Risk Management as a Conduit of Effective Corporate Governance and Financial Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises

Previous attempts to measure the quality of corporate governance tend to focus on inputs of governance such as the separation of the CEO and the chairman’s roles and the composition of boards, largely based on the agency theory. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which risk management can be incorporated into the corporate governance framework on the backdrop of stewardship theory. After reviewing some of the key issues from literature, the paper demonstrates how relevant risk management practices are to the governance of the SME sector. It also made clear that both corporate governance and risk management have a positive relationship with financial performance. In the end, it advocates for the need for both practitioners and researchers to pay attention to issues of risk management when analyzing the extent to which corporate governance principles are being adhered to by business organizations. Keywords: Risk management, corporate governance, financial performance, SMEs, Ghan

The Relationship between Household Economic Resources and Youth Academic Performance in Ghana: A Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling

The Government of Ghana recognizes the importance of education for improving the socioeconomic well-being of young Ghanaians and the development of the nation. Education currently accounts for the largest share: 31%) of Ghana\u27s national budget: GNA, 2012). Educational reforms and investments have had remarkable success in improving access to education up to the Junior High School: JHS) level, but progression beyond JHS remains a challenge. More than half of JHS graduates do not gain admission into Senior High School: SHS) because of poor academic performance and the inability of those who qualify to afford the drastic increase in educational costs. Stakeholders have focused on different ways to address these educational challenges. Researchers who study the developmental effects of owning assets: e.g., savings, home, land, livestock, etc.) in particular have begun paying attention to ways in which personal: e.g., savings) and household: e.g., assets) economic resources can improve young people\u27s educational outcomes. This emerging area of work is guided by the asset-effects framework, which posits that economic resources may influence educational outcomes directly through being able to pay for tuition and school supplies and indirectly through their influence on cognitive processes: e.g., academic self-efficacy and expectations). Empirical evidence from around the world suggests potential connections, but there are significant research gaps on how specific types of economic resources affect educational outcomes. For instance, while most studies that link income and educational outcomes find strong relationships between income and children\u27s academic performance, others find mixed or contradictory results. The mixed results suggest the need for further conceptualization and empirical research to clarify the nature of the relationships between different types of economic resources and academic performance. To help address the research gaps, this study uses nested cross-sectional data from an ongoing youth savings experiment to examine potential direct and indirect associations between two types of economic resources--parents\u27 income and household assets--and math and English scores of middle school-age youth in Ghana. In addition, the study assesses the possibility that gender moderates the relationships between the aforementioned types of economic resources and math and English scores. Using multilevel structural equation modeling techniques, the study does not find strong evidence to support the hypothesized direct relationship between economic resources and educational outcomes. However, the study finds strong evidence that parents\u27 income and household assets indirectly affect math and English scores through young people\u27s academic self-efficacy and expectations. These findings suggest that psychological factors such as academic self-efficacy and expectation are more predictive of youth academic performance than economic resources. Subgroup analyses also show that gender moderates the indirect relationships between economic resources and English scores but not math scores. This finding concerning possible gender differences could inform policymakers about economic resources that may promote parallel outcomes for boys and girls

Research and Publication Highlights

Bibliography of completed research and book chapter

Firm-Level Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Small and Medium- sized Enterprises in Ghana

This paper examined firm-level determinants of social performance among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana, using specific traits, such as firm age, firm size, financial performance, leverage and managerial competence. It contributes to our knowledge on how firm-level characteristics influence the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives among SMEs. The study analysed primary data of 423 SMEs, using regression analysis. It documented positive relationships between managerial competence, financial performance and CSR, and a negative relationship between leverage and CSR. The thrust of the study is that, besides managerial competence, financial performance variables were far more important determinants of the social performance of SMEs than non-financial ones. Therefore, it recommended that policy makers that desire active participation of the SME sector in addressing societal problems should institute measures that will improve their financial performance. These could include providing cheaper alternatives to accessing funds and maintaining a sustainable macroeconomic environment that support the financial prosperity of this sector. Finally, since it has been proven that managerial competence improves social performance, SME owner/managers are being encouraged to invest a lot of time and resources in sharpening their managerial competencies

The synthesis of monomers with pendent ethynyl group for modified high performance thermoplastics

The objectives of this project were to develop synthetic schemes for the following classes of modified monomers: (1) difunctional triarylethanes with pendent acetylenic groups; and (2) tertiary aspartimides with terminal acetylene groups at the two ends. Our efforts have resulted in the successful development of high yield schemes for the syntheses of several diamino and bisphenolic analogs of difunctional triarylethanes with pendent ethynyl group. A scheme for one new tertiary aspartimide was also established. Multi-gram samples of all prepared new monomers were provided to our technical contact at NASA-LaRC and preliminary polymerization studies were encouraging. Details of the accomplished work within the last four years are described

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of Graduate-Level Peace Educators: Voices for Sustained Peace

Peace education is arguably one of the underappreciated areas of study within the social sciences. Many lifelong, dedicated peace education professionals often feel undervalued by the military-industrial complex apparatus. Influential individuals and corporations that thrive in chaotic and conflicting environments every so often underestimate the relevance of peace educators. Educators find among academic and professional students an intensified urgency to learn the skills necessary to address real-world conflict; however, these courageous individuals are seemingly battling powerful forces with wealth and power. Although such happenings can be demoralizing, it is slowly galvanizing dedicated peace educators to evolve by altering their skill sets, remaining resilient, and growing from the ongoing challenges. In this dissertation, I sought to investigate the lived experiences of peace educators and explore, through their voices, the challenges they face as global conflicts spiral out of control. This study aims to share the peace educators’ voices first-hand. From the findings, the study unveils some of the invisible structural and systemic issues that often undermine peace educators’ efforts. Participants’ storylines showed that the job is interdisciplinary, transformative, and holistic. Bringing forth the narratives and interpreting their stories were pivotal in unearthing peace educators’ involvement in designing programs, developing conflict management strategies, and deepening their understanding of educational policies

A Cut Above the Rest: A Qualitative Study to Evaluate the Feasibility of Implementing Early Childhood Mental Health Interventions into Boston Black/African American Barbershops and Beauty Salons

Objective: This qualitative research aimed to fill a gap in literature by determining the feasibility of implementing early childhood mental health tools into Black/African American barbershops and beauty salons in three Boston neighborhoods: Dorchester, Mattapan, or Roxbury. Methods: Qualitative data collection included key informant interviews with two African American pediatric mental health clinicians who worked with children and families that lived in Mattapan, Dorchester, and/or Roxbury neighborhoods (n=2), a barber who worked in Mattapan (n=1), and a focus group of an active parent council hosted by the city of Boston (n=9). Data was analyzed using descriptive and simultaneous coding methods and reviewed to identify key themes. Results: Participants shared that a parent-centered intervention would be most effective and feasible in a barbershop or beauty salon venue. This intervention should address the following challenges: parental stress (individual and social), parental isolation, and resource access and support. Conclusion: Barbershops and beauty salons may be a feasible health promotion site for early childhood mental health by targeting parents of young children