the basis for analysing the data. Data was analysed using the relative importance index on a 5-point Likert scale. It was found out that the main factors resulting in the failure was the lack of stakeholder engagement, lack of user input, lack of resources, poor sales and unrealistic expectations. These factors were caused by the lack of proper planning, poor communication, location of the market, lack of project management practices and client/customer involvement. The researcher recommended that stakeholder engagement be made a vital requirement for donors before funds are released for any infrastructural project and that project management practices be adopted on all projects. This should be enforced by establishing an effective monitoring and control unit.

Source: KNUST
Analyzing the effect of procurement practices on Organizational performance in the public sector: evidence from the ashanti region

Throughout the world, public purchases are key components in the performance and functioning of various departments of government institutions. Procurement practices include procurement planning, procurement control, monitoring and evaluation, contract management and sourcing. Public procurement has been shown to be an integral function of governments in both developed and developing countries as its huge financial outflows have a great impact on their economies, However, public sector procurement practises often receive little scrutiny the terms of its impact on organizations’ performance, especially for public sectors. There is therefore the need for exploring how public procurement practices can be better implemented and managed to enhance the performance of organizations in Ghana. The study seeks to analyse procurement practices in the public sector and their impact on organizational performance using Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ashanti Region. The researcher employs survey research on a sample of 113 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Ashanti Region. A purposive sampling technique was adopted in selecting the participants. The study concludes that there is a positive relationship between procurement practices (planning, sourcing and contract management) and organizational performance. It is recommended that since all the dimensions of the procurement practices are interrelated, procurement practitioners should pay equal attention to each dimension of the procurement practices for improved performance.

Source: KNUST
Analyzing server performance in cloud computing on virtual network infrastructure; using riverbed simulator

The research work here is expected to investigate the performance and relations for distributed systems in server use for cloud storage on virtual platforms. With most organizations opting for web based services, the use of virtual networking infrastructure in cloud storage does not only reduce cost and eliminates hardware failures and security risks such as theft of physical components in real world, but also provides a graphical user interface for the topology design allowing for realistic simulation of networks and high performance displaying modules as an added advantage for modern enterprises. This thesis seeks to analyze the behavior and efficiency of server performances in three different scenarios in cloud network using Riverbed Edu 17.5 edition as a virtual network platform simulation tool. Networks with three different server scenarios simulated against time in the network were modeled. The focus was on the server performance at different loads and processing speeds. The simulation was configured for about 100 workstations in a manner that all the applications and users can access the parameters; database, file transfer protocol, hypertext transfer protocol, and email response times on cloud utilization throughputs in two directions. The results for server performance in efficiency and viability is analyzed and evaluated with conclusions drawn as a guiding principle for organizations and companies considering the use or using servers for cloud storage.

Source: KNUST
Analyzing the effects of job satisfaction on project Performance: the perspective of project team members of Selected mmdas in greater Accra

Satisfaction on one’s job has become a major problem among workers.The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of job satisfaction on project performance. The importance of the study is based on identifying the various motivational strategies used, measures put in place to maintain project team members, ensuring job satisfaction and the influence of job satisfaction strategies on project cost and time performance. It has become a difficult task for organizations to keep employees for a long time on the job. One of the reasons why project team members perform less on their jobs is lack of job satisfaction. Others also leave their jobs for other jobs because they want more challenging jobs related to their field. Organizations therefore have the huge task of keeping their employees satisfied and ultimately retaining them in the organization to ensure optimum output. This study sought to assess the effects of job satisfaction on project performance from the perspective of project team members of selected MMDAs in Accra. The main objectives of this research work included; To establish the underlying determinants of job satisfaction of project team members of selected MMDAS in Greater Accra, To assess the extent of job satisfaction of project team members in selected MMDAS in Greater Accra and to analyse the effects of determinant of Job satisfaction of project team members on project performance of project team members of selected MMDAS in Greater Accra. The main source of data were obtained from primary and secondary sources. Simple random technique was used to select a sample 90 respondents. The two methods of research used were qualitative and quantitative. Data analysis used was descriptive statistics (mean scores and standard deviation). The results from the research indicates that job satisfaction has a significant effect on project performance as well as on time and cost performance, and it is recommended that the assembly must liaise effectively with the appropriate bodies at the regional and national levels, so as to push forward for the timely release of funds due for project staff. Shortfall in this area stifles the efficiency in work; hence efforts must be made to improve the situation in the municipality and also other organizations in the country as a whole.

Source: KNUST
Anemia Predicts Physical Fitness Among Adolescent Athletes in Ghana

Background: Anemia indicates low blood hemoglobin levels and has become a public health problem among adolescents in developing countries. The prevalence among adolescent athletes and its effect on physical fitness has not been studied in Ghana. The study aimed to assess the impact of anemia on physical fitness among adolescent athletes in Ghana. Methodology: The sample of 194 adolescent athletes was randomly recruited from competitive athletic groups, boxing, and football clubs in Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Volta regions of Ghana. Anthropometric parameters and Hemoglobin concentration were measured. Physical fitness was assessed using, right and left‐hand grip strength, reaction time, flexibility, and the Cooper‐12‐min run test, all following standard procedure. Results: The adolescent athletes of mean age (15.8 ± 2.5 yrs) and weight (54.0 ± 12.8 kg) were mostly of normal weight‐for‐age and height. The overall prevalence of anemia among the adolescent athletes was 14.3%. Anemia was however, more common among early adolescents (20.7%). The average hemoglobin level was lowest among the early adolescents (12.8 ± 1.1 g/dl), however, there was no association between anemia and the adolescent age group (X2 = 2.112 p = 0.348). Although the proportions of anemic males and females were similar (14.3%), the mean hemoglobin levels were significantly higher among males (13.6 ± 1.5 g/dl) than females (12.5 ± 1.2 g/dl). There was an association between hemoglobin and cardiorespiratory endurance (r = 0.324, p = 0.005), hand grip strength as well as relative handgrip strength (r = 0.379, p = 0.001). Hemoglobin significantly predicted 10.5% of the variation in cardiorespiratory endurance (R2 = 0.105, b = 0.623, p = 0.005) of the athletes. Conclusion: Hemoglobin levels could predict the cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular strength of adolescent athletes. Anemia is a public health problem among adolescent athletes and must be given the needed attention to make these athletes competitive and win laurels.

Source: KNUST
The anatomy and selected physical properties of five rattan species of Ghana

“Rattan” is a collective term commonly used for spiny climbing palms belonging to the subfamily Calanioideae of the family Palmae. In contrast to the situation in South-east Asia, knowledge of African rattans is still not sufficiently known in spite of the very important role rattans play in the local economy. Information on the anatomical structure, physical properties as well as variations between and within species is necessary for the development and efficient utilisation of rattans in Ghana. Therefore, anatomical and physical properties of naturally grown Calanius deeratus; Eremospatha hookeri; Ermospatha macrocarpa; Laccosperma acutiflorwn and Laccosperma secundiflorum sampled from Bobiri Reserve in the moist semi deciduous; Draw River Reserve in the wet evergreen; and Nueng reserve in the moist evergreen forest types of Ghana were investigated. The investigation revealed that all five rattan species showed stem anatomy and physical properties similar to that described for South-east Asia and West-central Africa species. Analysis of variance performed on some quantitative anatomical and physical characteristics of the five species suggested that the elect of site (Bobiri, Draw and Nueng) on anatomical and physical properties were minor in comparison to effect of stem position (base, middle and top) and species. Regression of moisture content and relative density on fiber length, fiber lumen diameter, double fiber wall thickness and percentage of fiber in all the species revealed that within and between stem variations in moisture content and relative density may be attributed to variations in fiber lumen diameter, double fiber wall thickness and percentage of fibers. Stem quality assessment on the live species based on anatomical and physical properties suggested that Eremospatha macrocarpa ranked highest and C. deeratus the lowest. The most promising anatomical properties for identification of the live rattan species included: number of metaxylem vessels and phloern per vascular bundle; type of ground parenchyma; shape and radial length of epidermal cells. Consequently a combination of these diagnostic anatomical properties, stem colour and diameter were used to develop a tentative identification key to the five rattan species of Ghana. The identification key will have a practical value in identification of processed and semi-processed rattans and can also be helpful in trade disputes. Among others it is recommended that other technological properties (mechanical, chemical etc.) of C. deeralus, E. hookeri, E. macrocarpa, L. acutiflorum and L. secundiflorum should be investigated with the aim of improving the stem quality and developing appropriate processing techniques to aid in diversification of their end uses. In addition the technological properties of Laccosperma laeve (Timanuhunu), which is currently not being utilized in Ghana, should be undertaken to assess its utilization potential.

Source: KNUST