Hamdiyah Alhassan, Felix Ankomah Asante, Martin Oteng-Ababio and Simon Bawakyillenuo
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that encourage households’ source separation behaviour in Accra and Tamale Metropolises in Ghana.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that encourage households’ source separation behaviour in Accra and Tamale Metropolises in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a cross-sectional design, 855 households of Ghana were interviewed based on the theoretical framework of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The ordered probit regression model was employed to examine the factors that influence households’ source separation intention.
Findings
The results indicated that educational attainment of head of household, total income of household, occupation type of household head, information, past experience with source separation, inconvenience in terms of time, space and availability of formal source separation scheme, attitude, subjective norm and the location of the respondents significantly predicted households’ solid waste separation intentions.
Research limitations/implications
The cross-sectional design does not determine causality but an association. Thus, future studies should examine actual household waste separation behaviour by using the experimental design to test the TPB model.
Practical implications
To promote solid waste separation at source, the public should be educated and provided with solid waste separation schemes that are efficient and compatible with households’ preference.
Originality/value
This study was partly motivated by the fact that despite the benefits associated with source separation, little attention has been given to formal source separation in Ghana. Moreover, there are limited studies on source separation behaviour in Ghana using the TPB as the theoretical framework.
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Louis Kusi Frimpong, Martin Oteng-Ababio, George Owusu and Charlotte Wrigley-Asante
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and fear of crime, and further explore how this relationship is mediated by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and fear of crime, and further explore how this relationship is mediated by collective efficacy. The background to this is that while research, mainly based on the experiences of western countries is conclusive on how collective efficacy plays a mediating role between neighbourhood structural characteristics and fear of crime, the situation in developing countries remains poorly researched.
Design/methodology/approach
The study drew from a baseline survey conducted in different socio-economic neighbourhoods in four cities in Ghana. With regards to the analysis, results from a series of ordinary least square multiple regression models were used to develop a path diagram to explain the direct and indirect relationships at the various study neighbourhoods.
Findings
Results from the study showed variations of the extent of neighbourhood effect on fear of crime and collective efficacy in the different socio-economic neighbourhoods. More importantly, the study revealed that collective efficacy mediated the effect of a number of neighbourhood characteristics on fear of crime in low-income neighbourhoods compared to middle- and high-income neighbourhoods.
Practical implications
The conclusion of the study brings to the fore the relevance of collective efficacy as a vehicle for building safer communities in Ghana since it relies on local initiatives in addressing criminogenic problems. More importantly, it is suggested that formal crime prevention efforts should be integrated with informal crime control measures, particularly in low-income neighbourhoods.
Originality/value
Using extensive survey data collected in Ghana, the study examines the applicability of collective efficacy, a western-based socio-ecological theory in a developing country context.
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The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the fate of landfills as waste disposal option in Accra. This becomes imperative since for a long time, efficient disposal of waste…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the fate of landfills as waste disposal option in Accra. This becomes imperative since for a long time, efficient disposal of waste remains a neglected issue and potential source environmental hazard.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted content analysis of literature, in-depth interview schedules with key stakeholders and direct field observations.
Findings
Landfills in Accra are in a state of ambivalence due to mismanagement. Improper designing and siting of dumpsites, often in close proximity to water sources and human settlements have created aesthetic and odour nuisances and increase health risks, attracting the wrath, disaffection and distrust of residents.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides an insight into broader issues of landfills and demonstrates Accra's vulnerability to health hazard due to improper waste disposal, which becomes apparent with the least downpour and the subsequent flooding which exposes most drains as de facto receptacles for waste.
Practical implications
From all indications, Accra appears to be on the brink of a landfill void. Though this issue has been an open secret since 2000, it remains unattended to till date and calls for an immediate, well-planned and concerted attention.
Originality/value
This paper adopts qualitative research techniques to delve into a subject matter whose implication has citywide consequences. The method allows for in-depth assessment of the intent and commitment of all key stakeholders, which brings to the fore that landfills will no longer be the cheapest or simplest waste disposal option.
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Isaac Akomea-Frimpong, Xiaohua Jin, Robert Osei-Kyei and Augustine Senanu Kukah
The contribution of the public–private partnership (PPP) model towards the achievement of the United Nation (UN)'s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been widely…
Abstract
Purpose
The contribution of the public–private partnership (PPP) model towards the achievement of the United Nation (UN)'s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been widely acknowledged. However, limited studies have shed light on the connection between PPPs and the achievement of these coveted goals in Ghana. In this study, the authors aimed at analysing and synthesising the existing literature on the use of PPP to achieve sustainability in infrastructure projects in the country.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-step approach was used to retrieve and review 60 selected articles aided by content analysis.
Findings
The analysis showed that all existing relevant publications on the application of the PPP model to attain UN’s SDGs in the country are organised around dominant themes, such as poverty alleviation, urban development, waste management and risk management. However, the review revealed little studies exist on pertinent issues relating to PPPs and sustainable development goals, such as climate action, critical resilience, sustainable finance and clean energy.
Research limitations/implications
Although the study is limited to 60 articles in Ghana, the results reveal pertinent gaps for further research studies to achieve sustainable infrastructural development in Ghana and other countries.
Practical implications
Holistically, the outcome of this study will serve as a guide to project managers to understand essential issues on attaining sustainability on public projects.
Originality/value
This article contributes to the literature and practice on the significance of PPP in mainstreaming UN's SDGs in public infrastructure projects.
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Transnational corporation (TNC)-led oil investments have been widely encouraged as a mechanism for the development of the Global South. Even though the sector is characterized by…
Abstract
Transnational corporation (TNC)-led oil investments have been widely encouraged as a mechanism for the development of the Global South. Even though the sector is characterized by major accidents, oil-based developmentalist narratives claim that such accidents are merely isolated incidents that can be administratively addressed, redressed behaviorally through education of certain individuals, or corrected through individually targeted post-event legislation. Adapting Harvey Molotch’s (1970) political economy methodology of “accident research”, this paper argues that such “accidents” are, in fact, routine in the entire value chain of the oil system dominated by, among others, military-backed TNCs which increasingly collaborate with national and local oil companies similarly wedded to the ideology of growth. Based on this analysis, existing policy focus on improving technology, instituting and enforcing more environmental regulations, and the pursuit of economic nationalism in the form of withdrawing from globalization are ineffective. In such a red-hot system, built on rapidly spinning wheels of accumulation, the pursuit of slow growth characterized by breaking the chains of monopoly and oligopoly, putting commonly generated rent to common uses, and freeing labor from regulations that rob it of its produce has more potency to address the enigma of petroleum accidents in the global south.
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Abdul karim Armah and Jinfa Li
Through the “Going Digital Initiative,” the Ghanaian government has introduced policies that aim at improving the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure of…
Abstract
Purpose
Through the “Going Digital Initiative,” the Ghanaian government has introduced policies that aim at improving the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure of the country. These ICT policies have benefited numerous sectors of the Ghanaian economy. In logistics management, ICT has impacted drone medical delivery in the healthcare and maritime sectors. However, the importance of ICT is not realized in the motorcycle goods transport (MGT) industry, regardless of its popularity and high economic dependency. Second, all research on motorcycles is focused on diverse social concerns, and no study has attempted to analyze ICT implementation for MGT operations. This is a significant gap in logistics management. Hence, the study aimed to investigate the impact of ICT on Ghana's MGT industry empirically.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts a two-phase data collection approach to collect the data. The authors use partial least square structural equation modeling to analyze the study's measurement and structural assessment model.
Findings
ICT positively impacts MGT and the drivers considered. The drivers positively influence MGT. The study further analyzes novel results on the relationships between the drivers and their mediating roles in enhancing MGT performance.
Originality/value
The study's originality is the extension of ICT adoption and usage in MGT. The lack of literature on the importance of ICT for MGT services makes this study the primary source of literature, and the relationships investigated are unique as the research area is unexplored.
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Patrick Yin Mahama, Fred Amankwah-Sarfo and Francis Gyedu
Online learning has come to stay in a technologically advancing world with increasing populations. The search for ways to make online learning more efficient and effective in some…
Abstract
Purpose
Online learning has come to stay in a technologically advancing world with increasing populations. The search for ways to make online learning more efficient and effective in some developing countries continues as the accompanying issues in developing country contexts abound. This paper explores the issues that underlie online learning management in a developing country context, focusing on the Moodle, Sakai and Zoom platforms used in some selected public universities in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
The study relied on the qualitative approach to data collection and a descriptive design for analysis. Using the social constructivism theory, the paper discussed the critical issues students, and to a lesser extent, instructors encounter in their engagement on these platforms for academic learning.
Findings
The study found that the inefficient use of these platforms is due to several factors including the high cost of data, poor perception of the quality of online learning compared to traditional in-person contacts, poor attitude of students, low participation in online learning, lack of computers and poor internet connectivity among others.
Research limitations/implications
It is important to mention that this study was limited to some selected public universities in Ghana. Data could have been collected from a wider sample including other Ghanaian tertiary institutions or some other developing countries. The similarity of study outcomes in other developing countries, however, suggests that similar results would have been obtained in an international sample.
Practical implications
Despite the robustness of the Learning Management systems in place, the evidence suggests that their utilisation is far less than optimal. However, with relevant policies and the provision of needed technical support, training, provision of equipment like computers for use by both students and instructors and efficient internet connectivity, the LMS platforms could be more efficient for online learning.
Originality/value
The authors conducted this research using original data from interviews in the selected public universities in Ghana. The data was meant to inform the discussion on some of the critical issues that underlie online learning in a developing country context. Although the study relied on data from selected public universities in a single country, its outcomes reflect fundamental issues of online learning in a developing country context which find relevance in available study outcomes.
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This study investigates the impact of residential type and neighborhood security on public trust in the police in Ghana, while controlling for demographic factors and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the impact of residential type and neighborhood security on public trust in the police in Ghana, while controlling for demographic factors and police-related variables.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected during the ninth round of the Afro-Barometer survey conducted in Ghana between 2019 and 2021 with a sample size of 2,369 participants. The study employed binary logistic regression analysis to examine the relationship between the independent variables (residential type and neighborhood security) and the dependent variable (trust in the police).
Findings
The results indicate that living in traditional housing is associated with lower levels of trust in the police compared with other residential types. Unexpectedly, neighborhood security did not emerge as a statistically significant predictor of police trust. However, police corruption and the use of force were negatively associated with trust, whereas police professionalism positively predicted trust. Interestingly, unnecessary police stops were positively associated with trust, possibly reflecting a complex relationship between police visibility and public perceptions. This study also revealed ethnic and regional variations in police trust, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive policing approaches.
Originality/value
This study stands out in three key aspects. First, it represents one of the first attempts to examine how residential type and neighborhood security influence public trust in law enforcement agencies in Ghana. Second, this study is among the few to investigate the relationship between neighborhood conditions and trust in police using a sample that is representative of the entire nation. Finally, these findings contribute to the understanding of the multifaceted nature of public trust in the police within the Ghanaian context and offer insights for policymakers and law enforcement agencies to enhance police-community relations.
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Jacques du Toit and Claire Wagner
The purpose of this article is to examine the effect of housing type, relative to demographics, on householders' self-reported recycling across low-, medium- and high-density…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to examine the effect of housing type, relative to demographics, on householders' self-reported recycling across low-, medium- and high-density housing without recycling facilities by using the theory of planned behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted amongst 580 households across houses, townhouses and apartments in Pretoria, South Africa. The household member most responsible for recycling completed a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using factor and reliability analyses, decision trees and multivariate analysis of variance.
Findings
Age was the strongest predictor; the older the respondent, the more likely the household recycled. Housing type was the second strongest predictor with a significant increase in recycling in houses compared to townhouses and apartments. Subsequent analyses focussed on young respondents to control for age. Housing type had an overall non-significant effect on the factors behind recycling. Post hoc tests, however, suggest that young respondents in townhouses and apartments felt significantly less able to recycle, particularly because of lack of space and support from managing agencies.
Practical implications
For recycling to be acceptable to young people in medium- and high-density housing, interior architects and site planners should find innovative ways to make individual and communal facilities as convenient and accessible as possible to tenants, owners and recycling companies. The role of managing agencies is also critical.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to systematically examine recycling across three different housing types with recommendations for planning, design and further research.
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Regis Musavengane, Pius Siakwah and Llewellyn Leonard
The purpose of this paper is to question the extent to which Sub-Saharan African cities are progressing towards promoting pro-poor economies through pro-poor tourism (PPT). It…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to question the extent to which Sub-Saharan African cities are progressing towards promoting pro-poor economies through pro-poor tourism (PPT). It specifically examines how African cities are resilient towards attaining sustainable urban tourism destinations in light of high urbanization.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodological framework is interpretive in nature and qualitative in an operational form. It uses meta-synthesis to evaluate the causal relationships observed within Sub-Saharan African pro-poor economies to enhance PPT approaches, using Accra, Ghana, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Harare, Zimbabwe, as case studies.
Findings
Tourism development in Sub-Saharan Africa has been dominantly underpinned by neoliberal development strategies which threaten the sustainability of tourism in African cities.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to three Sub-Saharan African countries. Further studies may need to be done in other developing countries.
Practical implications
It argues for good governance through sustainability institutionalization which strengthens the regulative mechanisms, processes and organizational culture. Inclusive tourism approaches that are resilient-centered have the potential to promote urban tourism in Sub-Saharan African cities. These findings contribute to the building of strong and inclusive Institutions for Sustainable Development in the Sub-Saharan African cities to alleviate poverty.
Social implications
These findings contribute to the building of strong and inclusive institutions for sustainable development in the Sub-Saharan African cities to alleviate poverty.
Originality/value
The “poor” are always within the communities, and it takes a community to minimise the impact of poverty among the populace. The study is conducted at a pertinent time when most African government’s development policies are pro-poor driven. Though African cities provide opportunities of growth, they are regarded as centres of high inequality.