College of Humanities & Social Sciences

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    Nana Yaa Asantewaa : dimensions épique et socio-culturelle d’une héroїne traditionnelle Asante.
    (KNUST, 2017-05) Mensah, Magdalene
    Nana Yaa Asantewaa – the epic and sociocultural dimensions of a traditional asante heroine, is the title of our dissertation. The research focuses on the heroism of Nana Yaa Asantewaa. Our analytical tool was Sociocritics. The problem was the ambiguity around the heroism of Nana Yaa Asantewaa. Our aim was to study the heroic role of Nana Yaa Asantewaa in the last resistance war against the English colonial administration; to expose the epic characters of Nana Yaa Asantewaa's narrative, to study the quality of the artistic composition of the narrative and to give some visibility to women in relation to the narrative of Nana Yaa Asantewaa. This goal has pushed us towards the demand of our main questions : - - - How do we define and recognize the epic ? Does the narrative of Nana Yaa Asantewaa meet the criteria of the epic ? How does the speaker of the epic construct his image and that of the characters in his narrative ? - What is the quality of the artistic composition : the effects of style, the variety of the figures of rhetoric, the oratorical performance of the griot / orator in this asante epic ? Through interviews with her great-grandchildren, we had information that helped us analyze and establish the truth, in order to restore that value to all women. The value of the research established Nana Yaa Asantewaa’s heroism and revealed that despite this epic dimension of Nana Yaa Asantewaa's narrative there is an ideological / philosophical dimension : - Nana Yaa Asantewaa is a deconstruction of patriarchal conventions; - Nana Yaa Asantewaa is a model of patriotism and nationalism; - Nana Yaa Asantewaa has a stylistic dimension; - The narrative of Nana Yaa Asantewaa has a feminist dimension. We humbly recommend that the narrative must occupy a large part of the Asante memory, and that each family must be able to ensure its transmission.
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    Evaluating mobile money services in Ghana; a survey conducted in and around Madina.
    (KNUST, 2017-06) Tamimu, Habiba
    Mobile technologies have become a part of normal life and are changing economic life in developing countries. Almost everybody make use of mobile phone in doing many transactions from business to private usage. This has brought about the advent of mobile money services (MMS) by the telecommunication companies in most African countries, with which Ghana is no exception. Since the inception of this MMS into the Ghanaian economy, there has been a perceived high patronage by the populace. As such there has been spring up of numerous small merchant organizations for this services across all length and breadth of the country. However, there has not been enough studies to evaluate the extent of usage of the volume of mobile money transactions, people‘s preference for the services of mobile money and the challenges of mobile money services thereof. Therefore, this study was set to fill that gap in academia and for stakeholders of the MMS in Ghana to take a cue from. The study conducted a survey in and around Madina in the Greater Accra region using a questionnaire to solicit data on the objectives of the study. A sample of 150 respondents were selected comprising subscribers and merchants of mobile money services in this area. The findings revealed that mobile technology has advanced in functionality and volume of transactions to the extent of enabling users to have financial transactions with their handsets. For instance, it was revealed that the mobile money service is used for paying bills, for meeting daily expenses, for making purchases, for winning social recognition etc. However, a major worry of customers about mobile commerce applications are issues related to trust in terms of security and privacy, is justified to have an impact on customers‘ perception of the service and therefore their intention to use the service. The study therefore concludes with recommendations that would help the major stakeholders of the MMS to improve on the services and create value for users and policy makers.
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    Exploring the forces behind adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in an emerging economy.
    (KNUST, 2019-06) Nkrumah, Seth K.
    The concept of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) is becoming popular in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, empirical academic investigations into GSCM adoption in the region have been largely non-existent. The present study seeks to empirically explore the forces behind GSCM adoption in the region. Specifically, the study proposed that institutional pressures drive firms to develop GSCM capabilities, which enable them to adopt GSCM practices. Additionally, organizational culture is proposed as a moderator of the effect of GSCM Capabilities on GSCM Adoption. The study further proposed an additional dimension to institutional pressures, named Custodial Pressure, which captures the influence exerted by chiefs on organizations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa. Data was collected from a survey of 341 manufacturing and extractive firms operating in Ghana, out of which 146 usable responses were obtained, representing a response rate of 42.8%. The results of the data analysis revealed that firms surveyed had above average to high levels of GSCM adoption and GSCM capabilities. The measurement model was sound, including the proposed new Custodial Pressures construct. The findings indicated that Institutional Pressures positively and significantly impact GSCM Capabilities, with GSCM Capabilities positively impacting GSCM Adoption. GSCM Capabilities mediated the effect of Institutional Pressures on GSCM Adoption. Organizational culture was also found to moderate the effect of GSCM Capabilities on GSCM Adoption. Implications of the study include developing more relevant contextualization of institutional pressures driving GSCM and providing academic and practical guidelines to help drive successful GSCM adoption in Ghana and the sub-region.
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    The effects of large scale land acquisition on the livelihoods of smallholder farming households in the PRU district of Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana-perspective of tenants farmers.
    (KNUST, 2018-06) Quansah, Charles
    In recent times, Ghana has become one of the destinations for large scale land acquisition in Africa, attracting more foreign investors in the agricultural sector. It is expected that large scale lands acquired will improve the socio-economic conditions of smallholder farmers in deprived rural economies. The study is underpinned by the critical agrarian political economy theory and the modern world system theory. This study assessed the effects of large scale land acquisition on the livelihoods of smallholder farming households in the Pru District Assembly of Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Primary data were collected from 332 randomly selected smallholder farming households using structured questionnaires and were complemented with data from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The empirical findings revealed a six-step procedure in acquiring large tracts of land for investment starting from the identification of reserved lands by the District Assembly through to the transfer of ownership to investors. The study also found that large scale land acquisition has a significant positive effect on employment, healthcare and food security, but significant negative effect on income levels of smallholder farming households. Reducing the number of days of visit to farms, leaving very early to farms, and depending on rain water are the coping strategies employed by the smallholder farmers. Also, the farmers adapt to the effects of large scale land acquisition by keeping backyard gardens, planting hybrid seeds and buying of motor bikes and bicycles to facilitate long distance farming. Based on the findings, the study recommends that farming households should be given opportunity to participate in decision making, leading to acquisition of lands by large scale land investors. Also, lands of defunct companies should be returned to the initial occupants for their needs and cultivation. Finally, District Assemblies must formulate policies and enforce the existing by-laws that will ensure that large scale land investors employ workers from the host communities for the intended projects.
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    Etude thematique et esthetique de quelques contes Dagara : Entre continuite et prolongement des recits traditionnels.
    (KNUST, 2018-06) Braimah, Balica
    Since the beginning of civilisation, folktales have been a rich treasure trove from which most societies derive their moral codes and values. To the Dagaaba people of Ghana and some of their neighboring countries, the narrating and listening processes based on both the physical and the socio-cultural environmement of their communities, offer them the opportunity to discern the outcome of their actions in order to promote societal values. Quite apart from promoting their special interest in stereotypes and the different aspects of human behaviour, folktales are rapidly responding to their changing environment as evidenced by recent publications on folklore and their contemporary usage in songs, digital games, urban legend, the film industry and fantasy novels. In the wake of current globalization and its spill-over effects, however, what the young generation of Dagaaba and indeed other cultures need, is not just formal education stricto sensu but also, cultural literacy that grounds and portrays them in their own identity and tradition. As Folktales have continued to be an important genre of folklore that sustains and promotes our cultural heritage, what ought to be done to encourage the young Ghanaian to show interest in them? Having explored the importance of folktales all over the world and in Africa in particular, this study focuses on dagara folktales with the view to bringing to the fore their literary and aesthetic values, as well as juxtaposing them with contemporary and functional values of folktales in general. As the youth explore their own folktales from a pragmatic and pedagogical point of view, they will acquire a broader perspective of their people as well as their environment.