ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
International Organizations, Nongovernmental Organizations, and Police Implementation of Domestic Violence Policies in Liberia and Nicaragua

Domestic violence is the predominant form of violence against women in most countries in Africa and Latin America. Scholars have theorized the adoption of domestic violence laws and policies in both regions. However, policy implementation is understudied and under theorized. Therefore, we compare how international organizations and women’s nongovernmental organizations have influenced the implementation of domestic violence policies by police officers in Liberia and Nicaragua. We introduce the concept of the transnational implementation process and describe how international organizations and women’s organizations have employed training, institutional and policy restructuring, and monitoring to influence police behavior at the street level. The effects of these strategies have been conditional on the political environment. We identify two patterns of international and domestic influence on street-level implementation: internationally led and domestically supported implementation in Liberia, with domestically led and internationally supported implementation in Nicaragua.

Source: UG
International Remittances and Subjective Wellbeing in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Micro-level Study

According to United Nations reports, in 2017, there were about 24.6 million Africans living outside of Africa. As a corollary, remittances to the continent have increased tremendously, exceeding official development assistance. The present paper examined whether receiving international remittances is correlated with the subjective wellbeing of relatives left behind in Africa. Using data from the Round 6 of the Afrobarometer Surveys in 32 Sub-Saharan African countries, our results from ordinary least squares, instrumental variable two-stage least squares, ordered probit, and instrumental variable probit regressions revealed unambiguously that receiving remittances exert a positive and statistically significant effect on subjective wellbeing at the 0.1% level. Specifically, we found that a unit increase in the frequency with which people receive remittances is associated with a 0.0660-point increase in subjective wellbeing, ceteris paribus. Moreover, a unit increase in receiving remittances increases the probability that the respondent would report having good and very good living conditions by about 1.67% and 0.44%, respectively. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Source: UG
International retail firm acceptance: Beware of the flattery

The study explored the effectiveness of ingratiation theory methods in achieving acceptance within the institutional contexts of emerging markets. The study reviewed literature on ingratiation theory, retail internationalisation and institutional to develop a conceptual model for testing. Data was collected using a systematic sampling procedure from Ghana using structured questionnaires and analysed by means of factor and regression analysis. The study found that ingratiation methods are not effective in overcoming institutional pressures in retailing sector in developing countries. Thus international retail firms should be careful in adopting these methods. This study contributes to internationalisation literature among retail firms in the developing and emerging economies by cautioning firms on the use of ingratiation theory methods. Copyright © 2015 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Source: UG
Internationalisation and branding strategy: A case of the English Premier League’s success in an emerging market

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to analyse how professional football clubs have attained success with internationalisation and branding strategies in foreignmarkets. Design/methodology/approach – Based on an inductive approach, 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted to analyse the perceptions of Ghanaian fans of four English Premier League teams. Findings – The findings of this study highlight that the strength of professional football brand equity is jointly determined by the level of brand awareness, brand loyalty and perceived quality. However, increasing competition in international markets require professional football clubs to clearly define their marketing strategies to improve how fans perceive them. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few studies to use country-of-origin paradigm and signalling theory to explain football brand equity building, thereby extending the earlier work of Chanavat and Bodet (2009). Its empirical focus on Africa is also unique and provides evidence to suggest that global marketers have the opportunity to capitalise on market expansion opportunities in developing economies

Source: UG
Internationalizing SME nontraditional exporters and their Internet use idiosyncrasies

This study focuses on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of Ghanaian nontraditional exporters (NTEs) in the handicrafts, agricultural, and semiprocessed/processed NTE sectors. Specifically, the study focuses on the relationship between Internet utilization and (1) age of the NTE, (2) export performance, and (3) type of export organization in internationalizing NTEs. The age of an exporting firm had a significant effect on its Internet use. Export volumes and the type of company ownership had no significant influence on Internet use among exporting firms. Analysis of age of the firm and Internet use indicated that firms that have been in existence for a long time adopt the Internet slower. © Brill Academic Publishers 2005.

Source: UG
Internet adoption amongst final year students in Ghana's oldest business school

Purpose - The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness and utilisation of the internet for academic research and learning among level 400 (final year) students of Ghana's oldest business school. Design/methodology/approach - The study utilised a cross-sectional survey approach because it was restricted to final year students in the 2003-2004 year graduating class. The study also employed a convenience sampling technique and was executed by means of questionnaire administration and personal interviews. The final year students were asked to fill the questionnaires before a business lecture. The basic research instrument used in this research was a structured questionnaire with both open and close ended questions. Apart from questionnaires, in-depth interviews with the respondents were also conducted with the respondents because we felt that because we were dealing with a research that had to do with technology, there could be latent issues that could only be uncovered by open discussions. Data were analysed and presented by means of simple descriptive statistics. Findings - Developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, are often rich in the resources of people and staffing, if not in material resources. The promotion of information literacy is essentially dependent on using people differently, that is to better effect, not on injecting more resourcing into under-funded services (although this is also important in many regards). Authorities at teaching universities, including lecturers, and heads of departments, must, as a matter of urgency, adopt mechanisms for creating better information skills and internet usage awareness among the students. This should focus on what the internet is, the services available through the internet, and the basic skills required to use the internet. This policy is not limited by resourcing, it is simply a new way to better use the richest resource of developing nations, the people and their talents. Research limitations/implications - Owing to the exploratory nature of the research, the results cannot be generalised with certainty. The research however gives pointers to gaps in the internet use propensities of business students in Ghana's business school and an internet education policy has to be instituted immediately to properly prepare students for an increasingly online Ghanaian business environment. Practical implications - The University of Ghana Business School should move towards the setting up of instructional labs. These labs should work in close association with the school's library to ensure that students are properly trained on business, teaching and research uses of the internet. Originality/value - One of the first studies focussing on business students at the disadvantaged end of the global digital divides which regards skills training rather than resourcing as a key issue in information usage. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
The Internet and Export: Some Cross- Country Evidence from Selected African Countries

This article reports on a study of the effect of Internet use on exports in Africa. A panel data regression approach was adopted with data drawn from secondary sources in selected African countries. A 1 percent increase in Internet use is associated with a 2.2 percent increase in exports, and this is indicative of the importance of the Internet in reducing the cost of exports of African economies. Access to the Internet would increase export through a reduction in the entry and search costs associated with exporting from Africa.

Source: UG
Internet and exporting: The case of Ghana

The aim of this article is to describe and assess the use of the Internet by exporters in a development setting. The findings from two surveys in Ghana reveal that the exporters have reached the e-mail stage and are moving into the Web site stage. At this stage, the main barriers to an increased use are reported to be training, means to finance equipment and running costs, with access problems coming third. The change from face-to-face interaction to digitalized interfaces is also a barrier to the spread of Internet use. The Internet is used for pre-sales activities and the e-mail for daily communications. The strategy is reactive with high hopes of being discovered rather than active search of their own. The policy and managerial implications are that training and financial package must be provided and business associations must be active in creating portals of relevance to the exporters, and pressure put on the government to increase infrastructural investments.

Source: UG
The Internet and Lawyers in Ghana: Some Initial Qualitative Perspectives

Purpose – To contribute to the Internet use literature with particular respect to lawyers. This current study seeks to investigate qualitatively, the impact of the internet on the work of lawyers in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – Following several other empirical studies in the general information systems arena, a qualitative design was adopted for this study. A second motivation for adoption of this design was the fact that this research was exploratory in nature and it was the opinion of the researchers that this case study will provide rich insights into the formulations of research propositions for a larger study on internet use and legal practice in Ghana. Interviews were conducted with lawyers who had been called to the bar for before 2003 (we needed to be sure that these lawyers had been practicing for at least two years). Lawyers employed in law chambers, private sector institutions, international organizations, law consultancies, public sector institutions and the Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana were contacted as potential respondents for this qualitative study. The first five lawyers in each category who accepted to do the interviews were used as respondents for the study. In all 25 lawyers were interviewed and their views on internet use in respect of the legal profession in Ghana formed the basis of the empirical discussions in this paper. Findings – Seventy-eight per cent of the lawyers interviewed agree that the internet improves their productivity. Eighty-eight per cent of respondents indicated that the internet is useful as a communication tool, whilst 76 per cent of the respondents considered the internet to be very important for getting information. In respect of generating business contacts, it seems the internet (online technologies) is just as important as brick – and – mortar strategies for attracting and retaining clients. Research limitations/implications – Study has proved invaluable in hypothesis formulation for a larger study on internet use amongst Ghanaian lawyers in 2006. Ultimately, it could give indications for the conduct of e-business adoption studies amongst lawyers in Ghana. Originality/value – One of the few studies that focuses on internet adoption by lawyers in a developing country context.

Source: UG
Internet awareness and use in the University of Ghana

Reports on a study to find the extent of awareness and use of the Internet and its resources by academic staff and postgraduate students of the University of Ghana. The purposes for which Internet resources were used and respondents’ perceptions of the usefulness of the Internet were also explored. The main findings indicate that both staff and students are fully aware of the Internet and most of its services. Academic staff in general use the Internet resources more than students. However apart from e-mail, frequencies of use of Internet resources are very low. The study established that e-mail is highly used by both staff and students. Both staff and students found the Internet a very useful resource. The main reason for non-use of the Internet is inadequate training. Both staff and students need appropriate education and training of to ensure effective use of the Internet in all their academic pursuits.

Source: UG
Internet banking deployment in a sub-Saharan African country: A socio-technical perspective

The purpose of this study is to understand how the socio-technical environment in a sub-Saharan African (SSA) country shapes internet banking functionality deployment. Research on internet banking in SSA has focused more on adoption, use and diffusion and less on how the socio-technical environment shapes functionality deployment. To address this knowledge gap, this study investigates the case of an internet banking functionality deployment in the SSA context of Ghana. The study employs socio-technical theory with external environment as analytical lens and qualitative interpretive case study as methodology. On the social side, low internet banking competition, unclear regulations, physical signature requirements and perceived online fraud were found to have shaped the functionality deployment. On the technical side, improved internet access and lack of online payment infrastructure were found to have shaped the functionality deployment. The conclusion offers implications for research, practice and policy as well as recommendations for further research. Copyright © 2015 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Source: UG
Internet Banking: An Initial Look at Ghanaian Bank Consumer Perceptions”

Internet banking is now an important tool in the service delivery arsenal for banks all over the world. This study is situated in a developing country context and focuses on client-bank relationship and how Internet adoption may improve the qualitative relationship between banks and firms in Ghana and the business they serve. The study adopted a triangulation approach in meeting its objectives. A sample of 180 companies was sampled from the manufacturing, commerce, and services sectors of the economy. The findings of the study were mainly reported by means of descriptive statistics. The research findings indicate that Internet banking services are at its infant stage. Of the respondents, 68% had heard about Internet banking while 33% have never heard about it. 55% of the respondents said security concerns were the major barrier to the adoption of Internet banking. 55% of the firms responded were not connected to the Internet while 44.4% were connected to the Internet. Ghanaian firms use Internet banking to transfer money and to check their account balances. Majority of the interviewees said they would still visit the bank if their company adopts Internet banking. It seemed from the study that access to their account balance and understanding needs are the most important factors for facilitating a good bank client relationship for firms in Ghana and their banks. Banks in Ghana need to start considering the introduction of Internet strategies to assist in the development of customer relationship management (CRM) programs, which will ultimately go to increase the customer life time value of their clients. The paper is one of the first Internet banking studies from a West African context focusing on the usefulness of Internet banking technologies to bank clients.

Source: UG
Internet Browsing Behavior of Executive Postgraduate Students

This paper examines the motivation for Internet browsing amongst Executive MBA (EMBA) students at the University of Ghana Business School. It underscores the importance of the environmental influences on the social, academic and professional use of the Internet by executive masters students in Ghana. This paper is executed via a qualitative research design. Data for the study was gathered through structured focus group interviews with 24 Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) students of the University of Ghana Business School. The study revealed that students browse the Internet for social, academic and professional purposes. The social use of the Internet includes sending and receiving email, socializing through Facebook, chatting, and making new friends. Professionally, students browse the Internet to obtain trade information, interact with clients, check on conference alerts, and access databases of clients. The academic motivations for browsing the Internet include research, getting access to academic journal databases, interacting with lecturers and supervisors, registering for professional courses and obtaining information on specific courses of study.

Source: UG
The internet for academics: Towards a holistic adoption model

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on internet use, with particular respect to academics. The literature on academic uses of the internet is littered with empirical studies, which analyse aspects of the broad spectrum of uses to which the internet can be put, by academics anywhere in the world. This paper begins an initial attempt to provide a broad theoretical framework for internet adoption and utilization by academics, irrespective of rank. Design/methodology/approach: Paper based largely on literature survey and an assessment of the existing models of internet use by academics. Findings: The paper postulates an internet adoption model for academics. The Internet Adoption Model for Academics (IAMA) was conceptualized as an abstract object with five main components: internet for teaching, internet for research, internet for consultancy, internet for administration, and internet for policy making. The Internet Adoption Model for Academics (IAMA) provides a framework for internet use, and has the potential for being instructive for academics who have currently not integrated the internet fully into their professional activities. Originality/value: The paper presents a modest theoretical contribution to the academic internet-use literature, and might influence new research streams in this important conceptual area. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
Internet usage among women in a deprived area in Africa

E-learning is presents opportunities for expanding educational resources to many in developing countries. Women in developing countries bear a disproportionate share of the cost of economic development. –First, they are located in remotest part of the world where they are cut off from ICT infrastructure, and second, they are victims of the gender digital divide. The emerging trends and innovation in recent ICT products such as the mobile telephony do not by themselves solve the ICT problems confronting women from many parts of the world. Survey results from women in the most deprived regions in Ghana have shown that irrespective of their underprivileged situation they have modestly joined the information network. There are challenges though, with application of Internet resources to education and other productive activities. With effective government and civil society support the women could leapfrog into the information society.

Source: UG
Internet use among faculty members of universities in Ghana

Lack of access to current materials in libraries of universities in developing countries is a major problem that hinders research and teaching. Interlibrary loans and document delivery projects have not solved this problem by themselves. The Internet makes it possible for users to have access to large volumes of information irrespective of their geographical location. The three older universities in Ghana are all linked to the Internet. The assumption then is that their faculty now have access to current information through the Internet. Research results show that in spite of the benefits of the Internet, its use among faculty is still very low. The main reasons for this are lack of access to the Internet and the need for training. Clearly, university authorities need to take immediate steps to provide general access points for faculty through computer laboratories. Again, the expertise of librarians, information professionals and computer scientists needs to be tapped to provide training and refresher sessions for faculty to keep up to date on harnessing the immense potential of the Internet as a source of information for teaching and research. © 2003, MCB UP Limited

Source: UG
Internet use at the Balme Library, University of Ghana

Purpose - Aims to summarise a study of the extent of use of the internet and its services at a library in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach - This is a descriptive summary. The study, which was undertaken within a one-month period, was at the Balme Library, University of Ghana. Findings - The findings indicate that among the services, e-mail is the highest used, followed by the use for research. The least use of the internet was for e-mail/browsing. Originality/value - This is of interest to library and information management professionals, particularly those interested in information work in Africa. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
The Internet Use for Health Information Seeking among Ghanaian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of the study was to investigate university students' use of the Internet for health purpose in the Ghanaian context. The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional design. A total of 650 out of 740 students selected from 3 different universities participated, giving a response rate of 87.7% (650/740). Data were obtained using questionnaires and frequency and percentages were used to analyze data. The results show that university students are active users of the Internet as 78.3% (509/650) used Internet daily and 67.7% (440/650) use Internet for health purposes, for reasons including availability and ease of accessing information, privacy, confidentiality, and affordability. Use of Internet was constrained by unreliable and slow connection, high cost of Internet, and unreliable power supply. Also, 72.4% (315/435) used the online health information obtained as a basis for lifestyle change and only 39.5% (170/430) consulted health professionals after obtaining online information. The study concludes that students use Internet to seek online health support. The use of Internet to communicate with young people in relation to their health must therefore be explored. There is the need to be aware of online safety issues for young adults, including the need to provide information on privacy options. © 2017 Benedict Osei Asibey et al.

Source: UG