Entrepreneurship In Ghana Research Articles

Exploring the skills, knowledge and attitudes of successful female entrepreneurs in Ghana

Article history: Received September 28, 2012 Received in revised format 19 November 2012 Accepted 20 November 2012 Available online November 27 2012 The Indigenous Ghanaian woman entrepreneur, this study found exhibits many similarities with their counterparts in other countries in terms of their personality traits. However, they differed in other aspects such as their educational backgrounds and modes of entrepreneurial skills acquisition. Through their entrepreneurial activities the women have made substantial contributions to the economic growth of Ghana in terms of innovation, job creation, and reduction in poverty and unemployment. Using a survey methodology, this study concludes that to succeed as a female entrepreneur in Ghana, one requires some specific knowledge, skills and attitudes. © 2013 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exporting intensity, human capital and business ownership experience

This article examines whether human capital, particularly prior business ownership experience, is associated with the opportunity exploitation outcome relating to the intensity of exporting. A distinction is made between entrepreneurs who acquire their business ownership experience sequentially (that is, serial entrepreneurs) or concurrently (that is, portfolio entrepreneurs). Using survey data from 432 entrepreneurs in Ghana, this study explores whether human capital theory relating to prior business ownership experience is associated with superior exporting intensity. Notably, portfolio entrepreneurs reported higher exporting intensities than other entrepreneurs. The case for customized assistance to each type of entrepreneur with regard to prior business ownership experience is made.

Technical Efficiency of the Small-Scale Batik Production: Evidence from the Central Region of Ghana

This paper examined technical efficiency of small-scale batik production in the Ghanaian economy. A sample of 400 Batik producers was interviewed for the purpose from the Central Region of Ghana. The Stochastic Frontier approach was used in determining the levels of technical efficiency of the Batik producers, after which the determinants of the technical efficiency were also estimated. Results indicate that the mean technical efficiency of Ghana’s batik production industry was 66.5 percent on the average: ranging from 8.4 to 99.6 percent. The wide variation in the level of efficiency suggests that there was ample opportunity for these enterprises to raise their level of efficiency. The level of education, business experience, and training programs of entrepreneur and accessibility to credit were found to be highly positively significant in affecting the level of efficiency of the batik enterprises. The study suggest that more resources be invested in the training of the entrepreneurs, access to credit should be improved, to increase the technical efficiency of batik entrepreneurs in Ghana.

EVALUATING THE MOTIVES OF INFORMAL ENTREPRENEURS IN KOFORIDUA, GHANA

In recent years, there has been growing recognition in the entrepreneurship literature that many entrepreneurs operate in the informal economy and that not all these informal entrepreneurs are doing so out of economic necessity and because of a lack of choice. Instead, it has been asserted that some of these informal entrepreneurs choose to exit the formal economy and trade on an off-the-books basis more as a matter of choice. However, until now most research displaying this has been conducted in advanced western and post-socialist economies. Little has been written on whether this is also the case in third (majority) world countries. This paper starts to fill this gap by evaluating informal entrepreneurs' motives in sub-Saharan Africa. Reporting the results of face-to-face structured interviews with 80 informal entrepreneurs in Ghana, the finding is that the majority, especially the women informal entrepreneurs, are predominantly necessity-driven while those who are principally intentional participants in informal entrepreneurship are men. However, many women who initially entered informal entrepreneurship out of necessity have over time become more opportunity-driven entrepreneurs. The outcome is a call for wider research in other global regions on informal entrepreneurs' motives and whether similar gender variations prevail.

Obstacles to Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Ghana: An Analysis of Opportunities for Sustainable Development

Worldwide sustainable development is impossible without countries from the third world catching up with more developed economies. Entrepreneurship in these countries would increase innovation and social welfare; however, there are many obstacles along the way that prohibit an entrepreneurial culture from setting foot. In this paper we analyze such obstacles for Ghana, which is representative of many African countries. For that purpose, we conducted 11 interviews with entrepreneurs from Ghana and with experts on the Ghanaian economic situation Our interviews confirm that lacking infrastructure, corruption, limited access to financing, loose regulation, and limited human capital constitute significant obstacles to innovation. Further, we find cases where promising new markets broke down due to the entry of low-quality imitators. We devote a separate section of the article to the analysis of this market-for-lemons-like problem.

A review of environmental entrepreneurship as an agenda for rural development: The case for Ghana

The idea of “environmental entrepreneurship” exists in both the developed and the developing world, and the challenges and opportunities faced by this new industry are similar everywhere. This paper is designed to review and carefully synthesize some of the existing research about the characteristics of environmental entrepreneurs or green entrepreneurs that distinguishes them from regular entrepreneurs and the idea of environmental entrepreneurship itself. Factors considered include the scope of operation and management practices, opportunities and also the obstacles that militate against environmental entrepreneurs, and the policies that might help stimulate environmental entrepreneurships. The review is done with the objective to create a framework that could be used to evaluate “green entrepreneurs” and their activities in different parts of the world. The framework was employed to evaluate the state of environmental innovation or entrepreneurship in Ghana, and the policy implications of the innovative use of the environment and its resources as strategies for rural development. Key finding about the state of green entrepreneurship in Ghana is that among other things, access to finance for innovation and the awareness of the public about their activities constitute some of the major challenges that confront the new industry. Key words: Environmental entrepreneurship, ecopreneurship, eco-entrepreneurs, rural development. African.

A Review of Environmental Entrepreneurship as an Agenda for Rural Development: The Case for Ghana

There is no shortage of research on the idea of “environmental entrepreneurship” in the developed world especially in the United States and Western Europe. But the same cannot be said about the developing world. This paper is designed to review and carefully synthesize some of the existing research about the characteristics of environmental entrepreneurs or green entrepreneurs that distinguishes them from regular entrepreneurs and the idea of environmental entrepreneurship itself. Factors considered include the scope of operation and management practices, opportunities and also the obstacles that militate against environmental entrepreneurs, and the policies that might help stimulate environmental entrepreneurships. The review is done with the objective to create a framework that could be used to evaluate “green entrepreneurs” and their activities in different parts of the world. The framework was employed to evaluate the state of environmental innovation or entrepreneurship in Ghana, and the policy implications of the innovative use of the environment and its resources as strategies for rural development. Key finding about the state of green entrepreneurship in Ghana is that among other things, access to finance for innovation and the awareness of the public about their activities constitute some of the major challenges that confront the new industry.

Gender, Social Networks, and Entrepreneurship in Ghana

This article reports the results of an exploratory study on gender-based differences in the motives underlying entrepreneurial activities in Ghana, the barriers and opportunities that the operational environment presents, and the manner in which entrepreneurs leverage resources. The evidence suggests that female entrepreneurs tend to have more difficulties in accessing bank financing but they compensate by cultivating social relationships and using the social capital derived from them as a resource leveraging mechanism. Women also tend to depend more on their social relationships for moral and emotional support during the initial stages of their enterprise development. No other substantial gender-based differences have been noted.

Entrepreneurship and innovation in Ghana: enterprising Africa

This study adopts a multi-level theoretical framework to examine data from 496 entrepreneurs in Ghana. Seven types of innovation activity are analysed against three categories of variables: the characteristics of the entrepreneur, the internal competencies of the firm, and firm location. Across all respondents, the incidence of incremental innovation was far greater than novel innovation. The extent of innovation was related to the education level of the entrepreneur. Firm size and involvement in exporting were positively related to innovation, but firm growth is less systematically so. Innovation was greater in firms located in conurbations compared to firms located in large and small towns. We conclude with suggestions for policy to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in Ghana.

Tapping women’s entrepreneurship in Ghana

“It has been a very long journey,” says Leticia Osafo-Addo while making her regular morning inspection of her factory. “I thought about giving up several times and going back to nursing.” She is the chief executive of Processed Foods and Spices Company, a mediumscale business in Tema, an industrial zone just east of Ghana’s capital, that will soon be set to produce nearly US$90,000 worth of goods per month.

Ghana's Mixed Structural Adjustment Results: Explaining the Poor Private Sector Response

The most worrisome aspect of Ghana's fifteen years of market liberalization reforms is the failure of domestic private business to respond enthusiastically with increased investment. Have domestic private entrepreneurs failed to respond because of their own innate weaknesses as popularly believed in official circles? Do they have genuine concerns that are yet to be addressed? This study focuses on the preconditions for the success of market reforms. The study utilizes survey data to demonstrate that domestic private entrepreneurs in Ghana are not positively responding to Ghana's Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) because they still perceive the existing institutional environment as uncertain. If regime leaders in Ghana and in other African countries wish to ensure sustained development through market reforms, they must address the issue of improving and maintaining institutional credibility.

Reviews: The Cultural Foundations of Economic Development: Urban Female Entrepreneurship in Ghana, the Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape, Tourists at the Taj: Performance and Meaning at a Symbolic Site, Managing the Environment, Managing Ourselves: A History of American Environmental Policy

Reviews: The Cultural Foundations of Economic Development: Urban Female Entrepreneurship in Ghana, the Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape, Tourists at the Taj: Performance and Meaning at a Symbolic Site, Managing the Environment, Managing Ourselves: A History of American Environmental Policy

The Cultural Foundations of Economic Development: Urban Female Entrepreneurship in Ghana by EMILY CHAMLEE-WRIGHT. Foundations of the Market Economy series, edited by Mario J. Rizzo and Lawrence H. White. London and New York, Routledge, 1997. Pp. 204, £45.00.

The Cultural Foundations of Economic Development: Urban Female Entrepreneurship in Ghana by EMILY CHAMLEE-WRIGHT. Foundations of the Market Economy series, edited by Mario J. Rizzo and Lawrence H. White. London and New York, Routledge, 1997. Pp. 204, £45.00. - Volume 36 Issue 4

The Contribution of Small Enterprises to Household and National Income in Kenya

The Contribution of Small Enterprises to Household and National Income in Kenya

Chamlee-Wright, Emily, "The Cultural Foundations of Economic Development: Urban Female Entrepreneurship in Ghana" (Book Review)

Chamlee-Wright, Emily, "The Cultural Foundations of Economic Development: Urban Female Entrepreneurship in Ghana" (Book Review)

The Selection of Appropriate Technology for the Ghanaian Entrepreneur

Appropriate Technology can only succeed as an effective mechanism promoting industrial development if it meets the needs and fulfills the aspirations of the local entrepreneur. The experience of the Technology Consultancy Centre (Т.С.С.) has indicated a number of factors affecting the selection of appropriate technologies for entrepreneurs in Ghana. It has been found that many of the social, economic and environmental benefits associated with the concept of Appropriate Technology can be realised in situations where the importation of advanced technology is prevented by foreign exchange shortages. These situations most often occur in the development of urban informal industries and rural craft industries. It is concluded that much can be done by institutions such as the T.C.C. to advance the technology of these small industries.

8. Small‐scale entrepreneurs in Ghana and development planning

Summary This article attempts an assessment of entrepreneurial contributions to the solution of some of the objectives of central economic development planning—contributions which are ignored by planners for reasons that are described in this social anthropological study of one aspect of economic development in Ghana. The author wishes to express his gratitude to the Managers of the Smuts’ Memorial Fund for providing much of his financial backing during field‐work; also to the Ling Roth fund, the Anthony Wilkin fund, the Bartle Frere Fund, the Mary Euphrasia Mosley fund, the West African Research Unit, and the Warmington fund. He held a Department of Education and Science studentship during the years 1965–68. The author also wishes to thank Jack Goody, Esther Goody, Enid Schild‐Krout and Jeremy Eades for discussing a preliminary draft of this paper; and Marion Pearsall for comments on later versions; Richard Cornes and Mike Faber have also been most helpful. Responsibility for the final draft is entirely ...