ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Influence of Processing Methods on the Glycaemic Index of Cassava-Based Traditional Foods

Processing operations affect starch hydrolysis, digestibility, absorption and glycaemic index (GI) of food. Although some studies have reported on the effect of boiling, frying, roasting and baking on glycaemic index of traditional staples. There is limited information on the contribution of drying, fermentation, boiling and steaming on starch bioavailability and glycaemic index. This research work aimed at determining the effect of fermentation, steaming, boiling and drying on starch bioavailability and predicted GI of some cassava-based traditional foods consumed in Ghana. The total starch, amylose, amylopectin, dietary fibre and predicted glycaemic index of the intermediate and finished products were determined according to standard protocols. This research has revealed the predicted GI of cassava (47.75%), ampesi (77.30%), akyeke (79.05%), cooked kokonte with sun dried flour (40.20%) and cooked kokonte with solar dried flour (61.11%). The dietary fibre content of Capevars bankye flour was found to be 1.631% and 1.214% for sun and solar drying processes respectively. The analysis established that steaming and boiling increase GI of foods, fermentation has no significant influence on predicted GI of fermented steamed products, and drying has no substantial effect on predicted GI of cassava flour. However, staples or products prepared from solar dried cassava flour would have higher predicted GIs than those of sun dried cassava flour. This work has also provided evidence in support of the fact that starch, amylose, amylopectin and dietary fibre content of a food affect the glycaemic index of the food.

Source: KNUST
The influence of physical disability on the livelihoods of the disabled persons and their families in the Techiman South Municipality-brong ahafo region of Ghana

Livelihoods can help individuals and their families to secure the necessities of life and improve their economic and social situations. It is therefore imperative to support disabled persons and their families through community- based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes and other livelihoods components to reduce the effects of the disability. To reduce the influence of the disability on the disabled persons and their families, it is essential to provide the needed mechanisms to promote the livelihoods of physically disabled person and their family members. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of physical disability on the livelihoods of disabled persons and their families at Techiman South Municipality in Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. The study aims to identify how physically disabled persons and their family members manage the influence of the disability on their livelihoods and also examine mechanisms needed to promote the livelihoods of physically disabled persons. This study adopted the qualitative research methods and was limited to the Techiman South Municipality as a case study. The researcher adopted the non-probability sampling procedure, that is, purposive sampling, in the data collection. The study focused on physically disabled persons and their family members as participants. The instrument used was interview schedules. The data was obtained by interviewing 9 physically disabled persons and 9 family members, one each from a disabled person’s family. The data were analyzed directly by performing thematic analysis. The study concluded that, physical disability adversely affects physically disabled persons and their family members’ livelihoods. The major impacts on the disabled persons were low income level, limitation on employment opportunities, lack of career development, and lack of access to credit and effects on personal well-being. Also, the influence on family members such as financial challenges and emotional stress were also identified as a major problem. Another key finding from the study was that, both the physically disabled persons and their family members developed coping mechanisms to handle the effects on their livelihoods. Physically disabled persons adopted financial management and membership of Disabled Persons’ Organizations as mechanisms to manage the influence on their livelihoods while, financial management, savings and collective effort of family members were used by family members to mitigate livelihoods challenges on their livelihoods. In view of these findings, there is the need to develop mechanisms to promote the livelihoods of physically disabled persons. Likewise, family members of disabled persons of working age should be assisted and encouraged to develop skills and start or return to work to generate income to reduce financial burden.

Source: KNUST
The influence of procurement systems on constuction project team’s communication management in Ashanti Region

Construction covers several areas of specialization, and different procurement systems required construction project team members to communicate well for the successful execution of projects. Poor or lack of communication among project team members under these procurement systems causes conflict among the team members. The study was carried out to seek how procurement systems influence communication management among the project team. Therefore what is the impact of procurement systems on the communication management? This study was to determine the influence of selected procurement systems on communication management among project team members. This can be achieved through determination of the critical communication roles performed by the project team under the two procurement systems and to determine the challenges to the performance of the roles identified under each of the procurement systems. This study took the form of literature review and survey using questionnaire approach. Data collected from 22 selected project team members, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Land Surveyors were analyzed using Descriptive statistics. The result showed that the procurement systems have some influence on communication management among the project team members. A key recommendation from the study was that communication channels must be well defined when procuring under the various systems especially for Design & Build which is the system normally adopted when time is the most important requirement.

Source: KNUST
Influence of project monitoring and evaluation on performance of district development fund. (A case study of Wassa East District Assembly Daboase)

The aim of the study was to examine the effect project monitoring and evaluation on performance of District Development Fund. With this aim, three (3) objectives were set, which were to identify effective monitoring and evaluation practices. To determine the challenges of effective monitoring and evaluation practices implementation and to assess the effect of monitoring and evaluation practices on the performance. The study adopted a quantitative research technique and a structured questionnaire and administered to 110 respondents. The data were analyzed using mean score ranking. The findings of the study established that Monitoring and evaluation is facing challenges such as Planning and performance monitoring in government predominantly characterized by a silo approach, Planning and performance monitoring in government resulted in a situation where planning, budgeting, reporting, monitoring and evaluation functions are done by different sections of institutions in isolation of each other and also lack of accountability, particularly for monitoring and reporting on performance information, unrealistic target setting and poor quality of performance information. Finally, on the effect of Effective Monitoring and Evaluation on project performance, the findings of the study established that Effective Monitoring and Evaluation has a positive and significant effect on project performance. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that, Organizations that assigned staff of technical expertise in monitoring and evaluation will end up achieving good project performance than those that will assign staff who are not technical expertise to monitor and evaluate a project. It is therefore very imperative for organizations to assign their staff of technical expertise to monitor and evaluate their project.

Source: KNUST
The influence of procurement systems on project team performance in Ashanti Region of Ghana

In recent times clients have increasingly demanded for “better value for money” from their projects in term of cost, quality and time. An attempt by the construction industry to provide better deal to its clients has been through innovative or “fast-tracking” project procurement systems. However, unique project procurement systems present unique methods, processes and procedures of construction of projects for the client. These different systems also prescribe the variation of the organizational structure of the project team in term of role, responsibility and authority. So how do the different procurement systems affect the performance of the project team considering that the method, process, procedure and organization vary according to the systems? The aim of this research was to determine the influence of procurement systems on the performance of project teams in Ashanti Region of Ghana. In order to achieve the aim, two objectives were set which include: determination of critical roles performed by project team under Traditional and Design & Build procurement systems and determination of impact of the two procurement systems on the performance of the identified roles. This research took the form of literature review and survey using questionnaire approach. Responses to the questionnaire sent to project team members (Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Land Surveyors) were collected, collated and analyzed. From the literature review and the analysis of the survey results, five findings were made as follows. Firstly, the critical roles of building project team do not vary under Traditional and Design & Build procurement systems. Secondly, the levels of importance attached to the identified key roles vary with the two systems. Thirdly, leadership role with regards to project team members changes under the two procurement systems. Fourthly, the two procurement systems have different levels of effectiveness of performance roles of project team. And lastly, procurement systems influence performance level of construction project team members. Based on these results, it was recommended that key roles and responsibilities of the construction team members (i.e. Architects, Quantity Surveyors Engineers and Surveyors) should be clearly defined under each building procurement systems. Also, in any building project, before selecting a particular procurement system, the performance indicators (in terms of cost, quality and time) should be set.

Source: KNUST
Influence of recycled waste high density polyethylene plastic aggregate on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of concrete

Utilisation of waste plastic materials as aggregates in concrete manufacturing is a partial solution to the environmental and ecological challenges associated with the use of plastics. The aim of this research is to reduce environmental pollution by using waste HDPE as a partial replacement of coarse aggregate in concrete. This study examines some mechanical and chemical effect of using waste High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) as a partial replacement for coarse aggregate in concrete at various plastic compositions (0%, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% by weight of the coarse aggregate). The cleaned plastics were cut into flakes and then incorporated into the concrete. Particle size distribution (PSD) test was conducted on the aggregates and specific gravity test was also conducted for the plastic aggregates. The workability of the fresh concrete both for the control and concrete with plastic aggregates were determined using the slump cone test. Cube and prismatic beams of the samples were used to determine the compressive strength and flexural strength test of hardened concrete. The effect of water on the hardened properties was also determined for the various compositions. Finally, the effect of HNO3 and H2SO4 on the compressive strength of the composite and the masses of the various compositions were also determined. The workability of the fresh concrete was found to decrease with increasing plastic content. From the results obtained it was revealed that the compressive strength for the normal concrete is higher than that of plastic concrete and the compressive strength of the concrete also decreases appreciably with increase in the plastic content. The 28 th day flexural strength decrease marginally with increase in plastic content in the concrete. It was revealed from the acidic test that HNO3 virtually had no effect on the strength properties of the concrete whereas H2S04 had a deleterious effect on the concrete sample after 28 days of immersion. The mass of water absorbed by the concrete samples increased also with the increasing plastic content.

Source: KNUST
Influence of rates and time of Npk fertilizer application on cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

The influence of rate and time of NPK fertilizer application on cassava were studied at the research field of CSIR-Crops Research Institutes (CRI) at Fumesua, Kumasi. The experimental design employed was a 4 x 3 factorial experiment with 3 replications. The two factors studied were rate of NPK (15 – 15 – 15) fertilizer and the levels were 0, 200, 400 and 800kg/ha. The second factor was time of fertilizer application which were: 8, 16 and 24 WAP. The treatments were arranged in Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD). The variety studied was Ampong, an improved cassava variety from the Crops Research Institute. The results shown that, all the fertilizer treatments resulted in greater growth, measured on plant height and canopy spread. Again, fertilizer treatments resulted in greater number of roots/plant ranging from 4.33 to 6.50 with the 400kg/ha recording the greatest which was significant (P<0.05) to the control only. Similarly, fertilizer application improved yield ranging from 23.0 to 36.0 t/ha and the highest yield obtained by the 400kg/ha treatment which was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the control. In addition, fertilizer application did not affect (P>0.05) root quality factors including tuber shelf life at 7 days after harvesting. Finally, time of fertilizer application did not affect (P>0.05) cassava growth, yield and other parameters studied. Among the fertilizer rates, the 400kg/ha gave the best growth and root yield. Indeed, there appeared to be negative effects of fertilizer beyond this rate. The most profitable treatment was the 400kg/ha and that, if farmers would apply fertilizer, it will enhance growth, root yield and income levels of farmers.

Source: KNUST
Influence of religious values on stakeholder management: The Islamic religious perspective

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a direct link with the concept of stakeholders. Stakeholders consist of people or individual who are affected or can affect the organisation’s achievement and objectives. Again, stakeholders are crucial in project implementation success in the organization and are involved regularly in the organisation’s functioning and that they raise organisation’s interdependence as well as its environment. The present study identify the challenges introduced by religious values in stakeholder management in the construction industry and also finds out strategies for managing challenges from religious values in stakeholder management choosing Asokore Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana as the case study. The issues the study focused on challenges introduced by religious values in managing stakeholders and strategies for managing challenges introduced by religious values in stakeholder management. The study used eighty (80) Muslims in Asokore Mampong. The instrument for the data collection was developed by the researcher, preceded by a pilot study. The pilot study was initially conducted in a similar Muslim community to ascertain its validity and reliability. The data for the study was basically from primary source in that qualitative research questions followed by closed-ended questionnaire were designed. The qualitative questions (8) sought to know how Muslims see religious values and their deep understanding of stakeholder. The quantitative questions were then designed based on the answers given during the qualitative study. The data generated was analyzed using the mean score ranking Descriptive statistics was used to test the data. The study concluded that the culture challenges emanating from religious values greatly affect stakeholder management. Further, it was concluded that communications challenges affect management of stakeholders and that the strategies to managing the challenges are project managers accommodate environmental factors, project managers consider stakeholders need, and project managers consider personal experience and aspirations and project managers include capacity building. It is therefore recommended that programme and or project implementers use their project management skills solve practical cultural and communication challenges

Source: KNUST
The Influence of Sales Promotion on Consumer Buying Behaviour in the Telecom Industry; the Case of Vodafone Ghana.

The deregulation of the Ghanaian telecom sector in 1994 has led to the increase in the number of telecom firms in the country which render identical services. The ever increasing competition in the industry has prompted telecom firms to be determined and ensure satisfaction of customer needs and wants more effectively than their competitors. In other for these telecom firms to succeed in this ever increasing competitive market, they employ a lot of different promotional tools to attract and retain their customers. One of the most commonly used promotional tools is sales promotion which provides incentives to customers or to the distributor channel to stimulate demand for a product. This study is aimed at assessing the role sales promotion play in influencing the consumer buying behaviour of telecom consumers. A non-probability sampling technique was used for the study and the sample was selected from a population of telecom service users resident in the Tema Metropolis. A five point Likert scale questionnaire was used in acquiring the respondent’s information. The questionnaires were analysed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. The study indicated significant influence of sales promotion on consumer buying behaviour. The research consequently recommended that, telecom service providers need to undertake regularly sales promotion activities to ensure constant influence on their patrons.

Source: KNUST
Influence of seasonal variation on reported filarial attacks among people living with lymphedema in Ghana

Background: Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematode parasites that can lead to the disfiguring swelling of the limbs (lymphedema or elephantiasis for late stage) and/or genitalia (hydrocele) in men. Growing evidence suggests that not only are filarial lymphedema patients confronted with huge societal stigma and discrimination, but also experience acute filarial attacks accompanied by swelling of the affected part(s), fever, wounds and peeling of the skin of affected limbs(s). However, the extent to which seasonal variation influence filarial attacks among people with lymphedema was highly speculated without empirical evidence and was thus investigated. Methods: In light of this, a cross-sectional study where 142 (70.4% females and 29.6% males) lymphedema patients were recruited from 8 established Wuchereria bancrofti endemic communities in the Ahanta West District, Ghana was carried out to investigate the prevalence and seasonal variation (rainy/wet and dry seasons) of acute filarial attacks. Chi-square test was used to test for association between frequency of attacks and seasonality. The STROBE guidelines for reporting cross-sectional studies was adopted. Results: The average lymphedema leg stage was 2.37 and 2.33 for left and right legs, respectively, while mossy lesions, sores and ulcers were observed among 33.1% of patients with late stage disease (elephantiasis). It was found that 97 (68.3%) of the study participants experience filarial attacks during the wet season and 36 (25.4%) reported the incidence of filarial attacks during both seasons (wet and dry) while 9 (6.3%) of the study participants did not experience any attack at all. Conclusions: Findings from the present study show compelling evidence that the frequency and the prevalence of filarial attacks is significantly increased during wet seasons compared to the dry season.

Source: KNUST
The influence of strategic management on the performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Ghana (A case study of selected SME’s in the Kumasi Metropolis)

The important role of SME’s in the development of a country’s economy cannot be overemphasized. SME’s have been identified to have the largest percentage of registered companies in Ghana and contribute significantly to GDP. Previous research has also found that the use of strategic management as a management tool in smaller businesses, such as SME's, is being neglected by the managers/owners of SME's as they do not have adequate managerial experience in the functional business areas and these factors have been assumed to lead to the gradual declines in most SME’s. The implementation of strategic management practises has yielded considerable results for large companies and businesses in terms of profitability. This research aimed at identifying the extent to which SME’s practice long term formal planning in their businesses to enhance their financial performance and business sustainability. The target for the research was on selected SME’s in the Kumasi metropolis. Quota and convenience sampling techniques were used to select the 178 respondents. Predictive Analytical Software was used to analyse the responses received. Strategic management was identified as important for successful business performance; however the adoption of strategic management in business operations wasn’t identified as a precondition for improved financial performance. Furthermore the study also revealed a causality relationship running from written strategic plan to effective implementation in businesses. The study recommended that strategic planning activities shouldn’t be separated from management of the business operations. Owners-managers should show commitment to strategic plans designed since it is not only enough to have a strategic plan without committing to it. This would go a long way to guarantee a positive impact of strategic planning on the performance of Small and Medium scale Enterprises.

Source: KNUST
The Influence of Temperature and Relative Humidity on Indoor Ozone Concentrations during the Harmattan

A study to understand the influence of temperature and relative humidity on indoor ozone levels during the Harmattan season over Kotei, a suburb of Kumasi in Ghana has been carried out. The hourly-maximum and average ozone concentrations were measured using the A-22 Eco sensor. A strong diurnal variation of ozone levels within 0.004 and 0.229 ppm for the measurement period was observed. Ozone levels were found to be slightly above the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended ambient air quality ozone concentration. A strong correlation coefficient of 0.75 and -0.63 for ozone was found with temperature and relative humidity respectively. This indicates that in addition to particulate matter, high ozone levels could contribute to respiratory health problems during the Harmattan season.

Source: KNUST