Sustainable Buying and Buyer Performance: Evidence from a Ghanaian Perspective (Published)
The purpose of this paper is to examine sustainable buying and its impact on buyer performance using Colleges of Education. This paper is a quantitative analysis based on seven Colleges of Education. Non-probability sampling techniques are used for choosing the unit of analysis. Also, data was collected through a well-structured questionnaire. The study found that the aspects of sustainable buying (Env, Soc, Eco) lead to improved buying performance. The study identified that buying performance is affected by e-buying systems, communication, organizational culture, business strategy, and size of organization, information available and monitoring. The study further discovered that the benefits of sustainable buying are improved quality of products, market expansion, increased intangible savings, reduced harmful emission of gas, value for money and increased efficiency in energy consumption. The study established the challenges of sustainable buying to be ineffective leadership, inadequate buying policies, budgetary constraint, inadequate compliance inspectors, lack of supplier collaboration and lack of capacity. Research limitations- the sample size is still limited and in future a quantitative analysis should be used. The study is limited in terms of the geographical area. The findings of the study are more likely to be held for other schools in all emerging market contexts. However, the applicability of these findings to other contexts needs further investigations. While interest on sustainable buying is increasing in emerging markets, there is little written on sustainable buying and its impact from the perspective of researchers from such market. Therefore, the impact of sustainable buying on buying performance has not been investigated so far.
Keywords: Benefits, Buyer Performance, Constraints, Emerging Markets, Ghana, schools, sustainable buying
Assessing the Efficiency of Soya Bean Marketing In the Ejura-Sekyedumasi and Nkoranza South Districts of Ghana (Published)
The study aimed at assessing the efficiencies of soya bean marketing channels in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi and Nkoranza South Districts, Ghana. The multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting thirty-seven soya bean farmers, two wholesalers, seven retailers, two small-scale processors and one large-scale processor of soya beans for the study. Gross Margin analysis was employed in determining the marketing costs and margins whereas the Shepherd’s Method was used in analyzing the efficiencies of the marketing channels. The study revealed that nine different channels existed through which soya bean was marketed in the study areas, with the simplest channel (Channel 1) being where farmers sell directly to consumers. Analysis of marketing cost and margins revealed that comparatively, Channel 1 had the least cost (GH₵2.40) and margins (GH₵10.50) since farmers dealt directly with consumers without any interference from market intermediaries, who usually increase transaction cost. From the study, Channel 1 was the most efficient channel with an Efficiency Index of 37.71. Thus, its marketing cost constituted a smaller proportion of the consumer price. The study recommends that farmers use Channel 1 where they sell directly to consumers to market their produce and also form co-operatives to protect them against price fluctuation and give them assurance of buyers. Moreso, the central government is directed to intervene in the form of road construction and improvement to help reduce the excessive transportation cost associated with the soya bean trade in Ghana
Keywords: Efficiency, Ghana, Marketing, Marketing Channel, Soya Bean
Effects of Services Quality on Customer Satisfaction: A Case from Private Hostels in Wa-Municipality of Ghana (Published)
The aim of this was to examine the influence of Hostel Services Quality on Student’s Satisfaction in the University of Development Studies (UDS) within the Wa-municipality of Ghana. A cross sectional quantitative research design was employed. The target populations of the study were predominately students in private hostels. Whopping 300 students were randomly sampled to participate in the study. The questionnaires were adopted from the SERQUA Model. Both primary and secondary data were employed in the study. The data were analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The study had revealed that overall the model used in this study was acceptable ANOVA was significant (p-value < 0.05). The study also revealed that, taking all the other factors constant at zero; a unit change in tangibility will bring 0.054 change in students satisfaction, a unit change in assurance will bring 0.318 a unit change in reliability will bring 0.342 in customer satisfaction, a unite change in responsiveness will bring 0.096 change in students satisfaction and finally, a unit change in empathy will bring 0.381 change in students satisfaction. It is concluded that hostel management should paid attention to the legitimate discontent among the students to improve efficiency in order to prevent massive switching rate in the long run when supply exceed demand in this business.
Keywords: Ghana, Hostel Service, SERVQUAL, Satisfaction, Students, Wa-municipality
Assessing the Efficiency of Soya Bean Marketing In the Ejura-Sekyedumasi and Nkoranza South Districts of Ghana (Review Completed - Accepted)
The study aimed at assessing the efficiencies of soya bean marketing channels in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi and Nkoranza South Districts, Ghana. The multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting thirty-seven soya bean farmers, two wholesalers, seven retailers, two small-scale processors and one large-scale processor of soya beans for the study. Gross Margin analysis was employed in determining the marketing costs and margins whereas the Shepherd’s Method was used in analyzing the efficiencies of the marketing channels. The study revealed that nine different channels existed through which soya bean was marketed in the study areas, with the simplest channel (Channel 1) being where farmers sell directly to consumers. Analysis of marketing cost and margins revealed that comparatively, Channel 1 had the least cost (GH₵2.40) and margins (GH₵10.50) since farmers dealt directly with consumers without any interference from market intermediaries, who usually increase transaction cost. From the study, Channel 1 was the most efficient channel with an Efficiency Index of 37.71. Thus, its marketing cost constituted a smaller proportion of the consumer price. The study recommends that farmers use Channel 1 where they sell directly to consumers to market their produce and also form co-operatives to protect them against price fluctuation and give them assurance of buyers. Moreso, the central government is directed to intervene in the form of road construction and improvement to help reduce the excessive transportation cost associated with the soya bean trade in Ghana
Keywords: Efficiency, Ghana, Marketing, Marketing Channel, Soya Bean