A simplified model to enhance SMEs’ investment in renewable energy sources in Ghana

Although the Renewable Energy Act 2011 (Act, 832) was enacted to facilitate development and investment in the Renewable Energy sources in Ghana as part of the efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7, the actual impacts of the policy are yet to be felt as manifested in the amendment Act 2020 (Act, 1045). There is a need to develop an alternative model to enhance investment in the renewable energy sector. Drawing from the Resources Based View (RBV) and Porter’s Five Forces this paper is aimed to develop a simplified model to explain Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)investment determinants in the renewable energy sources in Ghana. We argued that the simplified integrated model provides robust predictability and wider generalization. Our paper is anchored on the positivists’ epistemology and quantitative methodology. Our hypotheses have been tested using cross-sectional data from the Ghanaian SMEs. Variance Based Partial Least Squares (PLS) method has been used to analyze the survey data. Our results indicate that entrepreneurial competency, financial resource, marketing capability, and technological usage significantly relate to investment in renewable energy. Moreover, the results have shown that competitive rivalry, the threat of entry, and bargaining power of customers significantly relate to investment in renewable energy. These results substantiate the well-known argument that industry forces and resource competitive strategies are significant determinants of a firm’s competitiveness and behavioral intentions. Overall, these results have theoretical and practical implications to facilitate the capacity of SMEs and create enabling renewable energy local content policy to enhance SMEs ’ participation in the sector.         &nbsp

Modelling the influencing of green entrepreneurship orientation on sustainable firm performance: a moderated mediation model

This paper aims to develop an integrated model to enhance the relationship between green entrepreneurship orientation (GEO), and sustainable firm performance to encourage sustainable consumption and production, by integrating Natural Resource Based View, and Dynamic Capability Theories with slight modification. We have approached this study through deductive reasoning, and the quantitative research approach. Structured questionnaire has been used to gather data from Green Entrepreneurs across different sectors in Ghana. The analyses have been conducted with the aid of SMART-PLS version 3.3.1 algorithm. Structural Equation Modelling technique has been used to test our hypotheses. Our results have shown that GEO drives green innovative performance, and firm performance. Moreover, green innovative capability significantly moderated the relationship between GEO, and green innovation performance. Again, green innovative performance significantly mediated the relation between GEO, and Sustainable firm performance. In conclusion, environmental sustainability could be achieved through GE, and Environmental Innovative Performance (EIP). Likewise, Green dynamic capability could be used to strengthen the relationship between GEO, and EIP. The implications of this study include the emergence of an integrated model to enhance green entrepreneurship development and environmental sustainability, and social realisation of Sustainability Development Goals 4, 8, 12, and 13 in a developing economy context

Institutional support in managerial capacity building and Ghanaian SMEs growth : the mediating effect of marketing orientation

This study examined the effect of institutional support in managerial capacity building on marketing orientation and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) growth. The study employed positivist research paradigm which necessitated the use of survey method. The study sample consisted of 147 participants across the Ghanaian SMEs sector. The study conterminously employed Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Smart-Partial Least Square (PLS) to analyze the survey questionnaire data and test the research hypotheses. The study found that institutional support in managerial capacity building had positive and significant impact on SMEs comparative advantage and performance. The study further revealed that marketing orientation has significant on SMEs growth. On contrary, the study found that institutional support in managerial capacity building has insignificant effect on marketing orientation. These results imply that continue investment and support in managerial capacity building and marketing intelligence are required to enhance SMEs growth. We suggest replication of this study in other Sub-Sahara countries since this was limited to only Ghanaian SMEs

External business environment and SMEs investment in the ghanaian oil and gas sector

There is no scintilla of doubt that integrating SMEs into the high value Oil and Gas Sector would have both immediate and long-term effects on the socio-economic development of Ghana particularly Job creation and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.This study examines the impact of external business environment on SMEs willingness to invest in the Ghanaian oil and Gas Sector. Using binomial logistic regression analysis we analyze primary data from 245 SMEs from Ghana. The study finds that SMEs that have readily access to finance, reliable electrical supply, required technical qualification, no competition from foreign companies, well informed on Oil and Gas investment opportunity are more likely to invest in Ghanaian oil and gas sector.We also find that corruption perception, political stability and training support in capacity building have no significant influence on SMEs willingness to invest. We suggest that future studies should cover internal firm factors, perceived barriers as well as macro level factors.Also the study is limited to Ghanaian SMEs, future researchers may replicate this study in other oil producing countries in Africa including; Nigeria, Uganda, Angola and South Africa

Policy Environment and Small and Medium Enterprises Investment in the Ghanaian Oil and Gas Industry

Policy environment particularly local content legislatures in most emerging economies where oil and gas are produced have become major development agenda of host countries and stakeholders alike. Apparently, efforts are made to enact local content legislature as a means of optimizing oil and gas benefits. Per contra, mixed results had been ascertained with regards to outcome of these policies. This study was conducted to determine how dimensions of policy environment impact on SMEs investment in the Ghanaian Oil and Gas Sector. This study relied on primary data and structured questionnaire to elicit data from 497 Ghanaian SMEs across different industries. Using explanatory research design and binominal regression model we found that Skills and expertise development policy, local workforce education policy, employment policy and macro-economic environment policy significantly increase the odd of SMEs investment in the Ghanaian oil and gas sector. However, technology transfer, research and development policies exert insignificant influence on SMEs investment decisions. This study has implications on oil and gas policy reforms, investment decisions and future research. Particularly we recommend replication of this study within other emerging economies. Keywords: Ghanaian SMEs, Logit Model, Oil and Gas, Local Content Policy, Willingness to Invest JEL Classifications: D02, O17, P3

Social factors influencing child health in Ghana

Objectives Social factors have profound effects on health. Children are especially vulnerable to social influences, particularly in their early years. Adverse social exposures in childhood can lead to chronic disorders later in life. Here, we sought to identify and evaluate the impact of social factors on child health in Ghana. As Ghana is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals’ target of reducing child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015, we deemed it necessary to identify social determinants that might have contributed to the non-realisation of this goal. Methods ScienceDirect, PubMed, MEDLINE via EBSCO and Google Scholar were searched for published articles reporting on the influence of social factors on child health in Ghana. After screening the 98 articles identified, 34 of them that met our inclusion criteria were selected for qualitative review. Results Major social factors influencing child health in the country include maternal education, rural-urban disparities (place of residence), family income (wealth/poverty) and high dependency (multiparousity). These factors are associated with child mortality, nutritional status of children, completion of immunisation programmes, health-seeking behaviour and hygiene practices. Conclusions Several social factors influence child health outcomes in Ghana. Developing more effective responses to these social determinants would require sustainable efforts from all stakeholders including the Government, healthcare providers and families. We recommend the development of interventions that would support families through direct social support initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty and inequality, and indirect approaches targeted at eliminating the dependence of poor health outcomes on social factors. Importantly, the expansion of quality free education interventions to improve would-be-mother’s health knowledge is emphasised

Implications of strategic orientation on firms’ performance in a lower middle-income country: Does organizational innovation capability matter?

AbstractSince the birth and subsequent ratification of United Nations’ Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, local businesses are working assiduously to re-strategize and adapt to the changing external environment including responsible consumptions and production in order to gain competitive advantage and improve their performance. To facilitate this call, our paper is aimed to analyse the implications of strategic orientation on firm performance, and develop a model to explain the mediating role of organizational innovation capability on the relationship between strategic orientation and firm performance with a focus on a lower middle-income country where such studies are largely inadequate. Our paper is anchored on positivists’ ontology and quantitative approach. Cross-sectional survey data have been elicited from formalized small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are registered with Ghana Enterprise Agency. Our hypotheses have been tested using Partial Least Square and Andrew Hayes Macro Process techniques. Our results have showed that the dimensions of strategic orientation (marketing, entrepreneurship, and technology) exert positive and significant effects on firms’ innovation capability and performance. Besides, organizational innovation capability significantly mediates the relationships between marketing and technological orientations and firms’ performance. This study is among the very few to provide strategic orientation model to enhance organizational innovation and performance in the context of lower middle-income country. The emergency of contextual variables that impact on organizational innovation and firm performance would go a long way to guide managers, owners and regulators to develop robust strategies that could enhance the realization of sustainable development goals in the long term

How organizational learning dimensions influence firms’ competitive strategy and performance in a lower-middle-income country: A mediation model

AbstractOrganizational learning (OL) offers knowledge sharing and innovation to firms. OL is a driver of firms’ competitive advantage and performance, yet this symbiotic relationship has not been adequately explored in most developing countries. It is against this backdrop that the current study aims to develop a baseline model in the context of a low- and middle-income country to explain the extent to which OL dimensions impact firms’ competitive strategy and performance. Our article utilizes a quantitative research approach and deductive reasoning. Cross-sectional survey data have been collected from small and medium enterprises across manufacturing, hospitality, extraction, transportation, construction, and oil and gas subsectors. Our data have been analyzed using the structural equation modelling technique. The study has revealed that OL dimensions of knowledge acquisition, knowledge distribution, and knowledge interpretation have positive and significant impacts on firms’ competitive strategy and performance. Moreover, competitive strategy significantly and positively mediates the relationship between OL dimensions and firm performance. The theoretical implications of the study include the development of a baseline model to explain the extent to which OL dimensions impact firms’ competitive strategy and performance in the context of lower-middle-income countries, where such studies are largely inadequate. Practically, this study is among the very few to present contextual determinants of firm competitive strategy and performance to guide investors and business owners in attracting, retaining, and transferring knowledge in order to formulate fierce strategies

Green culture, environmental innovativeness, green intellectual capital and circular economy implementation behaviour: A sequential mediation model

AbstractAlthough corporations have been propelled to adapt eco-innovation strategies including decent work practices, responsible consumption and production, and transition from linear economy to circular economy model to integrate natural ecosystems, businesses, and waste management, inversely, the actual impact of the circular economy implementation (CEI) in Ghana is yet to be felt. This paper aims to analyse the implications of corporate green culture (CGC) on CEI behaviour, and to design a model that explains the mediating roles of environmental innovativeness (EI) and green intellectual capital (GIC) on the relation between CGC and CEI behaviour from the perspective of a lower resource economy context. Our paper is positioned on positivists’ reasoning and quantitative research approach. A survey-based structured questionnaire has been used to collect data from 300 manufacturing firms in Ghana. Our hypotheses have been tested with the aid of SMART-PLS and structural equation modelling. The indicative results have shown that CGC positively affect CEI behaviour. Moreover, EI and GIC have significant and positive effects on CEI behaviour, Besides, GIC serves as a medium through which CGC indirectly impacts on CEI behaviour. The implications of the study include the emergence of baseline model to encourage CEI behaviour in Ghana and other Sub-Saharan African countries. The paper recommends that the newly developed model be used by practitioners to explain coordinated economic, ecological and social development, and restore ecological environment. Policymakers are encouraged to facilitate the reinforcement of environmental policies and subsequent realization of Sustainable Development Goals