College of Humanities & Social Sciences

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    Assessing the sources of finance to the Liberia water and sewer corporation.
    (KNUST, 2016-08) Hiah, Benjamin Julu
    The sources of finance utilized by the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation were explored in this study. The study employed a single case study approach where the Managing Director served as the sole participant for the study. Through a structured interview guide, the study was able to ascertain both the internal and external sources of finance available to the Corporation as well as the challenges encountered in assessing finance for the Corporation. According to the findings of the study, the internal sources of finance utilized by the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation included connection charges and tariffs. On the other hand, external sources of finance utilized by the Corporation included subsidy, donations, grants and loans from International Donor Agencies. The challenges encountered in accessing internally generated funds include water theft, inadequate metering and billing as well as leakages and delay in the payment of bills. However, the challenges encountered in accessing funds from external sources included donor conditionality and bureaucracy. The study further found that, as a result of these challenges, the Corporation is unable to expand its services to new customers. The study therefore recommended that, since illegal activities is a prominent challenge to generating internal funds for the Corporation, there is the need to set up a team solely responsible for monitoring illegal connections and executing various forms of punishment to perpetrators in order to serve as a deterrent to others. The study also recommended for effective partnerships with International donors and also good management of funds received from such donors.
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    Effectiveness of strategic planning in the public sector: evidence from metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in Ashanti region.
    (KNUST, 2016-08) Nsiah, Baafi
    The public sector is increasingly turning to strategic planning which has been a private sector tool for improved performance. The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between strategic planning effectiveness and strategic planning and the underlying factors of the dimensions of strategic planning that are associated with the relationship. Data was collected from five Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in the Ashanti Region using questionnaires with each item measured using the five point Likert scale. The obtained data was quantified and analysed using SPSS and STATA. Analysis of data shows a mixed relationship between strategic planning effectiveness and strategic planning dimensions with the involvement of top management in strategic planning having a significant positive relationship. The study concludes that strategic planning cannot be effective in the public sector without the involvement of top management. This requires that top managers must participate fully in the strategic planning process, unit mangers performance must be evaluated based on the achievement of the objectives of the plan, unit managers and top managers must work together and top management must create the climate in the organization that support the development of strategic planning. The recommendations of the study therefore were that top management must create climate in the public sector that support strategic planning, and top management must be cognizant of the fact that their involvement and allocation of resources were what was needed to ensure strategic planning effectiveness.
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    The effects of organizational culture on organizational performance: a case study of Adehyeman savings and loans limited.
    (KNUST, 2016-08) Gyebi, Akua Dankwa
    The general objective of the study is to assess the effect of organizational culture on organizational performance at Adehyeman Savings and Loans Kumasi. A sample size of 100 respondents which comprised of junior and senior staff of Adehyeman Savings and Loans Limited. Both primary and secondary data were gathered for the study. The study adopted descriptive and quantitative research approaches. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. The field survey were analysed with SPSS and Microsoft excel. The study discovered that the dimensions of organizational culture at ASL included managers regularly recognizing and acknowledging the quality of employees work; also the effects of organizational culture on performance were ensuring employees work towards the achievement of organizational goals; Organizational culture of ASL could be used to channel out behaviours of employees towards the behaviours the organization desired and could be used to enhance employee effectiveness and increase their productivity. Some performance measures talked about included Profitability, Value creation, Customer satisfaction and competitiveness. Some of the challenges identified were lack of motivation and authoritarian management style which poses threat to organizational performance. The study recommends that Employee motivation, Delegation of authority, Acceptance of criticism Democratic management can enhance performance.
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    The state of textiles education in senior high schools in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana
    (KNUST, 2015-08) Okai-Mensah, Christiana K.
    ABSTRACT The SHS Textiles programme in Ghana has been designed to provide Textiles students with adequate basic knowledge and skills for further education in Textiles as well as self-employment or apprenticeship for those who might terminate their education at the Senior High School level. It is known that some SHS Textiles graduates are unable to acquire and practise the basic skills taught in the SHS Textiles syllabus. This has resulted in a number of them unable to establish for themselves any serious Textiles business at the end of the course. Textiles education is gradually collapsing at the SHS level. The objective of the study however, sought to examine the scope of content of the Textiles syllabus to understand its teaching and learning processes, in order to suggest strategic ways to make Textiles education at the SHS more interactive for students to engage in. The study used mixed methods research approach. The data were collected using convenience and judgemental sampling of 186 students, 12 teachers, three lecturers, three WAEC officials and two CRDD coordinators, in the Greater Accra Region. Data collection instruments were interviews, observations and questionnaires. The descriptive research method was used to report the findings. The study revealed that equipment and tools available in the sampled schools were either damaged or inadequate for effective practical work and demonstration. This makes the teachers to simply describe the tools and equipment that are needed for lessons without the students getting the opportunity to see or use them in class. Teachers are also not able to complete the Textiles syllabus within the stipulated three year-period due to the reduction of the teaching periods from 21 to18 per week even though many more topics have been added to the 2008 Textiles syllabus that was previously in use. These factors have negative effects on Textiles education in the SHS, hence the poor performance of the Textiles students in the WASSCE and ultimately, their inability to engage in entrepreneurship development in Textiles and employment after they graduate from SHS. It is recommended that Ghana Education Service should make provision for schools which offer Visual Arts and Textiles in particular to have the relevant textbooks, permanent studios, tools, materials and other equipment such as looms, padded and development tables for practical work in the schools that offer Textiles. GES should also organise periodic in-service trainings and field trips to enhance the teaching/learning methods used by Textile teachers and to introduce them to new topics that have been included in the Textiles syllabus.
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    Drums and drum languages as cultural artifacts of three Asafo companies of Oguaa traditional area of Ghana
    (KNUST, 2014-06) Sam, Johannes Atta
    ABSTRACT Drums and drum languages, as cultural artifacts, are very pivotal in the Asafo system as far as their activities in the various communities are concerned. However, much documentation has not been done on Asafo drums and their drum languages. Therefore, it is imperative to document the types of drums used by the Asafo groups as well as their aesthetic aspects hence the title “Drums and Drum Languages as Cultural Artifacts of Three Asafo Companies of Oguaa Traditional Area of Ghana”. Interviews, direct observation, recording (audio and video) and description techniques were used to obtain all relevant data as well as accessing the knowledge and understanding of the drum languages from the prospective respondents. The research revealed that Asafo drums are a set of four but only one, that is the Asafokyin (tuaakwan), is used to perform all drum languages. Again, members of the various selected Asafo communities and even some members of the Asafo groups do have foreknowledge about Asafo drum languages but cannot interpret or comprehend some of the drum languages. The decline in the natural role of the Asafo activities due to modern governance system, western religion, elitism and so on has greatly affected the use and performance of the drums and drum languages respectively. A documentation and translation of the drums and drum languages by the respective Asafo are highly recommended. Institutions like schools, radio and television stations and IT companies have been encouraged to use digitized drum languages as part of their system to enhance the fore knowledge and understanding of Asafo drum languages as well as the drum as a cultural artifact. This is an eighty-nine page thesis by Johannes Atta Sam (BA IRAI) and supervised by Dr. Stephen Kquofi (PhD. African Art and Culture).