Browsing by Author "Mensah, S.A."
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Item Antecedents, Outcome and Mediating Role of Consumer Trust in Ridesharing Services in a Developing Economy: A Case of Uber(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Mensah, S.A.Ridesharing is gradually replacing traditional taxi and mini-bus services due to numerous benefits associated with it. However, the subject of trust continues to be the most predominant issue in the sharing economy and ridesharing service is not an exception. Extant studies relating to consumer trust have examined trust antecedents and outcome and the most studies concentrate on trust in e-commerce, whereas areas such as ridesharing is given less attention. This study sought to investigate the antecedents and outcome of consumer trust in ridesharing services and determined to find the mediating role of trust between the antecedents and outcome. Guided by trust path model, the study adopted the quantitative survey research methodology. A total of 364 Uber consumers within a university in Accra responded to the questionnaire and were conveniently sampled for the data. The university campus was chosen for the study because it cradles a cosmopolitan mix of transport services as the general public and uber drivers converge near designated places. Covariance Based Sturctural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) approach was employed in analysing the data gathered from the respondents of the study. The results showed that trust significantly influences word-of-mouth in ridesharing services. Furthermore, the antecedent factors of trust namely perceived application quality, information quality, user experience and proficiency, and brand recognition significantly influence trust. The result further indicated that brand recognition in ridesharing services proved to be the strongest antecedent factor of trust. Regarding the mediating role of trust between trust antecedent factors and word of mouth, it was found that trust produced no mediation between the antecedents factors of trust and word of mouth. The no-mediation role that Trust plays between antecedents’ factors and outcome can be attributed to the fact that, ridesharing is a new entry in the transport sector. Secondly, the favourable reputation couched for the ridesharing services such Uber may be attributed to the service nature of ridesharing. The very fact that ridesharing service is electronic-oriented, intangible and novel, the motivation to engage the service far outweighs the social concern of trust. In terms of research, the study adds to the body of knowledge on sharing economy by concentrating on the subject of trust in digital economies, particularly in the transport sector. Secondly, the study amplifies the genenralization power of the conceptual model as it can be added to particular sets of theories that have dominated extant literature in ridesharing. The study recommends that ridesharing firms should provide incentives and promotions to evince the benevolence aspect of trust. Further, a more tailored set of government policies for ridesharing firms should be developed to provide a comprehensive guideline and strategy for them to be distinct from traditional taxi systems. The study is also limited in various ways. First, the study employed only the quantitative methodology to deduce the antecedent factor that impacts user trust in ridesharing. Also, the approach allowed the researcher to obtain in-depth knowledge into the issue under study and it was largely influenced by the understanding of the researcher. There is a need for future research to focus on antecedent factors that affect user trust from multi-user perspective and over a long period of time. Lastly, because the research was conducted in a University environment, it portrays that the study is skewed towards young, educated and working-class people. It would be insightful for future research to delve other groups of people to know if the results will differ.Item Basic Developmental Characteristics of the Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Reared under Laboratory Conditions(Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 2023) Marri, D.; Mensah, S.A.; Kotey, D.A.; Abraham, J.; Billah, M.K.; Osae, M.Te life cycle of the invasive alien insect pest, fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), was studied using a colony established from feld-collected larvae. Eggs, neonate larvae, and newly emerged adult moths were used in experiments to investigate the basic biology of the FAW. Adult females laid up to 1184 eggs with a mean of 469 ± 22 eggs per female. Te incubation period of eggs and percentage hatchability were 2-3 days and 80–87%, respectively. Te mean larval lengths from the frst to the sixth instar were 4.63, 6.60, 9.76, 15.86, 25.13, and 27.81 mm, respectively. Te mean larval weights were 0.003, 0.019, 0.045, 0.050, 0.060, and 0.067 g, respectively, for the six instars. Te mean width of the head capsule of the sixth instar larva was 2.76 mm. Te total larval duration throughout the six instar stages was 16–18 days, while the mean pupal weight was 0.25 ± 0.001 g and 0.35 ± 0.011 g for males and females, respectively. Te mean pupal length was 14.3 ± 0.16 mm for males and 17.2 ± 0.14 mm for females. Pupal duration ranged from 8 to 14 days, with a mean of 10.35 ± 0.26 days, while the pupal emergence rate ranged from 60 to 94%, with a mean of 80.25 ± 1.28%. Te life cycle of males lasted 33–44 days and that of females lasted 36–49 days under laboratory conditions. Adult copulation occurred between 8 and 11 pm, with the peak occurring at 9 pm. Tis study provides baseline information about the biology of the FAW. Apart from being an important reference point for future research on the FAW, the data provided would aid FAW management decision-making.Item Migrating from user fees to social health insurance: exploring the prospects and challenges for hospital management(2012-06-22) Atinga, R.A.; Mensah, S.A.; Asenso-Boadi, F.; Adjei, F.A.AbstractBackgroundIn 2003 Ghana introduced a social health insurance scheme which resulted in the separation of purchasing of health services by the health insurance authority on the one hand and the provision of health services by hospitals at the other side of the spectrum. This separation has a lot of implications for managing accredited hospitals. This paper examines whether decoupling purchasing and service provision translate into opportunities or challenges in the management of accredited hospitals.MethodsA qualitative exploratory study of 15 accredited district hospitals were selected from five of Ghana’s ten administrative regions for the study. A semi-structured interview guide was designed to solicit information from key informants, Health Service Administrators, Pharmacists, Accountants and Scheme Managers of the hospitals studied. Data was analysed thematically.ResultsThe results showed that under the health insurance scheme, hospitals are better-off in terms of cash flow and adequate stock levels of drugs. Adequate stock of non-drugs under the scheme was reportedly intermittent. The major challenges confronting the hospitals were identified as weak purchasing power due to low tariffs, non computerisation of claims processing, unpredictable payment pattern, poor gate-keeping systems, lack of logistics and other new and emerging challenges relating to moral hazards and the use of false identity cards under pretence for medical care.ConclusionStudy’s findings have a lot of policy implications for proper management of hospitals. The findings suggest rationalisation of the current tariff structure, the application of contract based payment system to inject efficiency into hospitals management and piloting facility based vetting systems to offset vetting loads of the insurance authority. Proper gate-keeping mechanisms are also needed to curtail the phenomenon of moral hazard and false documentation.Item Migrating from user fees to social health insurance: exploring the prospects and challenges for hospital management(BioMed Central, 2012-06) Atinga, R.A.; Mensah, S.A.; Asenso-Boadi, F.; Andoh Adjei, Francis-XavierBackground: In 2003 Ghana introduced a social health insurance scheme which resulted in the separation of purchasing of health services by the health insurance authority on the one hand and the provision of health services by hospitals at the other side of the spectrum. This separation has a lot of implications for managing accredited hospitals. This paper examines whether decoupling purchasing and service provision translate into opportunities or challenges in the management of accredited hospitals. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study of 15 accredited district hospitals were selected from five of Ghana’s ten administrative regions for the study. A semi-structured interview guide was designed to solicit information from key informants, Health Service Administrators, Pharmacists, Accountants and Scheme Managers of the hospitals studied. Data was analysed thematically. Results: The results showed that under the health insurance scheme, hospitals are better-off in terms of cash flow and adequate stock levels of drugs. Adequate stock of non-drugs under the scheme was reportedly intermittent. The major challenges confronting the hospitals were identified as weak purchasing power due to low tariffs, non computerisation of claims processing, unpredictable payment pattern, poor gate-keeping systems, lack of logistics and other new and emerging challenges relating to moral hazards and the use of false identity cards under pretence for medical care. Conclusion: Study’s findings have a lot of policy implications for proper management of hospitals. The findings suggest rationalisation of the current tariff structure, the application of contract based payment system to inject efficiency into hospitals management and piloting facility based vetting systems to offset vetting loads of the insurance authority. Proper gate-keeping mechanisms are also needed to curtail the phenomenon of moral hazard and false documentation.Item The "universal" in UHC and Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme: Policy and implementation challenges and dilemmas of a lower middle income country(BioMed Central Ltd., 2016) Agyepong, I.A.; Abankwah, D.N.Y.; Abroso, A.; Chun, C.; Dodoo, J.N.O.; Lee, S.; Mensah, S.A.; Musah, M.; Twum, A.; Oh, J.; Park, J.; Yang, D.; Yoon, K.; Otoo, N.; Asenso-Boadi, F.Background: Unsafe abortion is an issue of public health concern and contributes significantly to maternal morbidity and mortality globally. Abortion evokes religious, moral, ethical, socio-cultural and medical concerns which mean it is highly stigmatized and this poses a threat to both providers and researchers. This study sought to explore challenges to providing safe abortion services from the perspective of health providers in Ghana. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted. The study was conducted in three (3) hospitals and five (5) health centres in the capital city in Ghana. Participants (n = 36) consisted of obstetrician/gynaecologists, nurse-midwives and pharmacists. Results: Stigma affects provision of safe-abortion services in Ghana in a number of ways. The ambiguities in Ghanaian abortion law and lack of overt institutional support for practitioners increased reluctance to openly provide for fear of stigmatisation and legal threat. Negative provider attitudes that stigmatised women seeking abortion care were frequently driven by socio-cultural and religious norms that highly stigmatise abortion practice. Exposure to higher levels of education, including training overseas, seemed to result in more positive, less stigmatising views towards the need for safe abortion services. Nevertheless, physicians open to practicing abortion were still very concerned about stigma by association. Conclusions: Stigma constitutes an overarching impediment for abortion service provision. It affects health providers providing such services and even researchers who study the subject. Exposure to wider debate and education seem to influence attitudes and values clarification training may prove useful. Proper dissemination of existing guidelines and overt institutional support for provision of safe services also needs to be rolled out.