ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Internal marketing and employee commitment: Evidence from the Ghanaian banking industry

Attracting the right mix of employees and getting them committed to the goals and objectives of the organization is a major issue facing service organizations. Scholars have recommended that internal marketing is positively associated with employee commitment but little empirical research exists that has examined the relationship between internal marketing and employee commitment especially in the financial services sector. The current study investigated four internal marketing practices - empowerment, rewards, training and development, and communication and their impact on employee commitment in the retail banking industry. Using data from 410 employees of banks in Ghana, the empirical results indicated that, with the exception of communication, the factors are positively associated with employee commitment. The study concludes that in order to influence employee behaviour in the banking industry in Ghana, bank management must implement measures that provide direct benefits to employees. The strategic implications of the findings are discussed in the article. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

Source: UG
Internal Migration in Ghana: Determinants and Welfare Impacts

Purpose – Using a recently compiled dataset on migration and remittances in Ghana, the purpose of this paper is to estimate the determinants of an individual’s likelihood to be an internal migrant and the relationship between internal migration and welfare. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses treatment regression techniques to assess the characteristics of Ghanaian migrants, the determinants of migration, and its impact on household welfare. Findings – The paper finds that the likelihood to migrate is determined by a combination of individual (pull) and community-level (push) characteristics. The probability of migration is higher for younger and more educated individuals, but communities with higher levels of literacy, higher rates of subsidized medical care, and better access to water and sanitation are less likely to produce migrants. It is found that households with migrants tend to be better off than similar households without migrants, even after controlling for the fact that households with migrants are a non-random sample of Ghanaians. However, the positive relationship is only true for households with at least one migrant in urban areas. Research limitations/implications – Clearly, if the authors had access to panel data, they would have been able to do something very nice and clean (on both theoretical and econometric grounds). Originality/value – This paper adds to the Ghana migration literature by offering a novel empirical assessment of the characteristics of Ghanaian migrants, the determinants of migration, and its impact on household welfare by drawing on a recently-assembled, nationally-representative sample of Ghanaian households.

Source: UG
Internal migration to Nairobi's slums: Linking migrant streams to sexual risk behavior

Despite what is currently the most rapid urbanization on the globe, an alarming growth of impoverished urban slum settlements in Africa, and the highest rates of HIV in the world - with greater prevalence in urban than rural areas - insufficient attention has been paid to the relationship between urban poverty and risky sexual behavior. Although emerging research has focused on how slum residence is linked to risky behavior, there is a paucity of work on how migration to slums is related to risky sex. Using a sample of sexually active women from the 2000 Nairobi Cross-Sectional Slum Survey (NCSS), this paper demonstrates that the relationship between slum residence and risky behavior is a multifaceted one. Beyond the effect of current residence in slums migratory factors, specifically previous place of residence and length of time since arrival, prove to be significant cofactors, with the effect of the former conditioned by the latter. Perhaps more importantly, where migrants moved from appears to influence risky behavior in a non-uniform manner. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Source: UG
Internal optical urethrotomy: a report of fifty-one cases treated under local anaesthesia.

Over the 15-month period beginning from October 1985, internal optical urethrotomy was successfully performed under local anaesthesia on 51 patients with urethral stricture. The procedure was well tolerated and 48 patients were discharged home on the day of operation. A urethral catheter (18 or 20F Foley) was left indwelling for one week post-operatively. Subsequently patency was assessed by check catheterisation using size 18F Nelaton Catheter, weekly for 6 weeks, and then at 3 monthly intervals. Thirty-nine patients have been followed up regularly for 3 to 15 months. Six patients restrictured (failed check catheterisation). The remaining 33 (84.6%) have retained urethral patency with no additional treatment.

Source: UG
Internalisation of microbes in vegetables: microbial load of Ghanaian vegetables and the relationship with different water sources of irrigation

The occurrence of pathogens in the internal parts of vegetables is usually associated with irrigation water or contaminated soil and could pose risk to consumers as the internalised pathogens are unaffected by external washing. This study was carried out to assess the rate of internalisation of microbes in common Ghanaian vegetables. Standard microbiological methods were employed in microbial enumeration of vegetables collected at the market and farm levels, as well as irrigation water and soil samples. The overall mean counts of vegetables were 4.0×10 3 cfu g -1; 8.1×10 2 cfu g -1; 2.0×10 2 cfu g -1; 3.5×10 2 cfu g -1 for total bacteria, coliform counts, faecal coliform counts and yeast counts, respectively. The rate of internalisation of coliforms in vegetables irrigated with stream/well water was 2.7 times higher than those irrigated with pipe water. The mean coliform counts (4.7×10 7 cfu g -1) and faecal coliform counts (1.8×10 6 cfu g -1) of soil samples were similar to those of stream water suggesting both sources exerted similar contamination rates on the vegetables. Generally, there were no significant variations between the rates of internalisation of microbes at the market and farm levels at p<05, indicating that internalisation of microbes in the vegetables mainly occurred at the farm level. The study has shown that microbial contamination of vegetables in Ghana is not limited to the external surface, but internal vegetable parts could harbour high microbial loads and pose risk to consumers. Safety practices associated with the commodity should therefore not be limited to external washing only. There is the additional need of heating vegetables to eliminate microbes both externally and internally before consumption. © 2010 Asian Network for Scientific Information.

Source: UG
International Agreement and Domestic Institutions: A Study of the Arms Trade Treaty in Ghana

This dissertation examined the extent to which the architecture and programs of the Ghana National Commission of Small Arms and Light Weapons (GNCSALW) are aligned with the vision of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Using qualitative method, the researcher gathered both secondary data and primary data from the target population which is made up of the staff of the GNCSALW; personnel of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA); a team of four international ATT experts from the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) and Expertise France (EF). The findings of the study revealed that the institutional structure (the board of the GNCSALW) that Ghana has established, in adherence to Article 5 of the ATT, as parts of its national control system for the actualization of the vision of the ATT is very representative of all the major organizations that deals with arms and ammunitions in Ghana. As a result, this structure is adequately composed to effectively lead the actualization of the vision of the ATT in Ghana. Secondly, the study found out that although Ghana has fulfilled the requirement of Article 5 of the ATT through the establishment of both legal and institutional structures, the State is yet to come out with its Control List as required by Article 5(4) of the ATT. The national control list refers to a list of arms and ammunitions that every State Party to the ATT is expected to declare to be subject to transfer controls within its borders. The unavailability of a Control List in Ghana is very detrimental to the peace and stability of the country because since there are no restrictions on the weapons coming in and out of the country, any dealer of arms and ammunitions can import any dangerous arms and ammunitions into the country which can be deadly if any conflict occurs in Ghana. In conclusion, the study recommends that the Cabinet and Parliament of Ghana should, as a matter of agency, speed up proceedings on the approval and passage of the Legal Instrument for the Control list into law. Due to the fact that Ghana is approaching an election year in 2020 and there is a possibility of tension rising, the Control List is urgently needed to prevent the entry of deadly weapons which could destroy lives and properties in terms of any conflict situation in Ghana.

Source: UG
International chiefs': Chieftaincy, rituals and the reproduction of transborder Ewe ethnic communities on the Ghana-Togo boundary

The issue of ‘alien’ voters in Ghana's electoral politics since the return to multiparty democracy in 1992 points to tensions between local/ethnic identities in culturally demarcated spaces and national identity/citizenship promoted by states. Focusing on the two Ewe-speaking communities of Nyive and Edzi, this article examines the legacies of partition in the aftermath of World War One, when the British and French split the former German colony of Togo between themselves and established new administrations under international oversight. It argues that relationships have changed, specifically from political hegemony to largely ritual practices, and that, though distinct, the two are co-determining. The salience or legitimacy of political authority is sustained by ritual authority, and chiefly authorities invest in these rituals to maintain political authority. These shared ritual practices are important, as they are mobilized to promote a sense of belonging among Ewe communities that straddle state boundaries. This is evident in the phenomenon of ‘international chiefs’, as expressed in continued allegiances of village chiefs in Ghana to senior/paramount chiefs in Togo.

Source: UG
International Conference on African Bibliography

This document highlights three key needs for improving the documentation and classification of African languages: a standardized cataloguing system that pragmatically combines genetic (e.g., Bantu) and regional (e.g., West African) classifications with alphabetical arrangement; a uniform set of romanized reference names for languages and ethnic groups, avoiding phonetic symbols and ensuring uniqueness by drawing on established literature rather than indigenous forms; and a coordinated system for listing vernacular publications, with major languages managed by local institutions and smaller languages handled through regional or national centers to maintain efficiency and consistency. The paper stresses the importance of collaborative efforts among linguists and institutions to develop a practical and unified framework for African language bibliography.

Source: UG
International Consensus and External Validity in Global Surgery Research and Task Shifting - Reply

Globally, the acceptance and use of herbal and traditional medicine is on the rise. Africa, especially Ghana, has its populace resorting to African Traditional Herbal Medicine (ATHMed) for their healthcare needs due to its potency and accessibility. However, the practice involving its preparation and administration has come into question. Even more daunting is the poor and inadequate documentation covering the preservation and retrieval of knowledge on ATHMed for long-term use, resulting in invaluable healthcare knowledge being lost. Consequently, there is the need to adopt strategies to help curtail the loss of such healthcare knowledge, for the benefit of ATHMed stakeholders in healthcare delivery, industry and academia. This paper proposes a hybrid-based computational knowledge framework for the preservation and retrieval of traditional herbal medicine. By the hybrid approach, the framework proposes the use of machine learning and ontology-based techniques. While reviewing literature to reflect the existing challenges, this paper discusses current technologies suited to approach them. This results in a framework that embodies an ontology driven knowledge-based system operating on a semantically annotated corpus that delivers a contextual search pattern, geared towards a formalized, explicit preservation and retrieval mechanism for safeguarding ATHMed knowledge.

Source: UG
International development and I-O psychology in sub-Saharan Africa: Perspectives from local and expatriate standpoints

This chapter describes the work of the two authors who served separately to help improve the quality of education in different sub-Saharan African countries: Ghana and South Africa. While both authors were not I-O psychologists at the time, their experiences involved applying industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology principles and helped shaped their current perspectives, and careers, as I-O psychologists. While both authors were associated with development initiatives tied to the United States, their perspectives represent different sides of traditional development projects as one brought the perspective of someone from the United States to South Africa while the other brought a local Ghanaian perspective and expertise to his project in Ghana. The authors' projects involved a range of topics from I-O psychology including motivation and organizational development, but they highlight select challenges and priorities that are frequently prominent in development work, namely, communication difficulties, the importance of strengthening relationships between stakeholders, and physical security. They discuss and explore the ramifications of these challenges and priorities, including how they reflect on the importance of issues of identity, power, and justice in international development work. © Walter Reichman 2014. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
International family planning fellowship program: Advanced training in family planning to reduce unsafe abortion

Maternal mortality remains a huge problem in the developing world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.1 According to the World Health Organization, efforts intended to decrease maternal deaths need to recognize and address unsafe abortions as a significant contributor to the high rates of maternal mortality found in developing countries.2,3 In Africa, where abortions are highly restricted, 680 women die per 100,000 abortions, compared with 0.2-1.2 women per 100,000 in developed countries, where most abortions are legal.4.

Source: UG
The international financial reporting standards for small and medium-sized entities (IFRS for SMEs): Suitabilty for small businesses in Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the suitability of the International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium‐sized Entities (IFRS for SMES) for small businesses (micro entities and SMEs) in Ghana by assessing their need for the IFRS for SMEs and the appropriateness of the IFRS for SMEs as the accounting standard of choice for small businesses in Ghana. The paper also aims to investigate the firm characteristics likely to influence small businesses' need for the Standard and the appropriateness of the Standard for small businesses. Design/methodology/approach – The survey method was used. A questionnaire survey of 305 small businesses was conducted, from which 149 useable questionnaires were returned. Findings – It was found that small businesses in Ghana have limited international structures and activities which do not result in a need for internationally comparable financial reporting information. Small businesses also do not receive requests to provide such information. In total, 19 of the 27 issues addressed by the Standard and assessed in the study were found to be irrelevant to small businesses in Ghana. Size, legal form and number of owners influence the suitability of the Standard for small businesses in Ghana. Originality/value – The paper provides some of the early empirical evidence on the final version of the IFRS for SMEs in Africa. The study also brings a fresh perspective by applying institutional theory to the adoption and implementation of the IFRS for SMEs.

Source: UG
The International Impact of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Physical Activity Report Cards for Children and Youth

Background: In response to growing concerns over high levels of physical inactivity among young people, the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance developed a series of national Report Cards on physical activity for children and youth to advocate for the promotion of physical activity. This article provides updated evidence of the impact of theReport Cards on powering the movement to get children and youth moving globally. Methods: This assessment was performed using quantitative and qualitative sources of information, including surveys, peer-reviewed publications, e-mails, gray literature, and other sources. Results:Although it is still too early to observe a positive change in physical activity levels among children and youth, an impact on raising awareness and capacity building in the national and international scientific community, disseminating information to the general population and stakeholders, and on powering the movement to get kids moving has been observed. Conclusions: It is hoped that the Report Card activities will initiate a measurable shift in the physical activity levels of children and contribute to achieving the 4 strategic objectives of theWorld Health Organization Global Action Plan as follows: creating an active society, creating active environments, creating active lives, and creating active systems

Source: UG
International interlending and document supply: the African perspective

This paper attempts to review the literature of international interlending and document supply as it applies to the situations in Africa. Guidelines for international interlending and the basic criteria for an effective interlending system are discussed. Various barriers to international interlending in Africa such as inadequate library collections, lack of coordination of resources, poor communications network, poor bibliographic organizations, inadequate funding for libraries and lack of library manpower are also analyzed. The writer concludes that African countries are becoming aware of the seriousness of these problems and are therefore making efforts to solve them. As the situations improves, more promising results will be forthcoming.

Source: UG
International Journal of E-Services and Mobile Applications

Although there is vast literature about the contemporary mobile services m-services phenomenon, there is a lack of focus on the strategic processes through which m-services are developed. The dynamic capability framework which lends itself as an appropriate theoretical means of exploring this research gap also lack empirical testing within the m-service research space. The purpose of this paper is to begin to address these gaps in the literature by drawing how a Ghanaian m-services developer develops capabilities to create m-services. This case study gathered qualitative data through key informant interviews, participant observation and a review of accessible company documents, and e-mail correspondence. Drawing on literature on dynamic capabilities, this study draws three conclusions. First, there are four types of m-service capabilities that can be developed i.e. informational, interactional, transactional, and transformational m-service capabilities. Further, the type of m-service capability determines the type of m-service that can be provided. Second, political change determines the type of m-service capability that an m-service provider develops. Third, the extent to which an m-service impacts on its intended market is dependent on the extent of market readiness for that particular m-service type. This study's contribution lies in the operationalisation of the dynamic capability framework in the m-service context. This paper is the first to adapt the dynamic capability framework within the m-service setting to unearth an understanding of how m-service providers create capabilities to develop m-services.

Source: UG
International migration diversification: a new perspectives to migration management

Diversifying migration for development is an option that much has been discussed and yet little has been done in sending countries. The potential of international migration being harnessed for economic and social development have gained significant importance. Some initiatives have been discussed and launched to manage international migration. Some of these efforts are aimed at addressing the issue of containing the outflow and encouraging return of migrants to help with nation building. But these programmes are not adequate, and therefore more needs to be done. This study aims to review the international migration literature to examine the trend of migration and advocate for its diversification for development in sending countries. Some countries have courted the idea of diversifying migration but none have taken on the challenge. This study provides a precursor for policy makers to better understand international migration trends, options and strategies that can lead to diversification. The way forward for diversifying is a call for empirical studies to comparatively weight the options and develop short, medium and long term strategies. The question is whether policy makers in sub-Saharan Africa will take on the challenge to manage and transform international migration especially of the highly skilled. The paper calls for a different perspective in managing migration and contributes to the literature on international migration diversification for sending countries.

Source: UG
International note: Analysis of risk and protective factors for risky sexual behaviours among school-aged adolescents

This study examined the prevalence and associated factors of risky sexual behaviours among 1648 school-going adolescents using the 2012 Ghana Global School-based Student Health Survey. Our findings showed 33.5% of the participants had ever had sex 32.5% had multiple sexual partners and only 26.2% reported using condom during their last sexual intercourse. Being male, older age, anxiety, loneliness, suicidal ideation, being bullied, food insecurity (hunger), current alcohol and marijuana use were significant risk factors for being sexually experienced, multiple partners, but not condom use. Parental knowledge of activity was a significant protective factor against adolescents' sexual experience. These findings underscore the need to develop school-based interventions that would help reduce risky sexual behaviours among school-going adolescents.

Source: UG