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1 – 4 of 4Adjoa Afriyie Poku, Kofi Sarkodie, Joe Mensah, Richard Sam-Mensah, Jesse Jones Quayson and Kwasi Poku
The study assesses the livelihood resilience strategies among street hawkers during COVID-19 lockdown in the Awutu Senya East Municipality in Ghana.
Abstract
Purpose
The study assesses the livelihood resilience strategies among street hawkers during COVID-19 lockdown in the Awutu Senya East Municipality in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the explanatory case study approach, 12 participants (hawkers) were sampled with the aid of the purposive and convenience sampling techniques. An interview guide was used to collect data.
Findings
The study found that street hawking business, prior to the COVID-19 lockdown was a lucrative venture. The COVID-19 lockdown however had mental, psychological and economic effects on the street hawkers in ASEM causing stress, anxiety. loneliness, loss of business capital, and loss of jobs. Hawkers nevertheless demonstrated resilience in their psychological well-being by adopting strategies such as patronizing digital/social media platforms for funny content and entertainment. Hawkers also showed economic resilience through selling products on digital/social media platforms, relied on personal savings, received social support from family members and religious bodies. Government policies and interventions in the form of free water and electricity played a crucial role in building resilience of street hawkers during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Practical implications
The study shows that hawking is a vital avenue for entrepreneurial engagement reducing barriers to entry in formal trading, hence should be considered as key economic venture in the country’s economy. Again, the findings of the study deepen the understanding of stakeholders on the effects of COVID-19 on the psychological and economic life of street hawkers and offers insights into managing both psychosocial and financial stress during crises, emphasizing the potential benefits of resilient strategies for more effective crisis management. The study findings provide insights for government and policymakers on the experiences and coping mechanisms of the vulnerable groups and communities, particularly hawkers during the pandemic.
Originality/value
The study qualitatively assesses the psychological and economic effects of the COVID-19 lockdown and the livelihood resilience strategies employed by street hawkers during the COVID-19 lockdown in ASEM, Ghana.
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Kofi Agyekum, Seth Yeboah Botchway, Emmanuel Adinyira and Alex Opoku
Recent reports based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) have revealed that no country is in line with achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
Recent reports based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) have revealed that no country is in line with achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, with the slowest progress being witnessed mainly on goals that are focused on the environment. This study examines environmental performance indicators for assessing the sustainability of building projects.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses an explanatory sequential design with an initial quantitative instrument phase, followed by a qualitative data collection phase. An extensive critical comparative review of the literature resulted in the identification of ten environmental sustainability indicators. One hundred and sixty-seven questionnaire responses based upon these indicators from the Ghanaian construction industry were received. Data were coded with SPSS v22, analysed descriptively, and via inferential analysis. These data were then validated through semi-structured interviews with six interviewees who are fellows of their respective professional bodies, a senior academic (professor in construction project delivery) and a government official. Data obtained from the semi-structured validation interviews were analysed through the side-by-side comparison of the qualitative data with the quantitative data.
Findings
The findings from the study suggest that all the indicators were important in assessing building projects' environmental sustainability across the entire life cycle. Key among the identified indicators is the effects of the project on “water quality, air quality, energy use and conservation, and environmental compliance and management”. The interviewees further agreed to and confirmed the importance of these identified indicators for assessing the environmental sustainability of building projects in Ghana.
Originality/value
Compared to existing studies, this study adopts the exploratory sequential design to identify and examine the critical indicators in assessing the environmental sustainability across the entire lifecycle of building projects in a typical developing country setting, i.e. Ghana. It reveals areas of prime concern in the drive to place the local construction industry on a trajectory towards achieving environmental sustainability.
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George Kofi Amoako, Emmanuel Kotey Neequaye, Solomon G. Kutu-Adu, Livingstone Divine Caesar and Kwame Simpe Ofori
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how relationship marketing practice can lead to customer satisfaction in the current practices in the hotel industry in Ghana…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how relationship marketing practice can lead to customer satisfaction in the current practices in the hotel industry in Ghana. Globally, the hospitality industry ranks as one of the most competitive business sectors with competing organisations relying on a cocktail of strategies such as relationship marketing to stay relevant, and attract and retain customers. This paper examines how relationship marketing impacts on trust, commitment and satisfaction for customers in the Ghanaian hospitality industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A positivist methodological framework was used for the collection of data, analysis and theoretical development in this research. The data collection questionnaire was administered to 167 guests of a 3-star hotel in the Accra Metropolis. Structural equation modelling was used to ascertain the significance of the relationship that exists between trust, commitment and customer satisfaction with respect to the relationship marketing practices of hoteliers in Ghana.
Findings
Study findings provide insight into the processes and practices of relationship marketing that is based on trust and commitment. The findings show a positive and significant relationship between trust, commitment and customer satisfaction. The study also revealed that commitment partially mediates the association between trust and customer satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
While this study is limited to a single hospitality and tourism company in Ghana, the findings can have far reaching implications for managers in the hospitality industry in Ghana, it provides a vivid illustration of the impact that customer satisfaction can have on the fortunes of business and a genuine desire to develop trust and be committed to the welfare of business clients can lead to higher customer patronage.
Practical implications
Trust and commitment in the hospitality industry requires innovative business practices that makes the client value all the service experience that he or she may encounter. The findings indicate that customer satisfaction is influenced by trust and commitment in the hospitality industry.
Originality/value
Value to the authors’ knowledge, the relationship between trust and commitment in relationship marketing and customer satisfaction concepts has not previously been investigated using structural equation modelling analysis within the Ghanaian hospitality industry. This implies that both trust and commitment are necessary to attain customer satisfaction.
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Nooshin Karimi Alavijeh, Mohammad Taher Ahmadi Shadmehri, Fatemeh Dehdar, Samane Zangoei and Nazia Nazeer
While science has researched the impact of air pollution on human health, the economic dimension of it has been less researched so far. Renewable energy consumption is an…
Abstract
Purpose
While science has researched the impact of air pollution on human health, the economic dimension of it has been less researched so far. Renewable energy consumption is an important factor in determining the level of life expectancy and reducing health expenditure. Thus, this study aims to investigate the impact of renewable energy, carbon emissions, health expenditure and urbanization on life expectancy in G-7 countries over the period of 2000–2019.
Design/methodology/approach
This study has adopted a novel Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR). Furthermore, as a robustness check for MMQR, the fully modified ordinary least square, dynamic ordinary least squares and fixed effect ordinary least square estimators have been used.
Findings
The results indicated that renewable energy consumption, health expenditure and urbanization lead to an increase in life expectancy across all quantiles (5th to 95th), whereas higher carbon dioxide emissions reduce life expectancy at birth across all the quantiles (5th to 95th).
Practical implications
The empirical findings conclude that governments should recognize their potential in renewable energy sources and devise policies such as tax-related regulations, or relevant incentives to encourage further investments in this field.
Originality/value
This paper in comparison to the other research studies used MMQR to investigate the impact of factors affecting life expectancy. Also, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, so far no study has investigated the impact of renewable energy on life expectancy in G-7 countries.
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