Headteachers’ Perception of the Implementation of the Capitation Grant Scheme In The Sunyani West District of the Brong Ahafo Region

This study was conducted to find out head teachers' perception of the implementation of the capitation grant scheme in Sunyani West East District of the Brong Ahafo Region. The study specifically focused on explaining how head teachers conceptualised the concept of capitation grant scheme, the implementation process, and the challenges associated with the implementation of the scheme. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study, and a questionnaire and an interview guide were designed and administered to a sample of 40 head teachers from the district in the Region. The analysis of data revealed that 70.0% of the head teachers had an in-depth understanding of the source of capitation grant as being from the Government. The study, among others, found that the main challenges confronting the smooth implementations of the scheme were delay in the release of funds and inadequate funds. It is recommended that Government should release adequate amount of the grant in good time (thus, before the beginning of each quarter) so that school heads will avoid pre-financing of school activities. Also, the Ghana Education Service should continue to train head teachers in financial management and administration for prudent use of funds

THE GHANAIAN CHURCH SCENE TODAY

For a vivid description of the nature and levels of patronage accorded the various types of churches in Ghana, one requires a bird’s eye-view of what the picture looks like countrywide.  “The Ghanaian Church Scene Today” therefore deals, first of all, with a Typology involving 1. The Historic Churches, 2.Other Mission-Related Churches, 3.The Pentecostal Churches, 4.The Independent “Charismatic” Churches and 5.The Independent “Spiritual” Churches.   Secondly, there is the examination of labels, definitions and descriptions that take account of the historical context, the demographic distribution and also theological and other emphases of the various churches that have emerged on the Ghanaian church scene

nalysing Change Resistance to an Information Systems-Supported Process in a South African Public Hospital

Introducing technological change to an organization’s normal processes can potentially bring about positive or negative results, depending mostly on the manner in which the change was facilitated and integrated into the organization. However, very little research has been done on information technology (IT) investment among hospitals, its effect on the personnel, as well as how it influences patient care and financial performance. Consequently, little is known about users’ resistance to new technologies and the precedents of technology rejection in healthcare. Therefore, this study seeks to fill the gap of understanding South African hospital staffs’ perceptions towards change, caused by introducing an information system into one of the hospital’s daily processes. Where resistance towards change is identified, the study aims to understand the reasons behind such resistance. Finally, it aims to find appropriate intervention strategies to deal with and minimize resistance. In doing so, the study seeks to contribute to the body of research regarding change resistance to information systems in public South African hospitals. By adopting a descriptive and exploratory interpretivist paradigm, in conjunction with an inductive approach, the study aims to get a better understanding of hospital staffs’ perceptions through shared meaning. The study adopted a case study research strategy, as it affords the researcher the opportunity to participate in the study, and as such contributes to the subjective interpretation of the findings. Data was collected using a mixed method approach, and was used to describe the difference between the current and proposed process. In addition, it was used to explore the reasons for change resistance to information system-supported change, and to explore methods of successfully introducing change to tertiary public hospitals in South Africa. Fourteen participants (7 medical interns and 7 ward clerks) who were directly involved in the process being studied, were interviewed. Two other participants (the head of the pharmacy and the patient flow manager), who were indirectly involved in the process, were interviewed, to verify the observed and mapped process. Interview data was analyzed qualitatively, firstly through coding techniques before using sentiment and thematic analysis. While the mapped process followed Business Process Modelling Notation conventions. In addition to a mapped proposed process, a change resistance conceptual model was developed from a conjunction of the findings and extensive review of literature. The conceptual model asserts that five main factors contribute to change resistance: unclearly defined duties; fear of job security and technology usage; years of service; resource availability and resource mismatch; as well as insufficient training resulting from the lack of a learning culture. These factors can be moderated by: the existing state of affairs referred to as status quo; management involvement; and communication. The conceptual model can be used to better understand the causes of change resistance, as well as how to minimize change resistance and successfully introduce change into a health organization. Change agents should aim to understand the status quo that exists in the organization and find ways of incorporating that into the change process. Furthermore, management should aim to involve and communicate with all affected stakeholders during a change process. This research has provided a better understanding of hospital staffs’ reactions to change, their reasons for resistance, and ways to minimize change resistance while successfully introducing change into a health organization

MISSION FIELDS IN GHANA: THE CHALLENGE OF UNREACHED PEOPLES

Although about 69% of Ghana’s population profess to be Christians, there are many distinct groups within the total population that are “unreached” by the Church. This is a great challenge confronting the Church in Ghana. Attention is drawn to three mission fields which I have come up with in the course of my study of the Ghanaian church scene. These are:  a) The neglected mission field, b)  The unnoticed mission field, c) The forgotten mission field.   If the Church is to experience expansion (numerical) growth, extension growth and bridging growth, a consistent effort at reaching these groups of people with the gospel must be very high on the church’s agenda. Priority attention is required in order to face the challenge of unreached peoples.  To say that the Church cannot experience rapid growth without priority attention to the neglected, unnoticed and forgotten mission fields is not an overstatement

Transnational actors and anti-poverty policymaking in Ghana : An ideational perspective

The influence of transnational actors (TNAs) on the policy process in most sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries is widely acknowledged. Yet, studies examining this phenomenon focus mainly on the imposition of policy conditionality and under explore other mechanisms such as ideational processes, which mediate the relationship between national and transnational actors. Focusing on two poverty alleviation policies implemented in Ghana – Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), and Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) –, this study draws on the Transnational Policy Process (TPP) Framework to explore the ideational mechanisms that were instrumental in the development of these two social policies. In order to do so, qualitative case study research methods involving interviews and document reviews are used. This thesis argues that policymaking is multi-causal, which means that focusing exclusively on conditionalities without accounting for the role of ideational and other factors obscure our understanding of the policy process in developing countries. By examining the policy process in Ghana, this study ascertains that, beyond imposition of policies through conditionalities, TNAs also deploy other mechanisms that are mainly ideational in nature. Ideational channels include conferences, field trips, technical cooperation, training and capacity building, as well as collaboration with civil society organizations. Beyond these, TNAs use their memberships in policy structures, such as Ghana’s cross-sectoral planning groups (CSPGs) and sector working groups (SWGs) as a crucial platform to purvey policy innovations. Additionally, in some cases, the mechanisms are also coupled to improve effectiveness. The study also shows the mediating role of national institutions and contexts more generally, a role that makes the adoption of new policy ideas a necessary part of the policy process. Moreover, there is an indication that using ideational mechanisms promotes a sense of policy ownership among national policymakers who actively participate in shaping policies in partnership with transnational actors

Polyhydroxyalkanoates for advanced applications

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a group of biobased, biodegradable and biocompatible polyesters, synthetized, through fermentation processes, by bacterial enzymes from various feedstock, e.g. agricultural wastes, that represent a promising alternative to currently used petroleum-based polymers. Among various produced PHAs, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and the copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyarte-co-3-hydroxyvalerate-co-4-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBVV) are nowadays intensively studied. Such polyesters are intriguing candidates as fully biobased and biodegradable polymeric matrix, which can be reinforced to obtain composites with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. Using a novel approach, water-suspended micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) was dispersed into a PHA matrix through thermo-mechanical mixing by using a suitable polymeric dispersing agent. SEM images confirms obtainment of good dispersion and encourage further investigation. Furthermore, considering biocompatibility of PHAs, realization of PHB and PHBVV scaffolds for tissue engineering, filled with osteoinductive inorganic particles, were prepared. Preliminary in vitro investigations showed promising results and further analyses are currently ongoing. To improve and tune intrinsic excellent PHAs properties, and possibly extend polyesters applications, post-polymerization macromolecular chains modifications were attempted. After a PHB and PHBVV fully characterization by conventional chromatographic, thermal and spectroscopic analyses, a more complete characterization has been achieved by end-groups analyses through a herein proposed new 19F-NMR method, which allows to overcome typical disadvantages and drawbacks of traditional techniques. The 19F-NMR method reveled to be a simple and fast analytical tool for characterizing PHB derivatives and planning further reactions to obtain useful PHB-based macromonomers, as the herein presented UV-sensible PHB-based segments. Following the successful utilization of PHB-based cross-linking agent mixed with a liquid commercial methacrylate monomer in stereolithography 3D printing, demonstrating the real possible application of the synthesized material, a new green solvent-free preparation procedure was established. In this dissertation, a wide range of possible methodologies for PHAs properties modification have been proposed and all prepared materials can be envisioned in several various technological applications

Knowledge Leakage in Collaborative Projects: Application of the ISM-MICMAC Model

In this paper, we propose a holistic model that highlights the interrelationships among factors that contribute to knowledge leakage in collaborative projects using the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) technique and cross-impact matrix multiplication (MICMAC) analysis. Our study suggests that nine relevant factors influence knowledge leakage in collaborative projects. Incomplete contracts and insufficient technological competence are the root cause of knowledge leakage. Furthermore, the nine factors are categorized into two main clusters, namely dependency cluster - strong dependence power with weak driving power, and independent cluster - weak dependence power with strong driving power. Our study contributes several valuable insights to both theory and practice