ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Entrepreneurial networking, innovation and sustainable growth of small enterprises in Ghana

This study examined the effect of entrepreneurial networking on innovation and sustainable growth of small enterprises in Ghana. The researcher relied on the philosophical foundation of critical realist ontology and the pragmatist paradigm to inform a mixed approach and a cross-sectional survey design for the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 319 small enterprises which were proportionally sampled from the Association of Ghana Industries and Ghana Enterprise Agency. Eight entrepreneurs were purposively sampled and interviewed to generate qualitative responses to triangulate the statistical results. The quantitative data were analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling, while the qualitative data were analysed based on narrative techniques. The study found that small enterprises engage in networking and develop strands of innovations. The findings also established that entrepreneurial networking, manifesting in network isomorphism and network social capital, is a leverage mechanism for small firms to access, use and transform external resources into innovation, which is required for sustainable growth. Network relation and structure, and normative and mimetic isomorphisms constitute tacit assets that facilitate access to valuable external resources. Therefore, small enterprises must embrace high-quality network affiliation with an entrepreneurial orientation that reinforces trustworthiness, reciprocity, and integrity to enhance knowledge exchange and access to unique entrepreneurial opportunities. They must maintain close ties with heterogeneous firms, allowing partners to mimic and replicate successful technologies for sustainable growth. The value of this research is the new theoretical approach “entrepreneurial networking” aimed at resolving the problem of inadequate access to external resources affecting small enterprises.

Source: UCC
Entrepreneurial orientation dimensions and business performance of women entrepreneurs in three Ghanaian cities

Ghanaian women entrepreneurs operating small businesses play a significant role in fostering economic growth and development due to their possession of Entrepreneurial Orientation Dimensions (EODs). Notwithstanding the importance of this area, current conceptualizations of EODs do not adequately consider the association between EODs and business performance of women entrepreneurs. The objective of this research was to .examine the EODs and business performance of women entrepreneurs in three Ghanaian cities (Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi) using Lumpkin and Dess (1996) five EODs model.Questionnaires, interviews and observation were used to collect data from 286 women entrepreneurs from these three cities. Data were analysed with thematic analysis and chi-square test. Four of the five EODs were perceived to be important for business performance. Additionally, ethical orientation was also found to be important for business performance of women entrepreneurs. Marital status, number of children, age and size of business as well as religious beliefs were factors that inform EODs of women entrepreneurs. The study recommended that the realities of women entrepreneurs should be incorporated at the formulation stage of all entrepreneurial related policies. To promote women entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial education should include visits of student to offices of successful women entrepreneurs. Finally, women entrepreneurs’ owning and operating small businesses should incorporate ethical issues into their entrepreneurial activities.

Source: UCC
Entrepreneurial Orientation Dimensions and Business Performance of Women Entrepreneurs in Three Ghanaian Cities

Ghanaian women entrepreneurs operating small businesses play a significant role in fostering economic growth and development due to their possession of Entrepreneurial Orientation Dimensions (EODs). Notwithstanding the importance of this area, current conceptualizations of EODs do not adequately consider the association between EODs and business performance of women entrepreneurs. The objective of this research was to .examine the EODs and business performance of women entrepreneurs in three Ghanaian cities (Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi) using Lumpkin and Dess (1996) five EODs model. Questionnaires, interviews and observation were used to collect data from 286 women entrepreneurs from these three cities. Data were analysed with thematic analysis and chi-square test. Four of the five EODs were perceived to be important for business performance. Additionally, ethical orientation was also found to be important for business performance of women entrepreneurs. Marital status, number of children, age and size of business as well as religious beliefs were factors that inform EODs of women entrepreneurs. The study recommended that the realities of women entrepreneurs should be incorporated at the formulation stage of all entrepreneurial related policies. To promote women entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial education should include visits of student to offices of successful women entrepreneurs. Finally, women entrepreneurs� owning and operating small businesses should incorporate ethical issues into their entrepreneurial activities.R

Source: UCC
ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION, STRATEGIC ORIENTATION AND PERFORMANCE OF SMALL FAMILY FIRMS IN THE KUMASI METROPOLIS

Small family firms form the majority of small enterprises in the Ghanaian economy, however, little is known about the entrepreneurial orientation, strategic orientation and performance of these firms. Using small family firms from the Kumasi Metropolis and employing area sampling, 250 firms were selected for this study. Structural Equation Modeling, utilizing the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach was used to test the hypotheses formulated in the theoretical framework. The results revealed that entrepreneurial orientation is not associated with firm’s performance but positively related to strategic orientation, whilst strategic orientation also influences firm performance positively. In addition, strategic orientation did not moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. It is recommended that, to be able to beat the competition and survive in turbulent environments, small family firms in the Kumasi Metropolis must be proactive and innovative in the management of their businesses.

Source: UCC
Entrepreneurship Development and New Business Start-Ups: Challenges and Prospects for Ghanaian Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurial development in Ghana has come under sharp scrutiny in recent years as a result of the debates that have characterized the role of entrepreneurs to the development of the Ghanaian economy and the challenges militating against the growth and sustainability of entrepreneurs. Existing literature has overlooked the challenges that entrepreneurs face in starting new businesses in Ghana. This paper addressed the scholar gap in the literature within the context of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in diverse industries in Ghana. Using qualitative research approach with selected SMEs as case study, the paper unearths some of the challenges confronting entrepreneurs and the remedial measures to adopt in their operations to remain competitive and relevant in both the local and international markets. Four main themes emerged as the challenges that entrepreneurs face: funding availability and accessibility; lack of planning, skilled labour & proper management skills; lack of competitiveness, technology innovation & customer loyalty; and Legal and regulatory framework and social factors. Based on the outcomes in the findings, the study recommends assistance from stakeholders such as policy makers, financial institutions and the government of Ghana to help formulate new strategies to support entrepreneurship development initiatives and new business start-ups in Ghana.

Source: UCC
Entrepreneurship education in Ghana – the case of the KNUST entrepreneurship clinic

Purpose – Entrepreneurship education thrives on the pillars of experiential education. Using the case of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, the purpose of this paper is to examine the entrepreneurship clinic (EC) as a viable pedagogy for the promotion of experiential education in entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper relies on insider action research to analyse, within Joplin’s five-step model, the case of the EC at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. Findings – The analysis showed that the KNUST clinic comprises five main activities including preparation, orientation, selection and matching, coaching and monitoring and evaluation. In relation to Joplin’s five-step model, the first three stages of the clinic provide focus for the clinic while the remaining two stages – coaching and monitoring and evaluation – entail activities that are geared towards action, support, feedback and debrief. Through the clinic, thousands of tertiary students have been trained in entrepreneurship and new venture creation; some selected participants have been coached while others have had the opportunity to qualify for business incubation. Research limitations/implications – Although the paper discusses some achievements of the clinic in relation to enrolment and fundraising, it does not assess the impact of the clinic on the entrepreneurial competencies, intentions and initiatives of participants, hence, these issues are recommended for future research. Practical implications – The paper demonstrates that it is feasible to implement the EC methodology, irrespective of the cost and time implications that are often associated with experiential educational methodologies. However, support from university management, funding raising from internal and external sources and technical support from industry and government agencies are key to the sustainability of clinics. Originality/value – The paper adds novelty to the entrepreneurship education literature by bringing to the fore how a university in an emerging African economy is implementing and managing the EC pedagogy.

Source: UCC
Entrepreneurship Education on Wholesale? Considerations on Didactics and Pedagogy for Enhanced Graduate Employment in Ghana

The premise of this paper is that entrepreneurship is a vital mechanism for economic development. The question of who should receive entrepreneurship education should, hence, be answered from the perspective of the fundamental development challenge that such education is expected to address. One of such challenges facing Ghana is graduate unemployment. The national economy is increasingly being tainted with jobless growth and graduate unemployment. The paper conceptually explores some of the causes of graduate unemployment in Ghana and presents entrepreneurship education as an important means of dealing with this development challenge. Consequently, it is recommended that Ghana’s education policy makers should intensify the realignment of institutional aspirations and mechanisms in the education sector with those of the national economy, particularly, issues pertaining to job creation and graduate employment.

Source: UCC
Entrepreneurship education: concept, characteristics and implications for teacher education

Entrepreneurship education has the mandate to equip the youth with functional knowledge and skill to build up their character, attitude and vision. It has vital role in developing eco-system that promotes innovation (European Union, 2006).QAA (2012) remarks its importance for providing the base for innovation and creating a value system; and developing entrepreneurial culture, which drives wealth creation and gives further push to innovations. This necessitates pro-active policy interventions in favour of entrepreneurship. Initiating a fruitful discussion on entrepreneurship education, this article tries to conceptualise the phenomenon of entrepreneurship education, starting form genesis of term 'entrepreneur', its definition, nature and new role of teachers and teacher training institutions in fostering young entrepreneurs. The article also tries to facilitate an understanding about 'entrepreneurial teacher and training institution' and emphasizes the active role of teacher as a 'facilitator'. For this new role teachers have to be ready initially by going through rigours of teacher training and by continuing professional development. The paper also deals with the urgency of policy interventions in India in this regard

Source: UCC
Entry Behaviour, Learner Motivation, Self-Regulation And Academic Performance Of First Year Information Communication Technology (Ict) Students: Evidence From Kibi Technical Institute

The study sought to examine the effect of entry behaviour on academic performance of first year ICT students of the Kibi Technical Institute. The study also examined learner motivation and self-regulation as predicting factors that affect elective ICT students’ academic performance. The study was grounded in two theoretical frameworks: theory of motivation and self-regulation. It adopted a positivist paradigm and utilized an explanatory design. Both primary and secondary data were collected. The primary data was collected using a close-ended structured questionnaire. In addition, the study used of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and end-of-term results of the students as the secondary data source. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select a sample of one hundred (100) first-year ICT students. The gathered data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics v26. The findings indicate that entry behaviour and learner motivation had an insignificant influence on the academic performance of first-year ICT students. However, self-regulation emerged as a significant predictor of academic performance in the first model. Additionally, there was a positive but insignificant influence of entry behaviour on learner motivation and entry behaviour had an insignificant effect on self-regulation. The study, therefore, recommends that educational institutions and policy makers incorporate self-regulation training programmes into the curriculum for first-year ICT students. These programmes can provide students with the necessary knowledge, strategies, and techniques to effectively manage their learning process.

Source: UCC
Entry Behaviour, Learner Motivation, Self-Regulation And Academic Performance Of First Year Information Communication Technology (Ict) Students: Evidence From Kibi Technical Institute

The study sought to examine the effect of entry behaviour on academic performance of first year ICT students of the Kibi Technical Institute. The study also examined learner motivation and self-regulation as predicting factors that affect elective ICT students’ academic performance. The study was grounded in two theoretical frameworks: theory of motivation and self-regulation. It adopted a positivist paradigm and utilized an explanatory design. Both primary and secondary data were collected. The primary data was collected using a close-ended structured questionnaire. In addition, the study used of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and end-of-term results of the students as the secondary data source. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select a sample of one hundred (100) first-year ICT students. The gathered data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics v26. The findings indicate that entry behaviour and learner motivation had an insignificant influence on the academic performance of first-year ICT students. However, self-regulation emerged as a significant predictor of academic performance in the first model. Additionally, there was a positive but insignificant influence of entry behaviour on learner motivation and entry behaviour had an insignificant effect on self-regulation. The study, therefore, recommends that educational institutions and policy makers incorporate selfregulation training programmes into the curriculum for first-year ICT students. These programmes can provide students with the necessary knowledge, strategies, and techniques to effectively manage their learning process.

Source: UCC
Entry characteristics, academic achievement and teaching practices: A comparative study of two categories of newly qualified teachers in basic schools in Ghana

Entry qualification, academic achievement, and teaching practices of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) qenrolled into the teacher education programme directly from senior high school (DfSHS) were compared with NQTs enrolled through the Untrained Teacher Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) programme. Survey data collected from 140 NQTs (84 DfSHS and 56 UTDBE) of 20 public schools in central Ghana and lesson observations showed that the two categories of Newly qualified teachers differed greatly in entry grades and academic achievements during training. Differences in teaching practices pertained to content knowledge, classroom interactions, and lesson closure. Implications for pre-service and in-service teaching training are discussed.

Source: UCC
Entry Characteristics, Learning Styles And Academic Performance Of Higher Education Business Students

The study sought to assess the linkage among entry characteristics, academic perfonnance and how learning styles moderate such relationships. Using the quantitative approach, both the descriptive and explanatory study designs were adopted for the study. The population size for the study is 679 final year business students drawn from both University of Cape Coast and Wisconsin University College, from which 382 students were sampled. Data collected for the study was analysed through multiple least squares approach in Adanco. Findings from the study divulged that business students in the selected tertiary institutions in general have a strong affinity to visual leaming styles. The study also showed that the entry characteristics used to select students into tertiary institutions and not the learning style adopted by the student contribute to the overall academic performance of students. In addition, leaming style did neither strengthen nor reduce the association between entry characteristics and academic performance of business students. The study recommends that lecturers should identify the diverse learning styles that students use in their learning and develop content and pedagogical methods that answer the varied needs of the students.

Source: UCC
Environmental and welfare assessment of fossil-fuels subsidies removal: A computable general equilibrium analysis for Ghana

One of the motivations for the removal of subsidies on fossil fuels is that these subsidies lead to the overconsumption of energy, and as a result, undermine environmental quality. Despite the huge opportunities that removal of subsidies on fossil fuels may bring for climate change mitigation, empirical studies for Ghana have failed to appropriately test these links. For this reason, this study employs a multi-region computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to evaluate the welfare and environmental impacts from imported refined oil subsidies removal in Ghana. The simulation experiment shows evidence of welfare losses even if environmental benefits are accounted for. Although the rate of CO2 emissions appears to increase, there is an overall 1.9% improvement in environmental quality due to the removal of fuel subsidies. The results provided in this study imply that the removal of subsidies on energy should be implemented along with policies aimed at stimulating economic activities. In addition, the study has implications for the so-called ‘green paradox’.

Source: UCC
Environmental attitude and knowledge of preservice teachers

This study was carried out to assess preservice teachers' environmental literacy. Two instruments were administered to 160 preservice teachers in four Teacher Training Colleges in the Ashanti Region of Ghana for the purpose of collecting data regarding the IeveIs of: (i) knowledge related to Environmental Education (EE) and (ii) environmental attitude, which measures the degree of preference for. or objection to EE. The sample for the study comprised 17% of the target pop u1at ion. Purposive sampling was used to select the pre service teachers who were involved in the study. Split-half reliability coefficients showing the internal consistencies of the items were 0.75 for Environmental Knowledge Test (EKT), 0.84 for the attitude test and 0.90 for the two scales. The data collected were analysed using both parametric and n o nparametric methods. Specific statistical tools used to test the h y pot he s e s were "X2, ANOVA, Z-test and Fisher-t-test at significance level of 0.05. The findings of the study include the following: 1. Pre service Teachers have positive attitude and substantial environmental knowledge; 2. Female Preservice Teachers possessed not only a hi g h environmental knowledge but also a more positive attitude towards EE than their male counterparts; and 3. Lastly, the study revealed that there was a positive correlation between preservice teachers' environmental attitude and knowledge. In order 10 improve or maintain the standard recommended that. teacher education must respond appropriate course work and models for both preservice teachers.

Source: UCC
Environmental care in Ghana: A moral duty for Ghanaian Christians

Since human beings depend on the natural environment for survival, humans have the moral duty to ensure the sustainable use of the environment. Being part of the human family, Ghanaians have a share in this universal moral duty that involves the particular moral obligation to care for the natural environment within and outside the geographical area of the nation. Similarly, Christians are bound to observe God`s injunction to love their neighbour and care for creation. These notwithstanding, in Ghana, the natural environment is at the mercy of different forms of environmental abuses, thereby undermining the healthy survival of both the present and future generations. This paper challenges Ghanaian Christians to realize and accept that they have a moral duty to care for the environment and also recognize the urgent need to collaborate with the government, and other stakeholders to salvage the environmental crisis in Ghana

Source: UCC
Environmental education and environmentally responsible behavior: the case of international tourists in Accra Hotels

The success of environmental programs in hotels hinges on the environmentally responsible behavior of guests. In spite of this, the hotel guest has remained peripheral to environmental management programs and initiatives in hotels. This paper therefore examines the environmentally responsible behavior of international tourists in hotels in Accra and whether environmental education by the hotels and gender of tourists has any relationship with environmentally responsible behavior. A sample of 343 international tourists was surveyed at major tourist attraction sites in Accra. The results of the study indicates that about three-quarters of respondents were neither informed about the environmental programs being undertaken by their hotels nor educated on environmentally responsible behavior. Also, women reported greater environmentally responsible behavior than men. Hotels in Accra should therefore step up environmental education especially through travel intermediaries and use women as change agents for inculcating environmentally responsible behavior

Source: UCC