International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies

Less attention has been given to well-being and other household characteristics that influence clients’ access to micro-credit among women households especially. The paper investigates the determinants of access to credit by 320 women entrepreneurs in the Mfantsiman Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana. Data for the study was collected in June-July 2010 from six communities including Mankessim, Saltpond, Anomabu, Biriwa and Yamoransa. Sturctured questionnaires were used to collect the data from women entrepreneurs. The results of the study indicate that clients’ well-being influences access to credit amount. Clients who have been in business for long time are likely to access larger loan amounts. Marital status and education do not influence access to credit. Among the recommendations are that microfinance should not only target clients with high well-being scores but those with low well-being scores since the original aim of microfinance is to lift the poor out of poverty. It is important to give credit to aged business owners instead of young ones. Giving credit to married women because their husbands could serve as guarantors does not matter much but rather women who do not have husbands also need to benefit from micro-credit.

This study focused on sales-orientation and customer-orientation of Direct Sales Executives (DSEs) on sales performance at Fidelity Bank, Ghana; which was a cross-sectional study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, cross tabulation and chi-squared test of independence. The result showed a strong association between prior sales experience and employment status. DSEs customer orientation was influenced by customer information while the sales orientation was on convincing customers to buy. The customer-oriented culture was based on reliable market and customer information. DSEs sales performance were influenced by complete knowledge of the bank’s products and services, listening skills and empathy. The study suggests that Fidelity Bank must sensitize its DSEs on the bank philosophy on its customer orientation culture. This study appears to be the first of its kind to explore the connection between sales orientation and customer orientation on performance in the Banking Industry in Ghana, thus providing empirical evidence for academics and practitioners.

Ghana, like most other developing countries, is not isolated from the global financial crisis through the impact of such a crisis on economies. This paper examines the financial sector reforms and its effect on the Ghanaian economy, within the developing country context in general and in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular. The paper seeks to enhance the understanding of relevant policy measures and reflects on what else could be done. The article further studies the effect of change in the institutional environment on bank governance practices primarily to improve the industry’s supervision and regulation, related to the post-crisis exit strategies. This paper discusses the development of ICT infrastructure and application as a basis for the main dimension of Ghana’s digital transformation in financial services. This paper is, therefore, motivated by the lack of empirical studies that examines how the impact of the banking reforms play a substantial role in promoting innovative digital payment systems to replace cash transactions. From the perspective of institutional theory, the study looked at why (and how) a number of policy measures have a significant impact on the financial performance of banks? And how the applications of e-finance in ICT and financial practices, provides several benefits within the banking sector improve the sector’s image and leads to a broader, faster and more efficient market? The application of Koppenjan and Groenewegen (2005) ‘s four-layer model ‘levels of institutional analysis’ perspective seems to be the most useful starting point, which provides the basis for an improved understanding of revealing the inefficient delivery of Ghanaian banking industry in the past. A combination of a review of secondary and empirical data, interviewed used in the analysis. Findings indicate that the financial and banking sector reforms help the industry   advance digital banking culture and impact on the general expansion of the financial and the infusion of financial inclusion in Ghana. These conclusions would be particularly useful in a similar picture in other developing countries, as well as by the bank authorities to create their future policy. It also joins the debate on the impact of the banking reform, a key turning point towards better regulation to refine crisis prevention and resolution mechanisms.

<p>The key to long-term success in banking is consistent improvement and delivering of quality product and or value-added service that conform to the expectations of customers. IT-innovative products/services and processes (technological innovation) facilitate these key elements of customer satisfaction and critical factors for retaining valued customers. The objective of this paper is to explore the effects of technological innovation on service consistency and the consequential effects on customer satisfaction and loyalty covering seven universal banks in Ghana. The results of the empirically tested model reveal new/improved product/process functionalities, service consistency and innovative product/process satisfaction contribute significantly to customer loyalty (<em>p < 0.001</em>). Service consistency has a marginal higher impact (<em>β </em>= .373) on customer loyalty than the others. Product/process quality contributes significantly (with <em>β</em> ranging from .345 to .742 and <em>p < 0.001</em>) to each of the above three antecedents than all other items.</p>

Green accounting plays a vital role in addressing the environmental consequences of mining. However, existing research is predominantly concentrated in developed countries, leaving a knowledge gap in developing contexts such as Ghana. To bridge this gap, this study conducts a systematic review of green accounting practices within Ghanaian mining communities. Using PRISMA guidelines, the authors examined peer-reviewed literature from three major academic databases, employing keywords such as "green accounting," "environmental accounting," "sustainable accounting," "natural resource accounting," and "mining in Ghana." From an initial pool of 276 studies, 46 were selected based on inclusion criteria. The findings show that while green accounting disclosures are increasingly present in corporate reports, they remain inconsistent. Several studies also evaluate the legal and policy frameworks shaping corporate environmental responsibility in mining, while others assess sustainability practices among mining firms. The study concludes by advocating for locally tailored sustainability strategies and suggests future research on the socio-environmental impact of eco-friendly technologies in Ghana's mining sector.

Green accounting plays a vital role in addressing the environmental consequences of mining. However, existing research is predominantly concentrated in developed countries, leaving a knowledge gap in developing contexts such as Ghana. To bridge this gap, this study conducts a systematic review of green accounting practices within Ghanaian mining communities. Using PRISMA guidelines, the authors examined peer-reviewed literature from three major academic databases, employing keywords such as "green accounting," "environmental accounting," "sustainable accounting," "natural resource accounting," and "mining in Ghana." From an initial pool of 276 studies, 46 were selected based on inclusion criteria. The findings show that while green accounting disclosures are increasingly present in corporate reports, they remain inconsistent. Several studies also evaluate the legal and policy frameworks shaping corporate environmental responsibility in mining, while others assess sustainability practices among mining firms. The study concludes by advocating for locally tailored sustainability strategies and suggests future research on the socio-environmental impact of eco-friendly technologies in Ghana's mining sector.

This study focused on sales-orientation and customer-orientation of Direct Sales Executives (DSEs) on sales performance at Fidelity Bank, Ghana; which was a cross-sectional study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, cross tabulation and chi-squared test of independence. The result showed a strong association between prior sales experience and employment status. DSEs customer orientation was influenced by customer information while the sales orientation was on convincing customers to buy. The customer-oriented culture was based on reliable market and customer information. DSEs sales performance were influenced by complete knowledge of the bank’s products and services, listening skills and empathy. The study suggests that Fidelity Bank must sensitize its DSEs on the bank philosophy on its customer orientation culture. This study appears to be the first of its kind to explore the connection between sales orientation and customer orientation on performance in the Banking Industry in Ghana, thus providing empirical evidence for academics and practitioners.

This research examined bankers’ perceptions of environmental sources of financial risks and its impact on commercial banks in Ghana. Primary data was collected from a purposive sample of ninety-six (96) middle–level bank managers using structured questionnaires. Time series secondary data on banking performance (denoted as ROA and ROE) and stability (denoted as CAR and NPLR) and growth of five major industrial businesses (including agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, and trade) as the environmental sources of financial risks, for a period of 13 years (2006-2018) was further obtained for analysis. Data was analyzed using the sample t-test and the multivariate dynamic panel regression model. The results show that, in bank lending, mining was perceived to be the topmost source of indirect environmental risk (credit and reputational risks), while agriculture was perceived to be the leading source of direct environmental risk (business risk). We found that perceptions of environmental sources of financial risk by mangers of locally owned banks differed from that of foreign owned banks. Growth of mining, trade and manufacturing positively influenced banking performance while the growth of construction and agriculture negatively influence banking stability. The study thus provides supportive evidence that commercial banks require set standards that guide clients’ business towards environmental sustainability

Ghana, like most other developing countries, is not isolated from the global financial crisis through the impact of such a crisis on economies. This paper examines the financial sector reforms and its effect on the Ghanaian economy, within the developing country context in general and in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular. The paper seeks to enhance the understanding of relevant policy measures and reflects on what else could be done. The article further studies the effect of change in the institutional environment on bank governance practices primarily to improve the industry’s supervision and regulation, related to the post-crisis exit strategies. This paper discusses the development of ICT infrastructure and application as a basis for the main dimension of Ghana’s digital transformation in financial services. This paper is, therefore, motivated by the lack of empirical studies that examines how the impact of the banking reforms play a substantial role in promoting innovative digital payment systems to replace cash transactions. From the perspective of institutional theory, the study looked at why (and how) a number of policy measures have a significant impact on the financial performance of banks? And how the applications of e-finance in ICT and financial practices, provides several benefits within the banking sector improve the sector’s image and leads to a broader, faster and more efficient market? The application of Koppenjan and Groenewegen (2005) ‘s four-layer model ‘levels of institutional analysis’ perspective seems to be the most useful starting point, which provides the basis for an improved understanding of revealing the inefficient delivery of Ghanaian banking industry in the past. A combination of a review of secondary and empirical data, interviewed used in the analysis. Findings indicate that the financial and banking sector reforms help the industry   advance digital banking culture and impact on the general expansion of the financial and the infusion of financial inclusion in Ghana. These conclusions would be particularly useful in a similar picture in other developing countries, as well as by the bank authorities to create their future policy. It also joins the debate on the impact of the banking reform, a key turning point towards better regulation to refine crisis prevention and resolution mechanisms.

<p>The key to long-term success in banking is consistent improvement and delivering of quality product and or value-added service that conform to the expectations of customers. IT-innovative products/services and processes (technological innovation) facilitate these key elements of customer satisfaction and critical factors for retaining valued customers. The objective of this paper is to explore the effects of technological innovation on service consistency and the consequential effects on customer satisfaction and loyalty covering seven universal banks in Ghana. The results of the empirically tested model reveal new/improved product/process functionalities, service consistency and innovative product/process satisfaction contribute significantly to customer loyalty (<em>p < 0.001</em>). Service consistency has a marginal higher impact (<em>β </em>= .373) on customer loyalty than the others. Product/process quality contributes significantly (with <em>β</em> ranging from .345 to .742 and <em>p < 0.001</em>) to each of the above three antecedents than all other items.</p>