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Purpose -The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the management literature in recent years. This might be due to a renewed focus on corporate governance and ethical practices of companies the world over. This current study seeks to focus on how banks operating in Ghana communicate their CSR programmes and intentions via their corporate websites. Design/methodology/approach -A conceptual framework was adapted from the extant literature and was used as the basis of a content analysis of 16 banks in Ghana. This paper adopts a qualitative research approach drawing upon available information from the websites of these 16 banks. Findings -One of the banks that had won the most CSR awards at the Ghana banking awards had the poorest CSR communication content on its corporate website. It was also noted that banks that had never won a CSR award previously seemed to have a better organised structure in respect of their CSR activities on their websites. These findings clearly demonstrate the challenges that sometimes exist in transferring bricks-and-mortar organisational capabilities to online environments. Originality/value -Studies focussing on online CSR communications in emerging market contexts are almost non-existent and this study makes an important contribution in not only addressing this imbalance, but more importantly in improving bank marketing practices in Ghana.

Utilizing case studies of farmers and fishermen in Ghana, we investigated the mobile commerce (m-commerce) idiosyncrasies of two rural businesses. We specifically examined the investment cost associated with m-commerce, and the m-commerce adoption practices of farmers and fishermen in selected rural districts in Ghana. We adopted a qualitative research approach and conducted in-depth interviews with management and operational personnel, in our target respondent firms. We found that m-commerce facilitates cost reduction for farmers and fishermen, and affords them opportunities for deepening internal and external business relationships. M-commerce also facilitates the delivery of time-sensitive information, which enhances decision-making in transactions. Whilst m-commerce clearly enhances various value delivery propositions for the farming and fishing companies we profiled, it cannot entirely replace their business value chains. The originality of this study lies in the fact that, it is one of the few scholarly investigations focusing on m-commerce from the perspective of a sub-Saharan country.

This paper explores the influence of mobile phones on the micro-trading activities of women traders in Nigeria. This exploratory study adopts a qualitative research approach. A theoretical model based on the Technology Acceptance Model is used to analyse two case studies of the micro-trading activities of Nigerian market women. The findings suggest that, first, the benefits obtained by market women tend to be partly influenced by the extent of mobile access and usage by trading partners in their value chain. Second, the knowledge of the trader plays a critical role in determining the type of mobile functionality used. Market women who innovatively integrate mobile services, like mobile banking, stand to reform their market structural processes and become more economically empowered. In micro-trading activities, enhancing communication and trading processes through mobile phones improves revenue acquisition and enhances decision making and control. The research concludes with an emphasis for research and practice to increase the mobile capabilities of those at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ to beyond voice calls and text messaging. Research propositions and lessons for future research are also outlined. This paper generates new insights about the usage of mobile telephony for the enhancement of economic effectiveness of micro-traders.

PurposeE‐commerce is diffusing into developing countries (DCs), and is assumed to help deliver the international development agenda. But how can the connection between e‐commerce and socio‐economic development be conceptualised? The aim of this paper is to analyse that connection by drawing from the development studies discipline to take a broader perspective on e‐commerce than that so far provided by firm‐level research.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt a literature survey approach, drawing their conceptual foundations from development studies, and supplementing this from the e‐commerce literature.FindingsThe paper develops a new, integrated model that explains the way in which e‐commerce can contribute to socio‐economic development.Research limitations/implicationsThis new model can help provide a foundation for future research on e‐commerce in DCs; research on e‐commerce policy as well as impact assessment research.Practical implicationsThe discussion and model provide development agencies, governments, consultants and business people working in DCs with a clearer sense of the contribution e‐commerce can make; assisting them in prioritization, planning, and evaluation of e‐commerce projects.Originality/valueThe paper provides the first integrated perspective on the broader contribution of e‐commerce to the growth and development of DCs.

Purpose Given the significant contributions of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across several economies, calls for investigations into their branding strategies are burgeoning. However, the literature is unclear, scattered and relatively scanty. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the existing literature on branding with a focus on SMEs. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a systematic review by identifying and evaluating peer-reviewed journal publications focusing on branding within the context of SMEs. The systematic design is based on papers published within the period of 2004-2014. Findings The review shows that significant progress is being made in the area under discussion. With several gaps in issues and empirical evidence, as well as in theoretical and methodological approaches, the paper signals promising lines of inquiry for both empirical and theoretical research. Research limitations/implications By highlighting the research issues, as well as providing some pertinent research questions across various themes, the paper aims at directing future research efforts to critical areas which require immediate attention. The implications of the review are discussed in the paper. Originality/value The study identifies and describes the state of research issues and evidence in branding literature within the context of SMEs over a 10-year period, prompting insightful avenues to the academic and practitioner communities.

We undertook a review and classification of research on electronic commerce (e-commercc) in developing countries. We analyzed 181 articles published in a broad range of journals covering e-commerce, global information technology, and development issues. Richard Boateng, MSc, is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) PhD Researcher atThe analysis provides a roadmap that not only indicates the current state of e-commcrcc for development research but also identifies gaps and priorities for future research. This will be of significant value to both academics and practitioners who are working on, or plan to work on, e-commerce in developing countries.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of mobile phones on the micro‐trading activities of traders in Ghana. The study aims to develop a conceptual model analyzing the impact of mobile phones on pre‐trade, during‐trade and post‐trade activities.Design/methodology/approachA mixed methods approach consisting of a descriptive survey of 136 traders and a case study of two traders was adopted.FindingsThe findings suggest that traders primarily use mobile phones to monitor goods and pricing strategies, scheduling deliveries, and addressing inquiries and complaints in during‐trade activities. Traders, including those with no formal education, also use mobile phones as calculators in post‐trade activities. This innovative use of mobile phones is a function of their pre‐knowledge which may have been developed through formal education and/or social networks. Improving information management through mobile phones directly or indirectly contributes to the economic empowerment of the trader.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper proposes a conceptual framework that extends the transaction cost theory to consider transaction benefits and effects in micro‐trading. The study develops four propositions which can guide future research.Practical implicationsThe study provides practitioners with a “theoretically‐inspired” framework which goes beyond examining design and adoption to identify needs and assess impact in mobiles for development initiatives.Originality/valueThe conceptual framework extends the work on transaction cost theory in information systems and may inform future research in mobile phones and micro‐trading activities.