Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the m... more Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the management literature in recent years. This might be due to a renewed focus on corporate governance and ethical practices of companies the world over. This current study seeks to focus on how banks operating in Ghana communicate their CSR programmes and intentions via their corporate websites. Design/methodology/approach -A conceptual framework was adapted from the extant literature and was used as the basis of a content analysis of 16 banks in Ghana. This paper adopts a qualitative research approach drawing upon available information from the websites of these 16 banks. Findings -One of the banks that had won the most CSR awards at the Ghana banking awards had the poorest CSR communication content on its corporate website. It was also noted that banks that had never won a CSR award previously seemed to have a better organised structure in respect of their CSR activities on their websites. These findings clearly demonstrate the challenges that sometimes exist in transferring bricks-and-mortar organisational capabilities to online environments. Originality/value -Studies focussing on online CSR communications in emerging market contexts are almost non-existent and this study makes an important contribution in not only addressing this imbalance, but more importantly in improving bank marketing practices in Ghana.
Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the m... more Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the management literature in recent years. This might be due to a renewed focus on corporate governance and ethical practices of companies the world over. This current study seeks to focus on how banks operating in Ghana communicate their CSR programmes and intentions via their corporate websites. Design/methodology/approach -A conceptual framework was adapted from the extant literature and was used as the basis of a content analysis of 16 banks in Ghana. This paper adopts a qualitative research approach drawing upon available information from the websites of these 16 banks. Findings -One of the banks that had won the most CSR awards at the Ghana banking awards had the poorest CSR communication content on its corporate website. It was also noted that banks that had never won a CSR award previously seemed to have a better organised structure in respect of their CSR activities on their websites. These findings clearly demonstrate the challenges that sometimes exist in transferring bricks-and-mortar organisational capabilities to online environments. Originality/value -Studies focussing on online CSR communications in emerging market contexts are almost non-existent and this study makes an important contribution in not only addressing this imbalance, but more importantly in improving bank marketing practices in Ghana.
... It had five questions on the moral argument, the strategic argument, the business argument, t... more ... It had five questions on the moral argument, the strategic argument, the business argument, the need for CSR, and the dimensions of CSR. ... Internationally-connected firms were mainly firms like Standard Chartered Bank, SG-SSB, Unilever and Anglogold Ashanti. ...
Abstract Purpose: With the cut-throat competition now prevailing in Ghana's bank... more Abstract Purpose: With the cut-throat competition now prevailing in Ghana's banking sector, it has become imperative to study students' perception of service quality in Ghana's banking sector. This is because undergraduate students are usually first time account holders and ...
ABSTRACT This study sought to ascertain what key international and local triggers accelerated or ... more ABSTRACT This study sought to ascertain what key international and local triggers accelerated or militated against their e-business adoption process in Ghanaian non-traditional export (NTE) firms. The macro international trigger explored was competition from exporters in other countries as well as an ascertainment of the significance of export direction. The macro level trigger explored hinged on the level of infrastructural support available for e-business adoption and deployment. Study focused on active non-traditional exporters in Accra. 60 firms responded to questionnaires on e-business and exporting. Analysis of the data was mainly by means of descriptive statistics. Competition acts as a trigger for e-business adoption even though its relationship to the level of internationalization could not be clearly established. E-business is important for Ghanaian exporters irrespective of where they are exporting to and they seem prepared to go electronic irrespective of the level of infrastructural sophistication within and without their export firms.
Purpose – The digital divide is supposed to place disadvantaged economies like Ghana in a positio... more Purpose – The digital divide is supposed to place disadvantaged economies like Ghana in a position where using information and communication technology for development might not be an immediate reality. The purpose of this current study is to argue that the adoption of e-business practices has benefit for small Ghanaian exporters' organizational improvement, and begin a first-level investigation in that
This study focuses on expert views of the importance of political marketing and electoral victory... more This study focuses on expert views of the importance of political marketing and electoral victory in African nations with an emphasis on Ghana. There is a particular focus in this article on understanding political marketing communication issues pertaining to the 2008 Ghanaian presidential elections. Following Peng and Hackley (2007), we used “elite interviews,” dyadic depth interviews with highly regarded marketing and communication practitioners who were also MBA students at Ghana's premier business school. We also employed Butter and Collins' (1994) political marketing structure model in eliciting and analyzing the study findings. We found that all four of the themes discussed by Butler and Collins (1994) played a role in the defeat of the incumbent party—New Patriotic Party (NPP). Product factors was the key theme followed by organizational, process, and market factors, respectively. This paper is an important initial step in highlighting the significance of political marketing to the fortunes of political parties in Africa.
This article reports on a study of the effect of Internet use on exports in Africa. A panel data ... more This article reports on a study of the effect of Internet use on exports in Africa. A panel data regression approach was adopted with data drawn from secondary sources in selected African countries. A 1 percent increase in Internet use is associated with a 2.2 percent increase in exports, and this is indicative of the importance of the Internet in reducing the cost of exports of African economies. Access to the Internet would increase export through a reduction in the entry and search costs associated with exporting from Africa.
... The Influence of Organizational Environment on Contemporary Marketing Practices (CMP) in Ghan... more ... The Influence of Organizational Environment on Contemporary Marketing Practices (CMP) in Ghana: ATest of the Miles and Snow Strategic Typology By Robert Hinson and Kofi Dadzie August 2009 Page 2. 2 WORKING PAPER SERIES NO. 50 The Influence of Organizational ...
... Keywords: brand personality, correspondence analysis, Africa countries, nation branding, cont... more ... Keywords: brand personality, correspondence analysis, Africa countries, nation branding, content analysis ... marketing terms, be attributable to the problem of communicating their identities to the ... dearth of research on African countries with regard to online brand communications. ...
... Design/methodology/approach Paper based largely on literature survey and an assessment of t... more ... Design/methodology/approach Paper based largely on literature survey and an assessment of the existing models of internet use by ... academics in the Centre for International Business in Aalborg University in Denmark (number one in the global e-readiness rankings in ... 7 No.2 ...
ABSTRACT This paper examines the motivation for Internet browsing amongst Executive MBA (EMBA) st... more ABSTRACT This paper examines the motivation for Internet browsing amongst Executive MBA (EMBA) students at the University of Ghana Business School. It underscores the importance of the environmental influences on the social, academic and professional use of the Internet by executive masters students in Ghana. This paper is executed via a qualitative research design. Data for the study was gathered through structured focus group interviews with 24 Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) students of the University of Ghana Business School. The study revealed that students browse the Internet for social, academic and professional purposes. The social use of the Internet includes sending and receiving email, socializing through Facebook, chatting, and making new friends. Professionally, students browse the Internet to obtain trade information, interact with clients, check on conference alerts, and access databases of clients. The academic motivations for browsing the Internet include research, getting access to academic journal databases, interacting with lecturers and supervisors, registering for professional courses and obtaining information on specific courses of study.
Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 2008
... This espoused intent of the GEPC, defined seven years ago, clearly show that ... technical ad... more ... This espoused intent of the GEPC, defined seven years ago, clearly show that ... technical advisory services provided by the information center include preliminary assessment of exports ... in e-business, SME exporters in DEs should have relatively comparable e-readiness as their ...
The digital technology is increasingly important for businesses as it has the capability to enabl... more The digital technology is increasingly important for businesses as it has the capability to enable, support and sometimes influence the overall strategic direction of the corporation. Thus, strategies that define how, why and when companies plan to utilise the digital technology are increasingly important. The purpose of the article is to analyse what different strategic processes are used in the empirical context and further discuss to what extent the widely used strategic continuum (planning -incremental) are sufficient to understand what is happening in the case. We conclude in the article that a strategic continuum spanning from planning to learning, where the incremental approach is in the middle is more powerful as an analytical tool in relation to the specific cases. The research is conducted in one of Denmark's biggest companies with a annual turnover of 2.2 billion EUR and over 22.000 employees.
Despite the increasing attention to African immigrants in the United States, and the pivotal role... more Despite the increasing attention to African immigrants in the United States, and the pivotal role that advertising messages play in the immigrant community, examination of African immigrants’ purchasing behavior and perceptions of advertising have been overlooked by marketing scholars. The purpose of this research is to investigate West African immigrants’ perceptions of advertising in general and its impact on buying decisions. Data analyses extract five perceptual factors toward advertising in general, namely, “advertising is a pleasure and affects perceptions,” “advertising heightens vanity,” “advertising intensifies materialism,” “advertising enhances social role and image,” and “advertising is good for the economy.” With the exception of “advertising heightens vanity,” all the identified factors impact buying decisions. The overall results show that consumers rely on a broad scope of information about the impact of advertisements on standards of living and the economy. This study can be of value to marketing scholars, practitioners, and policy makers interested in the United States African immigrant community.
Purpose–This paper seeks to determine from the standpoint of undergraduate students, service-qual... more Purpose–This paper seeks to determine from the standpoint of undergraduate students, service-quality dispositions of bank brands operating in Ghana; in respect of customer service (human interaction), service knowledge and bank infrastructure and technology. ...
... The Authors. Kojo Saffu, Faculty of Business, Brock University, St Catharines, Canada. John H... more ... The Authors. Kojo Saffu, Faculty of Business, Brock University, St Catharines, Canada. John H. Walker, Faculty of Business, Brock University, St Catharines, Canada. Robert Hinson, Department of Marketing, University of Ghana Business School, Accra, Ghana. Abstract. ...
International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 2007
The purpose of this paper is to argue for a theoretical framework by which development of compute... more The purpose of this paper is to argue for a theoretical framework by which development of computer based health information systems (CHIS) can be made sustainable. Health Management and promotion thrive on well-articulated CHIS. There are high levels of risk associated with the development of CHIS in the context of least developed countries (LDC), thereby making them unsustainable. This paper is based largely on literature survey on health promotion and information systems. The main factors accounting for the sustainability problem in less developed countries include poor infrastructure, inappropriate donor policies and strategies, poor infrastructure and inadequate human resource capacity. To counter these challenges and to ensure that CHIS deployment in LDCs is sustainable, it is proposed that the activities involved in the implementation of these systems be incorporated into organizational routines. This will ensure and secure the needed resources as well as the relevant support from all stakeholders of the system; on a continuous basis. This paper sets out to look at the issue of CHIS sustainability in LDCs, theoretically explains the factors that account for the sustainability problem and develops a conceptual model based on theoretical literature and existing empirical findings.
Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the m... more Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the management literature in recent years. This might be due to a renewed focus on corporate governance and ethical practices of companies the world over. This current study seeks to focus on how banks operating in Ghana communicate their CSR programmes and intentions via their corporate websites. Design/methodology/approach -A conceptual framework was adapted from the extant literature and was used as the basis of a content analysis of 16 banks in Ghana. This paper adopts a qualitative research approach drawing upon available information from the websites of these 16 banks. Findings -One of the banks that had won the most CSR awards at the Ghana banking awards had the poorest CSR communication content on its corporate website. It was also noted that banks that had never won a CSR award previously seemed to have a better organised structure in respect of their CSR activities on their websites. These findings clearly demonstrate the challenges that sometimes exist in transferring bricks-and-mortar organisational capabilities to online environments. Originality/value -Studies focussing on online CSR communications in emerging market contexts are almost non-existent and this study makes an important contribution in not only addressing this imbalance, but more importantly in improving bank marketing practices in Ghana.
Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the m... more Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the management literature in recent years. This might be due to a renewed focus on corporate governance and ethical practices of companies the world over. This current study seeks to focus on how banks operating in Ghana communicate their CSR programmes and intentions via their corporate websites. Design/methodology/approach -A conceptual framework was adapted from the extant literature and was used as the basis of a content analysis of 16 banks in Ghana. This paper adopts a qualitative research approach drawing upon available information from the websites of these 16 banks. Findings -One of the banks that had won the most CSR awards at the Ghana banking awards had the poorest CSR communication content on its corporate website. It was also noted that banks that had never won a CSR award previously seemed to have a better organised structure in respect of their CSR activities on their websites. These findings clearly demonstrate the challenges that sometimes exist in transferring bricks-and-mortar organisational capabilities to online environments. Originality/value -Studies focussing on online CSR communications in emerging market contexts are almost non-existent and this study makes an important contribution in not only addressing this imbalance, but more importantly in improving bank marketing practices in Ghana.
... It had five questions on the moral argument, the strategic argument, the business argument, t... more ... It had five questions on the moral argument, the strategic argument, the business argument, the need for CSR, and the dimensions of CSR. ... Internationally-connected firms were mainly firms like Standard Chartered Bank, SG-SSB, Unilever and Anglogold Ashanti. ...
Abstract Purpose: With the cut-throat competition now prevailing in Ghana's bank... more Abstract Purpose: With the cut-throat competition now prevailing in Ghana's banking sector, it has become imperative to study students' perception of service quality in Ghana's banking sector. This is because undergraduate students are usually first time account holders and ...
ABSTRACT This study sought to ascertain what key international and local triggers accelerated or ... more ABSTRACT This study sought to ascertain what key international and local triggers accelerated or militated against their e-business adoption process in Ghanaian non-traditional export (NTE) firms. The macro international trigger explored was competition from exporters in other countries as well as an ascertainment of the significance of export direction. The macro level trigger explored hinged on the level of infrastructural support available for e-business adoption and deployment. Study focused on active non-traditional exporters in Accra. 60 firms responded to questionnaires on e-business and exporting. Analysis of the data was mainly by means of descriptive statistics. Competition acts as a trigger for e-business adoption even though its relationship to the level of internationalization could not be clearly established. E-business is important for Ghanaian exporters irrespective of where they are exporting to and they seem prepared to go electronic irrespective of the level of infrastructural sophistication within and without their export firms.
Purpose – The digital divide is supposed to place disadvantaged economies like Ghana in a positio... more Purpose – The digital divide is supposed to place disadvantaged economies like Ghana in a position where using information and communication technology for development might not be an immediate reality. The purpose of this current study is to argue that the adoption of e-business practices has benefit for small Ghanaian exporters' organizational improvement, and begin a first-level investigation in that
This study focuses on expert views of the importance of political marketing and electoral victory... more This study focuses on expert views of the importance of political marketing and electoral victory in African nations with an emphasis on Ghana. There is a particular focus in this article on understanding political marketing communication issues pertaining to the 2008 Ghanaian presidential elections. Following Peng and Hackley (2007), we used “elite interviews,” dyadic depth interviews with highly regarded marketing and communication practitioners who were also MBA students at Ghana's premier business school. We also employed Butter and Collins' (1994) political marketing structure model in eliciting and analyzing the study findings. We found that all four of the themes discussed by Butler and Collins (1994) played a role in the defeat of the incumbent party—New Patriotic Party (NPP). Product factors was the key theme followed by organizational, process, and market factors, respectively. This paper is an important initial step in highlighting the significance of political marketing to the fortunes of political parties in Africa.
This article reports on a study of the effect of Internet use on exports in Africa. A panel data ... more This article reports on a study of the effect of Internet use on exports in Africa. A panel data regression approach was adopted with data drawn from secondary sources in selected African countries. A 1 percent increase in Internet use is associated with a 2.2 percent increase in exports, and this is indicative of the importance of the Internet in reducing the cost of exports of African economies. Access to the Internet would increase export through a reduction in the entry and search costs associated with exporting from Africa.
... The Influence of Organizational Environment on Contemporary Marketing Practices (CMP) in Ghan... more ... The Influence of Organizational Environment on Contemporary Marketing Practices (CMP) in Ghana: ATest of the Miles and Snow Strategic Typology By Robert Hinson and Kofi Dadzie August 2009 Page 2. 2 WORKING PAPER SERIES NO. 50 The Influence of Organizational ...
... Keywords: brand personality, correspondence analysis, Africa countries, nation branding, cont... more ... Keywords: brand personality, correspondence analysis, Africa countries, nation branding, content analysis ... marketing terms, be attributable to the problem of communicating their identities to the ... dearth of research on African countries with regard to online brand communications. ...
... Design/methodology/approach Paper based largely on literature survey and an assessment of t... more ... Design/methodology/approach Paper based largely on literature survey and an assessment of the existing models of internet use by ... academics in the Centre for International Business in Aalborg University in Denmark (number one in the global e-readiness rankings in ... 7 No.2 ...
ABSTRACT This paper examines the motivation for Internet browsing amongst Executive MBA (EMBA) st... more ABSTRACT This paper examines the motivation for Internet browsing amongst Executive MBA (EMBA) students at the University of Ghana Business School. It underscores the importance of the environmental influences on the social, academic and professional use of the Internet by executive masters students in Ghana. This paper is executed via a qualitative research design. Data for the study was gathered through structured focus group interviews with 24 Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) students of the University of Ghana Business School. The study revealed that students browse the Internet for social, academic and professional purposes. The social use of the Internet includes sending and receiving email, socializing through Facebook, chatting, and making new friends. Professionally, students browse the Internet to obtain trade information, interact with clients, check on conference alerts, and access databases of clients. The academic motivations for browsing the Internet include research, getting access to academic journal databases, interacting with lecturers and supervisors, registering for professional courses and obtaining information on specific courses of study.
Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 2008
... This espoused intent of the GEPC, defined seven years ago, clearly show that ... technical ad... more ... This espoused intent of the GEPC, defined seven years ago, clearly show that ... technical advisory services provided by the information center include preliminary assessment of exports ... in e-business, SME exporters in DEs should have relatively comparable e-readiness as their ...
The digital technology is increasingly important for businesses as it has the capability to enabl... more The digital technology is increasingly important for businesses as it has the capability to enable, support and sometimes influence the overall strategic direction of the corporation. Thus, strategies that define how, why and when companies plan to utilise the digital technology are increasingly important. The purpose of the article is to analyse what different strategic processes are used in the empirical context and further discuss to what extent the widely used strategic continuum (planning -incremental) are sufficient to understand what is happening in the case. We conclude in the article that a strategic continuum spanning from planning to learning, where the incremental approach is in the middle is more powerful as an analytical tool in relation to the specific cases. The research is conducted in one of Denmark's biggest companies with a annual turnover of 2.2 billion EUR and over 22.000 employees.
Despite the increasing attention to African immigrants in the United States, and the pivotal role... more Despite the increasing attention to African immigrants in the United States, and the pivotal role that advertising messages play in the immigrant community, examination of African immigrants’ purchasing behavior and perceptions of advertising have been overlooked by marketing scholars. The purpose of this research is to investigate West African immigrants’ perceptions of advertising in general and its impact on buying decisions. Data analyses extract five perceptual factors toward advertising in general, namely, “advertising is a pleasure and affects perceptions,” “advertising heightens vanity,” “advertising intensifies materialism,” “advertising enhances social role and image,” and “advertising is good for the economy.” With the exception of “advertising heightens vanity,” all the identified factors impact buying decisions. The overall results show that consumers rely on a broad scope of information about the impact of advertisements on standards of living and the economy. This study can be of value to marketing scholars, practitioners, and policy makers interested in the United States African immigrant community.
Purpose–This paper seeks to determine from the standpoint of undergraduate students, service-qual... more Purpose–This paper seeks to determine from the standpoint of undergraduate students, service-quality dispositions of bank brands operating in Ghana; in respect of customer service (human interaction), service knowledge and bank infrastructure and technology. ...
... The Authors. Kojo Saffu, Faculty of Business, Brock University, St Catharines, Canada. John H... more ... The Authors. Kojo Saffu, Faculty of Business, Brock University, St Catharines, Canada. John H. Walker, Faculty of Business, Brock University, St Catharines, Canada. Robert Hinson, Department of Marketing, University of Ghana Business School, Accra, Ghana. Abstract. ...
International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 2007
The purpose of this paper is to argue for a theoretical framework by which development of compute... more The purpose of this paper is to argue for a theoretical framework by which development of computer based health information systems (CHIS) can be made sustainable. Health Management and promotion thrive on well-articulated CHIS. There are high levels of risk associated with the development of CHIS in the context of least developed countries (LDC), thereby making them unsustainable. This paper is based largely on literature survey on health promotion and information systems. The main factors accounting for the sustainability problem in less developed countries include poor infrastructure, inappropriate donor policies and strategies, poor infrastructure and inadequate human resource capacity. To counter these challenges and to ensure that CHIS deployment in LDCs is sustainable, it is proposed that the activities involved in the implementation of these systems be incorporated into organizational routines. This will ensure and secure the needed resources as well as the relevant support from all stakeholders of the system; on a continuous basis. This paper sets out to look at the issue of CHIS sustainability in LDCs, theoretically explains the factors that account for the sustainability problem and develops a conceptual model based on theoretical literature and existing empirical findings.
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Papers by Ebo Hinson