“Soft” Governance and Firm Performance: A Study of Ghanaian Insurance Firms

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between “soft” governance factors and the performance of insurance companies in Ghana. The study employed panel data methodology for the regression analysis of “soft” governance factors and the performance of the companies for the period 2005 – 2009. The results show that “soft” governance factors of recruitment policy, staff training and development, communication policy and performance evaluation have statistically significant positive relationship with the performance of the companies. It is recommended that management should treat “soft” governance as a strategic issue and formulate strategic policies on these factors. Again they should ensure the full implementation of these policies to ensure that the companies derive the maximum benefit of an improved performance. Keywords: “Soft” governance, Insurance industry, Firm performanc

Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: Evidence from the Insurance Sector of Ghana

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between corporate governance and the financial performance of insurance companies in Ghana.  The secondary data was collected from the national insurance commission and the primary data through the administration of interview questionnaires. Panel Data Methodology was used for the data analysis. The findings shows that large board size, board skill, management skill, longer serving CEOs,  size of audit committee, audit committee independence, foreign ownership, institutional ownership, dividend policy and annual general meeting are positively associated with the financial performance of insurance companies in Ghana. The insurance companies are encouraged to adopt good corporate governance practices to improve their financial performance and also to protect the interest of the shareholders. Most importantly the regulatory authorities must ensure compliance with good governance and apply the appropriate sanctions for non compliance to help the growth and development of the insurance industry. Key Words: Ghana insurance industry, Corporate governance, Firm performanc

Difference in the Sustainability between Microfinancial Institutions Which Offer Combined Services and Those Which Offer Solely Micro-Credit

The sustainability of MFIs in Ghana has been of great concern to all stakeholders due to the rampant collapsing of Microfinancial institutions in recent times. The study assesses the difference in the sustainability of Microfinancial institutions which offer both micro credit and micro savings and those which offer solely micro-credit. The study was conducted in Ghana using data from sample of 20 out of 32 Microfinancial Institutions in the country which had reported to the Microfinance Information Exchange Market from 2006 to 2013. The study adopted quantitative approach and used Mann- Whitney U test in analysing the data

Assessment of the Relative Yielding Abilities and Stability of Maize (Zea mays L) Genotypes under Different Levels of Nitrogen Fertilization across Two Agro- Ecological Zones in Ghana

Abstract. Farmers" adoption of hybrid varieties would reduce the large discrepancy between current low yields and achievable yields reported by researchers in yield evaluation trials. This is because hybrids wield superior genetic potential over improved open pollinated varieties (OPVs) and local varieties due their heterozygosity which explains their exhibition of high heterosis in yield and general performance. The current low yield necessitated the need to undertake this study to assess the relative yielding potentials of 3 hybrid varieties, 5 OPVs, 1 local variety and 4 inbred lines under three levels of Nitrogen fertilization in forest and transitional ecological zones in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant interactions for genotype by location (G x L), genotype by nitrogen (G x N) and genotype by nitrogen and by location (G x N x L) for grain yield. Averaged across test environments (i.e. location by nitrogen levels), "Mamaba", a Quality Protein Maize (QPM) hybrid recorded the highest mean grain yield of 4.73 t ha -1 whilst the highest yielding OPV, Golden Jubilee, recorded 2.91 t ha -1 ;"Entry 5", the highest yielding inbred line however recorded grain yield of 0.72 t ha -1 . GGE biplot analysis for mean yield also showed that hybrids had better yielding abilities than OPVs under both low and high nitrogen fertilization and at different environments. In order to bridge the gap between the current low yields and achievable yields in Ghana, farmers would need hybrid seeds together with adequate levels of fertilizers

SMS for Life: a pilot project to improve anti-malarial drug supply management in rural Tanzania using standard technology

Background: Maintaining adequate supplies of anti-malarial medicines at the health facility level in rural sub-Saharan Africa is a major barrier to effective management of the disease. Lack of visibility of anti-malarial stock levels at the health facility level is an important contributor to this problem. Methods: A 21-week pilot study, 'SMS for Life', was undertaken during 2009-2010 in three districts of rural Tanzania, involving 129 health facilities. Undertaken through a collaborative partnership of public and private institutions, SMS for Life used mobile telephones, SMS messages and electronic mapping technology to facilitate provision of comprehensive and accurate stock counts from all health facilities to each district management team on a weekly basis. The system covered stocks of the four different dosage packs of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and quinine injectable. Results: Stock count data was provided in 95% of cases, on average. A high response rate (≥ 93%) was maintained throughout the pilot. The error rate for composition of SMS responses averaged 7.5% throughout the study; almost all errors were corrected and messages re-sent. Data accuracy, based on surveillance visits to health facilities, was 94%. District stock reports were accessed on average once a day. The proportion of health facilities with no stock of one or more anti-malarial medicine (i.e. any of the four dosages of AL or quinine injectable) fell from 78% at week 1 to 26% at week 21. In Lindi Rural district, stock-outs were eliminated by week 8 with virtually no stock-outs thereafter. During the study, AL stocks increased by 64% and quinine stock increased 36% across the three districts. Conclusions: The SMS for Life pilot provided visibility of anti-malarial stock levels to support more efficient stock management using simple and widely available SMS technology, via a public-private partnership model that worked highly effectively. The SMS for Life system has the potential to alleviate restricted availability of anti-malarial drugs or other medicines in rural or under-resourced areas

Research and development on solar drying : advancing energy supply options or meeting felt needs

In IDL-855

Electric power for industrialisation in developing countries

Rev. draf

Economic determinants of gender employment gap in Europe: emphasis on Visegrad countries

ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH The presence of gender discrimination in the labou market has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. A greater in balance in the labou market does not only lead to economic loss but also has a high effect on the well being of women and quality of our society. The study investigates the economic determinants of gender employment gap with a focus on Visegrad Countries; Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, where little attention has being given to gender employment in the past years. The secondary data for the study was obtained from the world bank database. All Visegrad country's data was downloaded, combined into one dataset, and then examined using ordinary least squares estimation. The analysis revealed that a total of 8 variables out of the initial 16 variables were significant predictors of gender employment gap. Also, almost all the variability in the dependent variable is being explained by the 8 predictors in the model. This is evidenced by a 98.7% coefficient of determination value. The study recommends that since female employment to population ratio increases whiles gender employment gap decreases, more job opportunities for women should be created including engaging women in entrepreneurship. Additionally, flexible work schedules make it easier for women to balance their various obligations and create a better work-life balance. If parents have access to inexpensive childcare options and parental leave, more women will work in advanced economies. The proportion of women who leave the employment after giving birth might be decreased with the aid of improved child care facilities, lengthier leave regulations, and more flexible work environments

Recherche et développement sur le séchage solaire : les nouveaux choix en matière d'approvisionnement d'énergie ou la satisfaction des besoins perçus

Dans IDL-872