The small-scale sub-sector continues to be a fundamental catalyst for job creation and economic growth in Ghana. About 35 per cent of labour is provided by the sub-sector and shows the importance of harnessing its potentials in developing the Ghanaian economy. It has been established that financial literacy has a significant influence on whether or not small-scale enterprises succeed. Yet, the exact effect of financial literacy on small-scale enterprise performance has not been fully identified in Ghana, hence the need for the present study. This study examines the effect of financial literacy (awareness, attitude and knowledge) of managers on the performance (financial and non-financial) of small-scale enterprises in the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipality of Ghana. Primary data were obtained from 200 small-scale managers through structured questionnaires. The data were analysed using structural equation model. The results revealed a significant effect of financial literacy on firm performance (both financial and non-financial performance). Also, all the three components of financial literacy (awareness, attitude and knowledge) have a significant positive effect on both financial and non-financial performance. However, individual characteristics (age of the individual, educational level and experience) have no significant effect on financial performance, whereas tax becomes useful when used as a regulatory tool of small enterprises. Capacity building programmes are therefore recommended to increase financial literacy among managers/owners of small-scale enterprises.

After the introduction of mobile commerce and service, people have acceptance, adopted and used the services for various purposes. However, little attention has been given its continual usage in small enterprises sector in Ghana. Also, studies on the benefits to businesses and barriers of use of mobile commerce and service have been carried out, but extensions of the studies to include examination of the effect of social and demographic factors of small business owners on mobile services use is lacking in the small enterprises sector in Ghana. The study investigates the factors which determine the adoption of mobile commerce and services among small enterprises in the Adentan Municipality of Ghana. The objective of the study is to determine the effects of demographic factors, experience and attitude on the adoption of mobile commerce and service. Data was collected using questionnaires administered to 400 owners of small enterprises in Adentan Municipality. Using structural equation model analysis, the results show that males have less attitude to use mobile commerce and service than females. Also, as people age, attitude to use mobile commerce and service improves. Education and experience have positive effect on attitude to use mobile commerce and service. On the contrary, there is a negative effect of income on attitude. There is a significant positive effect of attitude on mobile commerce and service’s actual usage. The study recommends that, internet service practitioners should develop effective strategies and tactics to improve the attitude to use mobile commerce and service among small businesses owners in Ghana.

Employees’ poor performance within the banking sector has become evident in recent times, and studies on how leadership styles affect employee commitment in the Ghanaian banking sector is scanty. The purpose of this article is to examine the effect of leadership styles on employee commitment after controlling for demographic and institutional factors. The study also examines whether there is a difference in the leadership style due to the gender of leaders and determines the dominant leadership style among bank managers. A sample of 160 leaders and subordinates were selected from 10 commercial banks. The study employed hierarchical regression as well as independent sample t-test techniques. Financial organizations were chosen because much of the existing studies on leadership styles have focussed on non-financial sectors. The findings of the study indicate that transactional leadership is the most dominant leadership style practised within the banking sector. After controlling for demographic and institutional variables, laissez-faire and transformational leadership behaviours have significant positive effects on employee commitment. Although transactional leadership style is dominant, it contributes only 4.8 per cent to employee commitment as compared to 51 per cent by transformational leadership style in eliciting employee commitment. There is an evidence that, married employees are more likely to be committed employees than the unmarried, but as the employee’s number of children increases, commitment level falls. Although all the three leadership styles have positive effects on employee commitment, transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles are most significant. This is the first study in Ghana to show that there is no significant difference between the sexes when it comes to exhibiting leadership styles in the banking sector. The findings of this study provide useful information for policy-makers to improve employees’ commitment levels and their performance by means of stimulating the right leadership styles in the managers.

The objective of the study is to empirically examine the effect of working capital management on performance of manufacturing firms in Ghana. The study used six listed manufacturing companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange for the period 2008-2014. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze the effect of working capital management on manufacturing firms' performance. The study examines the effect of different components of working capital management on firm's performance. The study finds that the current ratio, average collection period and the accounts payable period have positive effect on profitability. However, only the current ratio has statistical significance. Also, while inventory conversion period as well as the cash conversion cycle have negative effect on performance, they are all statistically insignificant. It is recommended that finance managers should implement efficient and effective ways of managing working capital management. Emphasis should be placed on average payment period, improving sales growth and maintaining higher current ratio.

Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows have increased rapidly over the last few decades. However, Ghana has not attracted much of this FDI. Investors are driven mostly by profit maximization and hence decisions to invest in an unfamiliar territory are often based on the economic and political conditions of this new territory. The current study investigates the effect of the state of governance and economic crises on FDI inflows to Ghana. Using time series data from 1960 to 2015, Vector Error Correction Mechanism results show that democratic governance has the tendency to positively influence FDI inflows while periods of economic crises are likely to reduce FDI inflows to Ghana in the long run. Depreciation of the Ghana Cedi reduces FDI inflows but market size has a positive influence on FDI inflows. Increase in labour skills and the level of openness have positive effects on FDI inflows. In the short run, economic crises in the last three years have negative effects on present FDI inflows while democratic governance in the past year positively influences FDI inflows. It is recommended that democratic governance should be maintained to enhance FDI inflows. Also, efforts to avoid economic crises especially institutional shocks absorbers are key to maintain FDI inflows to Ghana. JEL: P33, P45, E02, O55