Effect of Some Performance Indicators of Mathematics in the Nalerigu Senior High School

This study employed the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) procedure to examine the influence of students’ sex, age and course of study (department) on mathematics performance in Nalerigu Senior High School of the East Mampurisi district in the Northern of Ghana. The results showed that male students perform better on the average for all the mathematics performance indicators (understanding, knowledge and perception). The MANOVA analysis revealed that students performance in mathematics do not differ across sex (gender) and age group. The results however showed that there was significant difference in performance of mathematics across course of study (department). However, the univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) results revealed that there was no sex difference in understanding and knowledge of mathematics while significant differences exist in perception of mathematics among male and female students. Further, the study revealed a significant difference in students understanding and knowledge in mathematics and no bias in perception of mathematics among students age. The study therefore recommended that, the Ministry of Education, school managements and other stakeholders such as Non Governmental Organizations should sensitize students to discard beliefs and practices that prohibit effective participation of female students which result to poor performance in mathematics

Microbial analysis of leafy vegetables in iceless cooling facility

Against the background that leafy vegetables stored under ambient conditions are influenced by environmental factors which may cause significant quality loss in terms of freshness, colour, texture and composition, the iceless cooler was used to evaluate microbial load of leafy vegetables. The samples were evaluated for bacterial (coliforms and mesophiles) and fungal (mold and yeast) loads. Results of the microbial test showed that Corchorus olitorius had highest mean microbial load with plate count of 6.7 x 104 CFU/g and Hibiscus sabdariffa had the least mean microbial load with plate count of 4.8 x 104 CFU/g after five days of storage. Corchorus olitorius show a significant increase of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococci species after five days of storage. The ANOVA results showed that vegetables stored under ambient conditions were significantly different (p˂0.01) from those stored in the iceless cooler. The results also indicate that Amaranthus dubius recorded the highest mean weight of 1.94kg and maintained its freshness and colour for up to three days compared with Corchorus olitorius with the least weight of 1.84kg

Youth Risky and Antisocial Behaviors in Newfoundland and Labrador: The Perspectives of Young People

What do young people know about youth risky and antisocial behaviors (RASB) and what do they suggest could be done to address these behaviors? Although there is much literature on youth RASB, there has been little qualitative exploration of the question stated here. The current study aimed to broach the question and to fill the gap. The study contributes to extant literature by exploring types of RASB among youth, reasons for these behaviors, and possible ways to address them from the perspectives of young people in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Constructivist and interpretive perspectives where reality is determined through the social processes of subjectivity and intersubjectivity informed the study. Eighteen young people aged 15 to 24 years participated in three focus group discussions (FGD), and data were analyzed thematically. The three main themes resulting from the process were: (1) a spectrum of behaviors, which comprised six types of behaviors; (2) constructed explanations, where participants identified five possible reasons for RASB; and (3) suggested interventions, which comprised three subthemes on interventions to address youth RASB. The findings and their implications for further research and for policy and practice are discussed

Recontextualising gender in entrepreneurial leadership

Drawing on the literature examining the nexus between gender, entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial performance, this article critically explores a framework for analysing the role of gender in shaping entrepreneurial performance and leadership in tourism firms in a non-western context. Utilising a poststructural feminist lens that challenges normative accounts of entrepreneurial leadership practices, a qualitative analysis of interview data from tourism entrepreneurs in Ghana and Nigeria provides evidence of how entrepreneurial performances and leadership are gendered, fluid and constantly being negotiated. The article extends current discussions within tourism entrepreneurship to engage more meaningfully with gender, thereby assisting in deconstructing homogenous, fixed conceptualisation of entrepreneurial leadership - often evident within the broader leadership and entrepreneurship literature dominated by Anglo-Western approaches

Hotel location decision-making in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana: with whom and why?

Knowledge on the people involved in hotel location decision-making and why they are involved is key to destination planning and development. Insights gained into this subject are useful to future destination planners. Despite its importance, the subject of whom to involve in the hotel location decision and why they should be involved, has received limited research interest in Ghana. This study identifies the people involved in hotel location decisions and assesses the reasons why they are involved. Data was collected from hotel owners in the Kumasi Metropolis and analysed with the chi-square test of independence. Extended family members were mostly involved in the hotel location decisions and for mainly personal reasons. It was concluded that hotel owners in the Kumasi Metropolis involve their family members in the location choice for non-professional reasons

Hotel location decision-making in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana: with whom and why?

Abstract Knowledge on the people involved in hotel location decision-making and why they are involved is key to destination planning and development. Insights gained into this subject are useful to future destination planners. Despite its importance, the subject of whom to involve in the hotel location decision and why they should be involved, has received limited research interest in Ghana. This study identifies the people involved in hotel location decisions and assesses the reasons why they are involved. Data was collected from hotel owners in the Kumasi Metropolis and analysed with the chi-square test of independence. Extended family members were mostly involved in the hotel location decisions and for mainly personal reasons. It was concluded that hotel owners in the Kumasi Metropolis involve their family members in the location choice for non-professional reasons

Young People in Newfoundland and Labrador: Community Connectedness and Opportunities for Social Inclusion

Globally, young people are a major demographic group and a key constituency in socioeconomic policy considerations. However, in a neoliberal era, the social inclusion of youth is in jeopardy. This qualitative study explored young people’s connectedness to community and opportunities for social inclusion in Newfoundland and Labrador. The perspectives of social capital, social exclusion, and sense of community provided a theoretical framework for the study. A purposive sample of 23 youth aged 15 to 24 years provided data through interviews, which we analyzed inductively, using thematic analysis. We found that young people connected to their communities through informal associations and non-profit organizations. These structures provided networks of supportive relationships and inclusive spaces, where young people felt a sense of belonging, and had opportunities for participation. Opportunities took the form of resources and activities that promoted personal growth and community building. For example, through associations and non-profit organizations, participants engaged in general educational development, entrepreneurial training, part-time and volunteer work, and advocacy. However, participants also reported some barriers to inclusion in their communities. Personal level factors, such as illness and environmental level factors, such as low-income and social stigma were barriers to inclusion. These findings provide a basis for policymakers and practitioners to promote youth social inclusion in Newfoundland and Labrador

Segments of cognitive responses towards local food safety concerns amongst international students in Ghana: Segments of cognitive responses towards local food safety concerns amongst international students in Ghana

Despite the attention paid to food safety research, few empirical works have used a non-reductionist perspective to understand how  international consumers cognitively respond to local food safety conditions. Using the tri-component theorisation and the two-step clustering approach with the Kruskal Wallis test on a sample of 109 international students in Ghana, this study provides a non-reductionist cognitive segment of international students towards local food safety conditions in Ghana. The findings revealed that there are three cognitive segments of international consumers towards local food safety conditions, namely self-regards, pessimists, and epicureans. Self-assureds respond to their own self-cognition towards local food safety concerns but deny the cognition of others, moderately respond affectively and sometimes avoid local foods. Pessimists have a highly sensitive cognitive response towards local food safety conditions, high affective responses and avoid the consumption of local foods as a result, while epicureans do not cognitively respond to local food safety conditions, have low affective reactions and consume local foods regardless of the food safety conditions. The implications of these findings in the context of local food preparation, packaging, and handling as well as food safety regulations and marketing are discusse

Policies to reduce single-use plastic marine pollution in West Africa:

Countries in Africa are increasingly adopting policies to reduce single-use plastic (SUP) pollution, yet there has been limited analysis of policies adopted by African countries. This paper reviews SUP reduction policies, specifically in West Africa

COVID-19-induced redundancy and socio-psychological well-being of tourism employees: implications for organizational recovery in a resource-scarce context

Drawing on social and psychological well-being literature underpinned by the concept of resilience, this study examines the impact of COVID-19 induced redundancy on the socio-psychological well-being of redundant employees (laid-off or working reduced hours), and its effect on their commitment to work and support recovery in the tourism industry. Utilizing a quantitative-dominant mixed methods design, 457 questionnaires were administered, and 15 interviews conducted with redundant employees in Ghana between May and August 2020. Results from a binary logistic regression analysis of the survey data supported by qualitative interview analysis indicate that marital status, education, status of dependents, and the types of tourism businesses employed in, significantly influenced psychological well-being while marital status, age, education, and rank in the organization influenced the social well-being of respondents. Meanwhile, psychological well-being significantly influenced future work commitment in the industry. Managerial implications for supporting employee resilience, well-being, and future recovery strategies are critically examined