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Obeng, Bernard Acquah. "Business development services and small business growth in Ghana." Thesis, Durham University, 2007. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1962/.
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Adomako, Samuel. "Entrepreneurial passion and small business growth in Ghana." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2016. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/77293/.
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Predicting small business growth is at the heart of entrepreneurship scholars, practitioners and policy makers because small businesses contribute to employment, innovation and economic growth. Given these and other benefits that small businesses offer to the economies of many countries, researchers have devoted much efforts in predicting what drives small business growth. Scholarly work suggests that business success is dependent on the firm, strategy, the entrepreneur and the environment. Regarding the entrepreneur, passion for starting and growing a business has received much attention by scholars recently. Yet we do not know enough about the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and business growth. This study investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial passion (and its domains) and business growth from the perspective of a less developed country setting. A major insight is to argue that despite being receiving much scholarly attention recently, research regarding the role of passion in venture success in economies of developing countries remains under-researched. A theoretical model comprising the relationship between entrepreneurial passion (and its domains) and business growth is, thus, developed and empirically tested using survey data from 346 small manufacturing businesses operating in Ghana. The study’s empirical findings revealed that entrepreneurs’ overall level of passion weakly drives business success. The study further revealed that high levels of political network ties and environmental dynamism can help small businesses to achieve higher growth outcome. The disaggregate model of entrepreneurial passion established that two of the domains of passion (passion for founding and passion for developing) can aid entrepreneurs to report success. However, passion for inventing works against business growth. Nevertheless, further analysis revealed that political network ties and environmental dynamism positively moderate the association between entrepreneurial passion domains and business growth. The findings of the study extend research on how passion interacts with network ties and environmental variables to improve business growth.
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Alimo, Michael Tetteh. "The Experiences of Successful Small Business Owners in Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/876.
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There is a high failure rate of small and medium enterprises that results in high unemployment rate and poverty in Ghana. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of small business owners in Ghana. The conceptual framework was based on the theory of disruptive innovation. Disruptive innovation describes a method that enables business owners to create a new market. Data were collected through interviews from 20 participants who owned small businesses and succeeded beyond 5 years in Accra, Ghana. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of the participants' responses. The findings highlighted 19 skills, which coalesced into 6 emerging themes: business model, innovative strategies, marketing skills, effective supervision, human relations, and commitment, punctuality, and focus. The findings from this study may contribute to social change by indicating some skills and strategies that business owners could use to sustain the profitability of their companies. The data from this study may contribute to the prosperity of small business owners, their employees, and the surrounding community.
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Abor, Joshua. "Capital structure and financing of SMEs : empirical evidence from Ghana and South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/21522.
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Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is made of stand-alone essays on the capital structure and financing of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana and South Africa. Chapter Two reviews issues on SME development in Ghana and South Africa. Chapter Three compares the capital structures of large, quoted firms and SMEs in Ghana. The results show that quoted firms exhibit higher debt ratios than those of SMEs. The results suggest that age, size, asset structure, and profitability of the firm affect the capital structures of quoted firms and SMEs. For the SME, it is evident that level of education and gender of the entrepreneur, industry, and location of the firm are also important in explaining their capital structure. Chapter Four examines the determinants of bank financing of SMEs in Ghana. The results reveal that bank financing accounts for less than a quarter of SMEs’ debt financing, with short-term bank credit representing the greater proportion of bank finance. The results show that age, size, asset tangibility, and growth of the firm have positive associations with long-term bank debt, while profitability is negatively related to long-term bank debt. The short-term debt indicates a positive relationship with size, but negative relationships with profitability, and growth. Chapter Four also investigates the awareness and use of various financing schemes available to the Ghanaian SME sector. The results reveal low awareness and usage levels of these financing initiatives. Chapter Five explores the determinants of Ghanaian small and medium sized non-traditional exporters’ (NTEs) choice of formal/informal finance. The results show that NTEs depend on formal financing sources with bank finance representing the greater percentage of NTEs’ financing. The results suggest that, newer firms depend more on formal finance and less on informal finance. The results show positive relationships between formal finance and size, and growth of the firm. Chapter Six assesses how corporate governance affects the performance of SMEs in Ghana and what the implications are for financing opportunities. The results reveal that better corporate governance structures lead to better performance of SMEs. The paper concludes that the adoption of good corporate governance structures could lead to better management decisions and enable SMEs to attract financing resources. Chapter Seven examines the relationship between agency factors and the capital structure of quoted SMEs in South Africa. The results indicate that firms with one institutional blockholder are able to monitor the opportunistic behaviour of management more effectively than those with more than one institutional blockholders. Chapter Eight looks at the financial market and financing choice of SMEs and large firms in South Africa. The results indicate that developments in the financial market affect both longterm debt/equity and short-term debt/equity decisions of large firms. However, for SMEs, it is the long-term debt/equity decision that is affected by the financial market. The final essay examines the effect of debt policy on the performance of SMEs in Ghana and South Africa. The results indicate that long-term debt and total debt ratios negatively affect performance of SMEs. These findings have important implications for policy-makers, entrepreneurs and managers of SMEs.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis bestaan uit losstaande essays oor die kapitaalstruktuur en finansiering van kleinen middelgrootte-ondernemings (KMO's) in Ghana en Suid-Afrika. Hoofstuk Twee kyk na kwessies oor KMO-ontwikkeling in Ghana en Suid-Afrika. Hoofstuk Drie vergelyk die kapitaalstrukture van groot genoteerde maatskappye en KMO's in Ghana. Die resultate dui daarop dat genoteerde maatskappye groter skuldverhoudings as KMO's toon. Hierdie resultate wys ook dat ouderdom, grootte, batestruktuur en die winsgewendheid van die maatskappy die kapitaalstruktuur van genoteerde maatskappye en KMO's beïnvloed. Dit is vir die KMO voor die hand liggend dat die opvoedingsvlak en geslag van die entrepreneur, die bedryf en die ligging van die maatskappy ook belangrik is om die kapitaalstruktuur daarvan te verduidelik. Hoofstuk Vier ondersoek die bepalende faktore vir bankfinansiering vir KMO's in Ghana. Die resultate toon aan dat bankfinansiering rekenskap gee van minder as 'n kwart van die KMO se skuldfinansiering en dat korttermynbankkrediet die grootste gedeelte van die bankfinansiering verteenwoordig. Die resultate toon aan dat ouderdom, grootte, die tasbaarheid van bates en maatskappygroei op 'n positiewe verwantskap met langtermynskuld dui, terwyl winsgewendheid 'n negatiewe verband met langtermynbankskuld het. Die korttermynskuld toon 'n positiewe verwantskap met grootte maar 'n negatiewe verwantskap met winsgewendheid en groei aan. Hoofstuk Vier ondersoek ook die bewustheid en gebruik van verskeie finansieringskemas wat aan die Ghanese KMO-sektor beskikbaar is. Die resultate bring 'n lae bewustheid en gebruiksvlakke van hierdie finansieringsinisiatiewe aan die lig. Hoostuk Vyf verken die bepalende faktore van die Ghanese klein- en middelgrootte nie-tradisionele uitvoerders (NTU's) se keuse van formele/informele finansiering. Die resultate toon aan dat NTU's op formele finansieringsbronne staat maak en dat bankfinansiering die grootste persentasie van die NTU's se finansiering uitmaak. Uit die resultate kan afgelei word dat nuwer maatskappye meer op formele finansiering staat maak en minder op informele finansiering. Die resultate dui op 'n positiewe verwantskap tussen formele finansiering en grootte, en die groei van die maatskappy. Hoofstuk Ses evalueer die invloed van korporatiewe bestuur op die prestasie van KMO's in Ghana en watter implikasies dit vir finansieringsgeleenthede inhou. Die resultate toon aan dat beter korporatiewe finansieringstrukture by KMO's tot beter prestasie lei. Hierdie essay kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die aanvaarding van goeie korporatiewe bestuurstrukture tot beter bestuursbesluite kan lei en KMO's in staat kan stel om finansieringsbronne te lok. Hoofstuk Sewe ondersoek die verwantskap tussen agentskapfaktorering en die kapitaalstruktuur van genoteerde KMO's in Suid-Afrika. Die resultate dui daarop dat maatskappye met een institusionele blokhouer die opportunistiese gedrag van bestuur meer doeltreffend kan monitor as dié met meer as een institusionele blokhouer. Hoofstuk Agt kyk na die keuses wat KMO's en groot maatskappye in Suid-Afrika ten opsigte van finansiële markte en finansiering maak. Resultate toon aan dat ontwikkelings in die finansiële mark besluite oor die langtermynskuld/aandelekapitaal sowel as die korttermynskuld/aandelekapitaal van groot maatskappye beïnvloed. By KMO's is dit egter besluite oor langtermynskuld/aandelekapitaal wat deur die finansiële mark beïnvloed word. Die laaste essay ondersoek die uitwerking van skuldbeleid op die prestasie van KMO's in Ghana en Suid-Afrika. Die resultate toon aan dat langtermynskuld en totale skuldverhoudings die prestasie van KMO's negatief beïnvloed. Hierdie bevindinge het belangrike implikasies vir beleidmakers, entrepreneurs en die bestuurders van KMO's.
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Stevens-Benefo, Helen. "Perceptions of Home and Small Business Owners on Insurance in Accra, Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/473.
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Insurance is a prudent option to mitigate business risk and property loss caused by natural disasters. The current study took place in Accra, Ghana, and was prompted by the low adoption of insurance and limited understanding by home and small business owners of its risk mitigation value. The purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore information insurance companies' need to motivate investment in weather-related insurance. The interview questions of the study served to explore the reasons business owners and homeowners purchase or decline insurance, including their understanding of and receptivity to insurance. The theoretical underpinning of this study included the Butterfoss and Kegler's community coalition action theory and Freire's empowerment theory. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 17 insured and uninsured homeowners and business owners. Interview data were thematically analyzed using a process of constant comparison of transcripts. The important themes that emerged from the analysis included the lack of trust in insurance providers, a lack of availability of alternate coping mechanisms, consumers' limited understanding of insurance, and the lack of public education and awareness of disaster risks. The findings indicated that educational programs should promote the needs and benefits for insurance, the government should enforce insurance laws and regulations, and insurance organizations should improve insurance marketing practices to build trust. These findings may contribute to positive social change by creating awareness among Ghanaians about the benefits of insurance to mitigate the effects of natural disasters. Research findings may be useful to insurance business leaders seeking to increase revenue and profitability
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Quaye, Daniel M., and mikewood@deakin edu au. "The impact of the extended family on microenterprise growth in Ghana: A case study of Accra." Deakin University, 1998. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051123.122956.
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This study examines the extended family's impact on microenterprise growth at the individual level, where microenterprise operators have some control over constraints affecting their operations. Beyond the individual level, microenterprise operators have little control over constraints such as government policies and regulations, competition from import-substitution industries and exploitation by corrupt officials. Therefore, it is at the individual level that the extended family serves as a crucial parameter of microenterprise growth and the success with which MEs graduate from the informal sector into the mainstreams of small business. Within this domain, this author has examined the extended family and found that there is a need for policy makers and MED administrators to adopt a more culturally sensitive approach to microenterprise growth if the extended family is to be engaged as a partner in their efforts to support microenterprises as a source of income and employment generation,
A central question posed is why most writers on microenterprise activities in Ghana have neglected the extended family as a factor that should be considered in the design of microenterprise growth strategies and policies? The answer to this question was explored in the process of data gathering for this thesis and the results are presented here, especially in chapter 3 below. Suffice it to note here that this neglect has many roots, not least of which is the proclivity of mainstream economics, modern administration practice and the objectivity of double entry accounting based documentation procedures to focus on measurable growth in the formal sectors of the economy and structural constraints such as the lack of finance, lack of market demand, lack of access to technology and government regulations. Consequently, a noticeable trend among these writers is that they rightly advocate finance be made accessible to microenterprises, however, few question whether the finance is effectively used towards microenterprise growth. This issue is crucial in the face of evidence from this study which shows that finance accessed towards microenterprise growth is often put to other uses that negate growth thus keeping microenterprises within the bounds of the informal sector as against graduating out of the informal sector. As a result, these writers have neglected the intimate relations between the extended family and microenterprises, and most importantly, the constraint that the extended family inflicts on microenterprise growth at the individual level of activity. This study, by targeting the growth of the individual microenterprise in the socio-cultural context in which this growth must be achieved, has highlighted the constraint that the extended family does pose on MED. However, the study also shows that these constraints are important not because there is anything inherently wrong with the extended family, but because the socio-economic and policy environment is not consistent with the positive role that the extended family can and should play in the graduation of microenterprises from the informal to the formal sector of the economy in Ghana.
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Dzotefe, S. A. "Influences on small firm growth rates in Ghana : factors which influence small firm growth rates and which are important in distinguishing rapid-growth small firms from slow-growth small firms." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/4457.
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Although the development of small businesses is generally considered important for income generation and job creation, there has been relatively little research in developing countries such as Ghana on understanding why some small firms succeed and grow rapidly while others do not in. This thesis investigates the influences on small firm growth rates in Ghana using data from a random sample of 252 manufacturing and services firms from the database of the Association of Ghana Industries. The general hypothesis is that, growth is a function of the characteristics of the entrepreneur; characteristics of the firm; strategic factors; environmental factors; and cultural factors. Consequently, the research tests 36 hypotheses drawn from the five main categories of variables using the turnover and the employment growth measures. It also uses logistic regression analysis to isolate significant factors differentiating rapid-growth firms from slow-growth firms. Overall, the research finds strong evidence which suggests that, perception of a market opportunity; university education; multiple founders; entrepreneurs with marketing skills; workforce training; new product development; presence of a clear vision and mission statement; majority non-family members in management and membership of professional or business associations were associated with rapid-growth firms. iv Factors which were significant in discriminating between rapid-growth and slow-growth firms but were more likely to be associated with slow-growth firms included threat of unemployment or actual unemployment as a motivation for starting a business; production skills; legal form (limited liability companies); access to external equity (post-formation); exporting; access to public or external aid; unionization and frequent management meetings.
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Amaglo, John Kwaku. "Strategies for Sustainability of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6963.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 92% of all Ghana firms, providing 60% of citizens' employment and contributing about 70% of Ghana's income from gross domestic products. Within the first 5 years of operation, 40% of new businesses fail. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by Ghanaian SME manufacturing leaders in the fruit industry to sustain business for longer than 5 years of operation. The conceptual framework for this study was open systems theory and complexity theory. The population for this study was 5 Ghanaian SME manufacturing business leaders in the fruit industry who maintained their businesses longer than 5 years of operation. The data sources were semistructured face-to-face interviews, interview notes, and the organizations' manuals for standard operations. Data collected were transcribed, member checked, analytically coded, and analyzed using Yin's 5-stage method of qualitative data analysis. Four themes emerged: training and capacity building, the need for good equipment and good packaging, the availability of working capital, and the need for target marketing. The implications of this study for positive social change include lowering high unemployment, alleviating poverty, supporting community development, and enhancing economic growth in the country.
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Owusu, Kwame. "A study of factors leading to growth in small firms : an examination of factors that impact on growth of small manufacturing in least developed countries : the case of Ghana." Doctoral thesis, University of Bradford, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/4407.
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The focus of this study is to examine the factors that lead to growth in
small firms in a Least Developed Country (LDC). The research is
based on the manufacturing sector in Ghana. The main objectives of
the research are to identify the key variables that lead to small firms'
growth and to ascertain the critical barriers that impede growth.
A research model which is developed out of an initial exploratory
research and existing literature focuses on how the characteristics of
the owner/manager, the characteristics of the firm and the business
strategy variables interact to affect growth in employment. In addition
factors that are perceived to have constrained the growth of the small
firms during the study period are ascertained and discussed.
To properly test the hypotheses developed a face to face interview
survey involving 122 owner/managers of small manufacturing firms is
conducted. This resulted in a range of variables that allowed for the
construction of a comprehensive multivariate model of small firm
growth.
A resulting regression model provides about 68 percent of the
explanation for the growth of the small firms sampled. It also indicates
that the owner/manager characteristics variables offer the most
powerful explanation to small firm growth. We find that the
owner/manager's growth aspiration is the most influential factor in
achieving growth. The other owner/manager characteristics variables
that have positive influence on growth are level of education, prior
industry experience and entrepreneurial family background.
Owner/managers with local experience and/or with other business
interests are less likely to achieve faster growth. Foreign
owned/managed firms grow faster.
Younger and smaller firms appear to grow faster. While firms with
multiple ownerships tend to grow at a slower rate than firms owned and
managed by one person.
Business planning, marketing and export have positive and significant
impacts on growth. Other business strategies such as innovations and
staff training also have direct relationships with growth but not
significant.
Some of the main constraining factors to growth are cost of borrowing,
lack of access to credit, high cost of inputs, lack of trust within the
business community, high bureaucracy, late payments and lack of
efficient support system. While the external environment plays
important role in small firm growth and development, the behaviours,
response and strategies pursued by individual owner/manager are
significant factors that determine the rate at which a firm will grow.Ghana Leasing Company Limited
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Kpentey, Bennet. "Small Business Merger and Acquisition Strategies for Raising Capital in Emerging Economies." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6447.
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About 70% of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) involving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies fail because the strategies employed do not integrate all the critical success elements, leaving SMEs without the needed capital to take advantage of strategic and market opportunities. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the M&A strategies SME owners in Ghana employed to raise capital. Seth's value creation theory was the conceptual framework adopted for this study. The population consisted of 5 SME owners in Ghana who had successfully raised financial resources through inbound M&As within the past 10 years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and review of corporate annual reports and M&A documents. The data were organized and analyzed using Yin's 5-step data analysis and cross-case synthesis techniques to identify patterns and emergent themes. The 6 themes that emerged from the analysis were value creation, control and autonomy, entrepreneurial quality, leadership, trustworthiness, and effective negotiation. SME owners can integrate entrepreneurial quality and effective negotiations to achieve successful closure of M&A deals. The findings of this study might facilitate SME access to capital for expansion and growth that will contribute to positive social change through job creation and increased youth employment in emerging economies.
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Mensah-Ansah, Joseph. "Small tourism accommodation businesses in Ghana : a barrier to strategic tourism development?" Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 2011. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/20057/.
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Lifestyle motivations of small tourism accommodation business (STAB) owners and cultural practices in Ghana are integral to the strategic development of Ghana's tourism industry. This thesis seeks to develop rich insights into the development of the small tourism accommodation sector in Ghana. The overall aim is to enhance understanding of cultural and lifestyle practices that affect the development of small tourism accommodation businesses in Ghana by making theoretical and pragmatic contributions to existing knowledge on small tourism accommodation businesses. To achieve this, the thesis draws from a range of literature including that on small businesses, small tourism businesses, entrepreneurship and family business as well as literature on Ghana's political, economic, history and cultural context to seek a better understanding of the development of small tourism accommodation businesses in Ghana and whether they are a barrier to strategic tourism development. In addition to the above, the research, which is exploratory in nature, follows a pragmatic approach and thus uses mixed methods to explore small tourism accommodation businesses in Ghana. Empirical data for the research was gathered through interviews with six small tourism accommodation providers, survey questionnaires with 625 independent hotel owners' and seven officials of key stakeholders in tourism development (Ministry of Tourism and financial institutions) on the development of the tourism accommodation sector in Ghana. The contributory value of the thesis lies in exploring new perspectives to the understanding of the development of small tourism accommodation businesses and their role in the development of the tourism industry in Ghana. The thesis argues that, cultural practices in Ghana play an important role in shaping the motivations and objectives of small tourism accommodation business owners and the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of their facilities. Culture is a key determinant of entrepreneurial orientation and disposition and determines the relationship between external environmental factors of politics and the economy and the entrepreneurial disposition/orientation of STAB owners and the internal environmental factors of management, staffing, legal status and financing that affect the development of STABs in Ghana. Though financial and non-financial motives of small accommodation business owners reinforce each other, the non-pecuniary lifestyle motives dominate and give a social perspective to the development of small tourism accommodation businesses. The social perspectives to the development of small tourism accommodation businesses are not wholly in accord with Ghana's tourism development policies which are structured on conventional economic development models.
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Manuh, G. B. "Extension services for the small-scale enterprise development in developing countries : a study with particular emphasis on Ghana." Thesis, Durham University, 1988. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/945/.
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Domeher, Daniel. "Secure property rights and access to small enterprises' (SEs) credit : a comparative study of Ghana and England." Thesis, Liverpool John Moores University, 2013. http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/6177/.
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Small enterprises are a major source of livelihood for most people in the developing world. Their ability to grow is however, undermined by credit constraints. This has often been attributed to the lack of registered property ownership which is argued to make property insecure and unacceptable to lenders. Though several studies have been conducted on the relationship between property registration and credit access, the focus is usually on the demand side mainly involving households and the agricultural sector. Furthermore, no studies have compared the developed and developing countries. Finally, the exact nature of , the credit constraint amongst businesses in countries such as Ghana for instance is not known. This research therefore, set out to conduct a demand-side study into the nature of the credit constraint amongst small businesses in Ghana and a supply-side investigation of the influence of registration on small businesses access to credit. The multi methodology was deemed most suitable approach for the investigation of the objectives of the study. The quantitative approach was first used to investigate the objectives. Part of the initial findings was validated through the quantitative approach whilst the other part was validated through the qualitative approach. The results show amongst other things that the existing credit constraint is almost entirely a supply side problem. The supply side study showed that in Ghana, unregistered property is not eligible for use as collateral but this is applicable only to the universal banks (UBs) and not the microfinance institutions (MFIs). That said, the possession of registered property title was not found to influence the loan terms that businesses are offered neither was there evidence that it guarantees access to credit. Even though in England the eligibility of property was not dependent on whether it is registered or not, lenders also did agree that the possession of registered property does not guarantee credit access neither does it influence the credit terms businesses are offered. It was concluded that since majority of small businesses in Ghana seek credit from MFIs, the lack of registered property titles does not constitute a major barrier to credit access. The I main barriers to credit access identified are the poor repayment ability and high risk of default amongst others.
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Ahiafor, Akorfa. "Strategies for Mitigating the Effects of Crisis in Microfinance Institutions in Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7362.
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Ghana has experienced an unprecedented failure of microfinance institutions. Within a period of 8 years from 2011 to 2019, the Bank of Ghana has revoked the license of over 489 microfinance institutions. The purpose of the exploratory multiple case study was to explore strategies that microfinance managers apply to mitigate the effects of crisis to remain sustainable. The targeted population was composed of owner-managers from 6 microfinance companies in Ghana and 6 consultants who overcame the microfinance crisis and remained in practice. The situational crisis communication theory and the team leadership model were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Methodological triangulation was used to support the review and analysis of data from structured interviews, focus group discussions, and relevant company documents. Data were analyzed using NVivo to provide alphanumeric coding, and thematic analysis was used to support the identification of themes and subthemes, which were organized and linked to the crisis phenomenon to identify the 5 emerged themes: governance, communication, fundraising, cost reduction, and business model strategies. The study findings may contribute to social change by building confidence in the financial system, making microfinance services available to the lower end market. There may be more historical crisis effect mitigation strategies and evidence available to practitioners, entrepreneurs leading to job creation and sustainable businesses globally. These findings could provide insights for business leaders, owners-managers, the board of directors, practitioners and regulatory bodies to develop strategies to help their institutions survive in crises.
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Kuranchie, Francis Atta. "The potential of energy efficiency measures in micro and small scale businesses in Kumasi-Ghana." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Industriell miljöteknik, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-69204.
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In industry, energy efficiency reduces operating cost and emissions to the environment whiles enhancing energy security. In order to ensure the sustainability of micro and small scale businesses in a developing country such as Ghana, measures that can ensure energy efficiency are therefore essential for these businesses to have a productive and economical operation that will ensure their sustainability. In this study, the potential of energy efficiency measures for micro and small scale businesses have been examined by performing industrial energy systems analysis on some selected micro and small scale businesses in Kumasi-Ghana through a practical study and administering of questionnaire about their energy consumption. Legislative instruments that are linked with energy use in Ghana were looked into. Some possible energy efficiency measures that could be adopted by these businesses have been analyzed. In this study it is established that energy supply to these businesses is not reliable and it is continuously becoming expensive. In addition, other findings were that value could be added to the processes of these businesses if they incorporate energy efficiency measures in their operations. The main driving force that will encourage these businesses to incorporate energy efficiency measures in their operation is the energy prices increase; therefore, their interest is the measures that could reduce their energy cost rather than the positive impacts that will come to the environment. In doing this renewable energy has the greatest potential in ensuring energy efficiency to these businesses. Finally, it is established that there are no specific legislations on energy use that will bring negative effects to these businesses and this could create enabling environment for private investors of energy efficiency.
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Kheni, Nongiba A. "Impact of health and safety management on safety performance of small and medium-sized construction businesses in Ghana." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2008. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/4079.
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Health and safety at construction sites deals with both physical and psychological well being of workers on construction sites and other persons whose health is likely to be adversely affected by construction activities. It is of primary concern to employers, employees, governments and project participants. Although accident figures of the construction industry remain unacceptably high, some achievements in health and safety have been made. Nevertheless, the role of enabling socioeconomic, cultural, political, and institutional environments in health and safety management has either been overlooked or underemphasized. The importance of such enabling environments in this thesis is couched from the context of developing countries in particular, Ghana. In broader terms, the links between the socioeconomic, cultural, political, and institutional environments and health and safety at construction sites are still poorly understood. This thesis aims to understand the influence of the contextual environment on health and safety management within construction SMEs in Ghana and to develop a framework of recommendations for improving health and safety performance of the sector based on the analyses of the contextual environment. The thesis has adopted a multimethods strategy design, employing data collection techniques suited to the research setting. The discussion of results highlight the significance of the Ghanaian socio-cultural value systems particularly, the extended family system and traditional religious value systems in health and safety management within Ghanaian construction SMEs. The institutional structure for implementing health and safety standards on construction sites and the prevailing economic climate which undermines an enabling environment hinder construction SMEs from managing the risks of hazards on construction sites effectively. The research also gives insights into the difficulties posed by the internal environment of SMEs to the effective management of health and safety. Key issues identified by this study include: lack of skilled human resources; inadequate government support so construction SMEs; inefficiencies in the institutional structure responsible for implementing health and safety standards; the practice of corporate social responsibility; appropriate procurement practices; and, commitment to extended family obligations. These key issues need to be further explored. The study has made recommendations which, if adopted, will lead to significant improvements in the health and safety performance of construction SMEs in Ghana.
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Doe, Benjamin Verfasser], Sabine [Akademischer Betreuer] [Baumgart, and Nguyen Xuan [Gutachter] Thinh. "Urban land use planning and the quest for integrating the small-scale informal business sector : The case of Kumasi, Ghana / Benjamin Doe. Betreuer: Sabine Baumgart. Gutachter: Nguyen Xuan Thinh." Dortmund : Universitätsbibliothek Dortmund, 2015. http://d-nb.info/1107560330/34.
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Doe, Benjamin [Verfasser], Sabine [Akademischer Betreuer] Baumgart, and Nguyen Xuan [Gutachter] Thinh. "Urban land use planning and the quest for integrating the small-scale informal business sector : The case of Kumasi, Ghana / Benjamin Doe. Betreuer: Sabine Baumgart. Gutachter: Nguyen Xuan Thinh." Dortmund : Universitätsbibliothek Dortmund, 2015. http://d-nb.info/1107560330/34.
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Kusi, Appiah Michael [Verfasser], Josef [Gutachter] Wieland, and Michael [Gutachter] Schramm. "Promoting small-scale mining sector businesses and the role of institutions - a conflict prevention and resolution study in Ghana / Michael Kusi Appiah ; Gutachter: Josef Wieland, Michael Schramm." Friedrichshafen : Zeppelin Universität, 2018. http://d-nb.info/1170954693/34.
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Braimah, Clifford Abdallah. "Management of small towns water supply, Ghana." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2010. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/8303.
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Delivering improved water services in small towns in low-income countries encompasses particular challenges. Often considered too large to be effectively community managed , small towns may also be too small, with too limited economies, to benefit from utility style professionalism and economies of scale. The most recent paradigm, that financially sustainable water services will be best achieved through the Demand Responsive Approach , has been complemented in Ghana, the focus of this study, through the development of a variety of management models, community, local government, national utility and private providers, to deliver DRA. Taking advantage of this unusual situation, in having a wide range of different functioning models in one country at the same time, this research has sought to investigate these management models with respect to effectiveness, equity, financial sustainability and efficiency of services delivery. However, the context in which all of these models operate relates to consumers effective demand, key to delivering a demand responsive approach. A second objective, necessary to validate any results relating to management models, has therefore been to investigate households actual demand for improved and alternative sources of water. Data for the research was gathered from examples of the four management models in use in Ghana, from eight small towns spread across the length and breadth of the country. The methodology incorporated key-informant interviews, user observations, household surveys and an analysis of relevant documents of operators and policy makers. The fieldwork was undertaken in two separate periods, designed to ensure that any effects of dry and wet season variations, which influence water supply delivery as well as demand, were adequately captured. The research found that none of the management models in use in small towns in Ghana could be considered to be significantly more effective than any other; overall, households demonstrated a limited demand for water supply with even this demand distributed among a number of sources, both formal, improved and alternative, traditional sources; this demand was not so much a function of affordability, rather a clear choice as to where to use limited resources mobile phone access absorbing three times the amount spent on water. Whilst certain management characteristics were found to make a difference, leadership in particular, no one model was able to influence the overarching water source effect, that is the cost of formal supply (surface water costing approximately three times more than ground water), relative to access to alternative, free supplies in the context of limited overall demand for water.
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Lartey, Jerry. "Effective Vulnerability Management for Small Scale Organisations in Ghana." Thesis, Luleå tekniska universitet, Institutionen för system- och rymdteknik, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-75809.
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Most Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana are notparticularly anxious about the consequences of inadequacy or lack of anyform of vulnerability management operation in their normal businesspractices. This case study research explores how a local Internet ServiceProvider (ISP) in Ghana and its local client-base can manage vulnerabilitieswith a targeted patch management practise integrated into their operations.To answer the research question “How can a SME local Internet ServiceProvider (ISP) in Accra, Ghana, assist their local customer base to integrateeffective cybersecurity vulnerability management into their operations?“,This case study comprised the Subject Matter Expert of one local ISP as well as4 other technical Subject Matter Experts of the ISP’s clients about their patchmanagement operations. This case study research revealed that most SMEs donot consider vulnerability management as a key concern in the operation oftheir organisation and therefore, proposes a way to highlight the importanceof vulnerability management whiles doing so at a cost-effective manner. Theimplications of targeted cybersecurity patch management for the local ISP andtheir client-base is also addressed by this thesis research.
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Quartey, Peter. "Finance and small and medium-sized enterprise development in Ghana." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.488429.
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This thesis provides a critical evaluation of the inter-relationship between finance and other key factors and SME development. However, the study places much emphasis on issues relating finance and SME development since studies have shown that financial constraint is the major factor affecting SME entrepreneurs in Ghana. Issues of finance and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries have dominated the research agenda at various policy levels. However, very little empirical analysis, that is, hypothesis testing, has been carried out to ascertain the relationship between finance and enterprise performance. Although a few studies have attempted to examine this relationship, there remain large gaps in our knowledge concerning the relationship between finance and SME development. This thesis aims to fill these gaps in our knowledge. The objective of the study is to provide a better understanding of the relationship between finance and other key factors such as exports, education, inter-fiem linkages and small and medium enterprise development in Ghana. It will conduct hypothesis testing on key relationships on the financial structure of small and medium enterprises in Ghana and also ascertain how firms differ in their demand for internal and external sources of finance. The study will also investigate the determinants of growth and SME entrepreneur's access to finance. The analysis is based on firm level data gathered in 1999 from 208 small and medium enterprises located within a 50 Kilometre geographical radius of five principal cities in Ghana. The Study employed a combination of analytical techniques, namely, tile 'Basic Detailed Characteristics' approach and regression analysis (Two Stage Least Squares and Logistic Regression Analysis). This allowed for an exhaustive analysis of the SME sector and its potential for income, employment, and economic growth. The empirical issues revealed by the analysis were: First, results from the regression equation on the determininants of firm growth confirmed the principal hypothesis of the thesis, that is, access to finance exerts a significantly positive effect on growth. This indicates the need to improve the availability of credit to SMEs to enable*the sector realise its potential. Another major finding is, increases in firm size exert a negative and statistically significant effect on growth (when defined as growth in sales). However, when growth is defined as value added, increases in firm size have a positive and statistically significant effect on growth. This has very useful implications for policy, that is, support programmes should be equally targeted towards small and medium enterprises. Another major finding is, exporting firms perform better than non-exporting firms. This re-emphasizes the need for policies to support upgrading of SME products to meet acceptable standards and compete internationally. Higher levels of education of SME entrepreneurs also exert a statistically significant effect on growth. There is therefore the need to educate entrepreneurs especially on production techniques and managerial abilities. The second regression equation investigated the determinants of access to finance and found that frill size exerts a significantly positive effect on access to finance. This implies small firms are often marginalized in the allocation of credit, hence there is the need to target more credit to the small-scale sector. Secondly, older firms tend to have better access to finance than newly established firms. An export equation was also estimated and very interesting findings were revealed. First, foreign owned firms are more likely to export than locally owned enterprises. Educated entrepreneurs are more likely to export than tile less educated ones. Also, males are more likely export than their female counterparts. Finally, medium-sized firms are more likely to export than small-scale enterprises.
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Lum, Betty Wong. "Business Strategies for Small Business Survival." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4531.
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Small business owners play a leading role in the United States economy by creating jobs and driving innovation. However, half of all new small business owners close their doors before their 5th anniversary. Following the entrepreneurship theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what strategies 5 small business owners in the food and beverage industry in the San Francisco Bay area used to survive beyond 5 years of operation. Data sources included semistructured interviews and company documents. Data analysis included descriptive and process coding of the data and use of NVivo to identify themes. Based on thematic analysis of the data, the emergent themes included: human capital, business goals, and growth through innovation. Participants relied on business knowledge to start and sustain their businesses; set incremental goals for growth and aligned business decisions to achieve those goals; and maintained a competitive advantage by implementing innovative and creative changes to their products and services. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide small business owners and potential small business owners with strategies to sustain their businesses beyond the 5-year mark, thus contributing to economic growth of their businesses, their employees, and their local economy.
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Arthur, Peter Kow. "Promoting small-scale industries in Ghana, development institutions, culture and politics." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2001. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp05/NQ56073.pdf.
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Ajaari, Achivieka. "Managing small and medium enterprises : a case study of northern Ghana." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.492926.
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The study focuses on the management of SMEs in Northern Ghana. Issues of managing SMEs have long occupied policy-makers, individuals and organisations rendering support services, particularly in developing countries. However, very few empirical investigations have been carried out in a holistic manner to determine the relationships between key internal and external variables and SME performance outcomes. This study aims to fill that gap.
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Boateng, Seth Dankyi. "Analysis of entrepreneurship activities among small-scale farming communities in Ghana." Thesis, University of Reading, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.485502.
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The purpose of this research is to determine why some people in rural communities of Ghana establish new enterprises while others continue in traditional farming. Both individuals who have established their enterprises and those who have not were interviewed using interview schedules and recording of life stories, and the data was analysed qualitatively. Findings indicate that through social interaction rural entrepreneurs identify opportunities to acquire expertise, opportunity to apply the expertise to produce new goods and services, and opportunities to regenerate latent skills for new enterprise establishment as the main opportunities available for new enterprise establishment. These opportunities improve upon entrepreneurs' ability to use available technical innovations for new enterprise establishment. The research identified the following broad conditions that respondents met while establishing their new enterprises: opportunity recognition, resource mobilisation, information search, production/service delivery method selection, enterprise size selection and enterprise establishment. Activities that entrepreneurs undertake while establishing their enterprises are influenced by entrepreneurs' previous expertise, entrepreneurs' marital status, gender, the nature of parental support, availability of technological innovation in the communities among others. The research identified that factors that promote entrepreneurship among rural communities involved in this study are different from those of developed and urban societies. Factors such as relevant technological innovations, ready markets, availability of both financial and material resources, expertise from previous organisations and educational institutions promote new enterprise establishment in urban and developed societies. On the other hand, expertise from socialisation process, dependence on parental material and human resources, and the notion that one's own enterprise is the only means by which one can escape from subsistence livelihood are factors that promote entrepreneurship in the study societies. For the entrepreneurs within the study communities, it is not the recognition of social values embedded in technological innovations that motivates them to initiate entrepreneurial activities, rather it is the possession of relevant expertise (especially domestic expertise), parental encouragement, and the need to escape from subsistence livelihood.
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Boateng, Edward Akuamoah. "Managing State-Owned Enterprises: The Special Projects of Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2203.
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State-owned enterprise (SOE) failures continue to burden the government of Ghana. During the 5-year period ending in 2012, the profits from these equity investments dropped by 80%. This study was an exploratory case study of how top-down, board-directed governance structure impact the control and ethical structure of special projects. Sixteen participants, comprised of managers, technicians, and board members, were recruited from 4 separate special projects in northern, central, and southern Ghana. Agency theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data collected from the face-to-face interviews and supporting documents were processed and analyzed to discern emergent themes. Through methodological triangulation, 5 main themes emerged including board influence on management and operations, operational and financial controls, ethical values, quality assurance, and motivation. The implications for positive social change include helping to reduce poverty within the local communities of Ghana through the creation of competitive projects that can sustain a productive workforce.
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Kadur, Mohita. "Small business ticketing system." [Denver, Colo.] : Regis University, 2007. http://165.236.235.140/lib/MKadur2007.pdf.
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Fillingim, Wayne A. "Small Business Sustainability Strategies." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5702.
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Small businesses provide 48% of private-sector jobs in the United States and play a vital role in the country's economic growth and development. Only half of U.S. small businesses survive for longer than 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore sustainability strategies managers of small oilfield service companies used to sustain their business for longer than 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 managers--one manager from each of 10 different oilfield service companies located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and from review of publicly available documents and archived records. The conceptual framework for this study was the dynamic capability theory. Data analysis was conducted using Yin's 5-step data analysis process and methodological triangulation. Four themes emerged from the study: networking or relationship strategies, financial planning strategies, differentiation strategies, and education and experience strategies. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential for small business managers to use these findings to develop strategies for profitability and sustainability resulting in job creation, poverty reduction, and socioeconomic development.
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Opoku, Darko Kwabena. "The politics of government-business relations in Ghana, 1982-2000." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.416780.
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Awotwi, Dorothy Esi. "Strategies for Improving Utilization of Maternal Health Program Funds in Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4348.
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Effective utilization of donor resources for maternal health remains a challenge in Ghana. The purpose of this descriptive multiple case study was to identify strategies and processes that recipient partners use to improve the utilization of maternal health program funds. Harrod and Domar's aid-to-investment-to-growth model, Collier's game theory, and Martens' agency theory on aid effectiveness informed the conceptual framework of the study. The study included face-to-face semistructured interviews with 7 program and project managers from 7 UNFPA recipient institutions in Ghana. Data analysis involved assembling, rearrangement, categorizing, and interpreting the data. Member checking and methodological triangulation of interview data with evidence from administrative documents of the 7 recipient institutions occurred to assure the validity of this study's findings. Three themes emerged: clearly identifying and effectively implementing program and project budget support mechanisms, implementing robust aid effectiveness management processes, and utilizing effective project management practices. Findings indicated institutional capacity strengthening, developing and using control mechanisms, and mitigation of funds disbursement delays and activity implementation delays as derivative pathways for maximizing utilization of maternal health program funds. The findings provide potential lessons for similar organizations' improving funds utilization by project management practitioners to sustain or increase donors' interest and mitigate development programs' funding gaps. Implications for social change include the potential for maternal mortality reduction to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of rural, poor, and marginalized women and children in Ghana.
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Dankwa, Edith. "Strategies for Achieving Entrepreneurial Success in the Microfinance Sector in Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4277.
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Globally, half of small business owners are unable to sustain business operations beyond first 5 years. Several small microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Ghana collapsed because of the inability of owners to continue operations. Such business failure creates unemployment, subsequently leading to an increase in the poverty rate. The objective of this case study was to explore the strategies that MFI owners use to sustain their businesses for 5 years and beyond in Ghana. The conceptual framework was based on entrepreneurship theory. A purposive sample of 4 MFI owners who sustained their business in Ghana for 5 years, who were identified from a database of microfinance entrepreneurs, participated in semistructured face to face interviews. The owners shared their experiences and views concerning their business. Data from archived documents of participants' companies and interview responses with member checking were analyzed to achieve a methodological triangulation. Four themes emerged from inductive data analysis. These themes focused on education and training, planning, access to finance, and motivation. The findings from this study could lead to positive social change by illuminating the experiences of successful microfinance entrepreneurs. These experiences may inform the work of other small businesses, thereby improving the living standards of families and strengthening community wealth with more tax revenue.
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Black, Lamont K. "Essays on small business lending." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2007. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3264326.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Economics and Dept. of Finance, 2007.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-05, Section: A, page: 2094. Advisers: Eric L. Leeper; Gregory F. Udell. "Title from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 24, 2008)."
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Al-Kharusi, Abdulaziz. "Financing small business in Oman." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2003. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/7597.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now recognised as being of major importance to the strategic agendas of many countries around the world since they can lower unemployment and increase economic growth. This is particularly significant for a small country like Oman which is seeking to diversify its production base. However, it is well known that lending institutions are often reluctant to offer loans to small firms because of the nature and size of such businesses. This research study, therefore, is the first to carry out a detailed investigation of the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises in Oman by focusing on the three main sectors in which SMEs function: manufacturing, trade and services. The study aims first to examine the procedures and problems faced by SMEs in obtaining finance by considering the need for finance, the types of finance available, and the difficulties that may be encountered in this process. Guidelines are then offered to encourage the participation of such firms in Oman's development. The study also seeks to examine the relationship between certain characteristics of firms and their owner-managers and the need for finance, together with difficulties encountered when seeking such finance. Finally, a comparison is made of the procedures and problems faced by SMEs in the three sectors. After a literature review, the thesis puts forward, in Chapter 4, the theoretical research framework and a number of hypotheses. Data were gathered via questionnaires and interviews from 397 small and medium enterprises in Oman; 94 from the manufacturing sector, 180 from the trade sector and 123 from service firms. These data were then analysed using the following methods: descriptive analysis, nonparametric testing, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings showed that some significant differences did exist between firms, their owner-managers' characteristics and the need to acquire external finance, as well as the success or difficulties they faced in applying for such lending. The need for external finance for such companies to expand their businesses was also clearly demonstrated, especially in the trade and service sectors, the majority of respondents in all three sectors were aware of government sources of finance. It was found that the main reasons for difficulties in raising finance were high rates of interest, incomplete business plans, a lack of securities, and putting forward proposals considered not to be viable. A detailed analysis of the results can be seen in Chapter 6, with a summary of the main findings in Chapter 7. The study ends with an examination of the implications of the findings of this research for owner-managers, policy-makers, academics and entrepreneurs. Finally, suggestions are made for future useful research in this area.
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Lenaburg, Allen Gregg. "Intranet concept for small business." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2004. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2710.
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The purpose of this project is to build a working intranet containing core applications that create the framework for a small business intranet. Small businesses may benefit from an intranet because of its ability to effectively streamline the processes for retrieving and distributing information. Intranets are internal networks using TCP/IP protocols, Web server software, and browser client software to share information created in HTML within an organization, and to access company databases.
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Wilson, Dovie. "Small Business Crisis Management Strategies." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2706.
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The absence of adequate crisis management strategies in small firms could result in a premature small business closure. A qualitative multiple-case study was used to explore the crisis management strategies that 3 small business owners have used to survive an unexpected operational interruption. The small business owners in this study were from different industries in the southeast region of the United States and each owner owned a business for more than 5 years and had survived at least a single crisis. The theory of crisis management and crisis intervention theory were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Data collection occurred through semistructured face-to-face interviews with small business owners; observations; and a review of company documents comprised of business plans, insurance policies, floor plans, and emergency exit routes. Data were thematically analyzed and then triangulated to ensure trustworthiness of interpretations. The findings included 3 emergent themes: the importance of developing survival strategies; transparency, open communication, and relationship building; and creative thinking as a survival strategy. Recommendations for action include securing adequate insurance coverage, investing in a worker's compensation policy, and maintaining transparent and fluent communications with vendors and consumers. Small business owners who implement survival strategies may contribute to positive social change by continuing to create employment opportunities that improve economic conditions in local communities.
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Adoukonou, Victor K. "Strategies for Small Business Sustainability." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6501.
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Small businesses represent more than 99% of all employers in the United States, but more than 50% of small businesses have failed before 5 years. Climate change, digitization, and social media contribute to a paradigm shift in consumers' habits, as more consumers have become environmentally and social justice conscious. Business leaders who are unable to follow the consumers' trends and changes of habit may not succeed in sustaining their businesses. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of small businesses in the District of Columbia use to sustain their businesses for longer than 5 years while fulfilling their firms' social responsibility obligations. The conceptual framework was the sustainability development theory. Data were collected from 5 small retailers through face-to-face, semistructured interviews, observations, field notes, and reviews of documents related to business sustainability. Data analysis was based on the thematic analysis model, which involved a process of organizing, coding, arranging data into common themes relevant to the research question and interpreting of the information. Member checking was used to enhance the credibility and validity of the data. Emerging themes included business establishment planning, sustainability planning, and sustainability factors use. The results of this study may contribute to positive social change by providing information to entrepreneurs about successful strategies for small business sustainability, which can lead to business owners, employees, and communities living and working in a human-oriented, prosperous, and healthy environment.
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Adomako, Samuel, and K. F. Mole. "Small business growth and performance." Sage, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/17327.
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YesResearch on business growth has blossomed, yet scholars often complain face the difficulty of distililing a clearer pitcure of the business growth phenomenon. This paper attempts to overcome this limitation by reviewing and synthesizing extant research on business growth. First, we begin by examining Penrose’s view of firm growth. Second, we highlight how business growth is measured; these are absolute or relative change and growth as a process. Third, we explore theories of business growth; integrated models-theories that explain the factors that drive business growth and (2) stage models which view business growth as a series of phases or stages of development through which a firm must pass in its life-cycle. Fourth, we examine modes of business growth; these are organic vs. acquisition growth, growth through networks and alliances and growth through internationalization. Fifth, we examine drivers and constraints to business growth. We conclude the review by pointing out areas of harmony and contention in the literature, from which we suggest opportunities for future research.
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Sabovčik, František. "Data Mining in Small Business." Master's thesis, Vysoké učení technické v Brně. Fakulta informačních technologií, 2018. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-385997.
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Tato práce si klade za cíl vyhodnotit techniky získávání znalostí pro využití v prostředí malého podnikání. Po prozkoumání dat a konzultace s doménovymi experty byly vybrány dvě úlohy: analyza nákupního košíku a predikce prodejů. Pro analyzu nákupního košíku byl využit algoritmus Relim pro vyhledávání častych itemsetů a metriky určující zajímavost asociačních pravidel. Pro úlohu predikce prodejů byl implementován dekompoziční model, SARIMA, MARS a neuronové sítě s časovym oknem. Modely byly vyhodnoceny. Pomocí optimalizace hyper-parametrů bylo dosaženo přijatelnych vysledků. Oproti předpokladům nedošlo při dodání dat o počasí a využití nelineárních modelů ke zlepšení oproti SARIMA. Predikce byla implementována jako služba na straně serveru pro testování v produkčním prostředí.
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Clink, Stuart. "Risk management in small business." Thesis, Glasgow Caledonian University, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.364744.
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Eyiah, Alex Kojo. "Financing small and medium scale construction firms in Ghana : a framework for improvement." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.556704.
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Johnson, Nickie B. "Facilitating Innovation in Technology Startups in Ghana : A Multiple Case Study of the Technology Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Ghana." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Företagsekonomi, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-36668.
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Thesis purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate which circumstances technology entrepreneurs believe facilitate innovation, in the context of developing countries, and in Ghana in particular. Additionally, to explore the institutional and environmental factors that enable or prevent innovative activity from taking place in the technology startup ecosystem. Methodology: Multiple case qualitative research study of the Ghanaian technology entrepreneurship ecosystem. Data collection by conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 technology entrepreneurs in Accra, Ghana. The data collection and analysis process is inspired by the phenomenography approach. Theoretical framework: Theoretical concepts found in the literature on entrepreneurship and innovation. The institutional pillars of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, developed by GEDI (Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute), are discussed and applied in the analysis of the interview results. Conclusions: This paper identifies a number of areas where the majority of the entrepreneurs reported having similar experiences and challenges. Many of the challenges are related to institutional factors such as regulation and bureaucratic processes. Despite this, the technology entrepreneurship system in Ghana is growing, and the country offers a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs. Ultimately, to facilitate innovation further, the institutional environment requires change in a number of areas, in order to better support technology entrepreneurs, and to create an enabling environment in which they can act on and take advantage of the opportunities that exist.
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Blom, Alexander. "Möjligheter och problem att få sponsring : En fallstudie i Ghana." Thesis, Högskolan Dalarna, Företagsekonomi, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-30440.
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Jag fick under en tremånadersperiod möjligheten att vara en del av den anrika klubben Accra Hearts of Oak i Ghana. Vid sidan av att genomföra en fältstudie, arbetade jag med att hjälpa klubben med sitt sponsorarbete. Detta var tuffare än vad jag hade förväntat mig, för trots att klubben har miljontals supportrar hade man ändå problem med att knyta sponsorer till sig, vilket resulterade i låga intäkter. Forskningsfrågan jag ställde mig var: Vilka utmaningar ställs en afrikansk fotbollsklubb inför när det gäller sponsring och hur kan de arbeta för att maximera möjligheterna till sponsorer för sin verksamhet? Idrotten av idag har utvecklats till att bli allt mer professionaliserad och kommersialiserad, vilket resulterat i att professionella klubbar har högre omsättning än tidigare. Utifrån min fältstudie har jag granskat olika teorier för att se hur de passar in i en ny miljö utifrån andra förutsättningar då forskning kring sponsring i Ghana är relativt begränsad. Studien visar både den kraft och de brister en klubb får med en enskild ekonomiskt stark ägare, till skillnad från den i stora delar ideella idrotten vi har i Sverige. Den tyder på vikten av goda relationer, att ta vara på sina styrkor samt att odla sin image.During a three-month period, I was privileged to be part of the organization of the honorable football club Accra Hearts of Oak in Ghana. My field study and task assignment was to help the club with its sponsorship work. This was tougher than I had expected. Even though the club has millions of supporters, they still had problems getting sponsors, which resulted in lower income. The research question I asked was: Which challenges do football clubs in Africa face when it comes to sponsorship, and how can they work to maximize the opportunities for sponsors for theiractivities? Sport has evolved to become increasingly professional and commercialized, which has resulted in the professional clubs having higher turnover. From my field study, I have examined various theories to see how they fit into a new environment with other conditions, since research on sponsorship in Africa is relatively sparse. The study shows that the power and lack of a club can get with the help of the owner's finances, separate from the non-profit sport we have in Sweden. It also indicates the importance of good relations, the importance of taking advantage of the club's strengths, and cultivating its image.
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Dey, Carl Kwaku. "Strategies to Reduce Supply Chain Disruptions in Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3089.
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Supply chain disruptions are more prevalent in Ghana as businesses develop and become more complex. While business leaders recognize the importance of reducing the exposure to disruptions, 83 % of companies still suffer a form of disruption. Using the systems theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies supply chain managers in Ghana use to reduce disruptions in the supply chain. The data collection was through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews from 12 supply chain managers who gave tape-recorded interview responses to 8 questions. Transcript evaluation, member checking, and methodological triangulation ensured reliability and strengthened the credibility of the data collected. Data analysis revealed 6 themes, which included identification of disruptions before they occur, information sharing and collaboration between partners, management strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions, inventory optimization, availability of human capital, energy, and finance problems. The identification of disruptions was important to participants because they believed if they identified potential disruptions they might prevent them from happening. The collaboration between partners was important because participants believed that the speed at which stakeholders work together after a disruption determines the extent of the cost and the recovery period. Business leaders could apply the findings to provide insight to businesses to reduce disruptions, improve best practices, and increase business profits. Implications for social change include the enhancement of company profits given efficiencies in the supply chain. Such increase in profits leads to increases in taxes, which contributes to the overall betterment of the local communities.
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Asitik, Akanganngang Joseph. "Entrepreneurship : a means to poverty reduction in rural northern Ghana?" Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 2016. http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/15482/.
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Poverty has long been a developmental challenge in the Global South in general and in sub-Saharan Africa in particular. Consequently, over recent decades different strategies and programmes such as the Millennium Development Goals have been employed to reduce poverty and to improve the quality of people’s lives. This is very much the case in Ghana, where major strides have towards reducing poverty. Nevertheless, the three northern regions (Northern, Upper East and Upper West) of the country have actually experienced a deteriorating situation with the proportion of people living in poverty increasing. In short, poverty remains an obstacle to development in rural northern Ghana. Significantly, entrepreneurship has been proposed by some as an alternative route to rural poverty alleviation. The purpose of this thesis, therefore, is to examine critically the extent to which communities in rural northern Ghana can become entrepreneurial as a basis for facilitating poverty reduction in the regions. Having contextualised the study within a review of development, poverty and, in particular, entrepreneurship, the thesis explores the entrepreneurial ‘environment’ of rural northern Ghana and the entrepreneurial potential of rural communities in the regions as well as assessing the entrepreneurial human and social capitals possessed by those communities. Overall, this provides a holistic and critical assessment of the opportunities for and barriers to rural entrepreneurship in rural northern Ghana. The study adopts a process of qualitative enquiry, using a multiple-case approach to investigate the problem within broader and distinctive rural locations. Within each case, data were gathered at both district and community levels, employing both focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews. The data collection involved translations and a Translation moderation and mediation process – termed the TMM model – was developed to ensure the quality and rigour of the interview transcripts. The findings from the research conclude that poverty is endemic within the study communities. Nevertheless, it was identified that these communities possess potential human, social, cultural and natural capitals that provide a basis for developing entrepreneurship, as well as opportunities for specific entrepreneurial activities which may contribute to reducing poverty in the communities. However, the research found that limited infrastructure may hinder the entrepreneurial process and, as such, rural entrepreneurship in the communities will be a challenging task. Therefore, for successful rural entrepreneurship in rural northern, infrastructure is a critical issue.
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Ababio-Twi, Faith S. "Funding Strategies for Smallholder Rice Farmers in Afadzato South District, Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7849.
Full textAbstract:
Agriculture revenue contributions to Ghana's gross domestic product have declined because of limited farm funding, which has constrained some smallholder rice farmers access credit to acquire necessary inputs, and to secure a stable market for their harvests. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies some smallholder rice farmers in the Afadzato South District of Ghana used in obtaining farm funding. Data collection included semistructured, face-to-face interviews with 9 smallholder rice farmers who successfully obtained farm funding. Previous research, reports, and policies of the Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture served as additional data collection sources. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and resulted in three major themes: the smallholder farmer's strategy of belonging to cooperative association membership, the smallholder farmer's strategy for satisfying lender collateral requirements, and smallholder farmer's strategies for developing a repayment rating history. The implications for positive social change include the potential to guide the smallholder farmers to successful strategies to access farm funding for their farming activities and increase their farm sizes. The increase in farm sizes may result in more rice production that can help mitigate hunger and reduce poverty in the Afadzato South District of Ghana.
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Matthiesen, Stewart John. "The small business of climate change: small business owners' perceptions of climate change and carbon neutrality /." Click here to view full text, 2007.
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Kruger, Roy Otis. "The Small Business Development Center Program: From a Small Business Growth Stage and Adult Learning Perspective." PDXScholar, 1991. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1356.
Full textAbstract:
The study of the Clackamas Small Business Development Center's Small Business Management Programs (SBM) had three research objectives: to ascertain what information should be transferred to small business owners and how best to transfer that information; to ascertain what information is presently being transferred to clients and what methods are used in transferring the information; and to survey clients in order to develop a current demographic profile, measure their level of satisfaction with the assistance received, and ascertain what they perceived were the benefits of the program to their companies. Prior to the study, there had been little systematic research of what information should be transferred to SBDC clients and the most effective methods for transferring that information. The small business growth stage literature was used to develop the recommended body of information. The adult learning literature was used to develop the recommended methods for transferring that information to clients. The majority of respondents were women, well educated, middle-aged, and from companies in service related industries that employed few workers. The findings suggest that clients desire an increase in both the appropriateness of the program's informational content and the level of their involvement in tailoring the SBM program to the needs of their organizations. As suggested by the Small Business Growth Stage Models, a statistically significant decline in client satisfaction of the program's informational content was found to exist between stage two and stage three business owners. The study found that instructors did not utilize specific business factors (such as sales levels, numbers of employees, etc.) in developing the informational content of the SBM programs. Instructors also did not utilize client preferred learning styles, or formal client involvement in developing the instructional design of the SBM program. The study found that clients and center personnel appear to differ in their perceptions regarding the role of the instructor and the purpose of the SBM program. Clients appear to envision the role of the instructor as more of a consultant, while instructors view their role as preparing clients to solve their own problems.
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Adu, Abraham. "The role of financial sector reforms in Ghana : econometric and CGE analyses." Thesis, University of Hull, 2016. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:14771.
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Turner, Susan Janet. "Success Factors of Small Business Owners." ScholarWorks, 2015. http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1721.
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Small business owners represent 99.7% of all U.S. employer firms, employ half of the private sector employees, and provide 43% of the total U.S. private payroll. However, 50% of new small business startups fail within the first 5 years of operation. The purpose for this multiple case study was to explore what skills, knowledge, and strategies small business coffee shop owners use to succeed in business beyond 5 years. Systems theory, chaos theory, and complexity theory provided the conceptual framework for exploring the research question of this multiple case study. To identify and explore the factors for maintaining small business' operations, the population for this study was 3 small business owners of 3 coffee shops in Duval County, Florida who sustained their businesses for a minimum of 5 years. The data sources were semistructured interviews, the business' websites, social media information, and site visit observations. Based on methodological triangulation of the data sources, analytical coding, and analyzing the data using mind mapping and software, 3 themes emerged: owner networking and the business as a customer to customer networking venue, business plans' initial challenges and addressing subsequent changes, and a need for marketing differentiation. Potential implications for effecting positive social change include increasing the rate of small business success, and increasing the financial security for owners, employeees, employees' families, and their communities.