ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Market structure, efficiency and profitability of insurance companies in Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the regulatory-driven market structure on firm pricing behaviour by testing the structure-conduct-performance (S-C-P) hypothesis for both life and non-life insurance markets in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – Using a panel data on 14 life and 22 non-life insurers from 2007 to 2011, the authors employed the Herfindahl Hirschman Index and concentration ratio as proxies for the S-C-P hypothesis while efficiency scores were estimated using the data envelopment analysis technique to proxy for the efficient structure (ES) hypothesis. The dependent variable, profitability was measured as return on assets while controlling for size, underwriting risk, leverage, GDP growth rate and inflation. The models were estimated using the panel corrected standard errors of Beck and Katz (1995) and random effects estimations. Findings – The results from the empirical estimation provide ample evidence in support for ES hypothesis for both life and non-life insurance markets. While conflicting results was found for SCP hypothesis in the non-life insurance market, it was rejected in the life insurance market. The findings also point to an increasing level of competition in both life and non-life insurance industry in Ghana though they still remain concentrated with the life insurance sector having high levels of efficiency compared to the non-life sector. Practical implications – The findings of the study will enhance the understanding of firm behaviour in the new markets created to shape regulatory and competition policies of the regulator to promote consumer welfare while ensuring a stable industry to enhance its role in economic development. Originality/value – This is the first study to test the market power and efficient hypotheses on the insurance industry in Ghana. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to examine the determinants of profitability in the non-life insurance market. © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
Marketing bank services to financially vulnerable customers: evidence from an emerging economy

Purpose – This study aims to explore how banks in Nigeria are marketing financial services to financially vulnerable customers. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple case study research strategy was used to analyse three commercial banks and two microfinance banks. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with the banks’ directors as well as from banks’ published annual reports and archival images. Findings – The study reveals that Nigerian banks develop different product development portfolios, adopt innovative traditional marketing schemes and apply inclusive technologies to reach and extend services to the unbanked and financially vulnerable customers in the society. Research limitations/implications – Banks should focus on consumer engagement through the proactive development of technologies and employ innovative marketing methods. Customers’ banking experiences can be enhanced if banks communicate with and educate customers about technological modes of engagement. In addition, financial service transaction support and financial literacy education can assist banks in marketing their services to financially vulnerable customers, in mutually beneficial ways. Originality/value – This study shows how financial service operators’ market and extend their services to financially vulnerable customers in emerging markets. It empirically establishes the importance of financial services to financially excluded customers.

Source: UG
Marketing Communications Policy for the University of Ghana

This University of Ghana Marketing Communications policy guides the University of Ghana (UG) community in its marketing communication activities recognising that all such activities should be coordinated from a Marketing and Service Excellence Unit located within the Office of Institutional Advancement. The Marketing and Service Excellence Unit exercises oversight responsibility for the co-ordination of all official internal and external marketing communication activities of the entire University. No marketing consultants, marketing research firms, public relations agencies, brand design agencies, graphic design firms, web design firms, independent design consultants or social media consultants will be communicated with, without the prior approval of the Marketing and Service Excellence Unit. For the purpose of this policy, Marketing Communications refers to advertising, direct marketing, branding, packaging, online presence, printed materials, public relations activities, sales presentations, sponsorships, trade show appearances and all activities connected with the promotion of the University of Ghana in local and international markets.

Source: UG
Marketing horti-tourism and rural development for leveraging tourism agenda 2030: a perspective article

Purpose – This paper aims to draw the attention of the academic scholars to how marketing of horti-tourism can take action to contribute to tourism agenda 2030. Design/methodology/approach – Reviewing literature on tourism, this paper builds a case for marketing horti-tourism based on the research gaps in literature, and future research directions are proposed to aid in the achievement of tourism agenda 2030. Findings – Scholarly research on horti-tourism remains scarce, and more research attention is suggested on this subject matter. The tourism sector produced varied forms of tourism where horti tourism is associated with horticulture farms, vegetable gardens and flower gardens which provide direct gains such as employment creation, foreign currency earnings, income generation source, poverty reduction and other gainful commercial activities. Despite the importance attached to this form of tourism in literature, less research has been conducted to market its relevance to nations and businesses. Much academic studies are needed to project this form of tourism. Originality/value – This perspective paper serves as a call for tourism firms, governments and other stakeholders within and outside to make theoretical and practical contributions by marketing horti-tourism destinations to visitors which aid in the UN Tourism Agenda of 2030.

Source: UG
Marketing intangibles: the case of library services in higher education institutions

Information provision in the twentyfirst century is no longer a monopoly of libraries. Libraries across the globe, including academic libraries, are competing with other service industries such as big publishing houses, online book dealers, academic database vendors, the internet and others enhancing easy access to information. Thus, libraries today have no choice than to adopt a marketing approach in their operations and services to remain visible, valuable and relevant to their communities and patrons (Kumbar, 2004). However, Alemna (2001) is of the view that the application of marketing concepts to the operations of library and information services is a common phenomenon globally. Many libraries have begun to identify that marketing services remain a critical factor in their survival. Other factors identified by Jestin and Parameswari (2005) to the adoption of marketing by libraries are the information explosion, the technology revolution and the case of escalating library costs. Baro and Ebhomeya (2013) add that marketing within a university library implies a need for the library to align its products and service offerings to identified objectives and users and meeting their needs.

Source: UG
Marketing its colonial heritage: A new lease of life for Cape Coast, Ghana?

Most of the published works on place promotion and urban change have been undertaken within the western world. This essay goes beyond previous studies by examining the phenomenon within the African context. Specifically, it examines the utility of heritage tourism as an avenue for place promotion of Cape Coast, Ghana. The essay demonstrates how urban development in Ghana has become more centralized on towns such as Accra and Kumasi, so that once important towns like Cape Coast have lost their importance. The fact that such towns have attempted to improve their position via innovative urban development strategies, and the experience of Cape Coast, is a testimony of how heritage tourism is helping to fill this gap. However, there are significant structural constraints on the effective use of tourism in salvaging Cape Coast's declining image, and these have to be addressed before too much faith is put in tourism as a tool for place promotion. © 2006 The Author. Journal Compilation 2006 Joint Editors and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Source: UG
Marketing of breast-milk substitutes in Zambia: evaluation of compliance to the international regulatory code

Background We sought to assess the level of non-compliance with the International Code of Marketing breast-milk substitutes (BMS) and/or Statutory Instrument (SI) Number 48 of 2006 of the Laws of Zambia in two suburbs, Kalingalinga and Chelstone, in Zambia. Methods This was a cross sectional survey. Shop owners (80), health workers (8) and mothers (214) were interviewed. BMS labels and advertisements (62) were observed. The primary outcome was mean non-compliance defined as the number of article violations divided by the total ‘obtainable’ violations. The score ranges from 0 to 1 with 0 representing no violations in all the articles and one representing violations in all the articles. Results A total of 62 BMS were assessed. The mean non-compliance score by manufacturers in terms of violations in labelling of BMS was 0.33 (SD = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.26, 0.40). These violations were mainly due to labels containing pictures or graphics representing an infant. 80 shops were also assessed with mean non-compliance score in respect of violations in tie-in-sales, special display, and contact with mothers at the shop estimated as 0.14 (SD = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.18). Conclusions Non-compliance with the Code and/or the local SI is high after 10 years of domesticating the Code.

Source: UG
Marketing Open Access Institutional Repositories in Ghana: Context and Prospects

Efforts by African researchers to contribute to global share of intellectual productivity hardly yield the needed impact due to the limited avenues of scholarly communication. The emergence of institutional repositories has presented an alternative platform for the sharing of research data and other institutional documents of interest. However, most of these institutional repositories are often not sustainable, and in interrogating the causes of this high attrition rate, critical issues such as marketing and promotion of repositories are seldom considered. The study, using the comparative case study approach to interview thirty-seven respondents, seeks to analyse how institutional repositories in two private and two public universities are marketed and promoted to showcase and share the scholarly output. In doing this, it examines the repositories, the actors in the marketing and promotion, strategies for marketing the repositories as well as the challenges that hinder the smooth publicity of the repository. Results reveal that publicity of the repository is mainly limited to the immediate campus environment, and is done mainly through the word of mouth, use of fliers and notices as well as the use of the university websites and radio announcements. The outfit of the library spearheads the publicity of the repositories in all the institutions under study, with support from the public relations outfits. Key issues which confront the smooth marketing and promotion of the repositories include lack of policy frameworks, competing attention from other aspects of the repositories’ operations such as software and engineering protocols and difficulty in getting the buy-in of key university actors. These are in addition to indirect issues such as low rate of repository content population, and the issue of copyright laws which prevent the addition of materials to the collections. The study thus recommends for a comprehensive policy to guide marketing and promotion and any other significant issues. There is also the need to assemble a dedicated team to carry out the marketing and promotion of the repository to accommodate the diversities in academic institutions. Above all, it is instructive to blend traditional and contemporary platforms to reach out as many potential users as possible with the repository.

Source: UG
Marketing products and services of academic libraries in Ghana

This paper discusses the important variables involved in marketing the products and services of academic libraries. The importance of the quality of service and a focus on the customer is emphasised. Though inadequate funding may affect delivery of services, the academic librarian should be motivated by this challenge to plan and implement a marketing strategy to ensure heavy patronage. Heavy use determines the worth and survival of the library in the face of stiff competition from new and aggressive entrants into the information marketplace. Copyright © Saur 2000.

Source: UG
A Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methodology with bootstrap percentile estimates for predicting presidential election results in Ghana.

Although, there exists numerous literature on the procedure for forecasting or predicting election results, in Ghana only opinion poll strategies have been used. To fill this gap, the paper develops Markov chain models for forecasting the 2016 presidential election results at the Regional, Zonal (i.e. Savannah, Coastal and Forest) and the National levels using past presidential election results of Ghana. The methodology develops a model for prediction of the 2016 presidential election results in Ghana using the Markov chains Monte Carlo (MCMC) methodology with bootstrap estimates. The results were that the ruling NDC may marginally win the 2016 Presidential Elections but would not obtain the more than 50 % votes to be declared an outright winner. This means that there is going to be a run-off election between the two giant political parties: the ruling NDC and the major opposition party, NPP. The prediction for the 2016 Presidential run-off election between the NDC and the NPP was rather in favour of the major opposition party, the NPP with a little over the 50 % votes obtained.

Source: UG
Markov Models on Share Price Movements in Nigeria Stock Market Capitalization

The stock market’s trends can impact companies in different ways. The rise and fall of share price values affect a company?s market capitalization and therefore its market value, and are exposed to market risk. This study assumed share volatility as a stochastic process with Markov property. Thus proposed a first order, time homogenuous Markov chain model for trend prediction of two banks; that is Fidelity bank and Access bank closing share prices from 1-4-2016 to 23 -03-2022. The prediction was done by establishing three states that exist in stock price change which are share prices increase, decline (decrease) or steady. The transition matrix was generated. The powers of transition matrices and probability vectors were also generated for some years and equilibrium was attained

Source: UG
Marmesin isolated from Celtis durandii Engl. root bioactive fraction inhibits β-hematin formation and contributes to antiplasmodial activity

ABSTRACT Ethnopharmacological relevance: Malaria is a leading cause of death in many developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria is endowed with an abundance of medicinal plants, many of which are used to treat malaria. Celtis durandii Engl. is one such plant used as a traditional antimalarial remedy in southeast Nigeria. However, its antiplasmodial potential is poorly explored. Aim of the study: The study aimed at identifying the antiplasmodial components of C. durandii root extract through antiplasmodial activity-guided fractionation. Materials and methods: Dichloromethane/methanol mixture extract (1:1 v/v) of C. durandii root was prepared and partitioned against water to obtain the organic phase, which was further separated by column chromatography into nine (C1 – C9) fractions. The antiplasmodial activity was evaluated by in vitro screening of the different fractions against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. Further purification of the active column fractions resulted in a potent anti-Plasmodial compound that was subsequently investigated for its effect on β-hematin formation. Additionally, the isolated compound was characterized and identified as mar mesin using mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results: Celtis durandii root extract exhibited promising antiplasmodial activity {IC50 (μg/ml) 5.92, 6.04, and 6.92} against PfW2mef, PfINDO, and Pf3D7 respectively. Pooled fractions with good antiplasmodial activity {IC50 (μg/ml) Pf3D7: 3.99; PfINDO: 2.24} and selectivity for the parasites (SI: 21) yielded a compound that was fourteen-fold potent in antiplasmodial activity against Pf3D7(IC50: 0.28 μg/ml). It also inhibited β-hematin formation with an IC50 = 150 μM. Further studies using spectral data, literature, and chemical databases identified the purified compound as marmesin. Conclusion: This work has demonstrated that Celtis durandii root extract has good antiplasmodial activity against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant P. falciparum. The inhibition of β-hematin formation by marmesin accounts in part for this activity.

Source: UG
Marmesin isolated from Celtis durandii Engl. root bioactive fraction inhibits β-hematin formation and contributes to antiplasmodial activity

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Malaria is a leading cause of death in many developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria is endowed with an abundance of medicinal plants, many of which are used to treat malaria. Celtis durandii Engl. is one such plant used as a traditional antimalarial remedy in southeast Nigeria. However, its antiplasmodial potential is poorly explored. Aim of the study: The study aimed at identifying the antiplasmodial components of C. durandii root extract through antiplasmodial activity-guided fractionation. Materials and methods: Dichloromethane/methanol mixture extract (1:1 v/v) of C. durandii root was prepared and partitioned against water to obtain the organic phase, which was further separated by column chromatography into nine (C1 – C9) fractions. The antiplasmodial activity was evaluated by in vitro screening of the different fractions against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. Further purification of the active column fractions resulted in a potent anti-Plasmodial compound that was subsequently investigated for its effect on β-hematin formation. Additionally, the isolated compound was characterized and identified as marmesin using mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results: Celtis durandii root extract exhibited promising antiplasmodial activity {IC50 (μg/ml) 5.92, 6.04, and 6.92} against PfW2mef, PfINDO, and Pf3D7 respectively. Pooled fractions with good antiplasmodial activity {IC50 (μg/ml) Pf3D7: 3.99; PfINDO: 2.24} and selectivity for the parasites (SI: 21) yielded a compound that was fourteen-fold potent in antiplasmodial activity against Pf3D7(IC50: 0.28 μg/ml). It also inhibited β-hematin formation with an IC50 = 150 μM. Further studies using spectral data, literature, and chemical databases identified the purified compound as marmesin. Conclusion: This work has demonstrated that Celtis durandii root extract has good antiplasmodial activity against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant P. falciparum. The inhibition of β-hematin formation by marmesin accounts in part for this activity.

Source: UG
Marriage of the Unwilling? The Paradox of Local Government and NGO Relations in Ghana

The extant literature on the relations between government and NGOs is limited in two respects—dominant focus on relations between central government and NGOs and a limited discussion of typologies of relations in countries in Africa. This study seeks to make a modest contribution to addressing these limitations by studying the relations between local government and NGOs in Ghana. This paper proposes a four-dimensional framework for analysing the relations between local government and NGOs in Ghana. It reports that the relations are varied, complex and multi-dimensional and characterised by superficial and suspicious cordiality; tokenistic and cosmetic collaboration; friendly-foe relation; and convenient and cautious partnerships.

Source: UG
Martingale Transforms between Martingale Hardy-amalgam Space

We discuss martingale transforms between martingale Hardy-amalgam spaces Hs p,q, Qp,q and P p,q: Let 0 < p < q < ∞, p1 < p and q1 < q and let f = ðf n, n ∈ ℕÞ be a martingale in P p1,q1 ; then, we show that its martingale transforms are the martingales in P p,q for some p, q and similarly for Hs p,q and Qp,q:

Source: UG
‘Masculine Women Feminist Men: Assertions and Contradictions in Mawugbe’s ‘In the Chest of a woman’

In August 2007 there was a special production of Efo Kodjo Mawugbe’s play In The Chest of a Woman at the Ghana National Theatre in Accra. This production was advertised as being in honour of the newly appointed, first female chief justice in Ghana, Mrs. Georgina Wood. The play was, therefore, to be a celebration of the achievements of women and their right to all that they may aspire to. As the lead female character declares, ‘“In the chest of a woman is not only an extension of the breast and a feeble heart, but a strong desire to hold and use power.” The play, however, presents incidents and female characters that appear to contradict this sentiment. Some believed that the characters, rather than celebrating womanhood, perpetrated conventional stereotypes or presented distorted images of female achievers. The essay examines the production of this play to discover how it may be seen as a celebration of women. It does this through an analysis of three female characters in the play: the Queen Mother, who became ruler because there was no suitable male heir to become king; her daughter, Nana Yaa Kyeretwe, who displays courage “like a man”; and Owusu Agyema, her granddaughter, who is in fact disguised from birth as a boy. These characters provide an interesting study of three generations of women from the same family called upon by circumstances to play “male roles.” I discuss these women in the frame of the play’s purported feminist tendencies derived from a discussion with the playwright about this particular production of the play. Within this frame, the paper also questions the motivations of male feminists or pro-feminist men, such as the playwright appears to be, and whether they need to be reoriented in order to fully achieve their aim of celebrating the female for all she is and can be.

Source: UG
Mass media constructions of ‘sociopsychological epidemics’ in sub- Saharan Africa: The case of genital shrinking in 11 countries

Genital shrinking is a recurring phenomenon with about 180 reported cases in sub-Saharan Africa over the last two decades. Transcending national boundaries, it results in distress for victims, mob violence against accused perpetrators and mass panic which law enforcement agencies struggle to contain. This article examines mass media construction and framing of genital shrinking within a social representations theory framework. Our analysis suggests the following: (1) mass media reports are informed by lay and expert perspectives; (2) three stocks of knowledge are drawn on interchangeably, with culture constituting a core representation; (3) lay and expert perspectives overlap on cultural and common-sense explanations of genital shrinking; and (4) scientific explanations are limited to individual pathophysiology and psychopathology and do not inform public opinion. We consider the implications of understanding genital shrinking for improving mass media constructions and dissemination of information on ‘socio-psychological epidemics’ that may have scientific explanations.

Source: UG