ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Public confidence in microfinance institutions and demand for microfinance services in Ghana

This study aims at analyzing the level of confidence in microfinance institutions in the Greater Accra region, Ghana using a financial services confidence index questionnaire adapted from the Central Bank of Tukey. The study adds to already existing literature on microfinance. The survey approach was used to gather data through convenience sampling. Logistic regression was also used to find the relationship between the demand for microfinance services and confidence in microfinance services while and t-test differences in means was used to find the mean confidence differences among categories in the study sample. The decision to patronize microfinance service is used interchangeably with demand for and use of microfinance services in this study. It was found that respondents of the study are optimistic about the microfinance sector of Ghana. There is, however, no difference between the confidence index of men and women but women demand microfinance services more than men. A positive relationship was established between the level of confidence in microfinance institutions and demand for microfinance services. It was also found that customer satisfaction and a person’s level of education affects how much confidence he/she has in the microfinance sector of Ghana. It is recommended that microfinance operators should take measures to improve the level of confidence in the sector and increase the demand for their services. Also, customer satisfaction should be a priority of management of microfinance institutions in the quest to improve confidence in the sector.

Source: Ashesi
The publishing industry in Ghana: Ways to promote local authors and writing

Literature has been described as the reflection of society through the eyes of the member of that society. Literature comes in many forms; writing, drama, songs, dance as well as stories. Throughout the history of Ghana there has been a strong representation of the societal values of the people through the work of authors such as Ama Atta Aidoo, Ayi Kwei Armah, Kofi Awonoor and Kofi Akpabli. However, over the years the amount and quality of writing coming from the country has reduced drastically. With the reduction these works of written literature, such as poems, novels and short stories; only the stories that were written before are still in circulation and are the constant images that the world has of Ghana. The reduction in the amount of written literary works can be attributed to certain factors. The cost of printing high quality books in the country, the over concentration on the publication of textbooks, the taxes imposed on the materials needed in the production of high quality publication, low quality and quantity of writing, low reading culture as well as the lack of creative writing nurturing in the youth of the country to enable them to do more in the area of creative arts. This thesis looks at the promotion of local authors and novels. This can be achieved through the reallocation of taxes on needed printed material, increased quality of printing, authors engaging in reader engagement activities, book signings and readings and also the introduction of a Ghanaian book review.

Source: Ashesi
Quality control as a means of standardization in the cocoa industry: A case on Quality Control Company Limited, Tarkwa District Ghana.

This paper brings to the fore some unresolved quality-related challenges which the quality control agencies face along the cocoa value chain. The research questions are (i) What are the main problems faced by the quality control officers of COCOBOD during quality checks before cocoa is exported? and (ii) How have the problems identified by quality control officers impacted the process of quality checks in Ghana's cocoa industry in recent times? The theoretical framework used in this paper is Total Quality Management (TQM). This paper is primary research that employs qualitative methods to gain in-depth insight into quality control and its effects on the cocoa industry of Ghana. Purposive sampling technique was used in this research to secure respondents for relevant interviews. The key insights from the paper are; some farmers in an attempt to make extra money dried to achieve the required weight of 64kg, the quality control officers host and teach farmers how to dry their beans but some farmers do not practice what they are taught entirely and the quality control officers work diligently but their rate of performance is slow because each officer has to meet a daily quotas. A recommendation is NIR Spectroscopy (Near-infrared) can be looked at as an alternative in checking the quality of cocoa beans in the future. These findings are important because if Ghana cocoa beans are to enjoy premiums continuously these findings should be addressed, and recommendations can be implemented.

Source: Ashesi
The quest for information: A study of data availability in Ghana's government

The development of the country is severely hampered by a lack of research into our problems and effective ways of solving them. This underdevelopment of the nation's research capabilities is attributable to a lack of data that is necessary for information to be produced by the research. Using Ghana's e-government policies and the National Information Technology Agency as a case study, this paper discusses how the data availability level is promoted or undermined as Ghana's inexperienced researchers try to gather data for their work. The principal finding of this research was that data availability was undermined by the infrastructure and policies in place in Ghana. For the development of the country's research capabilities to help solve our problems, the institutions meant to aid research must be given the ability and support to do so, and the requisite laws have to be passed. In other words, an enabling environment for research pursuits must be constructed to support and develop the nation's research abilities.

Source: Ashesi
Re-visiting the Oil Curse Hypothesis (OCH) in Ghana

The oil curse hypothesis (OCH) remains a legitimate concern as some nations continue to discover oil for the first time, and established oil exporters find more oil . The natural resource curse (NRC) theory, popularized by Sachs and Warner (2001), which is a more general form of the OCH, has gained much notoriety within Africa because the continent’s political, economic, and institutional environment seems to support its manifestations. This study re-tested the OCH hypothesis in Ghana using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model using the most recent data and incorporating some interesting interaction variables. Real GDP growth was used as the dependent variable with percentage contribution of oil rent to GDP and other pertinent variables as regressors consistent with the OCH literature. Data for the study was adopted from the Databank of World Bank and spanned 2007 to 2021. Interestingly, the study found that a percentage increase in the contribution of oil rent to GDP leads to a 1.56% growth in GDP. This result means that Ghana’s oil resource fuels economic growth, so the OCH fails to manifest in Ghana. Simply put, oil is a blessing and not a curse to Ghana. Additionally, the study found that institutional quality variables consisting of voice and accountability and government effectiveness, greatly improves the contribution of oil to growth through their interaction with oil. To that end, media participation and civil society organizations’ attempts to keep management in the oil industry accountable is greatly encouraged.

Source: Ashesi
Recruitment and employee retention strategy for AACT

Autism Awareness Care and Training (AACT) is an NGO which seeks to create an inclusive environment for children who are faced with Autism Disorder Spectrum. The organization achieves its goals by providing training activities for the children in three different levels; lower, primary and upper level. A needs assessment conducted revealed that most of the employees voluntarily leave the organization because of reasons such as low pay, poor management-employee relationship, lack of career growth and development among many others. The assessment also revealed that most of the employees are employed because of their personal relationship with members of the management team and this contributes to the high turnover on the job. Hence, the need to have a rigorous recruitment process and measures to retain employees is necessary for AACT. Extant related literature revealed that high employee turnover affects the productivity of every organization and it comes with both direct and indirect cost. However, turnover becomes a good thing for a company if they tend to lose the unskilled labor to create room for more skilled labor, and managers also play a key role in attracting the right type of people in every organization. This study proposes a solution to help reduce labor turnover as well as retain employees for a longer period on the job in Autism Awareness Care and Training (AACT). The solution seeks to improve the recruitment and selection process by suggesting a systematic approach proposed by Breaugh and Starke (2000). Retention measures such as creating an intentional communication channel between employees and management, health need support and having staff recognition day are proposed to keep workers longer on the job.

Source: Ashesi
Recycling as a strategy for revenue generation and municipal plastic waste management: The case of Accra Metropolitan Area

The rapid growth of Accra and its associated increase in consumption have resulted in the generation of a large amount of solid waste, especially plastic waste. In fact, 300 metric tonnes of plastic waste is generated in Accra daily. However, only 5% of this waste is recycled. As a result, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) is confronted with the problem of managing this waste as dumping, burning and the use of landfills are methods that are not environmentally sustainable. The goal of this research was to explore the reasons for poor plastic waste disposal methods and the challenges it poses to residents in Accra. It also sought to determine to what extent plastic waste is presently recycled in Accra and the challenges facing recycling as a waste management strategy. This study further explored the strategic role played by recycling in promoting the management of plastic waste, employment and wealth creation in Accra. To accomplish the aim of the research, the qualitative approach was embraced for the collection and analysis of data. Primary data was gained from semi-structured interviews. The data was then examined using content analysis through themes. From the findings, the recycling industry is currently underdeveloped and as at now, no association exists for recycling companies in Accra. The main problems that these companies that recycle encounter are lack of governmental support, apathetic attitude of the Ghanaian populace and the procurement and maintenance of equipment.

Source: Ashesi
Restructed process map for solving broadband and mobile data complaints at Vodafone Ghana

Vodafone Ghana previously, Ghana Telecom is a company in the telecommunications industry in Ghana that delivers a widespread of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. In increasing Vodafone’s market share and maintaining Vodafone’s relevance in the market, a needs assessment was conducted to identify the gaps in their services and later a proposed solution was provided. From the needs assessment, the gap identified was the differences in the time the company uses to solve a broadband or mobile data complaint and the time the customers expect their complaints to get solved. It was concluded that Vodafone had and issue concerning service quality and needed a system that will ensure efficiency and increase customer satisfaction. Reviewed literature revealed that Vodafone had a problem with the responsive aspect of their services. In relation to this problem identified, reviewed articles continued to highlight on the importance of service quality and how it is important in increasing both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. In addition, the study provided ways in which service providers in the telecommunication industry could enhance their services which informed the proposed solution which was a service blueprint in association with the value stream mapping tool. The proposed solution suggested that Vodafone had to look at their value stream, to take out non value added processes that reduce the responsive aspect of their service quality. The removal of non-value added processes will not only ensure that Vodafone’s services are efficient but will ensure that the preferences of customers are catered for.

Source: Ashesi
Retirement to Re-Employment: Interrogating the Motivations and Success Factors of Post-Retirement Employment in Ghana.

In Ghana, the elderly population has grown significantly, with many facing financial struggles due to inadequate pension funds, insufficient governmental support, and the breakdown of the extended family system. According to research, this has led a substantial portion of retirees to engage in post-retirement employment. This paper investigates the success of post-retirement employment in alleviating financial inadequacy among retirees in Ghana. Focusing on the Ghanaian context, the research fills a geographical gap. The study contributes to the existing literature on post-retirement employment, particularly in economies with high youth unemployment and poor economic conditions. Employing a qualitative phenomenological research design, the study uses semi-structured interviews to collect primary data, which is then analyzed thematically to derive insights. Key research objectives include examining the motivations behind retirees' engagement in post-retirement employment and understanding the factors contributing to its success in reducing financial inadequacy. The main findings reveal that retirees engage in post-retirement employment due to financial needs, a need for engagement, a desire to leverage experience, the absence of emotional support and acknowledgement and inadequate retirement planning. Furthermore, access to established networks appears to influence income generation through post-retirement jobs. Additionally, possessing in-demand skills and experiences and an interest in continuous learning appears to contribute to success in post-retirement employment. The study thus raises public awareness about the needs of Ghana's elderly population and factors to consider when seeking post-retirement employment, highlighting the importance of effective support systems and policies to enhance the quality of life for retirees.

Source: Ashesi
Revamping Little Acre Hotel

The Little Acre Hotel is a 2-star hotel located in Aburi, on the Akwapim ridge of the Eastern Region of Ghana. It has been in existence f or about thirteen years and currently does not have an operational plan or policy by whic h it operates. Thus, it is difficult to provide the best service that will result in the re tention of customers and sustained profitability. This project was carried out to identify processes that could be improved to ensure the provision of quality service to clients and develop the necessary operational day-to-day documents to help employees improve their performan ce and management measure performance. As a result of the small nature of the organisation , interviews and focus group discussions were used to obtain the information for the project. The major findings were that the hotel experienced certain critical service failures which have the potential to make them lose customers, revenue and ultimately pr ofits. Other findings were the lack of measurement tools for employees as well as a per formance measurement system. An operations plan was developed for the hotel aft er the conclusion of the research. A customer database, employee work schedule, housekee ping supervisor’s checklist, electronic room and conference reservation sheets a nd performance measurement system were developed for the hotel. Recommendation s were also made to ensure the delivery of quality service to customers. These tools will make the operations of Little Acre Hotel more efficient and enable them access the untapped potential available to them in Recommendation s were also made to ensure the delivery of quality service to customers. These tools will make the operations of Little Acre Hotel more efficient and enable them access the untapped potential available to them in the hospitality industry.

Source: Ashesi
Revamping the Heden Golf Hotel in the post-coronavirus era

Heden Golf Hotel is amongst the list of luxury hotels in Abidjan, the capital of Côte d’Ivoire, that host many business leaders from all over the World. It has been the place for many seminars and business conferences that took place in Cote d’Ivoire. Located in one of the beautiful areas of Cote d’Ivoire, Riviera Beverly Hills, Heden Golf Hotel is one of the best hotels in the business segment. However, since its opening in 1976, the hotel has never proceeded to a renovation program. After almost four decades of operation, the hotel needs to upgrade its services and facilities as many other new entrants offer modern equipment in their premises. As at now, Heden Golf Hotel needs a modernization that will come through a series of rebranding. With the pandemic, the hotel has lost the majority of its clients and now face financial challenges. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the hotel management realized that it needed to reevaluate its operations as travelers are less enthusiastic when it comes to stay in hotels. In its efforts to make the hotel experience safe for its guests, the hotel has taken certain actions related to operations management by implementing health and safety measures, but this does not seem enough to attract the clientele they are used to. Indeed, to increase their competitive advantage in the post-covid 19 era, Heden Golf Hotel is looking for a unique service identity that could be superior to competitors, thus needs to consider rebranding strategies. The purpose of this project, therefore, is to contribute to the fulfilment of the hotel’s goals by developing a new brand identity and formulating an implementation plan aimed at dissociating the hotel from its old image. This plan will focus on well-thought-out policy for handling the eradication of an aging brand name and suggest a new service delivery for the front desk staff, guest relations management, implement the rooms’ renovation process and external marketing communications while ensuring that the customer’s expectations will be met and exceeded.

Source: Ashesi
The rise of football agency and its impact on football in Ghana

This dissertation investigates the effect of the rise of football agency on Ghanaian football. This paper looks to highlight the different opinions on the activities of football agents and analyze its effect on football agency. The objectives of this research are to investigate the reasons for the rise in football agency in Ghana, determine how this rise in football agency is affecting football in Ghana and to recommend ways to increase the positive and decrease the negative impact of football agency on football in Ghana. The study involved research and critical analysis of literature available on football agency in Africa and the reasons for the rise in football agency. The principal-agent theory was also studied and serve as the theoretical framework for this research. The research involved qualitative data which was gathered through interviews with footballers, administrators, coaches, agents and members of the media from within and outside of the country. This dissertation serves as the first major study on football agency in Ghana and Africa as a whole as other studies have studied migration of players from Africa and other topics within that discourse. This study provides an insight into the role of the football agent, the different ways he affects football and provides solutions to some of the problems.

Source: Ashesi
Risk tolerance and investment choices among the youth in Ghana

To make the most out of investment choices, investment advisors need to understand the risk propensity that an investor can tolerate. However, measuring this risk propensity is very difficult, as it must be quantified. Among the many factors that influence risk tolerance is the demographic profile of the investor. A review of the literature proved that extensive research exists in the area or has been explored. However, the findings are inconclusive. This scenario displays an unclear picture of the demographic factors that affect risk. This study explored the influence of selected demographic factors, the variations within the demographic factors, and determine whether there was a significant association between f risk tolerance and investment choices of the investors. A quantitative method was employed with a sample size of 231. The study used a binary logistics regression model and contingency analysis. The results showed that gender had a significant influence on risk tolerance. Education, employment status, religion, and one’s Christian denomination were not significant predictors. Findings from the research also suggested that females, high school students, younger investors, and Christians are risk-averse. However, among the Christian denominations, Catholics and Pentecostals are risk-averse. Finally, the study concluded that there was a significant association between risk tolerance and investment choices.

Source: Ashesi
Robotic-advisors and Traditional Brokers in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study on the Adoption of Robotic Advisors in the Ghanaian Financial Landscape.

As financial markets across the globe continue to witness technological advancements, robotic-advisory services have emerged as a transformative force in the investment landscape. This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of robotic-advisors in Ghana, focusing on trust, perceived usability, and financial knowledge. Data was collected from 150 respondents through structured questionnaires and analyzed using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. The findings highlight the importance of trust and usability, suggesting that financial institutions should prioritize robust security measures, transparency, and user-friendly designs when introducing a robotic-advisor into the Ghanaian market. The study also notes that financial knowledge's limited impact diverges from results in more dynamic markets like the United States of America, highlighting the unique characteristics of Ghana's financial market. Validity tests confirm the model's reliability, with no significant multicollinearity or heteroscedasticity issues. This research provides valuable insights for promoting robotic-advisor adoption in emerging markets and suggests areas for future research.

Source: Ashesi