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The purpose of this research is to identify the conditions under which the internal environment of small construction firms makes them either develop or adopt an innovation.

The research described in this paper adopted a qualitative case study approach. The data were obtained from multiple sources such as face-to-face semi-structured interviews with company representatives and from project reports.

The study identified that firms’ decision to either adopt or develop an innovation is determined by a complex interaction between their internal environment and 12 different conditions. Some of the findings contrast widespread perceptions in broader literature on innovation development and adoption in small construction firms.

The study focused only on firms from two regions in Ghana. Additionally, adopting a purely qualitative approach meant that the quantitative impacts of the different factors were not presented.

The results can inform the decisions of agencies and persons wishing to invest their resources in innovation activities of small construction firms. It can also inform the policy debate and directions of government and industry associations looking to create innovation-friendly environments in the small business sector.

This research provides a better understanding of innovation development and adoption by small construction firms. Given that there is little previous research on innovation by small construction firms, especially in developing economies, the paper complements existing studies that generally focus on much larger firms and developed economies.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role external debt and foreign direct investment play in influencing financial development in Africa.

Annual data on external debt, foreign direct investment and financial development were extracted from the World Bank World Development Indicators from 2002 to 2015. The data employed were analysed within causal research design and the dynamic panel using generalized method of moment estimation approach.

The findings revealed that external debt and foreign direct investment have a significant positive relationship with financial development in African economies. Governments of the sampled economies should enact policies that would help attract high level of foreign direct investment as it contributes positively to financial development. Finally, governments of the sampled African economies should ensure foreign direct investment and external funds borrowed are channelled to productive sectors.

The paper analysed the relationship between external debt, FDI inflows and financial sector development. The paper is the first in terms of such analysis within the framework of the dual-gap framework, which is the first time in these kinds of studies. Previous studies have concentrated on the effect of financial sector on FDI and not the other way around.

Transnational corporation (TNC)-led oil investments have been widely encouraged as a mechanism for the development of the Global South. Even though the sector is characterized by major accidents, oil-based developmentalist narratives claim that such accidents are merely isolated incidents that can be administratively addressed, redressed behaviorally through education of certain individuals, or corrected through individually targeted post-event legislation. Adapting Harvey Molotch’s (1970) political economy methodology of “accident research”, this paper argues that such “accidents” are, in fact, routine in the entire value chain of the oil system dominated by, among others, military-backed TNCs which increasingly collaborate with national and local oil companies similarly wedded to the ideology of growth. Based on this analysis, existing policy focus on improving technology, instituting and enforcing more environmental regulations, and the pursuit of economic nationalism in the form of withdrawing from globalization are ineffective. In such a red-hot system, built on rapidly spinning wheels of accumulation, the pursuit of slow growth characterized by breaking the chains of monopoly and oligopoly, putting commonly generated rent to common uses, and freeing labor from regulations that rob it of its produce has more potency to address the enigma of petroleum accidents in the global south.

This study aims to investigate the impact of energy access on foreign direct investment (FDI) in an emerging market.

The study uses the two-stage least square instrumental variables estimation approach to compute the parameters of the model to account for any potential endogeneity and time persistence in energy access.

The results show that energy access significantly influences FDI inflows in Ghana. The results of the study also revealed that natural resources and macroeconomic variables such as real interest rate, gross domestic product growth rate are significant determinants of FDI inflows in Ghana.

The practical implication of this study is that there is a need for energy sector policy reforms in Ghana that would guarantee a secured and continued supply of energy to enhance energy access to boost FDI. Ghana should aim for a cost-effective, stable and environmentally friendly source of energy as an alternative to hydro energy as the main source of its power generation to promote FDI. Also, Ghana should initiate and implement policies aimed at creating an enabling and stable macroeconomic environment, as macroeconomic factors in this study are found to be drivers of FDI.

This study provides firsthand information on energy access and FDI from the Ghanaian perspective.

This paper seeks to examine the interrelationship between inclusive business, private sector credit and economic welfare in Africa.

The study uses the seemingly unrelated regression, system generalized method of moments and bootstrap quantile regression in a panel of 54 economies in Africa, over the period 2006–2020.

The authors show that countries that provide more credit to the private sector have better incentives to enhance the ease of doing business. The authors find that ease of doing business and domestic credit to the private sector have a positive and significant effect on economic welfare at higher quantile levels. The authors find that ease of doing business substitutes private sector credit to boost economic welfare, while business account complements private sector credit to boost economic welfare. The authors show that the marginal effect of inclusive business on economic welfare is greater in countries that provide more credit to the private sector.

The implication is that countries that focus on developing their private sector (through credit expansion) should be able to encourage or facilitate the inclusion of businesses to achieve a sustainable economic welfare.

The implication is that policymakers should be able to develop their business environment through inclusive financing so as to build business confidence in the society.

The paper examines the interrelationship between inclusive business, private sector credit and economic welfare in Africa.

The study aimed to use geographic information system (GIS) based multi-criteria decision making analysis (GIS-MCDA) to select areas suitable for siting landfills in Ashanti region. It also sought to ascertain variables most sensitive to the siting of landfill in the region.

This study utilized GIS-based Multi-criteria decision making analysis –AHP to model and select areas most suitable to siting landfills within the region. Overall, 16 variables including wind speed and hydraulic conductivity (which were previously neglected in landfill siting in Ghana) were identified through comprehensive literature review. These variables were weighted using AHP method and integrated using the weighted linear combination (WLC) in GIS environment to develop five sub-models: the physical environmental, sociocultural, economic/technical, climatic and hydrogeological sub-models. These sub-models were further weighted and then integrated to derive the final suitability model.

Results show that 13% (3,067 km²) of the region was identified as most suitable to siting engineered landfills. The study also identified 11 sites which are considered most suitable for situating landfills. On a sensitivity angle, hydrogeological (R² = 0.5923; p = 0.003) and physical environmental sub-model (R² = 0.254; p = 0.034) significantly predicted the final suitability model developed.

Ghana's Landfill Guidelines seeks to optimize site selection and ancillary services that culminate into achieving sanitary landfills by 2020. Evidence still abounds on the unsuitability of existing and in some cases, new landfill sites presenting environmental and social negative impacts. The comprehensive evaluation of most crucial variables – social and environmental factors that determine an optimal landfill location – will be of immense help to policy planners like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) towards upgraded landfills. The authors hope that, concerned agencies will adopt the model in the study and integrate into their existing landfill suitability modeling techniques to provide a more grounded framework that optimizes landfill site selection within the study area.

This study is the first attempt to consider a regional-level waste collection site selection in Ghana using comprehensive sets of social and environmental factors and will therefore contribute immensely to EPA's goal of achieving upgraded landfills by 2022.

The study analyses the factors that promote pro-environmental intentions and sustainable electronic waste management among households in a developing country context.

Based on a quantitative survey, a cross-sectional study of households was conducted. Data from 652 respondents were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Among the findings, environmental values was the major influencer of pro-environmental intentions, accounting for 54.8% of its variance. Whilst pro-environmental intention was hypothesised as a key predictor of sustainable waste management behaviours, results showed that sustainable e-waste management is mainly influenced by perceived behavioural control (β = 0.546, p = 0.000), followed by pro-environmental intentions (β = 0.302, p = 0.000). Perceived behavioural control, on the other hand, was influenced by perceived producer responsibility (β = 0.340, p = 0.000) and facilitating conditions (β = 0.141, p = 0.0.034).

First, the study used a quantitative approach. The use of a mixed-methods approach could provide deeper insights into the determinants of sustainable e-waste management practices in a specific cultural context. Also due to the quantitative nature of the study, sustainable e-waste management was based on self-reports. Future studies may adopt longitudinal studies to validate self-reported behaviours with observation. Finally, the study does not include all constructs proposed by planned behaviour and norm activation theory. This is because the main aim of the study was to examine perceived behavioural control as an extrinsic motivator and environmental values as an intrinsic motivator to engage in sustainable waste management practices.

Waste is best managed at source, so the study recommends that producers of electronic equipment must reconsider their role in sustainable waste management, by taking physical and economic responsibility for the environmental costs of their products. Pro-environmental intentions must be encouraged; however, it is not sufficient to cause sustainable waste management behaviours. Consequently, governments must promote and encourage sustainable e-waste management among households by providing enabling policy conditions such as convenient e-waste collection points and positively reinforcing waste reduction, reuse and recycling behaviours. Also, a culture of environmental conservation should be encouraged among households.

The study explores the role of environmental values and perceived behavioural control as a source of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to engage in sustainable e-waste management. The inclusion of facilitating conditions and perceived producer responsibility is justified, based on the call for a collective approach towards electronic waste management. The results of the study throw more light on the tri-party approach, specifically, consumers, business and government role in developing and maintaining a sustainable approach towards the management of electronic waste in Ghana. Also, the study integrates planned behaviour and norm activation based on the strong sustainability argument.

Understanding farmers’ perceptions of how the climate is changing is vital to anticipating its impacts. Farmers are known to take appropriate steps to adapt only when they perceive change to be taking place. This study aims to analyse how African indigenous vegetable (AIV) farmers perceive climate change in three different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) in Kenya, identify the main differences in historical seasonal and annual rainfall and temperature trends between the zones, discuss differences in farmers’ perceptions and historical trends and analyse the impact of these perceived changes and trends on yields, weeds, pests and disease infestation of AIVs.

Data collection was undertaken in focus group discussions (FGD) (N = 211) and during interviews with individual farmers (N = 269). The Mann–Kendall test and regression were applied for trend analysis of time series data (1980-2014). Analysis of variance and least significant difference were used to test for differences in mean rainfall data, while a chi-square test examined the association between farmer perceptions and ACZs. Coefficient of variation expressed as a percentage was used to show variability in mean annual and seasonal rainfall between the zones.

Farmers perceived that higher temperatures, decreased rainfall, late onset and early retreat of rain, erratic rainfall patterns and frequent dry spells were increasing the incidences of droughts and floods. The chi-square results showed a significant relationship between some of these perceptions and ACZs. Meteorological data provided some evidence to support farmers’ perceptions of changing rainfall. No trend was detected in mean annual rainfall, but a significant increase was recorded in the semi-humid zone. A decreasing maximum temperature was noted in the semi-humid zone, but otherwise, an overall increase was detected. There were highly significant differences in mean annual rainfall between the zones. Farmers perceived reduced yields and changes in pest infestation and diseases in some AIVs to be prevalent in the dry season. This study’s findings provide a basis for local and timely institutional changes, which could certainly help in reducing the adverse effects of climate change.

This is an original research paper and the historical trends, farmers’ perceptions and effects of climate change on AIV production documented in this paper may also be representative of other ACZs in Kenya.

The paper aims to examine fall armyworm's (FAW) effect on Ghana's farming households' income and food security status.

A sample of 225 farmers, including FAW-infested households and non-FAW-infested households, were interviewed. Gross margin (GM) analysis was used to estimate farmers' farm revenues, and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scores (HFIAS) was employed to measure the food security status of the households. The seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) was adopted to investigate the effect of FAW infestation on gross income and food security.

From the study, FAW attack is predominant during the vegetative stage of the maize plant. The empirical results revealed that FAW-infested farms incur loss, whereas non-FAW-infested farmers gained profit. Also, FAW-infested households were mildly food insecure, while non-FAW-infested households were food secured. The results of SUR analysis reveal that FAW infestation decreased farmers' income from maize production and rendered them food insecure.

One limitation of this study is that it largely depended on a survey; however, future studies can combine both survey and experimental data from the farmers' fields during minor and major growing seasons of maize.

Given the negative consequences of FAW, studies have been conducted across Africa and globally. However, most of these studies concentrated on using geographic information system (GIS) and descriptive statistics without necessarily quantifying the effect of FAW on food security and the profit margins of farming households. Therefore, this study adds to the little literature on the effect of FAW on food security and GM from maize production, which has received less attention in Ghana to the authors' best knowledge.

There is a robust study on crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) in student housing nowadays, but has a limited utilization of weight-of-evidence (W-o-E) approach. This study aims to assess the extent of CPTED in student housing facilities of universities in Ghana.

Using the on-campus student housing facilities of both private and public universities, the study adopted W-o-E approach that integrates two postoccupancy evaluations from end-users and student housing managers. In addition, observation by professionals as the lines of evidence (LoE) was also adopted. Weighted median was used to normalise the LoE into a W-o-E as the CPTED value in the student housing facilities.

The study uncovered low CPTED in the student housing facilities. Maintenance was identified as the leading CPTED principle present in the student housing facilities.

The study has given the extent of CPTED in students’ housing, an important insight for university students’ housing management. This can serve as a policy alert for the university students’ housing management to adopt building designs that enhance CPTED and the safety of the youth.

This study is different from other CPTED and students’ housing studies commonly situated in the Euro-America context. The study exceptionally applied the use of W-o-E in students’ housing in assessing the extent of CPTED in student housing within the context of sub-Saharan African universities.