Supply Chain Intelligence and Operational Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana: The Mediating Role of Collaboration

This paper examines the role of supply chain collaboration in the relationship between supply chain intelligence and operational performance. A sample of 400 small and medium enterprises in Ghana were used to address the research objectives. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling. The findings of the study revealed that, supply chain intelligence positively impacts the operational performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Ghana. Additionally, the study found that supply chain collaboration plays a significant role in enhancing the operational performance of SMEs in Ghana. Finally, the analysis of the study concludes that supply chain collaboration further plays a significant mediating role in increasing the impact of supply chain intelligence and operational performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Ghana. The study is significant because, the findings would help expand existing literature on supply chain intelligence, supply chain collaboration and operational performance, thereby having positive implications on theory, policy, and practice

Sustainable Business Growth: An Exploration of Ghanaian Small Business Survival

Small businesses are significant contributors to a nation’s job creation and employment. These enterprises face many challenges that often lead to failure within 5 years. Some small business owners fail because they lack the necessary strategies for maintaining a sustainable business operation. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to analyze how to overcome the high failure rate of small businesses in Accra, Ghana. The conceptual framework for this study was institutional and planned behavior theories. The research questions sought participant’s experiences with small business survival that may have led to sustainable businesses. Data were collected from 20 participants using semistructured telephone interviews in Accra, Ghana. Participants were small business owners in the consumer products industry. Eligibility required full-time self-employed persons aged 26–65 years who must have been in business beyond 5 years. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. After data analysis, member checking was used to establish the trustworthiness of the outcomes. The main result of the study was that small businesses that had identified viable business opportunities in sustaining the needs and challenges of potential customers reported gains in sales and customer retention. The findings were significant for improving sustainable small business efforts, improving self-employment, reducing poverty through inclusive business models, and creating positive social change. Small business owners and policymakers might benefit from this research by reducing redundancies in their operations. This effort should promote an environment that enhances wealth creation and the quality of life of small business owners in Accra, Ghana

Discovery of Potent and Orally Bioavailable Dihydropyrazole GPR40 Agonists

G protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) has become an attractive target for the treatment of diabetes since it was shown clinically to promote glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Herein, we report our efforts to develop highly selective and potent GPR40 agonists with a dual mechanism of action, promoting both glucose-dependent insulin and incretin secretion. Employing strategies to increase polarity and the ratio of sp³/sp² character of the chemotype, we identified BMS-986118 (compound <b>4</b>), which showed potent and selective GPR40 agonist activity <i>in vitro</i>. <i>In vivo</i>, compound <b>4</b> demonstrated insulinotropic efficacy and GLP-1 secretory effects resulting in improved glucose control in acute animal models

Discovery of Pyrrolidine-Containing GPR40 Agonists: Stereochemistry Effects a Change in Binding Mode

A novel series of pyrrolidine-containing GPR40 agonists is described as a potential treatment for type 2 diabetes. The initial pyrrolidine hit was modified by moving the position of the carboxylic acid, a key pharmacophore for GPR40. Addition of a 4-<i>cis</i>-CF₃ to the pyrrolidine improves the human GPR40 binding <i>K</i>_i and agonist efficacy. After further optimization, the discovery of a minor enantiomeric impurity with agonist activity led to the finding that enantiomers <b>(</b><i><b>R,R</b></i><b>)-68</b> and <b>(</b><i><b>S,S</b></i><b>)-68</b> have differential effects on the radioligand used for the binding assay, with <b>(</b><i><b>R,R</b></i><b>)-68</b> potentiating the radioligand and <b>(</b><i><b>S,S</b></i><b>)-68</b> displacing the radioligand. Compound <b>(</b><i><b>R</b></i>,<i><b>R</b></i><b>)-68</b> activates both G_q-coupled intracellular Ca²⁺ flux and G_s-coupled cAMP accumulation. This signaling bias results in a dual mechanism of action for compound <b>(</b><i><b>R</b></i>,<i><b>R</b></i><b>)-68</b>, demonstrating glucose-dependent insulin and GLP-1 secretion in vitro. In vivo, compound <b>(</b><i><b>R</b></i>,<i><b>R</b></i><b>)-68</b> significantly lowers plasma glucose levels in mice during an oral glucose challenge, encouraging further development of the series