ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Desing and production of cloths for Builsa north district dressmakers’ association

This study aimed to design and produce a textile cloth for the dressmakers’ association in the Builsa North District in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Consequently, the study was rooted in the interpretive qualitative research approach, which entombed arts-based research design to interview, observe, produce and interact with twenty participants to evaluate the methodological preference. The research delved deeply into the knowledge of dressmakers in the Builsa North District, designed and produced a textile cloth for the association. The study revealed that the dressmakers employed thumbnail sketches, designed their motifs with Corel Draw application software before producing their fabric. Also, it showed that the design process involved idea development, thumbnail sketches, motif development and pattern arrangement. The pattern arrangement employed the full drop repeat and side repeat pattern arrangements. The study highlighted that the production stage included screen developing, fabric dyeing and printing on the fabric. The study employed mesh, squeegee, printing paste, photo emulsion, stencil, fabric, screen, stapler and kerosene as some of the tools and materials in the production of the textile cloth for the association. Judgment sample, or Expert sample, is a type of non-random sample that is selected based on the opinion of an expert. Results obtained from a judgment sample are subject to some degree of bias, due to the frame and population not being identical. The frame is a list of all the units, items, people, etc., that define the population to be studied. Judgement sampling is the noble to provide detailed information about the difficulties in obtaining the distinction. A random sample would provide less bias, but potentially less raw information. The downfalls of this system are significant as any non-random sample brings bias into question, which limits the University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh xv types of statistical analyses that you may reasonably perform, and there are considerable limits to an expert. Similar studies should be conducted on the design and production techniques of other dressmakers’ associations in different geographical locations to understand their design and production process as the study recommended. A manageable sample size of twenty (20) individual was used in the study, five (5) Sandema, Wiaga, Chuchliga, Siniensi and Fiisa

Source: UEW
Determinants of basic school pupils’ low performance in English composition-the case of Agona east district

The purpose of this study was to establish the determinants of basic school pupils’ low performance in English composition in Junior High Schools within the Agona East District. The objectives were to identify the factors contributing to low academic performance of the pupils in English composition, to examine how these factors contributes to low academic performance of the pupils in English composition, to examine teachers’ instructional strategies and their effect on the pupils’ poor performance in English Composition and to evaluate pupils’ attitude towards English composition and their effect on their low academic performance in the subject. The study made use of the mixed method research approach comprising both quantitative and qualitative approaches to find answers to the research questions. The target population was made up of all head teachers, English language teachers and pupils of basic schools in the Agona East District of Central Region of Ghana. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 120 respondents for the study. Both primary and secondary sources of data were used. Semi structured sets of questionnaires and interview guide where appropriate, were used to elicit responses from the respondents. The research found that pupils’ performance is affected by different factors such as family background, learning environment and pupils’ role in the learning process. Pupils’ perceptions and teachers’ teaching strategies were also identified to be a major contributing factor to pupils’ downslope academic performance in English composition. It was recommended that more textbooks should be procured especially in English composition to enable pupils get access to reading material and possibly enable them borrow them to study at home. Teachers should also be encouraged to vary their teaching strategies with greater motivation.

Source: UEW
Determinants of career aspiration of senior high school students in the Tema Metropolis

The purpose of the study was to examine some of the determinants of career aspiration of Senior High school students in the Tema Metropolis. The study explored the career aspirations of participants, the relationship between career aspirations and academic performance, and the effect of socioeconomic status, and family up-bring on career aspirations of senior high school students. The study adopted the explanatory sequential mixed method design. Stratified random sampling was used to sample 300 participants for the quantitative phase whilst purposive sampling was used to sample 12 participants from the 300 for the qualitative phase of the data collection. Questionnaire and semi structured interviews were used in data collection. Quantitative data was analysed using frequencies, percentages and correlation. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic approach. It emerged from the study that participants aspired for careers in accountancy, administration, artistic tasks, businessman, civil service, information communication technologist, economics, engineering, factory worker, farmer, historian, medicine and the like. The interview data confirmed these as the aspired careers of participants. Career aspirations of the participants were formed during childhood and crystallised into actual specific careers over time. There was an effect of socioeconomic status on participant’s career aspiration. The data indicated that participants were from diverse economical background with at least five siblings. There were some effects of family up-bring on the career aspirations of the participants. Family up-bring elements like family traditions and cultural beliefs, rewarding individual achievements, religion, values, beliefs and norms affected the participants career aspiration. There was a significant negative correlation between career aspiration and academic achievement. The data also revealed that the academic performance of a student influenced the aspired career. The Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Tema Educational Directorate and the head teachers of the sampled schools should organize career guidance and outreach programmes for their students on the various career types, entry requirement/qualifications and available institutions

Source: UEW
Determinants of choice of cane furniture as household commodity among the elites

This study evaluated the choice of people with higher level of formal education on cane furniture in Southern Ghana to provide information that could guide decisions of manufacturers and marketers of furniture. Data were collected using structured questionnaires administered on 712 selected respondents between June and August, 2013. The respondents were chosen from educated people with highest qualification ranging from HND to PhD levels. The questionnaire structured with rating scale of importance, excellent to poor ranking and strongly agreed to strongly disagreed statements on issues concerning factors that determine the choice of furniture in general and cane furniture to be specific. The results indicate that about 93% of the respondents considered the durability of the furniture material as paramount factor before they purchase it. But in terms of cane furniture, respondents ranked naturalness of the material first, secondly by attractiveness before durability as third among other factors. Kendal's coefficient of concordance indicated significant differences in the factors that determine the choice of cane furniture. The significance of the attributes that determine the choice of cane furniture varied according to the gender, age, highest education, programme of study and net salary level. The results support recommendation of adding value to and promotion of non-timber forest products and lesser known furniture materials. � 2014, CESER Publications.

Source: UEW
Determinants of customer satisfaction on return intention a study of selected restaurants in New Juaben Municipality, Koforidua

There is empirical evidence to the fact that the service quality of restaurants in general, and particularly in Ghana need improvement. There have not been studies that delve into the relationship that exist between the satisfaction of customers and their decision to return to restaurants in Ghana. The study sought to investigate the determinants of customer satisfaction on the intention to return in selected restaurants within the New Juaben Municipality. This study employed a mixedmethod analysis. The first part of the study consisted of the use of a well-structured questionnaire. The second part employed a semi-structured interview with key managerial staff in the selected restaurants. Out of the 172 survey questionnaires distributed to customers of the various selected restaurants, 160 were returned and qualified as valid for analysis. Subsequently, the study delved into the Qualitative aspect which comprised of 5 interviews sourced from the managers of the various restaurants to validate the findings of the Qualitative study. The highest ranked drivers to customer satisfaction were: hygiene; perceived restaurant image; menupricing; well-cooked food; and professionalism. Furthermore, the highest ranked barriers to achieving customer satisfaction were determined as: highly priced meals; rude waiting staff; poor seating arrangement and ambience; slow service responsiveness; and low social status. Respondents strongly believed that the degree of customer satisfaction received impacted to a high extent the intention to return to the restaurant. It was thus recommended that there should be increased focus on hygiene within restaurants as it is seen as the highest impacting driver for customer satisfaction within the selected restaurants. Also, key attention should be paid to feedback from clients should be incorporated in the service and operation of the restaurant. Key values from the results of the study indicated that there is the need to focus on the hygiene, restaurant image, menu prices and the professionalism of waiting staff if owners want to increase customer satisfaction. The study also revealed that highly priced meals, rude waiting staff as well as slow service in restaurants prevented customers from being satisfied and thus becoming loyal customers. It is important for owners to take note of these. The study attested that indeed there is a strong link between the satisfaction of customers and their intention to return and become loyal.

Source: UEW
Determinants of customer satisfaction on return intention a study of selected restaurants in New Juaben Municipality, Koforidua

There is empirical evidence to the fact that the service quality of restaurants in general, and particularly in Ghana need improvement. There have not been studies that delve into the relationship that exist between the satisfaction of customers and their decision to return to restaurants in Ghana. The study sought to investigate the determinants of customer satisfaction on the intention to return in selected restaurants within the New Juaben Municipality. This study employed a mixed method analysis. The first part of the study consisted of the use of a well-structured questionnaire. The second part employed a semi-structured interview with key managerial staff in the selected restaurants. Out of the 172 survey questionnaires distributed to customers of the various selected restaurants, 160 were returned and qualified as valid for analysis. Subsequently, the study delved into the Qualitative aspect which comprised of 5 interviews sourced from the managers of the various restaurants to validate the findings of the Qualitative study. The highest ranked drivers to customer satisfaction were: hygiene; perceived restaurant image; menu pricing; well-cooked food; and professionalism. Furthermore, the highest ranked barriers to achieving customer satisfaction were determined as: highly priced meals; rude waiting staff; poor seating arrangement and ambience; slow service responsiveness; and low social status. Respondents strongly believed that the degree of customer satisfaction received impacted to a high extent the intention to return to the restaurant. It was thus recommended that there should be increased focus on hygiene within restaurants as it is seen as the highest impacting driver for customer satisfaction within the selected restaurants. Also, key attention should be paid to feedback from clients should be incorporated in the service and operation of the restaurant. Key values from the results of the study indicated that there is the need University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh xii to focus on the hygiene, restaurant image, menu prices and the professionalism of waiting staff if owners want to increase customer satisfaction. The study also revealed that highly priced meals, rude waiting staff as well as slow service in restaurants prevented customers from being satisfied and thus becoming loyal customers. It is important for owners to take note of these. The study attested that indeed there is a strong link between the satisfaction of customers and their intention to return and become loyal.

Source: UEW
Determinants of financial inclusion in the Effutu Municipality

In spite of plethora of evidence endorsing the significance of financial sector development which includes capital markets and the banking sector in the developing economies, usage of financial services is skewed towards the rich individuals and those who are already better off, neglecting the poor and those who are in the remote areas. Using the Ghana Living Standard Survey Round Six (6) data, focused on four main research objectives. This study adopted the descriptive and exploratory research design and the estimation of data using the probit model, the study revealed that religious affiliation, educational level, age, marital status, sex and hours worked significantly influence the likelihood of owning bank account in Ghana. The study revealed that majority of the respondents that were excluded from the banking sector were as a result of poverty or financial difficulties and less than 2 percent are involuntarily excluded from formal banking services. The findings again showed that majority of the respondents applied for loans for business, followed by consumption, education and agricultural activities. Lastly, majority of the respondents were refused loans because they were unable to provide collateral security, followed by inability to get a guarantor, low salary and inappropriate purpose of loans. The researcher recommend that, Ghanaian authorities should promote the ownership of formal bank account by dismantling challenges associated with gender, education and income level. Also, policy makers should formulate policies that can transform the economy to boost production and improve income level of its citizens. Management of bank institutions should from time to time promote community education in order to provide the necessary information to individual household in order to broaden the knowledge and understanding of individual related to their operations.

Source: UEW
Determinants of food inflation in Ghana

Studies on drivers of inflation have mostly concentrated on determinants of general inflation with drivers of food inflation less explored in the inflation literature and generally non-existent in the Ghanaian perspective which leaves lacuna in literature and incite research. The purpose of this study is in threefold: (i) to investigate the determinant of food inflation, (ii) to examine the association between the determinant of food inflation and inflation, and (iii) to examine the non-linear effect of the determinant of food inflation in Ghana. Secondary time series data from the World Bank from 2000 to 2021 was used. Toda and Yamamoto causality test, bound testing to cointegration, autoregressive distributed lag through the error correction model were employed as the data analysis technique. Results revealed that crude oil price, exchange rate and domestic food supply are the drivers of food inflation in Ghana. Again, there is a positive relationship between crude oil price and food inflation in the long and short run. Conversely, there is a statistically significant inverse association between both exchange rate, domestic food supply and food inflation in both runs. Findings revealed that exponential movement in crude oil price has a significant positive effect on food inflation. Notwithstanding, there is a significant negative effect of non-linear movement in exchange rate and domestic food supply on food inflation. The findings bring new insight to the discourse on inflation. The study implores the government to pursue policies that would strengthen the cedi, resources and farmers through the planting for food and jobs policy.

Source: UEW
Determinants of girls' participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in public senior high schools in the Hohoe Municipality

Global statistics show that women are outnumbered by men in STEM activities, which has been the case for many centuries. More women than men drop out of science fields during studies or careers. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to examine the factors that influence students’ choice of STEM programs in the Hohoe Municipality. The study is quantitative, and the descriptive survey design was employed. A random sampling technique was used to select STEM students for the study. Factor analysis was conducted to ascertain the factors influencing students’ choice of STEM courses. Teachers’ attitude towards girls in STEM programs is related to STEM-related courses. Home-related and role model-related factors are determinants of STEM courses choice in the Hohoe Municipality. The study recommends that the government of Ghana should organise STEM clinics in selected districts in Ghana to sensitise girls to various STEM-related careers that girls can pursue (e.g. teaching, medicine, laboratory work, or telecommunications engineering). STEM clinics have a strong potential for increasing girls’ interest in science. This will help girls have a unique opportunity to interact with young female scientists and learn from the wide range of opportunities offered by studying STEM subjects

Source: UEW
Determinants of project team performance in road sector projects in Ghana perspectives of road construction consultant

Increasingly, project teams in the road construction industry are usually established as soon as a new project start. This is done to meet today’s competition and customer expectations. A project is said to be successful when it meets all the project objectives; time, cost, quality, environmental considerations, and health and safety. The study aimed to assess the determinants of road sector project teams performance in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions of Ghana. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and quantitative research methods using survey questionnaires. One hundred and fifteen (115) questionnaires were deployed to the construction consultants currently working on projects and recently finished projects and fifty–seven (57) valid questionnaires were retrieved and analysed. Relative Importance Index and factor analysis were used as tools to analyse the data. This study found that the effective execution of the six characteristics of project team performance (leadership style management, leader comfortability, effective planning, gender difference, project quality assurance, and final product satisfaction) has an impact on project performance. The study also obtained six strategies to improve road project team performance in Ghana, these were; the high motivation of team members, high-quality supervision, the firm establishment of member’s roles at the initiation stage, team determination to accomplish a project on time, encouragement of high performance and quality work, and team/individual workload. The study concluded that every effective road project team must inherit all six project team performance characteristics. Implementation of the six important strategies in a road project team enhances effective team members' performance on current and future projects was also a conclusion of the study. For a successful road project, the project team must be characterised by ‘effective leadership style management and comfortability, effective planning, gender difference management, project quality assurance, and final product satisfaction. Clients and consultants in the Road Sector and the Construction Industry must ensure that project team members are highly motivated and are supervised to enhance team performance.

Source: UEW
Determinants of pupils’ academic performance in the Effutu municipality Ghana_ implications for counselling

This multivariate study examines the relationships among parental status, parental level of education, class size, location of school parental involvement, teacher effectiveness, academic motivation and academic self-concept on pupils’ academic performance. The research design for the study was a sequential explanatory with mixed methods approach. Stratified, simple random and purposive samplings were used to sample 324 pupils from the population for both quantitative and qualitative phases. A cross sectional survey was first conducted to gather quantitative data on the respondents (n=315). In the follow-up qualitative phase, it was undertaken with nine (9) pupils. The instruments employed for data collection were closed ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, bivariate and partial correlations, multiple regression, chi-square and multiple logistics regression analyses. The qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. The findings of the study established that, parental involvement and teacher effectiveness related significantly to pupils’ academic performance. The study also found that parental involvement, teacher effectiveness, academic motivation and academic self-concept contributed significantly to pupils’ academic performance. Again, pupil’s academic motivation significantly increases high academic performance and was statistically significant as its p-value (0.000) less than 0.05 significance level. It was also found that appraisal, information and consultation services improve pupils’ academic performance. From the findings, it is recommended that parents, teachers, counsellors and the Ministry of Education work together to support pupil’s academic endeavour irrespective of their parental status, parental level of education, class size and location of school. Also, pupils should be academically motivated by parents, teachers, counsellors and pupils’ themselves to study on their own to become personally responsible for their success in future.

Source: UEW