ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Cultural and Geographical Influences on Underweight Prevalence among Preschoolers in Ghana

Underweight prevalence among preschool children in Africa has been studied, but the effects of culture and geography remain unclear. This study used the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data for 2244 children aged 0-59 months and generalized linear mixed models to analyze these data. The results showed that culture and geography remained significantly associated with preschool underweight prevalence after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of children, mothers, and households. Additionally, the gender of a child, size at birth, fever status, mother's BMI, insurance coverage and number of children <5 years in the household were significantly associated with underweight prevalence in Ghana. The study concluded that in addition to specific characteristics of children, mothers, and households, culturally motivated childhood dietary restrictions among the Ga/Dangme and Ewe could be reduced through appropriately targeted nutritional messages. Additionally, decreasing North-South disparities in socioeconomic development, and improving nutritional outcomes among disadvantaged households in southern Ghana should be the focus of policies and strategies directed at reducing preschool underweight prevalence in Ghana. Copyright © 2017 by the American Geographical Society of New York

Source: UG
Cultural and psychological variables predicting academic dishonesty: a cross-sectional study in nine countries

Academic dishonesty has serious consequences for human lives, social values, and economy. The main aim of the study was to explore a model of relations between personal and cultural variables and academic dishonesty. The participants in the study were N = 2,586 individuals from nine countries (Pakistan, Israel, Italy, India, the USA, Peru, Romania, Ghana, and Poland). The authors administered the Academic Dishonesty Scale to measure academic dishonesty, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale to measure distress, the Almost Perfect Scale – Revised to measure perfectionism, the Brief Self-Control Scale to measure self-control, and the Singelis Scale to measure independent self-construal. The results showed that the theoretical model was well fitted to the dataset in six countries: Pakistan, the United States, Romania, Ghana, Israel, and Poland. However, it was not well fitted in Italy, India, and Peru. Our results also showed that perfectionism significantly predicted academic dishonesty, but not in all countries. Self-control significantly predicted cheating, falsification, and plagiarism in the USA. Moreover, we found that distress was related to cheating only in Ghana. Finally, independent self-construal predicted academic dishonesty. Our findings provide a cross-cultural contribution to the debate on academic dishonesty by highlighting its significant predictors and may inform interventions aimed at eliminating it. Our results can be used in preventing and curbing academic dishonesty. Knowledge on cross-cultural differences can be useful in international education for example, as an indicator accepting or relaxing attitude toward academic dishonesty in students from different countries.

Source: UG
The Cultural Approach to the Management of the International Human Resource: An Analysis of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

The subject of culture has gained much prominence and attention in the management of international human resource. This paper examines the issues of culture, both national and organisational, reviews and discusses relevant literature and draws conclusions based on the issues at hand. The discussion of this paper is based on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. The findings of this paper revealed that elements contained in national cultures can transcend into organizational concerns. Moreover, not only are national cultures the main determinants of the success or failure of multinational businesses, but also organisational cultures. The paper advances that in dealing with matters of culture in the international domain, the point in question is how these cultural issues are managed and not the mere existence of the same that determines the success or failures of organisations.

Source: UG
Cultural aspects of constraints on village education by radio

Radio, in its linear one-way communication mode, is not an effective medium for rural mass education in Ghana. Ansah (1979,1985) described the causes of its in effectiveness as political, economical and social. This Article asserts that constrains on rural Ghanaian radio education broadcasting are largely cultural. The assertion is founded on views from clinical literature which hold that ‘language or culture can impede communication (stover,1984:7) on empirical data obtained through in situ observations of the structure and process of the Ghanaian broadcasting system, and on conversations with villagers and educators. The evidence gathered showed that cultural elements impeded radio -based education . As a result, this article proposes the exploration of the network of indigenous village communication systems, found to be the linchpin for intra-village communication as potential educational channels by the country’s rural educators. In arriving at this proposition, the modernization approach to radio-based village education which dominated the schemes examined is reconsidered

Source: UG
Cultural dimension and adaptation to floods in a coastal settlement and a savannah community in Ghana

Although there have been a lot of studies on climate change adaptation, the cultural dimension has generally been left out of the debate. This study uses household surveys and focus group discussion to methodically assess cultural dimensions (using Hofstede) of communities, and how these dimensions influence preference for adaptation options to floods in a coastal settlement (James Town) and a savannah community (Dungu) in Ghana. The results show that first, inequalities in rank and traditional hierarchical governance structures in Dungu are relatively lower than in James Town, second, that there is considerable gender bias in favour of males in Dungu, third, there is high level of avoidance of unstructured and unpredictable situations in both communities, fourth, members in both communities are at present very willing to sacrifice their time and resources in order to achieve a better life in the future, and fifth, community members in Dungu perceive themselves as a single unit, and will do their best to come to the aid of members who need help during environmental disasters. The analysis further shows that cultural dimensions in the two communities generally influence the choice of adaptation options to floods. It has been recommended that specific local research such as this one which provides opportunities to analyse the cultural dimensions of adaptation within communities should be encouraged. This is because an understanding of the local cultural context has the potential to assist with the design of effective adaptation options in communities.

Source: UG
Cultural Diplomacy as Soft Power in Advancing National Development: A Comparative Study of Nigeria and the United States of America

Culture has been harnessed by states as a diplomatic tool for eons. Its role in fostering cross-cultural and international cooperation is highly noticeable. Intercultural exchanges, especially those initiated by the state or even the private sector, is known to create an atmosphere of friendship and trust, as well as eliminate negative notions held of other cultures. Cultural Diplomacy, as one of the major soft power currencies of states, is used by Nigeria and the U.S., perhaps for a myriad of reasons, however, this study emphasized its role in the social, economic and reputational development of these two countries. This study sought to fill a literary gap which existed on comparative cultural diplomacy and national development. Thus by use of both primary and secondary data, it determined through its two case studies that cultural diplomacy definitely advances national development (although the level of impact differs greatly between the two countries in question) In conclusion of the study. Recommendations such as prioritising cultural diplomacy through funding were made

Source: UG
Cultural education in Ghana: A case study of dance development in the university system

In 1962, when the Ghana Dance Ensemble (then the National DanceCompany of Ghana) was formed at the Institute of African Studies of theUniversity of Ghana for research into African dance-theatre, a group ofthirteen students embarked on a performing activity whose directionand founders’ aims we did not fully understand, yet we were enthusias-tic because of the encouragement of our parents, our peers, and thefounders themselves. Dance as a discipline and a profession was new inGhana at the time and needed much experimentation to mold it into anacceptable and honorable activity. Surrounded by some uncertaintywithin the academic system, it needed both tact and sacrifice to makeit blossom.There were some problems at the start. Just fourteen years after theestablishment of the university itself as an affiliate of London University,the academic community at the University of Ghana was not accustomedto a cultural program that brought local priests, musicians, and dancersfrom the ethnic system to the campus to instruct and interact withstudents. Earlier, the legacy of the community had been based solely ona British model, with African cultural programs relegated to the back-ground, so that one could expect ill-feeling and misgivings from a largesection of the academic community.

Source: UG
Cultural ergonomics in ghana, west africa: A descriptive survey of industry and trade workers’ interpretations of safety symbols

Globalization and technology transfer have led to the diffusion of risk communications to users from cultures that were not initially viewed as the target users. This study examined industry and trade workers’ overall impressions of symbols used to convey varying degrees of hazardousness. Six symbols, including symbols from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z535 Standard (ANSI, 1998) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 3864:1984 Standard (ISO, 1984) were selected. With the exception of the SKULL symbol, results showed wide discrepancies between users’ perceptions of the symbols and their intended meanings. Implications for cross-cultural research on warning components and risk communications are discussed. © 2002 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Source: UG
Cultural Exchanges and their Implications for Regional Integration in West Africa: A Case Study of Ghana and Nigeria

Regional integration scholars have written extensively on the role culture plays in the overall success or otherwise of regional integration the world over. The role of culture in the integration of Africa has also received some attention. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1987, realizing the importance of culture to regional integration, and accepting that the ECOWAS region had such cultural diversity that could be harnessed for the good of the sub-region, promulgated a Cultural Protocol. 31 years after the promulgation of the Protocol, very little is known about how member states have implemented the Protocol. Employing primary and secondary data, this study sought to fill this gap, using Ghana and Nigeria as case studies. The study found, among others, that bilateral cultural agreements, which is the first objective of the Protocol, has not been achieved between ECOWAS member states The study concludes by proffering some recommendations for mitigating these challenges, such as public-private partnerships and the sensitization of the populace on the benefits of the cultural activities to the individual governments and to the ECOWAS.

Source: UG
Cultural factors constraining the introduction of family planning among the kassena-nankana of northern Ghana

This study presents a focus group investigation of reasons why women in a rural, Sahelian community are reluctant to adopt family planning even when convenient services are made freely available. First, women opting to practice contraception must do so at considerable risk of social ostracism or familial conflict. Implementing individual preference is something that must be done without the support of others. Second, few women view personal decisions about contraceptives as theirs to make. Women and children are the property of the corporate family-kin and community militate against reproductive control. Third, although children are highly valued for a variety of economic, social, and cultural reasons, mortality risks remain extremely high. Low fertility imposes the unacceptable risk that a woman will have no surviving children at the end of her reproductive life. Taken together, these findings attest to the inadequacy of service strategies focused on the contribution of distribution, individual agency, or personal choice. Outreach should also build a sense of community legitimacy for the program, collective health action, and traditional leadership support for family planning behavior.

Source: UG
Cultural Globalisation and Its Implications for the African Woman’s Hair: The Case of Ghana.

Many studies exist on globalisation and the impact it has had on the cultures of the world. Cultural globalisation, which is an offshoot of globalisation has heavily influenced world cultures including the kind of hair choices black women make. These studies are, however, mainly on black women in the Diaspora. Very little literature exists on Ghanaian women and how globalisation has affected their hair choices. Using mainly primary sources and complimented by secondary data, this study sought to investigate the current upsurge in natural hairdos by Ghanaian women and what the motivating factors for hair choices by Ghanaian women are, despite the force of globalisation. The data gathered revealed that though globalisation has eroded African cultures, it has also essentially spurred on the natural hair trend in Ghana. The study further found that Ghana currently has a very vibrant indigenous natural hair market as a result of women becoming aware of the dangers of relaxed hair. The study offered recommendations such as the utilisation of image as a powerful tool to promote the acceptance of kinky hair in Ghana.

Source: UG
Cultural orientation, perceived support and participation of female students in formal entrepreneurship in the sub-Saharan economy of Ghana

Purpose – This purpose of this paper is to examine cultural orientations and intention of Ghanaian women to engage in entrepreneurship while assessing the role of perceived support system. The aim is to contribute to the literature in the sub-Saharan African context where women entrepreneurs are generally underresearched, despite their increasing significant roles in socio-economic development in the continent even in the face of huge cultural barriers. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a hierarchical regression analysis and Hay’s PROCESS moderation technique to analyze survey data from 190 female students fromGhana, Africa. Findings – The results indicate that uncertainty avoidance and power distance cultural orientations have significant positive and negative effects, respectively, on women’s participation in formal entrepreneurship. However, collectivism and masculine cultural orientations do not have any effect on their intention to engage in formal entrepreneurial activity. The study further shows that perceived support system has a buffering effect on the destructive consequences of power distance culture on formal entrepreneurship intentions. On the contrary, perceived support does not moderate the relationship between uncertainty avoidance, collectivism and masculine cultural and formal entrepreneurial intention. Practical implications – Given the fact that most African governments are making efforts to accelerate the growth and development of their economies via entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, this study’s findings encourage stakeholders to implement measures to leverage on the positive dimensions of cultures to facilitate the development of formal entrepreneurship among Ghanaian women while mitigating the negative consequences of cultural practices. The findings further highlight the need to evaluate the current level of support given to women in Ghana. The study suggests that provision of sufficient level of support can make women more willing to challenge the status quo in power distance cultures and take personal initiatives, thereby leading to more formal entrepreneurial actions. Originality/value – This study is a significant addition to women entrepreneurship literature because the role of culture in females’ intention to participate in entrepreneurship is generally an under-researched area. Besides, our examination of national cultural variation at the individual level on formal entrepreneurshipintention in a heterogeneous setting is novel. The study also highlights the buffering roles of perceived support on the destructive consequences of power distance cultural orientation on formal entrepreneurial development among women

Source: UG
Cultural Scripts for Asymmetrical Interactions in Ghana

This paper focuses on expected communicative behaviors during asymmetrical interactional events among Ghanaians, with special reference to Ewes and Akans. Drawing on the ethno-pragmatic techniques of semantic explication and cultural scripts, it demonstrates how Ghanaian concepts of social hierarchy (roughly, the thought that some people are “above” others) in fluence verbal interaction. Five social categories that are prominent among Ghanaians in terms of age and social status are explicated to ensure a detailed description of individuals in such categories. Four cultural scripts are then posited to capture what is expected when one has to interact with someone thought of as “above” oneself. Some linguistic evidence is provided from Ewe and Akan, as well as from some other Ghanaian languages. The study attempts to show the possibility of describing some Ghanaian communicative norms in simple cross-translatable terms to enable non-Ghanaians to understand the viewpoint of cultural insiders.

Source: UG
The Cultural Training of a Child from Birth to Adolescence as obtained at Mankessim

Mankessim is a village situated in the old central province province of the Gold coast colony and lying on the Accra- Takoradi motor road.the nearest coastal town is saltpond six miles west of it there is a road which runs in a northerly direction from the Village to Kumasi in Ashanti, the situation is such that Takoradi, Accra and Kumasi are roughly equidistant from it there are about two hundred houses most of which are sevish and roofed which corrugated iron sheets the population is about two thousand

Source: UG
Cultural Understanding of Wounds, Buruli Ulcers and Their Management at the Obom Sub-district of the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Cultural values and the pragmatic significance of proverbial sayings in Tafi and Ewe

Proverbs have cognitive and socio-cultural value. As tools for socialisation, proverbs are channels of shared moral and cultural values in communities of practice. The paper in vestigates the functions of, and the cultural values embodied in selected proverbial sayings in Tafi, a Ghana-Togo Mountain language, and their counterparts in Ewe, a Gbe language. The analysis is based on a small corpus of proverbs gathered during immersion fieldwork among the Tafi, and relies on ethnographic and linguistic methods. The Ewe versions are extracted from proverb collections and from the equivalents provided by Tafi bilinguals. From a semantic and a pragmatic perspective, proverbs have both textual and indexical, context-dependent, meanings. I explore the textual semantics of some of the Tafi and Ewe proverbial sayings drawing on the semantic template for proverbs used in the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM). It is suggested that the semantic structure of proverbs comprises framing components of traditionality and of their status as folk wisdom, as well as components describing the message, namely, the recurrent situation that calls forth the proverb, the advice and the analogy in the proverb. The paper reveals that patterns of proverb performance are similar across the languages suggesting shared practices due to language and cultural contact in proverbial language use

Source: UG
Cultural variability and consistency in adolescents’ emotional regulation and relationship with their parents: Data from Argentina, Ghana, India and Zambia

The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between parent–child relationship and emotional regulation in adolescents across four countries regarding: (a) mother–child relationship; (b) father–child relationship; (c) adolescents’ emotion regulation; and (d) the relationship between mother–child/father–child close relationships and adolescents’ emotion regulation. Sex differences were also considered in the analysis. The sample of 270 Zambian, 216 Argentinian, 200 Ghanaian, and 180 Indian adolescents answered The Experience in Close Relationship Questionnaire and the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire. Results revealed cultural differences in the way adolescents perceived their relations with parents. Zambian adolescents were more likely to perceive their relationship as avoidant compared to Ghanaian, Argentina and Indian. Consistent with literature, Zambian and Argentinian adolescents who perceived their parents as avoidant were likely to use less cognitive appraisal as an emotion regulation strategy. Finally, Argentinian adolescents who used expressive suppression were also likely to perceive their parents as avoidant.

Source: UG
Culturally adapted depression intervention to manage depression among women with infertility in Ghana

This study tested the feasibility of a culturally adapted depression intervention among women with infertility. Women who were seeking medical treatment for infertility were randomized into treatment and control groups. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 3 months post intervention. General linear mixed model using empirical Bayesian estimates for repeated measures was used. The findings indicate an improvement in the women’s psychosocial health in the treatment group as compared with the controls. These findings strongly suggest that the management of these psychosocial problems should be an integral part of the management of infertility.

Source: UG