Browsing by Author "Simpson, S.N.Y.,"

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Boards and governance of state-owned enterprises
(Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2014) Simpson, S.N.Y.,
Purpose – This study aims to examine the structure, attributes, and performance of boards of directors of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) within the broader context of public sector governance. This is informed by the less attention given to the concept among public sector organizations despite efforts to make state enterprises more effective and efficient, especially in developing and middle income countries. Design/methodology/approach – Data was collected through questionnaires self-administered in 2010 to all 25 SOEs in Accra, Ghana, out of the 29 nationwide. Some key officials were interviewed and documentary evidence analyzed to achieve triangulation of data and results. Findings – Results show that state-owned enterprises have boards and comply with the minimal governance issues outlined the legal frameworks establishing them. However, they exhibit significant weaknesses in the areas of board performance evaluation, criteria for board appointment, the balance of executive directors and non-executive directors, and other board characteristics, indicating a departure from general practices. Practical implications – Findings suggest the need for a tailored corporate governance framework or code for state-owned enterprises in developing countries. Originality/value – Compared to the literature, this study provides insight on boards from the perspective of state enterprises in ensuring good corporate governance, particularly in the context of a middle income country (Ghana).
Computer Technology and Teaching of Accounting by Universities in Ghana
(2013) Simpson, S.N.Y.,; Welbeck, E.E.,
The past several years have seen phenomenal efforts across the globe to adopt information and communication technology (ICT) in every aspect of education due to the several benefits it presents. The areas that seem to be attracting much attention are teaching, learning and research. Universities in Africa have not been left out in this development, but compared to other countries, regions and continents, very little seems to have been done in assessing the extent of ICT adoption in the teaching and learning of the various disciplines, including accounting. Adopting the survey strategies, this paper explores the use of ICT in the teaching of accounting in African Universities, using evidence from Ghana. Results show that ICT is used in the teaching of accounting by universities; more in public than private universities. Moreover, more accounting students in private universities are exposed to ICT resources like accounting software than the public universities. In addition, PowerPoint presentations, emails, and the internet in general, are the commonly used ICT resources in the teaching of accounting.
Developments in Public Sector Accounting Practices: The Ghanaian Experience
(Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2012) Simpson, S.N.Y.,
Purpose – This chapter examines developments in public sector accounting practices using evidence from a developing country (Ghana), and explores the motivations for such developments from post-independence to date. This stems from the limited research in public sector accounting particularly on developing countries despite the rich empirical context that they provide for the global research community. Design/methodology/approach – Advocating for institutional theory, data was gathered from multiple sources including interviews, discussions and documents to achieve the above objectives. Findings – Evidence gathered shows gradual shift from cash accounting to accrual accounting practices (modified), including computerization of the entire public sector accounting and reporting processes. Indeed, the World Bank and IMF sponsored reform (PUFMARP) instigated many of the major developments in the public sector accounting practices, including the adoption of accrual accounting and deployment of integrated financial management information system. Research limitations/implications – Findings on developments during the post-colonial period were only based on the analysis of few documentary sources. Originality/value – The study contributes to the limited studies in public sector accounting from developing countries and Africa in particular. It also extends the application of institutional theory in public sector accounting research. Implications – Findings inform practitioners and policy-makers on the context-specific factors worth considering in the adoption of public sector accounting practices.
Ensuring Accountability in State-owned Enterprises : Examining the Role of Annual Reports from a Middle Income Country’s Perspectiv
(2013) Simpson, S.N.Y.,; Odainkey, H .N.,
State-owned Enterprises (SoEs) in developing countries have been the leading beneficiaries of several reforms in attempts to make them more accountable, thus ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in their operations. This is because SoEs have been recognized as one of the key contributors to the socio-economic development in developing economies. One of the key tools identified for ensuring accountability is their annual report. However, evidence on the role the annual report plays has been mixed. This study contributes empirically to the literature on the role of annual reports of SoEs, in the lightof reforms using evidence from Ghana
An Evaluation of Financial Health of Non-Life Insurance Companies from Developing Countries: The Case of Ghana
(2009) Simpson, S.N.Y.,; Berko, O. L.,
The paper seeks to shed light on the contention regarding ascertaining the financial soundness of insurance companies using a developing country as the context. It examines the current model being used by the Ghanaian regulatory and supervisory body (the National Insurance Commission, NIC) on non-life insurance companies in Ghana and compares it with the CARAMELS model including other rival theories in determining the financial health of non-life insurance companies in Ghana. The motivation of the study was that the unique format of insurance companies' financials does not lend itself to traditional financial accounting analysis. Besides, assessing financial soundness in the insurance industry is a complex task since the overall financial position of an insurance company depends on many factors, some of which are difficult to quantify. Though, recommendations as well as conclusions from past studies concerning the financial health on insurance companies are mixed, results from the study suggest that, the framework being used currently by NIC on the financial health of non-life insurance companies is not comprehensive enough to give early warnings to the industry's stakeholders and that the CARAMELS model as proposed by other authors fits the Ghanaian context and helps to bring to the fore, the generally accepted insurance core principles in the financial behaviour of non-life insurance companies in Ghana.
Exploring the disclosure of intellectual capital in Ghana: Evidence from listed companies
(2013) Asare, N.,; Onumah, J.M.,; Simpson, S.N.Y.,
Intellectual Capital (IC) has become a prominent feature of business transactions and discourse. The rising interests in IC and Intellectual Capital Disclosure (ICD) issues in both developed and developing countries have necessitated insightful studies. This study explores ICD in Ghana and seeks to contribute to fill the dearth in the literature on ICD from the perspective of developing countries. The study examines the ICD of 25 companies listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) over a five-year period (2006-2010) through content analysis of their corporate annual reports. The study revealed that the ICD level in annual reports in Ghana is quite high and descriptively reported and though disclosure of IC is improving but at a relatively marginal rate. Therefore looking at the trend of ICDs by the companies, the study recommends the need for accounting regulatory bodies and oversight agencies (local and global) to develop specific standards or guidelines on identifying, measuring and reporting IC. This paper is one of the few studies to have investigated the disclosure of IC in corporate annual reports in Ghana.
Performance Contract and Performance of Public Enterprises: A Study of the Implementation Processes
(2013) Simpson, S.N.Y.,
This paper therefore seeks to identify and analyse the factors that may explain the reported mixed results in relation to the impact of performance contract on the performance of public enterprise. The study specifically seeks to identify and analyse the factors that may explain the mixed results in the implementation of PC by public enterprises in Ghana. To achieve the above objective, the study adopted multiple case study strategy. Specifically, four public enterprises representing four cases were randomly sampled based on the performance assessment categorisation by the State Enterprises Commission (SEC). The findings of the study reveals that the content, targets, and objectives in the performance contracts are always specific, clear and measurable. There are however variations in how each of the case formulate performance targets and objectives in the contracts. SOEs in the excellent and above average categories have separate department exclusively in charge of corporate planning and that explains the variations in performance targets and objectives on yearly basis compared to those in categories C and D which show minimal changes with incremental modification to the previous targets objectives. Similarly, the study shows that SOEs in categories and A and B have clearly designed structures and systems for the implementation PC. Moreover, they were found to combine both top-down and bottom up approaches in their PC processes. Although the findings show that all SOEs face similar political inferences, financial and human resources have been identified from the study as vital in contributing to the performance of SOEs in the implementation of performance contact. On the basis of the above findings, this paper recommends among other things, the need for examine the institutional arrangements for formulating and implementing the content of performance contact within SOEs. Furthermore, the approach adopted by SOE A; trainees becoming trainers must be extended to other SOEs to build competent and qualified human resource base for the SOE sector.
Performance contracts and State enterprises : the Ghanaian perspective
(2010) Simpson, S.N.Y.,; Onumah, J.M.,
Evidence from earlier studies on the use of Performance Contract (PC) has been mixed since its introduction as a tool to among other thing improve the operations of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and ultimately their performance. This study builds on the latest study on the subject by Larbi (2001) who used an SOE in Ghana. What makes this study different is that it goes beyond the case of only one SOE and PC. The current paper adopts qualitative research approach where data were gathered through interviews, examination of PCs and other documentations. The study confirms some of the finding of the earlier studies on the operations of PCs in Ghana, but adds one more performance indicator to the three (3) identified by Larbi (2001): the dynamic effects. Furthermore, PCs in Ghana tend to assign high weight to economic goals and in some cases no weight to productivity. With regard to improved results there are considerable variations which are attributable to the many and various performance indicators
Performance contracts and State enterprises : the Ghanaian perspective
(2010) Simpson, S.N.Y.,; Onumah, J.M.,
Evidence from earlier studies on the use of Performance Contract (PC) has been mixed since its introduction as a tool to among other thing improve the operations of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and ultimately their performance. This study builds on the latest study on the subject by Larbi (2001) who used an SOE in Ghana. What makes this study different is that it goes beyond the case of only one SOE and PC. The current paper adopts qualitative research approach where data were gathered through interviews, examination of PCs and other documentations. The study confirms some of the finding of the earlier studies on the operations of PCs in Ghana, but adds one more performance indicator to the three (3) identified by Larbi (2001): the dynamic effects. Furthermore, PCs in Ghana tend to assign high weight to economic goals and in some cases no weight to productivity. With regard to improved results there are considerable variations which are attributable to the many and various performance indicators