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The genre system of grant application has gained attention from researchers in Applied Linguistics, Discourse Studies, and Higher Education. However, the grant recommendation letter (GRL), also known as the “letter of support”, has been understudied in this system. To address this gap, this study examined the persuasive strategies used in GRLs. Using Aristotle’s Theory of Persuasion and a qualitative inductive discourse analysis, we analysed 90 GRLS. The findings revealed that GRLs employ different frequencies of ethos, logos, and pathos to influence the grant committee. The writers primarily emphasised rational justifications for the applicant’s qualifications, while also demonstrating ethos through appropriate personal traits. Personal pronouns were used to perform discursive functions as well. Based on the findings, we offer implications for pedagogy and further research on GRLs.

The present study revisits the relationship between earnings management (EM) and firm performance, employing a nonlinear threshold approach and introducing national governance quality (NGQ) as a potential threshold variable. This study demonstrates how NGQ at the country level influences the impact of EM on firms’ performance at the micro level. Utilizing dynamic frameworks with data encompassing 52 firm samples across nine sub-Saharan African countries spanning from 2007 to 2019, the study reveals that the beneficial impact of EM on performance materializes when NGQ falls below a certain threshold. Beyond this threshold, the influence of EM becomes marginal or occasionally adverse on firm performance. As a result, we suggest that policymakers in Africa and other emerging and developing economies consider the estimated nonlinear relationship between EM and firm performance, as well as the NGQ threshold, when devising governance strategies. It is also imperative to consider institutional quality when making investment decisions and to promote rigorous standards for earnings management and institutional issues. JEL Classification: C24, C33, C38, G30, G34, M41.

The recurrent themes of identity and social belongingness, and tension between tradition and modernity reflect the complexities across generations of post-colonial African writers, mainly in Ghana. This study explores how address and reference terms (ARTs), as constructs of naming practices, used for and by characters in Armah’s Fragments, Aidoo’s Changes, and Gyasi’s Homegoing reiterate the themes of identity and social belongingness, and tension between tradition and modernity. Using Homi Bhabha and Stuart Hall’s principles of post-colonial theory, and the concept of address and reference terms, the study revealed that ARTs, mainly descriptive phrases and personal names, contribute to the characterisation and the exploration of themes such as identity and social belongingness, and the tension between tradition and modernity. Each novel explores the complexities of identity and social belongingness within the context of historical, cultural, and societal changes, illustrating the enduring impact of these factors on Ghanaian experiences. The study offers implications for literary and interdisciplinary studies.

This study investigates the relationship between diverse ownership structures and the quality of governance in firms within the context of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as a follow-up to the work of Munisi (2020). The study sources annual report data on 104 firms from 2007 through 2019 from African financials and Machameratios databases for its analysis via both panel linear and non-linear regression models. The study finds that institutional ownership and foreign ownership structures enhance governance. On the other hand, block, family, management, and government ownership structures tend to have adverse effects on the quality of governance of firms in SSA. However, these adverse effects tend to be attenuated by the financial reporting regulatory framework for these firms. The current study extends the work of Munisi (2020) by providing fresh empirical evidence of the nuanced effects of several concentrated ownership structures on governance quality within SSA firms. It also provides novel theoretical insights using Foucault’s panopticon metaphor. The findings imply that governance reform efforts should consider diverse firm characteristics, particularly ownership structure, when formulating policies to improve governance in firms.

Ghana is blessed with an abundance of mineral resources. These mineral resources are situated in indigenous communities, but the ownership is vested in the government. Indigenous communities where these resources are located are mostly marginalized. Significant legal reforms have been implemented to ensure the inclusivity of these indigenous communities in allocating mineral rights, yet the problem persists. This research investigates the legal framework that governs the allocation of mineral rights in Ghana and the impact thereof on the empowerment of indigenous communities, bringing attention to the difficulties that indigenous communities must overcome to have access to and benefit from mineral resources. To this end, one hundred and eight (108) documents, including legislations and reports on mineral rights allocation in Ghana, were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that the current legal framework is deficient in providing sufficient protection for the rights of indigenous communities. Specifically, the absence of a workable scheme for mineral rights allocation from various stakeholders to these indigenous communities is an identifiable lapse in the current legal framework. The findings of this research are relevant to policymakers, legal practitioners, and other stakeholders to improve the rights and well-being of indigenous communities following the analysis of the legal complexities and implications associated with the allocation of mining rights distribution of ensuing royalties inter alia expounded in this paper.

Introduction The Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions—Plus (PEN-Plus) is a strategy decentralising care for severe non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including type 1 diabetes, rheumatic heart disease and sickle cell disease, to increase access to care. In the PEN-Plus model, mid-level clinicians in intermediary facilities in low and lower middle income countries are trained to provide integrated care for conditions where services traditionally were only available at tertiary referral facilities. For the upcoming phase of activities, 18 first-level hospitals in 9 countries and 1 state in India were selected for PEN-Plus expansion and will treat a variety of severe NCDs. Over 3 years, the countries and state are expected to: (1) establish PEN-Plus clinics in one or two district hospitals, (2) support these clinics to mature into training sites in preparation for national or state-level scale-up, and (3) work with the national or state-level stakeholders to describe, measure and advocate for PEN-Plus to support development of a national operational plan for scale-up.Methods and analysis Guided by Proctor outcomes for implementation research, we are conducting a mixed-method evaluation consisting of 10 components to understand outcomes in clinical implementation, training and policy development. Data will be collected through a mix of quantitative surveys, routine reporting, routine clinical data and qualitative interviews.Ethics and dissemination This protocol has been considered exempt or covered by central and local institutional review boards. Findings will be disseminated throughout the project’s course, including through quarterly M&E discussions, semiannual formative assessments, dashboard mapping of progress, quarterly newsletters, regular feedback loops with national stakeholders and publication in peer-reviewed journals.

It has become a tradition that any musician who wins an award delivers a speech to acknowledge those who contributed to the award’s success. This has led to the emergence of Awards Acceptance Speeches (AASs). Despite the recent popularity of genre analysis on professional genres, AASs as a genre, have not been researched, especially in the Ghanaian context. To this end, this paper sought to examine the generic structure of the AASs of Ghanaian musicians in the 22nd Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Ceremony. 20 AASs were sampled for the study. The study adopted Swales’ (1990) approach to move analysis, focusing on the generic structure. The analysis revealed that Thanking move was the most frequent. A 6 move-structure was identified. The study concluded with implications for successful acculturation of musicians and other entertainment industry players in their discourse communities and recommendations for further studies.

AbstractThe current study investigates how board gender diversity moderates the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms (CG) and earnings management (EM) practices of firms in sub-Saharan Africa. The study samples annual reports and financial statements of 52 firms from nine sub-Saharan African countries over a period of 2007 to 2019 giving a total of 676 observations. Panel data models are used in the analyses. The study finds that, board gender diversity matters and significantly moderates the relationship between CG and EM practices of firms in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings of the study support the agency theory proposition that the constraining effect of firms’ EM practices may be contingent on CG systems, particularly board gender diversity. The current study is the first African multi-cross-country study to introduce gender diversity as a moderating variable in the CG—EM nexus, thus extending the agency theory. It further contributes to the emergent advocacy for competent female representation on corporate boards so as to benefit from their essential characteristics and skills that drive their superior monitoring abilities, including EM monitoring.

AbstractThe role that corporate governance (CG) plays in contributing to firm performance enhancements has been widely acknowledged. However, the conduit through which CG is able to affect firm performance is an emergent theme. This paper re-examines the relationship between corporate governance (CG) and firm performance via means of causal mediation analysis using financial reporting quality (FRQ) as a mediator. The study samples 104 companies listed on the respective stock markets of nine sub-Saharan African countries, and collects annual reports data spanning over a period of 2007 to 2019 for analysis using causal mediation. The study finds that a causal relationship exists between CG and firm performance, albeit through the transmission mechanism of FRQ. Again, the study finds that CG positively affects firm performance both directly and indirectly through the mediation of FRQ. The study is useful in highlighting for mangers and CG practitioners attention, an important channel through which CG would favourably affect firm performance, being FRQ. The current study is unique, in that it is the first panel multi-cross-country investigation within Africa to introduce FRQ in the study of the relationship between CG and firm performance. It therefore extends the agency theory by employing FRQ as a mediating variable in the CG—firm performance nexus within the African context.

AbstractThe outbreak of COVID-19 severely affected the achievement of the sustainable development goals. The American Hospital Association estimated an average loss of US$50.7 billion per month for US hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the less developed economies, it costs about US$52 billion per month to effectively manage COVID-19. This current study, therefore, sought to assess how risk management practices could moderate the relationship between supply chain risk and healthcare delivery, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey research design was adopted, with a quantitative research approach. The study adopted purposive sampling technique to select 216 respondents (senior/management members from procurement, stores/inventory, pharmacy, and administration) of the selected public hospitals. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was run in Amos (v.23), to estimate the path coefficients. The study concludes that supply chain risk had a significant negative effect on healthcare delivery among public hospitals in Ghana. Also, supply chain risk management had a significant positive effect on healthcare delivery among public hospitals in Ghana. Finally, it was concluded that risk management practices positively moderated the negative effect on supply chain risk on healthcare delivery.

Purpose – This study provides the critical masses (thresholds) at which the positive incidence of finance and economic growth will be dampened by the negative effects of income inequality and poverty on energy consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa for policy direction. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed the two steps systems GMM estimator for 41 countries in Africa from 2005–2020. Findings – The study found that for finance to maintain a positive effect on energy consumption per capita, the critical thresholds for the income inequality indicators (Atkinson coefficient, Gini index and the Palma ratio) should not exceed 0.681, 0.582 and 5.991, respectively. Similarly, for economic growth (GDP per capita growth) to maintain a positive effect on energy consumption per capita, the critical thresholds for the income inequality indicators (Atkinson coefficient, Gini index and the Palma ratio) should not exceed 0.669, 0.568 and 6.110, respectively. On the poverty level in Sub-Saharan Africa, the study reports that the poverty headcount ratios (hc$144ppp2011, hc$186ppp2011 and hc$250ppp2005) should not exceed 7.342, 28.278 and 129.332, respectively for financial development to maintain a positive effect on energy consumption per capita. The study also confirms the positive nexus between access to finance (financial development) and energy consumption per capita, with the attending adverse effect on CO2 emissions inescapable. The findings of this study make it evidently clear, for policy recommendation that finance is at the micro-foundation of economic growth, income inequality and poverty alleviation. However, a maximum threshold of income inequality and poverty headcount ratios as indicated in this study must be maintained to attain the full positive ramifications of financial development and economic growth on energy consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa. Originality/value – The originality of this study is found in the computation of the threshold and net effects of poverty and income inequality in economic growth through the conditional and unconditional effects of finance.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to amplify Ghana’s code of conduct, a provision made to control the behavior of political parties, candidates, and supporters in the electoral processes as well as their day-to-day activities. Although existing studies have documented the merits of organizational citizenship behavior such as sacrificial behaviors, little research has explored organizational citizenship behavior in the context of political parties. In this light, we argue that political parties’ external behavioral conformity depends on the parties’ internal behavior checks. We draw on the self-concept theory to elucidate how ethical party culture and party control shape party citizens’ self-concept to define their conforming behavior. Having investigated 404 members of different political parties, we have found that ethical party culture has a positive impact on party citizenship behavior. In addition, party control positively moderates this linkage. Theoretically, we reveal factors that positively influence organizational citizenship behavior and identify ethical organizational culture and control as components of individuals’ self-conception. From a practical standpoint, our study shows the need for political parties to construct ethical party culture and install party controls comprising process, output, and normative controls to nurture and guide party citizenship behavior. The findings can augment the Ghanaian government’s code of conduct by nurturing conforming behaviors via the parties’ internal behavior-shaping mechanisms that consequently promote external conduct consistent with the political parties’ code of conduct.

The artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector offers a supplementary livelihood strategy to agriculture in northern Ghana, acting as a source of capital to support agriculture. However, the sector has been associated with several adverse environmental and socio-economic consequences, making its sustainability dimensions extremely complex and inconclusive across the literature. This study sought to investigate the dynamics of ASM operations in line with the Triple Bottom Line concept. Specifically, the paper explored the influence of the small-scale mining law and institutional framework on ASM operations, examined the relationship between the economic benefits of ASM and other livelihood activities, and assessed the adverse environmental effects of ASM in the host communities. The research design was a mixed method and cross-sectional survey. Household questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation were the main primary data collection techniques. Secondary data were provided by satellite images sourced from USGS Earth Explorer. They were analysed to determine the land cover types. The results indicate that the relevant regulatory state institutions lag behind their law enforcement duty. The ASM is a lucrative job that provides quick income to the youth. However, ASM activities affect food crop farming and decrease the quantity and quality of vegetation causing variations in land cover. Consequently, the host communities and ASM cooperatives have employed some land reclamation strategies. The study recommends increased government support to the relevant regulatory state institutions to constantly monitor and sanitize the ASM sector. To eradicate illegal mining, the study advocates for multi-stakeholder consultation and action.

As a key genre in the academic discourse community, research articles (RA) have enjoyed great popularity over the years. A key component of the RA is the RA abstract. Its essence is seen in its objective of giving an overview of the study. Given the dearth of genre analysis in the Forensic Linguistics discipline, the study aimed at exploring the move structure and lexico-grammatical features of RA abstracts published in Forensic Linguistics. Adopting Hyland’s five-move model for analysing abstracts, the study randomly sampled ninety (90) RA abstracts from three different Forensic Linguistics journals. Guided by Hüttner’s classification model, the study identified the Purpose move as an obligatory move with 100%. It was revealed that the abstracts follow the semi-linear move sequence, i.e., M1>M2>M3>M4, which was the preferred pattern. The highest textual space was allocated to the Introduction move, and the average number of words in the abstract was 264. With the linguistic realisation of the moves, the present verb tense was preferred, occurring frequently in the Introduction, Purpose, Product and Conclusion moves. Adjunct adverbials were found to dominate the Introduction move, while disjunct adverbials never occurred in any of the moves. The study has insightful implications for language pedagogy, knowledge in the field of Forensic linguistics, and further research.

Citation practices are realised through the use of reporting verbs which act as persuasive devices to achieve rhetorical impacts. Several studies have investigated citation practices in several disciplines in different contexts, with little done in the discipline of Economics. The study aimed to explore the citation practices in the literature review sections in master’s theses published in the Economics discipline. Using Hyland’s (2002) classification of reporting verbs, fifteen (15) literature review chapters were extracted from fifteen Economics master’s theses and analysed with AntConc software. Following the results of the study, it was revealed that all three types of reporting verbs were employed varyingly in the theses. Denotatively, the Discourse Acts was the frequently used category of the reporting verbs as compared to the Research Acts and Cognition Acts. On the evaluative function, findings and assurance verbs were employed frequently. While the study contributes to existing literature, it guides the practice of appropriate use of reporting verbs in academic writing.

AbstractEarnings management (EM) and its association with firm performance has been a subject of research interest for decades. This study re-examines the EM—firm performance nexus in a novel way using a nonlinear framework and introducing macro-economic misery index (MI) as a possible threshold variable in the analysis. 52 sampled non-financial listed firms are drawn from nine emerging sub-Saharan African countries spanning a period of 2007–2019. The study employs the dynamic panel threshold estimation approach in analyzing its models. By using MI as a threshold variable, the results show new findings of the performance effect of EM contingent on a uniquely identified MI threshold of 22.51. The study finds that the performance-enhancing effect of EM is realized only when a firm’s MI is below the identified threshold. Above this threshold, the effect of EM on performance is negligible or sometimes adverse. The estimated nonlinear effect of EM on firm performance and the threshold of MI can be benchmarks for Africa and other emerging countries. The findings suggest important implications for national governments in adopting policies that help to minimise the economic misery of the citizenry, as they would generally inure to the greater good of businesses and their varying stakeholders.

This study complements the stream of psychology studies on the effects of an individual's intuition on strategic decisions and how it shapes behavioral tendencies by extending how these effects evolve social entrepreneurship orientation in social entrepreneurship. Theoretically, we establish the nexus between relative intuition and social entrepreneurship orientation as well as the moderating roles of exploratory and exploitative learning and personal identity. Empirical validation of these nexuses was based on a cross-section of 276 certified social enterprises in China. The findings indicate that social entrepreneurs' relative intuition has a positive association with social entrepreneurship orientation. Exploratory and exploitative learning positively mediate the nexus between relative intuition and social entrepreneurship orientation. In addition, personal identity positively moderates the effects of exploratory and exploitative learning on social entrepreneurship orientation. Subsequently, we found that the link between relative intuition and social entrepreneurship orientation strengthens as the social entrepreneurs' personal identity increases. In this light, we identify relative intuition as the foundation of exploratory and exploratory learning for the development of social entrepreneurship orientation. Similarly, we shed light on how personal identity positively facilitates the roles of these factors by arousing dedication to the processes/stages of the pursuit of social entrepreneurship orientation goal attainment.

Genre studies have tended to focus on academic contexts, with little attention to professional settings. Against this backdrop, this study set out to conduct a corpus-based genre analysis of letters of regularization written to land institutions in Ghana. The study adopted a textual analysis, informed by the ESP approach to genres, and supplemented it with a corpus-based analysis to examine 40 letters of regularization. The analyses revealed that the most frequent move in the letters of regularization was the ‘Purpose of the letter’. Although the ‘Reason for the application’ move was not obligatory, it took much textual space in the letters. As regards lexicogrammatical features, politeness was embedded and expressed in ‘if clauses’ to mitigate direct impositions on the reader. Additionally, gratitude was mainly construed as a quality and as a process in the letters. Based on these findings, the study offers implications for further research and practice.

Organisational climates determine the experiences, well-being, and output of people. In response to a growing concern about bullying and victimisation at universities, this study examined students’ perception of the university learning environment concerning their experience of various negative behaviours and victimisation at two public universities in Ghana. The study is a cross-sectional survey of 751 respondents. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and regression analysis indicate how perceptions of the universities’ learning environment are related to students’ experiences. With an inverse relationship between students’ perception of the learning environment and their experience of various negative behaviours and victimisation, the study suggests that awareness of anti-bullying rules, which are strictly, fairly, and consistently enforced through participatory democratic principles, will be essential to ensure a positive psychosocial learning environment.

Entrepreneurial orientation is the key factor for enterprises to obtain competitive advantages in dynamic circumstances. Thus, prior studies established the effect of psychological factors, for instance, entrepreneurial self-efficacy on entrepreneurial orientation using social cognitive theory. However, prior studies presented two main opposite views consisting of a positive and negative relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial orientation as well as providing no alleyway to enrich this relationship. We join the conversation on the positive linkage and argue on the essence of exploring the black box mechanisms to strengthen enterprises’ entrepreneurial orientation. We employed the social cognitive theory and collected 220 valid responses from CEOs and TMTs from 10 enterprises in the high-tech industrial development zones of nine provinces in China to clarify the effect of top management team (TMT) collective efficacy, and CEO–TMT interface on the link between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial orientation. Our findings show that entrepreneurial self-efficacy positively affects entrepreneurial orientation. In addition, we found that a higher level of TMT collective efficacy strengthens the positive relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial orientation. Moreover, we discovered differential moderating effects. First, CEO-TMT interface positively affects entrepreneurial orientation when it interacts with TMT collective efficacy and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Second, CEO-TMT interface has a significant negative indirect effect on entrepreneurial orientation, when it only interacts with TMT collective efficacy. Our study enriches the entrepreneurial orientation literature by positioning TMT collective efficacy and CEO-TMT interface as social cognitive mechanisms underlying the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial orientation nexus. Thus, we open a window of opportunities for CEOs and decision-makers to maintain a sustainable position in the market, grasping more opportunities in uncertain conditions via timely entries into new markets and maintaining pre-existing ones.

Employee performance during health crises is currently one of the most alarming global concerns. Owing to its significance, scholars assessed factors that improve such performance. However, such improvements in performance require public health employees’ discretionary behavior. We investigate the impact of organizational citizenship behavior and patriotism on employee performance, shifting the focus of the healthcare industry’s employee performance conversation to how it can be sustained. We used cross-section data from 541 Chinese public health employees who made up the final sample in this study, which has been shown to be appropriate for investigations utilizing a quantitative method. The results of our empirical analysis demonstrate that organizational citizenship behavior positively contributes to sustaining employee performance. We found the same to be true about the positive mediating effect of patriotism on the aforementioned relationship. The findings offer insights into how a country’s performance at both local and international levels propels and sustains the job performance of its citizenry. Thus, governments should be more efficient and ensure they maintain a robust institutional environment. This study provides theoretical and empirical evidence based on a research survey of the roles of organizational citizenship behavior and patriotism that sustain employee performance in China’s public health sector, in particular during health crises.

Background: /Objective: Flooding risk is a global issue, and various approaches have been established to prevent flooding risk around the world. China is one of the heavily flood-affected countries and has been implementing the Sponge City program since 2015 to defend against flooding. Unfortunately, flooding has been common in China in recent years, causing severe health risks to citizens. This research mainly focuses on (a) evaluating the implementation of China's Sponge City program and the associated impacts on human health and (b) exploring the future improvement of the Sponge City program in China. Methods: The Interpretive Document Approach was used to explore an inclusive review of the Sponge City program and its implications on human health. Results: /Findings: The Sponge City program in China is still insufficient to prevent flooding risks effectively. In the past eight years, 24/34 provinces have recorded flooding, which caused a total of 4701 deaths and over 525.5 billion RMB (around 72.9 billion US$) in economic loss. Till now, only 64/654 cities have promulgated local legislation to manage sponge city construction, although the Sponge City was implemented in 2015. Besides, the completed Sponge City program constructions cannot fully prevent flooding risks, the flood prevention capacity is limited. The Sponge City program is not granted priority, lacking national legislation hinders Sponge City program implementation in China. Conclusions: China needs to make national legislation on the Sponge City program and update the Sponge City program technology guidelines. Local governments should implement Sponge City construction according to local geographic environments.

People with Disabilities (PwDs) suffer and are susceptible to social inequalities, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. In West Africa, these are influenced by how services geared towards PwDs are administered. This study explores the government policies implemented in West Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic and their impact on PwDs in line with the SDGs with disability targets. Thematic analysis was adopted to analyze eighty-one (81) documents, including legislation, reports and official documents that communicated measures taken in response to Covid-19 and SDGs with disability targets. The study found that various governments outlined pragmatic steps to address the needs of PwDs. It was unraveled that the policies and recommendations that the governments have published on disability inclusiveness in response to Covid-19 did not reflected in the lives PwDs. This is evident based on the difficulty PwDs have to go through to access all the available benefits. It takes a while to see such policies and recommendations reflected in the lives of PwDs. Measuring the expected improvements in the lives of PwDs relative to the SGD’s attainment can not happen overnight. This study is the first of its kind in West Africa and urges various governments to pay close attention to their policies to improve their policies toward PwDs. The study recognizes governments’ vital role in ensuring that PwDs are better off, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the government needs to provide adequate education on how PwDs will readily access policies to better their lives.

The study examined the effect of innovation education on entrepreneurial intentions among postgraduate students and the role of innovation competence and gender. The study was a survey, with data collected using a structured questionnaire. The study used Master’s students of Akenten-Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), Ghana. The sample includes 370 Master’s students from 10 faculties of the university. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The study found that innovation education has significant positive influence on entrepreneurial intention. Innovation competence was found to mediate the relationship between innovation education and entrepreneurial intention. Finally, gender moderated the relationship between innovation education and innovation competence and also moderated the relationship between innovation competence and entrepreneurial intention. Assessing the moderating role of gender between innovation education and innovation competence, as well as, innovation competence and entrepreneurial intention, represents novel contributions of this study.

Increasing awareness of the consequences of bullying leads to efforts to address deficiencies in the learning environments in which bullying occurs. This study explored factors that determine the learning environment and their influence on bullying experiences at two universities in Norway. The study employed a cross-sectional design involving 438 students. Students' perceptions of various learning environment variables were correlated with their experiences of various negative behaviours and victimisation using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that students' perceptions of the universities' general learning environments are inversely associated with various negative behaviour constructs and victimisation, and the results are notable among bachelor students and married and cohabiting people. The study shows that an improvement, mainly in the universities' general learning environment, relative to the validated variables, would reduce the occurrence and experience of bullying.

Abstract Background Cannabis is one of humanity’s oldest crops with several uses, from food to clothing and medicine. It remains one of the most controversial crops whose production, possession, and usage are regulated differently across jurisdictions. Academic research and advocacy have resulted in the redefinition of the legal status of cannabis in several countries. Ghana recently reviewed its laws on cannabis, allowing for the cultivation of industrial hemp. The legislation paves the way for Ghana to benefit from industrial hemp and include it in the agricultural cash crop list. This paper looks at the economic prospects of industrial hemp in the wake of the new law. Methods A systematic electronic research was conducted to identify journal articles, reports, news, blogs, and other relevant materials on cannabis, marijuana, and industrial hemp. The electronic search was done primarily on Google, Google Scholar, Bing, and “Baidu Xueshi” to identify cannabis-related publications. The search was expanded beyond Ghana to find other perspectives on cannabis. The search began in January 2020 on Google using search terms like “cannabis in Ghana” and “which countries have legal cannabis.” Materials on history, financial prospects, industrial uses, and legislations on cannabis and industrial hemp were reviewed. Results Existing research on cannabis in Ghana has focused on the psychotic effects of cannabis other than its industrial aspects, which has potentials for the economy. Industrial hemp has CBD with no psychotic effects and is very useful in making medicine, paper, and textiles. Ghana has both the land and workforce to produce hemp to feed local industries and the international market. Conclusion The new legislation can put Ghana in a position to benefit from the current cannabis industry. Therefore, policymakers should implement a registration regime that would favor local investors and farmers to reduce illegal production. The regulatory framework should establish a well-equipped agency that will supervise production and research into hemp development.

Using core self-evaluation theory, the current study assesses the effect of internal work locus of control and bricolage on social entrepreneurship orientation. We adopted the cross-sectional survey design using a sampling frame to engage 400 top executives of social enterprises in mainland China. Three hundred and seventy-two of the executives replied, presenting a response rate of 93%. Results of structural equation modeling analysis show significant positive relationships between internal work locus of control, bricolage, and social entrepreneurship orientation. The positive mediating effect of bricolage on the relationship between internal work locus of control and social entrepreneurship orientation was also found to be true. Consequently, to foster social entrepreneurship orientation, top executives of social enterprises need to gather available resources for bricolage tasks. These findings contribute new knowledge to how internal work locus of control affects social entrepreneurship orientation through the bricolage activity of Chinese social enterprises. Through core self-evaluation theory, we demonstrate the effect of internal work locus of control as a preceding factor in the relationship between bricolage and social entrepreneurship orientation.

This research departed from the result of training on the development of online learning design for secondary school teachers before the pandemic. On that training, WhatsApp is the best choice to be implemented by the teachers. In this research, WhatsApp-based learning design is chosen to facilitate English teachers during learning from home. As a result, the impact for students is that their learning outcomes were positively correlated to their perception, knowledge, motivation, and attitudes during learning from home using WhatsApp. Then, the implication of this research is that English teachers have competitiveness and also competence in the utilization of digital technology, especially in developing English learning designs while they taught from home.

Environmental concerns and cost associated with drilling operations have made us promote the application of biodegradable and renewable drilling fluid additives, particularly at high temperature. In this study, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) synthesized from cocoa pod husk (cocoa NaCMC) was tested as a filtration agent at high temperature and differential pressure conditions. Moreover, eight mud samples containing various fluid-loss additives were tested. The Filtration test was performed using the permeability plugging tester at 248 °F temperature and 100 psi and 300 psi differential pressures with ceramic discs 10 µm and 90 µm. In addition, the degree filtration agents affect the drilling mud’s rheological parameters were estimated. Also, thermal degradability of the sample was also studied. The results showed that filtration control performance at high temperature and low/high differential pressure was improved by decreasing particle size and increasing concentration. Using the cocoa NaCMC was proved to be a better filtration agent at high-temperature conditions with a high thermal degradability. Finally, the obtained results indicated that the filtration control performance declined in higher permeable formation. Moreover, the drilling fluid’s rheological properties were improved by the cocoa NaCMC, and it was comparable to the industrial PAC.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to identify the negative behaviors that constitute bullying in higher education as reported by students, and (b) to explore differences in student experiences in two markedly different national contexts. A sample of 1,189 respondents from two universities in Ghana (n = 751) and two universities in Norway (n = 438) answered the same questionnaire. Approximately 40% of the Ghanaian students and 20% of the Norwegian students responded that they had been bullied. Although less frequently observed than in Ghana, relational forms of bullying (e.g., being excluded) were more prevalent in Norway compared to other behaviors. In contrast, direct and verbal forms of bullying, such as name-calling and being taunted, were most common in Ghana. The findings provide insights into cultural and national variations with respect to negative social behaviors related to bullying in the context of higher education.

The study used Explanatory Sequential Design (ESD) of Mixed-Methods to investigate college students’ and instructors’ perspectives of constructivist learning environment (CLE). Students, including graduates and undergraduates from a Midwestern university, rated their preference for personal relevance, collaboration, negotiation, and autonomy as key learning experiences embodied in CLE. Results indicated that undergraduates were more likely than graduate students to prefer collaboration and negotiation experiences. Expanding on the results of students’ quantitative ratings, students’ and instructors’ perspectives of collaboration were explored. Eight participants (four students and four instructors) participated in one-on-one interview sessions. Themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis showed that the differences in students’ preference for collaboration related to students’ perceptions of unequal opportunities to collaborate, perceived benefits, and diverse backgrounds and orientations. In addition, conditions necessary for effective collaboration in the college environment were explored. Thematic analysis produced three themes: understanding collaboration process; monitoring, assessment, and evaluation system; and group composition. Implications for practice in the college classroom have been discussed.

The present study sought to verify the utility and reliability of footprint dimensions in sex determination in a Ghanaian population. Bilateral footprints were obtained from 126 Ghanaian students (66 males and 60 females) aged 18-30 years at Koforidua Polytechnic using an ink pad and white papers. Seven dimensions-length of each toe (designated T1-T5) from the most anterior point of the toe to the mid-rear heel point, breadth at ball (BAB) and breadth at heel (BAH)--and the heel-ball (HB) index were obtained from each footprint. Some footprint dimensions (i.e. T2, T3, T4 and T5) showed statistically significant bilateral asymmetry in males only. All the footprint dimensions, except HB index, were significantly greater in males than females (p

Author(s): Emmanuel Mensah Horsey [sup.1] [sup.2] , Xiaofan Song [sup.1] , Shuliang Zhao [sup.1] , Xiaobao Peng [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.59053.3a, 0000000121679639, School of Public Affairs, University of Science [...], A comprehensive review of the social entrepreneurship literature on social entrepreneurship's success in solving social challenges despite significant resource and capacity deficits raises questions, particularly regarding how capacities should be built to ensure long-term social and economic impact. Using the theory of organizational learning, this study analyzes the link between team exploratory and exploitative learning on social entrepreneurship orientation. The cross-sectional examination of 473 social enterprises in Ghana verifies our predictions regarding positive connections between the variables. The findings demonstrate that team exploratory learning has a stronger positive impact on social entrepreneurship orientation than team exploitative learning. From a managerial standpoint, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of social enterprises can demonstrate greater use of team exploratory and exploitative learning by devising exercises that push their teams outside of their comfort zones to actively engage in internal and external interactive discourse on team learning to substantially impact their social entrepreneurship orientation. From the ambidextrous perspective of social enterprises, circumventing the notable "failure" and "success" traps that occur with excessive exploration and exploitation respectively, demands a balance between the two for long-term impact on social entrepreneurship orientation. This study delves into the differentially positive function of team exploratory and exploitative learning on social entrepreneurship orientation, with the goal of overcoming the resource/capability bottleneck and boosting social market performance.

Taking cognisance of the social and linguistic power of trap music and its song lyrics as crucial avenues for language use in society, this study set out to conduct a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of selected song lyrics of Black Sherif. The study synergised Wmatrix and a socio-cognitive approach to CDA to interpret the song lyrics. The analyses revealed three linguistic strategies: (a) pronouns; (b) Ghanaian Student Pidgin; and (c) metaphors in the song lyrics that served as a means of empowering the youth to survive and strive for success despite social and psychological aggressions in life. Also, the individualistic self-representation in the song lyrics included plural identities of people who share a common experience of struggle, pain, survival, and self-empowerment. Finally, the study highlighted crucial societal issues, such as economic hardship and social injustice, that may otherwise be overlooked or underrepresented in mainstream media or academia. Based on these findings, the study provides recommendations for practice and further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing awareness of the consequences of bullying leads to efforts to address deficiencies in the learning environments in which bullying occurs. This study explored factors that determine the learning environment and their influence on bullying experiences at two universities in Norway. The study employed a cross-sectional design involving 438 students. Students' perceptions of various learning environment variables were correlated with their experiences of various negative behaviours and victimisation using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that students' perceptions of the universities' general learning environments are inversely associated with various negative behaviour constructs and victimisation, and the results are notable among bachelor students and married and cohabiting people. The study shows that an improvement, mainly in the universities' general learning environment, relative to the validated variables, would reduce the occurrence and experience of bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African literature is a crucial arena for deconstructing norms, and imagining communities or alternative modes of sociality and being. In many postcolonial African literary works, particularly those grappling with the legacy of European colonisation and the challenges of nation-building, the modernist state is frequently depicted as an entity emblematic of violence and dispossession inflicted upon the populace. However, it is also sometimes portrayed as offering a degree of hope and possibility amidst the turmoil. Drawing on literary onomastics and insights from Rights and Feminist theories, the article examines Parkes' strategic use of names to articulate ethicality in Tail of the Blue Bird. Parkes argues for a true decolonisation by radically replacing and reassessing the patriarchal ideology that creates violence and trauma in postcolonial societies. This should happen by embracing the feminine principles represented by the main female characters in the novel. The article shows that the semiotics and character roles of Esi Mensisi and Yaa Somu as women constitute crucial sites for Parkes' rumination on human flourishing and ethicality in the postcolonial modernist state. The article has implications for studies on literary onomastics, characterisation, and how African writers attempt to reimagine postcolonial politics and sociality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]