ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Gen Zeo; An Exploration of social media's effect on the creation of new generation of entrepreneurs through social influencership in Ghana.

Social media has a significant effect on our daily lives, and it is one of the places where information is distributed on a wide scale. Over the last few years, the importance and significance of social media has increased. There are more active users on social media who use this platform not to only keep themselves abreast with issues happening within the world but also to connect with friends and family. Social media also provides an avenue to generate revenue through various venture opportunities that can be established by an individual as well as through advertisement and the emerging influence of creative content. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp have introduced business features that enable an individual to promote, advertise, sell and connect with a larger base of customers globally. With these rising opportunities for entrepreneurs which were not available before, this in a sense has found a way to make accessing larger markets easier for first time entrepreneurs. The recent introductions to Instagram as well as Facebook business and WhatsApp business, have made it easier for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and access millions of customers all over the world not just in Ghana. This research seeks to explore social medias effect on the creation of new generation of entrepreneurs through social influencership in Ghana. This thesis will explore the what are the factors that influence entrepreneurial surge of entrepreneurship among the youth of Gen Z? Evidence of the expansions of social influencership can even be found amongst big corporate brands in Ghana like Samsung Ghana and Ecobank Ghana who patronize the network of social influencers within Ghana to help them increase their own advertisement and branding. The use of "Diffusions of Technology Theory" and "Consumer Culture Theory" enables the researcher to explore phenomenon within this study. The study employs a qualitative approach with the use of online questionnaires. One of the key finding is that the connection of social influencership helps entrepreneurs increase their revenue. A limiting factor in this research was not interviewing individuals who were entrepreneurs but did not use social media.

Source: Ashesi
A Ghana beyond aid: An investigation into the critical infrastructure that the Government of Ghana should invest in to move beyond aid

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate and identify the most critical infrastructure that the government of Ghana should invest in to move beyond aid. As such, it offers a clear understanding of the role the “resource for infrastructure swap” agreement between China and Ghana in the Sino-hydro deal is supposed to play in the development of Ghana’s economy. Design: This paper uses quantitative and qualitative techniques such as interviews and case studies from Ethiopia, Angola, and Nigeria to analyze complex entry decisions and success as well as the failures and problems that might arise from the resource for infrastructure swap initiative. It is based on the analysis of case studies from countries like Angola, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, that have had this similar agreement with China. It further recommends the best infrastructure the government of Ghana should invest in for development Findings: The research concluded that there are five types of critical infrastructures that the government should invest in to move beyond aid. These are in order of importance: the education sector, the food, and agriculture sector, the public health care sector, the transportation sector, and the energy sector infrastructure. Originality/ value: This is the first comprehensive study that advice the government of Ghana on which infrastructure they should invest in based on the analysis of the past Sino hydro project deals in other African countries including Angola, Congo, Ethiopia and Ghana itself.

Source: Ashesi
Ghana Beyond Aid: Reimagining the Role of Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana

This thesis aimed to identify the roles that higher education (HE) could play towards Ghana’s efforts to go beyond the reliance on aid; popularly known as the Ghana Beyond Aid GBA). An investigation was made into the role that HE played in the development of the Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea) from the 1960s till date. Using a mixed method, a correlational analysis was done to identify the relationship between HE and economic growth. The GDP of the countries was used as the measure of economic growth while the Gross enrollment ratio for tertiary education and human capital index were used as measures of HE. A narrative analysis was used to compare how HE was aligned with national objectives, used to champion important social values. A strong positive relationship was found between HE and economic growth for the selected countries. Secondly, it was found that the Tigers invested more in HE and did better in linking HE to their development objectives than Ghana. Additionally, HE in the tiger states focused on the sciences which made them better importers of technology while that of Ghana paid more attention to the humanities. Finally, the HE system of the Tigers did better in championing attitudes supportive of development than Ghana’s. The study recommends that: i) Ghana comes up with a long term development strategy which would determine the focus of HE ii) Supportive attitudes like savings, hard work, and responsibility be championed through the HE in Ghana iii) That a research be made into the most important skills that should be considered when Ghana comes up with the development strategy. Keywords: Higher Education (HE), Asian Tigers, Economic development, Development strategy, Ghana Beyond Aid (GBA), Foreign Aid.

Source: Ashesi
Ghana Beyond Aid: Reimagining the Role of Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana.

This thesis aimed to identify the roles that higher education (HE) could play towards Ghana's efforts to go beyond the reliance on aid; popularly known as the Ghana Beyond Aid (GBA). An investigation was made into the role that HE played in the development of the Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea) from the 1960s till date. Using a mixed method, a correlational analysis was done to identify the relationship between HE and economic growth. The GDP of the countries was used as the measure of economic growth while the Gross enrollment ratio for tertiary education and human capital index were used as measures of HE. A narrative analysis was used to compare how HE was aligned with national objectives, used to champion important social values. A strong positive relationship was found between HE and economic growth for the selected countries. Secondly, it was found that the Tigers invested more in HE and did better in linking HE to their development objectives than Ghana. Additionally, HE in the tiger states focused on the sciences which made them better importers of technology while that of Ghana paid more attention to the humanities. Finally, the HE system of the Tigers did better in championing attitudes supportive of development than Ghana's. The study recommends that: i) Ghana comes up with a long term development strategy which would determine the focus of HE ii) Supportive attitudes like savings, hard work, and responsibility be championed through the HE in Ghana iii) That a research be made into the most important skills that should be considered when Ghana comes up with the development strategy.

Source: Ashesi
Ghana’s 2018 banking sector crisis: The role of corporate governance factors

Discussions and analysis’ after the 2018 banking crisis have placed the burden of blame on both managers of the failed institutions and the Bank of Ghana. This study intended to investigate issues with the manner of corporate governance employed by leaders of the collapsed institutions and how these factors contributed to the banking crisis. A total of 186 newspapers between 2017 and 2019 were scanned for insight regarding the direct actions of managers and shareholders that led to the collapse of their banks during the 2018 Ghanaian banking crisis. 58 texts were identified, and a content analysis was conducted. The actions were also analyzed and categorized using the IFC’s corporate governance methodology. This study provides valuable insight regarding the actions of bank managers and shareholders and how these actions caused the collapse of their banks. The actions of managers and shareholders leading to the crisis included: interrelated lending, loan approval without the necessary process, granting of loans earning no interest, lending to risky borrowers, breaching the single obligor limit, the use of depositors’ funds as personal funds, shareholder excessive control of managers, exaggerating investments, overstating loans and advances to customers, fabricating investments, re-engineering capital, misuse of BoG liquidity support, use of bank funds to pay off obligations in related companies, infrequent board meetings, non executive directors disregarding their duties and the approval of large compensation packages.

Source: Ashesi
Ghana's progress towards meeting the goals of the African peer review mechanism. The "good governance concept" revisited

The "good governance" concept has been the focal point for African organisations such as the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). This is because it is the key element needed for the redevelopment of the whole African continent. These organisations believe that through good governance and leadership (Rule of Law, Democracy, government Transparency and Accountability, Human Rights, Etc); African governments can transform their countries and the lives of its people for the greater good of all. In light of this, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) was introduced to help guide member states in order to govern their respective countries in tune to what is generally accepted and defined as "good governance". Haven said that, the main questions is to find out if at all the government of Ghana is holding its end of the bargain by making efforts to meet the conditions of the APRM? If so, what policies are being put in place to see to the attainment of the APRM goals? In order to obtain answers to these questions, a qualitative research approach was used to obtained data using the following sources. They are library research, academic journals (internet), report documents from the government of Ghana and interview of personnel from the governance sector, media and civil service department. The purpose of embarking on this research paper is basically to find out Ghana's progress so far in attaining the goals of the APRM as well as identify the problem areas that have drawn the country backwards in achieving its overall goal of attaining good governance. The governance system of Ghana has been praised by international organisations because of the tremendous effort made by successive governments to promote good governance in the country. However, the findings of the Country Review Mission (CRM) from NEPAD showed that Ghana still has to work hard towards tightening the loose ends that undermines its efforts in fully reaching its goal of attaining a solid good governance structure. Furthermore, interviews from people in the democratic governance sector, members of the media as well as government officials, provides expert information on how they assess the countries governance system, the progress it has made so far as well as what needs to be done to improve on its current system. In their conclusion, lack of proper implementation was identified as the main challenge facing the country.

Source: Ashesi
Ghana’s Sustainable Corporate Wealth: Environmental, Social and Governance Performances and Firm Value of Publicly Traded Firms

Environmental, Social, and Governance structures have increasingly become pivotal to corporate success in the modern business environment. Ghanaian public firms are required to actively adopt sustainable ESG practices, aligning with increasing investor demands and the nation’s dedication to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In Ghana, while a commitment to sustainable development is evident, a gap exists in comprehending the mechanisms of ESG performances and firm value among listed firms. Prior research has predominantly focused on developed markets, leaving a knowledge void concerning the Ghanaian setting. This research bridges this gap by offering unique perspectives on ESG performances and valuation of firms for Ghanaian-listed firms, offering valuable contributions to the broader field of ESG research. To gauge ESG performances, analysis of the published yearly reports of 33 companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange over 2018 to 2022 was carried out, utilizing the Global Reporting Initiative standards as a reference point. The study employed panel data covering the firms for the period and a Fixed effect Least Square Dummy Variable model to investigate the impact of ESG performance and its dimensions on firm value. The findings suggest that Composite ESG performance is positively and significantly associated with firm value. Furthermore, there is a significant positive association between the individual ESG pillars - Environmental, Social, and Governance and firm value, with governance demonstrating the most significant impact, preceded by social and followed by environmental. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on ESG performances and firm value in Ghana. This research not only contributes to academic knowledge but also offers practical insights for investors, policymakers, and corporate decision-makers.

Source: Ashesi
Ghanaian women and the use of human hair extensions

The human hair industry in Ghana has been on the rise for the past two years and has become extremely profitable. This is because Ghanaian women have gained more knowledge on the use of such extensions. Despite the high costs associated with these extensions, women are still buying them for special occasions and for everyday use. These hair extensions are readily available and all over the market so women have more assess to buying them. Data collected shows that about 70-80% of hair salon's female clients in Accra want to have human hair extensions fixed into their hair. This study therefore investigates the reasons why Ghanaian women are wearing human hair extensions, as opposed to other popular hairstyles in Ghana. It also addresses the issue of how these extensions affect a woman's perception of beauty. The paper also delves into the history of the various hairstyles African American women have been doing. The history can also be applied to Ghanaian women as they have the same hair texture. Finally, the study provides useful recommendations for Ghanaian women who regularly wear human hair extensions.

Source: Ashesi
"Good jobs vs. Happy jobs": The role of "self-concept" in shaping career choices

As the Ghanaian graduate labor market is increasingly becoming more competitive to keep up with tertiary institutions churning out 10,000's of students annually, it has become essential for workers to not only find job roles, but to be retained in those job roles. In order to do this, one must consider the factors that influence the career choices of the graduate labor pool. This research studies "self-concept" specifically as a key factor in determining career choices made by the average graduate worker. Beyond this, the study seeks to explore a possible relationship between career personality alignment and job satisfaction. Through the use of online questionnaires, the study sampled data from 80 respondents, representing the graduate workforce of Ghana. Secondary data obtained from journals, books, scholarly and news articles were also used to guide the research methodology and data collection and analysis. The theoretical framework adopted for the purpose of this research was Holland's Theory of Career Choice and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. From data findings obtained, income was the motivator most highly ranked by respondents, whilst career personality alignment was lowly ranked. Career personality alignment was however the main theme underlining job satisfaction levels for respondents. Age played a significant role in determining the job characteristics prioritized by the graduate workforce, with the older sample population placing emphasis on the need for career personality alignment as their main source of satisfaction, whilst younger respondents identified income as the most valuable intrinsic job characteristic.

Source: Ashesi
Growing online shopping trends in Ghana

As the world embraced the internet, businesses began to adopt it in their daily operations. Thus, giving birth to E-commerce. Businesses are now adapting their operations to suit customers demand and remain relevant and competitive in today’s technological world. Despite this innovation in the business world, e-commerce is not being utilized fully in Ghana. The purpose of this paper is to identify the enablers necessary for the success of the e-commerce market. To achieve this objective, 40 online consumers and 20 online sellers or store owners were selected from Accra, Ghana to participate in the online survey. This paper focused on finding solutions to the problems that people experienced with digital payment services and logistics services in relation to the e-commerce market, specifically the online shopping market. The findings of the study show that many people do experience problems, and these significantly impact their decision to purchase things online.

Source: Ashesi
Healthcare Delivery and Patient Satisfaction in Ghanaian Hospitals: A Case of the University of Ghana Medical Centre

This study investigates patient satisfaction and service quality at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), a quaternary healthcare facility in Accra. The study uses the SERVQUAL model to evaluate service quality across five dimensions: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Data was collected from 80 patients through standardized questionnaires. Results from the descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson's Chi- square and Fisher's Exact Tests, implied an association between payment classification and overall patient satisfaction. SERVQUAL Gap analysis using the paired sample t-tests and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests revealed that UGMC exceeded patient expectations in tangibles, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. However, reliability remained an area for improvement. The study results emphasize UGMC's strengths in exceeding patient expectations and the need for targeted interventions to enhance service reliability. Recommendations include improving staff training, optimizing resource allocation, and establishing robust quality control mechanisms to improve service quality and patient satisfaction. Limitations of the study include potential biases in self-reported data and the exclusive focus on outpatient services. Future research can compare different healthcare systems, conduct longitudinal studies, and explore socio-cultural and experiential factors affecting patient expectations. This study provides healthcare management and policy insights to enhance patient satisfaction and service quality at UGMC and similar healthcare delivery facilities.

Source: Ashesi
A heritage of possibilities: An exploration of the Ghanaian video-film industry and its economic potential

Does the Ghanaian video-film industry possesses an opportunity for considerable economic growth? If so, what are the economic implications of a relatively large scale investment into Ghana’s film and video industry? This paper seeks to address these questions by examining the reasons behind the industry’s decline over the decades past and prescribing measures government and other stakeholders can take to promote the sustainability of the video-film industry. With the aid of scholarly articles, this paper provides an elaborate look into the evolution of the industry, and the trends and major events that have occurred over decades. The paper further assesses the viability of new developments such as the Development of Film and Classification Act, the opportunities it presents and its implications in a country with weak legal infrastructure. Finally, this paper puts Ghana’s film industry performance into perspective by drawing on industry experiences from countries such as Nigeria and Kenya, emphasizing the need for a focus on infrastructure development and production/distribution development. Keywords: government, funding, film, industry, video, box office

Source: Ashesi
How crowdfunded impact investing can be an alternative fundraising strategy for student entrepreneurs: A case of Ashesi entrepreneurship ecosystem?

Student entrepreneurship has emerged as an important topic in recent years. Entrepreneurial activities amongst students in universities and colleges seems to be high, though there is no reliable data to show the exact number of student entrepreneurs (Seymour, 2001). There are many examples of large companies that were started by students. Some notable examples of student entrepreneurs include Mark Zuckerberg (he created Facebook with his roommates from Harvard University), and Larry Page (co-founder of Google as a student at Stanford University). Even as entrepreneurial activity among students continues to rise, there is a surprising lack of scholarly research related to the topic of student entrepreneurship. Ashesi University has a core mandate of producing ethical, entrepreneurial leaders, the number of student entrepreneurs from Ashesi seem to be increasing per year group. Interviewing a few students, as well as the researcher’s own experiences in entrepreneurship, through the Ashesi Student Launchpad (ASL), one of the main challenges facing student entrepreneurs is that of funding. However, one of the main challenges facing student entrepreneurs is funding. This came to the fore, throughout interviews with student entrepreneurs and researchers. The goal of this research was to explore how a crowdfunded impact investing strategy could be adopted as an alternative for student entrepreneurs- specifically student entrepreneurs of Ashesi University to support student enterprises which require funding to grow. Furthermore, this study explored the highlights and drawbacks of implementing a crowdfunded impact investing strategy as an alternative source of financing for Ashesi’s student entrepreneurs.

Source: Ashesi
How does service quality enhance the corporate image of CDH Insurance Company Limited?

The insurance industry in Ghana represents one of the vibrant areas of the fast growing service sector. The objective for the study was to find out the perceptions customers had regarding the level of service quality provided during the service encounter and how it translated into forming the right image for the company. The study showed that majority of customers who had received service at CDH Insurance was of the opinion that, the service was of high standards. It was also showed that the company had employed strategies to help facilitate the service encounter process between frontline staff and customers, which was yielding results and creating a lasting impression in the minds of customers. The study also highlighted that customers' perceptions of CDH Insurance Company were rated very high. At the end of the study, the results obtained were able to answer all the research questions posed at the beginning of the study. At the end the study CDH customers had a very high rating of the image of the company due to the quality of service rendered by frontline staff of the company.

Source: Ashesi