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1 – 10 of 11Kwame Owusu Kwateng and Justice Eric Darko
Studies on managers’ awareness level of total quality management (TQM) in the aquaculture industry in Ghana are scarce, if existing at all. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Studies on managers’ awareness level of total quality management (TQM) in the aquaculture industry in Ghana are scarce, if existing at all. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the awareness level of managers in Ghana’s aquaculture industry about TQM practices and how it is applied in their operations.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, simple random sampling technique was used to select 52 respondents from aquaculture companies in Ghana. The respondents were managers and supervisors who have better understanding of organizational operations and quality management issues. Managers and supervisors considered for the study include quality managers, operational/production managers, supervisors, and also top managers.
Findings
The findings from the study depict that respondents’ awareness level about TQM practices and concepts in the aquaculture industry are acceptable and they agree to the fact that TQM is a way of guaranteeing high-quality products and services. The institutions’ main areas of concentration are management leadership, continuous process management, and improvement. Again, the companies’ culture depicts more of a control measure than a prophylactic treatment.
Practical implications
The outcome of this paper will help in comprehending the TQM awareness in the aquaculture industry in Ghana. It will also highlight major areas that managers and supervisors in the industry need education on, in other to enhance their quality skills.
Originality/value
This research is among the first ever known attempts to assess the awareness of TQM concepts and practices in the aquaculture industry in Ghana. It will help improve the quality practices in the industry.
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The law-oriented short stories and novels of lawyer/English professor John William Corrington are receiving increasing attention from legal scholars. However, no one has analyzed…
Abstract
The law-oriented short stories and novels of lawyer/English professor John William Corrington are receiving increasing attention from legal scholars. However, no one has analyzed the science fiction screenplays he co-wrote with his wife, Joyce, from a legal perspective. This article analyzes two such screenplays and concludes that they are “Socratic” texts whose narrative structures and epistemological processes work in much the same way that the traditional participatory exchange works in law school. My analysis explores the links between law, allegory and science fiction as intersecting methods to imagine the possibilities for the future.
Solomon Asamoah, Eric Kwame Simpeh, Henry Mensah, Bernard Bonney and Divine Kwaku Ahadzie
The study aims to examine the potential benefits of integrating nature-based solutions (NbS) in the housing sector.
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to examine the potential benefits of integrating nature-based solutions (NbS) in the housing sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach adopted was a systematic literature review aided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews criteria and the VOSviewer software. Abductive reasoning was used to analyze the collected data, which was then subjected to content analysis through an iterative read-and-review procedure.
Findings
The study identified green walls, indoor greenery, porous pavement and landscaping, rainwater harvesting and water purification and green roofs as elements of buildings where NbS should be incorporated. Although nature-based research on integrated greenery facades and roof applications was noted, rainwater harvesting and water purification-oriented research remained dominant. These findings demonstrate the advantages of implementing NbS in the housing sector, including energy efficiency, environmental development, flood prevention and sustainable water management. Integrating NbS into housing designs can considerably contribute to the creation of more resilient, eco-friendly and comfortable living environments. However, the adoption of NbS faces hurdles, including a lack of awareness, limited policy support and economic constraints.
Practical implications
This study recommends that NbS be mainstreamed into housing development and knowledge exchange opportunities between sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, as well as other regions, to promote the adoption of NbS through research and collaborations. Also, it contributes to the discourse of sustainable affordable housing in the Global South while addressing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11, 12, 13 and 15. This study offers valuable guidance to stakeholders, thereby fostering the development of more sustainable and resilient housing practices and policies.
Originality/value
The study used VOSviewer software visualization to identify structural patterns and track prominent research frontiers, allowing for a more thorough yet concise mapping and capture of a scientific knowledge domain.
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Eric Delle, Anthony Sumnaya Kumasey, Anthony Nkrumah Agyabeng, Atia Alpha Alfa and Farhad Hossain
Drawing on the self-extended and regulatory focus theories, the present study examined the mechanism as well as the boundary condition under which psychological ownership might…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the self-extended and regulatory focus theories, the present study examined the mechanism as well as the boundary condition under which psychological ownership might relate positively to the work engagement of employees working in public sector organizations in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from employees (n = 313) working in public sector organizations in Ghana at a single point in time with a survey questionnaire.
Findings
The results indicated that psychological ownership and self-regulatory focus behaviors (i.e. prevention and promotion focus behaviors) were beneficial for work engagement; and that while prevention focus mediated psychological ownership-work engagement relationship, that relationship was positive and stronger for employees who performed less promotion focus behaviors.
Practical implications
Managers in public sector organizations should understand that employees with strong psychological ownership would feel more engaged if they perform less promotion focus behaviors.
Originality/value
The authors’ study contributes uniquely to the nascent work engagement literature in the Ghanaian context, and by testing boundary conditions and underlying mechanisms increased the authors’ understanding of work engagement among public sector employees in Ghana.
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Alexander W. Wiseman and Preeti Kumar
Since the spread of mass education around the world in the mid- to late-twentieth century, teacher quality has been heralded as the key factor to improve education quality…
Abstract
Since the spread of mass education around the world in the mid- to late-twentieth century, teacher quality has been heralded as the key factor to improve education quality nationwide. National education systems worldwide are also engaged in ongoing and often high stakes cross-national comparisons. As a result, policy-makers and educators in most national education systems are looking at and implementing new ways to improve education overall by raising teacher quality levels, and India is no exception. In India, teacher quality is publicly blamed for both perceived low education quality and demonstrated low average student performance, especially following Indian students’ performance on the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment. Indian education policy-makers are, therefore, looking at teacher quality as a key factor to improve student performance. Little is known about the impact or implementation of Indian policy frameworks on teacher quality and associated student outcomes in India. This introductory chapter identifies and analyzes various measures of teacher quality and how teacher quality varies in India both in response to and in spite of national policies related to teacher quality. It begins by providing evidence regarding the global importance of teacher quality on student outcomes and then addresses the ambiguity of the term “teacher quality.” This chapter then briefly discussed national education policy in India and the role teacher quality has played in these national policies, especially in the early twenty-first century, including NCF 2005, NCFTE 2009, Draft NPE 2016, Draft NPE 2019, and NPE 2020.
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De-Graft Owusu-Manu, Caleb Debrah, Eric Oduro-Ofori, David John Edwards and Prince Antwi-Afari
The advances in green city growth are widely discussed in extant literature. The benefits of green cities to urban development in recent discussions of sustainability and…
Abstract
Purpose
The advances in green city growth are widely discussed in extant literature. The benefits of green cities to urban development in recent discussions of sustainability and sustainable development are well documented and cannot be overemphasised. Although a growing study on green building development in developing countries has been advanced in literature, there is a paucity of studies that explore green cities in developing countries. Moreover, evidence of studies that have focussed on green cities development in Ghana is lacking. Because of this identified knowledge gap, the purpose of this study is to establish the indicators/attributes for measuring the level of greenness of cities in developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the indicators/attributes for measuring the level of greenness of cities in developing countries. This study has adopted the pragmatism as its undergirding research philosophy and the deductive research approach. In terms of methodological choice, quantitative research strategy was used to collect data from experts in sustainable urban development. The primary data retrieved from this study was analysed using descriptive statistics, relative importance index and one-sample t-test. The reliability and validity of this study were measured with the Cronbach’s alpha test.
Findings
This study established eight indicators for measuring green city development: air quality, water, sanitation, land use, health and safety, transportation, energy and building and construction. It was discovered that the development of green cities should enhance air quality, improve water production and supply, improve management in sanitation, promote mixed and integrative land use, maintain the health and safety of city dwellers, reduce the demand for transportation and formalise public transport, adopt renewable and efficient energy technologies and promote sustainable construction and green buildings. These indicators are key to policymaking and implementation of green cities development.
Research limitations/implications
This study focusses primarily on Ghana; however, the findings of this study do not limit the generalisability, as it can be used as an example for other developing countries.
Practical implications
Theoretically, this study adopted quantitative indicators that are reproducible in another geographical context. This study contributively adds to the discourse on sustainability, especially in Ghana, and can be a source of reference to motivate others to conduct further research in related areas. The outcomes of this study will help the local government, policymakers, city stakeholders and industry expertise to gain insights of the overall indicators that underpin green city development.
Originality/value
This paper attempts to posit in literature the foremost appraisal of green city indicators adaptive in Ghana, which could motivate other developing countries to develop their own green cities.
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Evans Asante Boadi, Zheng He, Eric Kofi Boadi, Josephine Bosompem and Philip Avornyo
The purpose of this paper is to draw on affect social exchange theory and related literature to develop and test a research model linking employees’ perception of corporate social…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to draw on affect social exchange theory and related literature to develop and test a research model linking employees’ perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to their outcomes [performance and organisational pride (ORP)] with moderating variables: perceived work motivation patterns (autonomous and controlled motivation) to sustain firm’s operations through their employees.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used Ghana as a case for this study due to recent turbulences in the banking sector of Ghana. A sample data of 244 subordinate/supervisor dyads from rural and community banks was collected with a time-lagged technique and analysed through a structural equation modelling for this study.
Findings
These employee’s perceptions of CSR positively related to their performance and ORP. Autonomous motivated employees had a stronger positive moderated impact on perceived CSR-Performance link whereas controlled motivated employees recorded a stronger impact on perceived CSR-ORP link.
Practical implications
Based on these results, managers and human resource (HR) professionals can aim at acquiring favourable employees’ perception of their firms’ CSR initiatives. In that, it can help firms to remain in business particularly in difficult times. Also, autonomous and controlled motivators may seem inversely related, however, they are not contradictory to each other. Both can coexist within a firm and it is crucial that HR professionals and managers endeavour to balance them discreetly to attain organisational goals.
Originality/value
Despite the growing interest in CSR across continents, CSR outcomes on employees among small and medium scale firms especially in Africa has fairly been toned-down by respective management of firms, governments and researchers.
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Juliana Kesewaa Ansong and Noah Darko-Adjei
Good records management and effective employees contribute greatly to the success of every organization. Like any other employees, records personnel need to be satisfied with…
Abstract
Purpose
Good records management and effective employees contribute greatly to the success of every organization. Like any other employees, records personnel need to be satisfied with their jobs so they are motivated. Unfortunately, records personnel in Ghana are faced with many challenges which negatively affect their job satisfaction. This study aims to examine the issue of job satisfaction among career records personnel in the Civil Service of Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
Civil servants from 27 ministries and the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD) were selected for the study. A survey questionnaire was the main data collection instrument used to gather data on selected variables from respondents. The questionnaire was answered by 115 out of 208 respondents: a response rate of 74.5%.
Findings
Institutional policy, supervision quality, co-worker relations quality, promotions opportunities, salary levels, benefits availability, the nature of the work itself and reward availability all had a significant and positive relationship with job satisfaction.
Originality/value
The case study findings can be used to inform a working document to help other public sector organizations in policy making regarding conditions of service. It is also directly beneficial to the Ghana Office of the Head of Civil Service and policymakers because the findings will help them to reshape their employment policies to positively affect job satisfaction of members in its records class.
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William S. Harvey, Vince-Wayne Mitchell, Alessandra Almeida Jones and Eric Knight
A major part of knowledge management for knowledge-intensive firms such as professional service firms is the increasing focus on thought leadership. Despite being a well-known…
Abstract
Purpose
A major part of knowledge management for knowledge-intensive firms such as professional service firms is the increasing focus on thought leadership. Despite being a well-known term, it is poorly defined and analysed in the academic and practitioner literature. The aim of this article is to answer three questions. First, what is thought leadership? Second, what tensions exist when seeking to create thought leadership in knowledge-based organisations? Third, what further research is needed about thought leadership? The authors call for cross-disciplinary and academic–practitioner approaches to understanding the field of thought leadership.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors review the academic and practitioner literature on thought leadership to provide a rich oversight of how it is defined and can be understood by separating inputs, creation processes and outcomes. The authors also draw on qualitative data from 12 in-depth interviews with senior leaders of professional service firms.
Findings
Through analysing and building on previous understandings of the concept, the authors redefine thought leadership as follows: “Knowledge from a trusted, eminent and authoritative source that is actionable and provides valuable solutions for stakeholders”. The authors find and explore nine tensions that developing thought leadership creates and propose a framework for understanding how to engage with thought leadership at the industry/macro, organisational/meso and individual/micro levels. The authors propose a research agenda based on testing propositions derived from new theories to explain thought leadership, including leadership, reducing risk, signalling quality and managing social networks, as well as examining the suggested ways to resolve different tensions.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, they are the first to separate out thought leadership from its inputs, creation processes and outcomes. The authors show new organisational paradoxes within thought leadership and show how they can play out at different levels of analysis when implementing a thought leadership strategy. This work on thought leadership is set in a relatively under-explored context for knowledge management researchers, namely, knowledge-intensive professional service firms.
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Florence Dadzoe, Michael Addy, Daniel Yaw Addai Duah and Michael Adesi
To be able to achieve the uptake and usage of green buildings requires various actors within the construction value chain to be engaged. Despite its global uptake, green building…
Abstract
Purpose
To be able to achieve the uptake and usage of green buildings requires various actors within the construction value chain to be engaged. Despite its global uptake, green building construction is still at its nascent stage in Ghana. Most studies in sub-Saharan Africa point to the lack of knowledge as one of the mitigating factors against its development. However, there is a dearth of studies assessing the level of knowledge of stakeholders. The terms “knowledge” and “awareness” of green building construction are often used interchangeably in the Ghanaian Construction Industry (GCI). This study seeks to unearth the level of knowledge of stakeholders on green building construction through a comparative analysis of construction professionals and demand-side operators.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was issued to professionals in the various recognised bodies in the construction industry and public and private institutions in Ghana. Frequency, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, median statistics and Mann–Whitney U-Test were used to rank and analyse the level of knowledge of stakeholders.
Findings
Construction professionals were more aware of green building construction than the demand-side operators. It was further identified that only a few of these stakeholders had hands-on experience as the majority of them have gained their awareness through research studies. Based on the findings of the study, it was revealed that the concept of green building construction is more abstract to stakeholders than practical despite their positive attitude towards its adoption.
Practical implications
Contextually, the study has aided in showing the level of knowledge of stakeholders on green building construction. The findings of the study aside from it aiding policymakers have also helped in identifying the perceptions and attitudes of stakeholders, their strengths and weakness in green building construction. It is recommended that due to the differences in socio-political structures and construction methods, a clear definition of green building based on the availability of resources in the GCI will encourage its adoption.
Originality/value
The study used two stakeholder groupings in the GCI as the unit of analysis. This enabled insightful discoveries into the knowledge-attitude gap of Ghanaian stakeholders that are driving the adoption of green building.
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