Implementing Supplier Relationship Management in the Manufacturing Sector of Ghana: A Factor And Principal Component Analysis

This study investigated how to implement Supplier Relationship Management to the manufacturing sector of Ghana; using selected manufacturing companies the in Eastern and Volta regions of Ghana as case study. Accelerated product cycles, vastly more sophisticated supply chains, rapid pace of process and systems change, and the need to work seamlessly with offshore suppliers have made effective supplier relationship management more demanding and more critical than ever before. However in Ghana, it has remained an uncharted territory for most manufacturing firms in Ghana. It was therefore important to assess how to implement SRM in the manufacturing sector of Ghana. The case studies for this study were the management of Volta Star Company Ltd, Akosombo Textiles and the Intravenous infusions Limited. Based on the simple random, purposive, and quota sampling techniques 60 managers from these companies were sampled. Their views were analysed with Factor Analysis and Principal Component Analysis. These tools were used to establish the relative importance of the SRM elements in their applicability to the manufacturing sector of the country. The relative importance of the elements of SRM to the Ghanaian manufacturing sector appeared in the following order: Resourcing, Technology, Segmentation, Accountability, and Process and governance. This is the order of priority that must be given to the SRM elements in the implementation plans of manufacturing firms in Ghana. Keywords: SRM, Resourcing, Accountability, Process and Governance, Segmentatio

Preventing Procurement Corruption in the Health Sector of Ghana: A Factor and Principal Component Analysis

A report by the World Bank called "Quiet Corruption" has revealed that 95 per cent of resources allocated to the health sector in Ghana was diverted into the pockets of individuals. Ghana is second to Chad in terms of the most corrupt when it comes to managing resources in the health sector in Africa.“Quiet Corruption” is an annual Africa Development Indicators report that revealed that the problem of corruption goes beyond bribes and graft and affects health, education, and agriculture sectors on the continent. As the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and other government agencies have not been able to map up the right programmes to prevent the further aggravation of the sordid situation, it was therefore important for a researchers to ascertain how to tackle corruption in Ghana. The sample size covered 72 experts in the two biggest hospitals in the country ( Korle-Bu Teaching hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital). This included all the 18 top officials of the two hospitals, 36 procurement officials, 12 IT officials, and 6 accountants. The quota sampling technique ensured that the non top managers (officials) selected occurred in the ratio 3:2:1 respectively. The ratio indicated the level of involvement of these officials in the procurement process of the hospitals. Those who were more involved in procurement practices and adequately knowledgeable had greater representation in the sample. Their views were analysed with Factor Analysis and Principal Component Analysis. These tools were used to establish the relative importance of measures used to prevent corruption in procurement. The relative importance of the elements of appeared in the following order: The use of good rules, Putting in place efficient management systems, Enhancing access to information and Promoting integrity among officials. This is the order of priority that must be given to the elements used in preventing corruption in the health sector of Ghana. Keywords: Corruption, Procurement, Fraud, Good rules, transparency and monitorin

The Importance of the Informal Sector of Ghana to Savings and Loans Companies

The informal sector plays a critical and controversial role. It provides jobs and reduces unemployment and underemployment, but in many cases the jobs are low-paid and the job security is poor. It bolsters entrepreneurial activity, but at the detriment of state regulations compliance, particularly regarding tax and labor regulations. In the mist of this controversy, a growing number of savings and loans companies have made the sector their primary target. It was therefore necessary to conduct a research to investigate the importance of the informal sector to savings and loans companies. The objectives of the research were to examine the risks of the informal sector to savings and loans companies, to examine the benefits of the informal sector to savings and loans companies and to assess relationship between the informal sector and savings and loans companies. The research adopted both probability and non-probability sampling methods. A quota of 15 respondents was given to each of the four companies namely Procredit, Ezi, Opportunity and Garden City Savings and Loans companies. Then the purposive and simple random techniques were used to select the 15 respondents of each company. The purposive technique was used to select accountants and marketers of the companies. This was due to the category involvement, knowledge and experience. The simple random technique ensured that each respondent stood an equal chance of being selected. The sample size for the study was 60. The research found out that the informal sector is highly important to savings and loans companies in Ghana as the benefits of doing business with them far out-weighs the associated costs. Key words: Informal sector, Savings and loan

The Importance of Supplier Segmentation to the Manufacturing Sector of Ghana

This study investigated the importance of Supplier Segmentation to the manufacturing sector of Ghana; using selected manufacturing companies the in Eastern and Volta regions of Ghana as case study. Managing relationships between a supplier and buyer can be a complex one. Each party seeks to maximize its time, resources, and cash investment; these may be competing priorities that can strain the relationship. While certain companies adopt a more collaborative approach in dealing with suppliers, others too adopt a take it or leave it approach. In the midst of this controversy, it became necessary to conduct a research to assess the importance of supplier segmentation which has been hailed as a key component of Supplier Relationship Management. The case studies for this study were the management of Volta Star Company Ltd, Akosombo Textiles and the Intravenous infusions Limited. Based on the simple random, purposive, and quota sampling techniques 60 managers from these companies were sampled. The study revealed that Supplier Segmentation is highly important to the Ghanaian manufacturing sector. Key words: Supplier Relationship Management, Supplier Segmentatio

The Impact of Government Financial Support Agencies on Small Business Development in Ghana

Even though Ghana has been described as a model of entrepreneurship, the country has still not been able to find answers to the problems that confront the small business sector as a result of competition posed by the influx of cheaper foreign goods. The cost of burrowing remains one of the highest in the sub-region. The sector continues to sink deeper and deeper even though government support institutions for the sector such as the NBSSI, EDIF, MASLOC, Gratis Foundation and the Ghana Chamber of commerce have all widened their scope of operations as a means of curtailing these challenges. There was therefore the need to conduct a research to establish the impact of government financial support agencies on the small business development in Ghana. The study adopted both primary and secondary data. The simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 60 owner managers of small businesses in the New Juabeng Municipality for the interview. The study found out that the impact of government financial support agencies on small businesses have largely been low due to low funding of these agencies, poor awareness of the agencies, and favouritism in the disbursement of funds.   Keywords: Small Business Development, Government Financial Support Agencie

Nutrition intakes and nutritional status of school age children in Ghana

This paper compares nutrition intakes and nutritional status of school children from two public schools in neighbouring communities of Ghana with different school feeding programmes. One hundred and eighty-two caregiver and school-age child pairs were interviewed concerning socio-demographics, dietary practices, and food security in a cross-sectional design. The independent t-test was used to compare the contribution of the publicly funded Ghana School Feeding Programme and private School Feeding Programme meals to total daily nutrient intakes of the children. Predictors of nutritional status of the children were assessed using logistic regression models. The private school feeding programme contributed more energy, protein, and micronutrients as compared to the government school feeding programme. About two-thirds (67.0%) of the children were stunted, underweight, or anaemic. Child’s age was a significant predictor of stunting. Undernutrition was prevalent among children from both programmes. Improved quality of diet from the feeding programmes may contribute to addressing malnutrition in these children

Comparison of Two School Feeding Programmes in Ghana, West Africa

Background: Malnutrition of children in Ghana continues during school years. There is limited information on how school meals meet nutrient recommendations in Ghana. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare energy and nutrient content of meals served by Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) and Non-Governmental School Feeding Programme (NGSFP) and adherence to nutrient recommendations. Methods: This was a cross sectional study design involving observation of school meals at two sites: GSFP and NGSFP. Average weights of a week’s meal were converted to energy and nutrient equivalence and compared with international recommendations. Differences assessed with t-tests. Results: NGSFP provided significantly higher portion size (416 ± 96 g vs. 243 ± 50 g; p=0.007), energy (776 ± 427 kcal vs. 315 ± 24 kcal; p=0.042) and fats (17± 8 vs. 6 ± 2; p=0.019) but similar micronutrient contributions to GSFP. NGSFP met energy and macronutrient recommendation set by World Food Programme; whereas, GSFP did not meet the recommendations. Conclusion and Recommendations: The NGSFP had more energy and macronutrients per serving size than the GSFP. Regulation of meals served by GSFP should be reviewed to ensure they contribute to the adequacy of children’s diets as well as meet recommendations set by World Food Programme

Assessment of occupational stress among certified registered anesthetists in the Greater Accra region

BackgroundWork-related stress is a prevailing concern within the community of Certified Registered Anesthetists (CRAs), significantly impacting both the health and professional performance of these individuals. This study aimed to assess work-related stress and its influencing factors among CRAs practicing in the Greater Accra region was examined.MethodsUsing convenience sampling techniques, data were gathered from 140 participants via a Google form questionnaire distributed through WhatsApp. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the collected data, focusing on frequencies and proportions for categorical variables. For continuous variables, bivariate analysis (Chi-square) and ordinal logistic regression were conducted using STATA 16. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.ResultsAmong the 140 CRAs, 20 individuals (14.3%) reported experiencing mild stress levels according to the Weiman Occupational Stress Scale. Approximately 3 out of 4 CRAs (73.6%) reported having moderate stress levels, and 12.1% reported severe stress levels. This indicated that the majority of CRAs experienced moderate levels of stress, which was notably affected by the type of health facility and the use of inadequate or sub-standard equipment in the hospitals.ConclusionBased on these findings, the study recommends educational programs and counseling for CRAs to heighten awareness of the demanding nature of their job. Additionally, it suggests the provision of proper resources and standard equipment for CRAs. Facility-level motivation for CRAs is also advised to alleviate their stress. Finally, the study proposes further investigations into the factors contributing to work-related stress among CRAs

Integration of multiple geospatial applications and intelligence for responding to COVID-19 in Ghana

Objective: We describe the use of integrated geospatial applications for the provision of access to timely and accurate data on samples, visualisation of Spatio-temporal patterns of cases and effective communication between field sample collectors, testing laboratories, Regional Health directors and Government Decision Makers.Design: This study describes how an integrated geospatial platform based on case location and intelligence was developed and used for effective COVID-19 response during the initial stages of COVID-19 in Ghana.Data Source: Collector for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Survey123Main outcome measure: successful development and deployment of integrated geospatial applications and analytics.                                                              Results: The Collector for ArcGIS app was customised to collect COVID-19 positive cases location information. Survey 123 was introduced as a COVID-19 contact tracing application to digitise the case-based forms and provide real-time results from the laboratories to GHS and other stakeholders. The laboratory backend allowed the testing laboratories access to specific information about each patient (sample) collected by the fieldworkers. The regional supervisors’ backend web application provided accessing test results for confidentiality and timely communication of results.Conclusion: Geospatial platforms were successfully established in Ghana to provide timely results to Regional Health Directors and Government decision-makers. This helped to improve the timeliness of response and contact tracing at the district level

Challenges in linking health research to policy: a commentary on developing a multi-stakeholder response to orphans and vulnerable children in Ghana

The Research and Development Division (RDD) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has a remit to build research capacity and conduct policy relevant research. By being situated within the GHS, RDD has good access to directors and programme managers, within and beyond the Ministry of Health. This structure has been facilitating collaboration through research cycles for 20 years, from agenda setting to discussions on policy relevance