Josephine Ofosu-Mensah Ababio, Eric B. Yiadom, John K.M. Mawutor, Joseph K. Tuffour and Edward Attah‐Botchwey
This study aims to use 67 developing countries to examine the role of financial inclusion as an “empowering tool” for renewable energy uptake and to improve environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to use 67 developing countries to examine the role of financial inclusion as an “empowering tool” for renewable energy uptake and to improve environmental sustainability in developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a battery of econometric models, including the generalized method of moment-panel vector autoregression (GMM-PVAR), impulse response function, Granger causality, fully modified ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares, the study proposed and tested three hypotheses.
Findings
The results from various estimations indicate that financial inclusion has a positive effect on renewable energy consumption and environmental sustainability improvement in developing countries. The findings suggest that financial inclusion can improve environmental sustainability by increasing access to financing to fund renewable energy projects, support sustainable businesses and promote sustainable practices.
Originality/value
This study suggests that policymakers prioritize financial inclusion to promote renewable energy consumption and environmental sustainability. Policies should enhance access to financial services, offer financial incentives and subsidies, provide affordable loans through microfinance institutions and fintech companies and promote sustainable businesses and green technologies.
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Ernest Sogah, John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor and Freeman Christian Gborse
The aim of the quantity study is to investigate the cost of living and food security nexus in Ghana. Time series secondary quarterly data from 2012Q1 to 2018Q4 were examined.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the quantity study is to investigate the cost of living and food security nexus in Ghana. Time series secondary quarterly data from 2012Q1 to 2018Q4 were examined.
Design/methodology/approach
The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) to cointegration bound test was employed for the econometrics analysis. Time series secondary quarterly data from 2012Q1 to 2018Q4 were examined. Food security data based on the Global Food Security Index score were employed.
Findings
The result revealed that the variables are cointegrated in the long run. The study also revealed that the cost of living worsens food security in Ghana both in the short run and the long run. This could imply that people may not have enough money to afford adequate and nutritious food, which can lead to food insecurity. As the cost of living increases, people may have to spend more of their income on basic necessities such as housing, healthcare and transportation, leaving less money for food. This can result in people choosing cheaper and less nutritious options, or even skipping meals, which can have negative impacts on their health and well-being.
Practical implications
For policy implications, it is recommended that effort should be made by the Ministry of Finance Ghana, financial analysts and other economic agents to stabilize prices of goods and services in the country.
Originality/value
The study is among the few to have investigated the nexus between the cost of living and food security in non-Western economy using the secondary data.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-04-2023-0309
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Ernest Sogah, John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, Isaac Ofoeda and Freeman Christian Gborse
The impact of government expenditure on economic performance has been a topic of discussion at both the sectoral and aggregate national levels. Despite its theoretical importance…
Abstract
Purpose
The impact of government expenditure on economic performance has been a topic of discussion at both the sectoral and aggregate national levels. Despite its theoretical importance, evidence from literature indicates that this relationship has not been universally accepted across different countries and sectors. Given the significance of agriculture in African economies, particularly in Ghana, and the role of government in this sector, this study examines the impact of government expenditure on agricultural productivity in Ghana from 2000Q1 to 2022Q4.
Design/methodology/approach
Specification of the model was done based on the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration bound test approach.
Findings
The results revealed that the studied variables cointegrated in the long run. Government expenditure was found to induce agriculture production both for the long run and short run within the period of the study, implying that government expenditure matters in inducing agriculture productivity in Ghana.
Originality/value
The study employed the ARDL methodology to investigate government expenditure and agriculture production contagion in Ghana, which has been specifically overlooked by previous studies. It is suggested that the Government of Ghana as well as others in similar environment should increase investment into the agriculture to boost the productivity of the sector.
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John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, Ernest Sogah and Freeman Christian Gborse
The main objective of the quantitative study is to ascertain the relationship between the circular economy (CE) and carbon emissions. And also, the study examines the threshold…
Abstract
Purpose
The main objective of the quantitative study is to ascertain the relationship between the circular economy (CE) and carbon emissions. And also, the study examines the threshold beyond which the quality of governance reduces carbon emissions.
Design/methodology/approach
The autoregressive distributed lag approach is employed for the econometrics analysis. The study employed quarterly data from 2006Q1 to 2017Q4 on Ghana.
Findings
The results indicated that, although the CE had a positive and significant effect on carbon emissions, the moderating term had an adverse and significant effect on carbon emissions. This result suggests that to mitigate carbon emissions, a robust and efficient quality of institutions should be sustained. Finally, the study also identified a quality of governance threshold of 1.155 beyond which a shift to a CE would result in a reduction in carbon emissions.
Research limitations/implications
The study recommends that policymakers should initiate policies that would enhance quality governance.
Originality/value
The main contributions of the study are that the paper ascertained the threshold beyond which quality of governance assists circular economic practices to mitigate carbon emissions. Also, the study revealed that quality of governance is a catalyst to promote circular economic practices in reducing carbon emissions. Finally, the study ascertains the long-run effect of the variables of interest on carbon emissions.
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John Kweku Mensah Mawutor, Freeman Christian Gborse, Richard Agbanyo and Ernest Sogah
The purpose of this study is to test the modulating role and threshold of governance quality in the cost of living–energy poverty nexus.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to test the modulating role and threshold of governance quality in the cost of living–energy poverty nexus.
Design/methodology/approach
Two-step System Generalized Methods of Moment empirical model with linear interaction between cost of living and governance quality was estimated. This study used data on 40 African countries over 20 years (2000–2019).
Findings
The paper shows that the conditional effect of inflation on energy poverty is negative. Thus, governance quality acts as a moderator on the relationship between inflation and energy poverty beyond a threshold. The study's principal practical implication is that governance quality reverses inflation's positive unconditional effect on energy poverty, and governance quality may be improved beyond specific policy-defined thresholds to achieve the desired goal of lowering energy poverty. Nonetheless, governance quality at initial stages would not drive the needed reduction in energy poverty unless it goes beyond the threshold of 0.03, 0.02 and 0.07.
Research limitations/implications
This study recommends that policymakers should initiate policies that would ensure increased access to clean energy.
Originality/value
This study's main contributions are that the authors estimated the threshold beyond which governance quality reverses the adverse impact of inflation on energy poverty. Further, the authors have shown that governance quality is a catalyst to reduce energy poverty.
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Sangmorkuor Tetteh, John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, Nana Owusua Aboagye-Darko and Zillah Boye-Doe
This paper aims to develop insight into the impact the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis had on female entrepreneurs in Ghana’s beauty industry and their ability to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop insight into the impact the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis had on female entrepreneurs in Ghana’s beauty industry and their ability to recognize opportunities. The authors also ascertained characteristics of the women that seemed to have influenced opportunity recognition.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the case study approach, the authors collected data via in-depth interviews and open-ended questionnaires from sixteen women entrepreneurs in the beauty industry. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis.
Findings
The data show that women entrepreneurs encountered challenges during the pandemic; however, some of the women were able to identify opportunities. Creativity and social media inclination were perceived to have influenced opportunity recognition. It was also observed from the demographic data that women who identified opportunities and women who could not differ in the level of education, age and firm age.
Practical implications
Women entrepreneurs are encouraged to capitalize on social media and virtual platforms to enhance their marketing, services and operations. COVID-19 aid for businesses must be distributed equitably to all entrepreneurs in need.
Originality/value
The findings from this study provide novel insights into opportunity recognition during a crisis, focusing on a specific industry in a developing country.
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John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, Freeman Christian Gborse, Ernest Sogah and Barbara Deladem Mensah
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of financial development on the Doing Business and capital flight contagion. And further, this study determines the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of financial development on the Doing Business and capital flight contagion. And further, this study determines the threshold beyond which financial development reduces capital flight.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-step system generalized methods of moment empirical model with linear interaction between Doing Business and financial development was estimated. This study used data on 26 countries over 12 years (2004–2015).
Findings
The main results indicated that, although Doing Business had a significant positive effect on capital flight, the interactive term had a significant adverse effect on capital flight. This outcome suggests that to reduce capital flight, a well-reformed and efficient business environment should be embedded with an efficient, stable and well-developed financial sector. In addition, the authors found only South Africa has a robust financial framework beyond the threshold of 0.383, whereas Congo, Rep., Rwanda, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Congo, Dem. Rep. had the weakest financial system and sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Research limitations/implications
This study recommends that policymakers should initiate policies that would enhance financial development.
Originality/value
This study’s main contributions are that the authors estimated the threshold beyond which financial development helps the business environment reduce the rate of capital flight. Further, the authors have shown that financial development is a catalyst to propel the deterioration powers of the business environment against capital flight. Also, the authors have estimated the long-run effect of the variables of interest on capital flight.
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Cletus Agyenim-Boateng, Lexis Alexander Tetteh, John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, Amoako Kwarteng and Daniel Susuawu
This study examines the effect of the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) factors (job stress, accounting stereotypes, job satisfaction and job prestige) on accounting students’…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the effect of the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) factors (job stress, accounting stereotypes, job satisfaction and job prestige) on accounting students’ intentions to pursue a career in auditing and the moderating role of ethical codes of conduct.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a survey design with a quantitative approach to data analysis. Data was gathered from a sample of 277 accounting students by adapting a closed-ended questionnaire. To test the hypotheses, the data were analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling.
Findings
The results indicate a significant negative relationship between accounting students’ aspirations to pursue a profession in auditing and their self-efficacy expectations. However, there was a significant positive correlation between their intention to pursue a career in auditing and their outcome expectations. Furthermore, a moderation test was conducted, which demonstrated that ethical codes of conduct strengthen the relationships between self-efficacy and outcome expectation factors and students’ intention to pursue career in auditing.
Research limitations/implications
Most participants lacked auditing job experience. Peers, relatives, educators and cultural norms may have influenced them to withhold honest and precise survey responses, undermining the results.
Practical implications
Educators can utilise the research findings on self-efficacy to direct accounting students in developing positive self-efficacy attitudes towards a career in auditing, rather than perceiving the auditing profession as stressful and characterised by stereotypes.
Originality/value
Utilising an extended version of the SCCT, this study provides empirical and theoretically grounded contributions to the existing body of knowledge regarding the factors that influence accounting students’ intentions to pursue a career in auditing.
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John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor and Charles Adjasi
This paper examined the interactive role of Political Cycles on the relationship between Fiscal Policy and Capital Flight in Africa.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examined the interactive role of Political Cycles on the relationship between Fiscal Policy and Capital Flight in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-step System Generalized Methods of Moment empirical estimator was employed. This study used data on 40 African countries from 2009 to 2018.
Findings
The findings revealed that the interaction between political structures and fiscal policy is positive and significant, indicating that fiscal policies during election periods or different regimes would increase capital flight. The study found that political cycles positively affect capital flight, indicating that election periods and possible government changes promote capital flight activities. The tension and volatile atmosphere characterizing election periods in most African countries cause investors to use all alternatives, including illegal systems, to fly funds to a potentially stable economy.
Practical implications
This study recommends that government and policymakers maintain fiscal discipline during election years and enact pragmatic policies to ensure the continuity of critical fiscal policies to promote business climate and economic stability, especially when there is a change in government.
Originality/value
This study contributes to capital flight literature in two forms. One, the study, to the best knowledge of the authors, is the first to proxy tax with corporate tax (a sound proxy for tax within the business space). Also, this study is the first to empirically show that elections worsen the effect of fiscal policy on capital flight in Africa.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2024-0130