Showing papers in "Journal of African Business in 2018"
TL;DR: In this article, a technology readiness index was applied to determine consumers' readiness to adopt mobile payment services and the moderating effect of gender on their willingness to use mobile payment service.
Abstract: The technology readiness index was applied to determine consumers’ readiness to adopt mobile payment services and the moderating effect of gender. Gender has been identified as a key variable in ad...
163 citations
TL;DR: Mobile money is a mobile phone-based financial tool that can transfer money safely and quickly across a wide geographical area as mentioned in this paper, which has transformed the way businesses in Eastern sub-Sahara countries in Africa.
Abstract: Mobile money is a mobile-phone-based financial tool that can transfer money safely and quickly across a wide geographical area. Mobile money has transformed the way businesses in Eastern sub-Sahara...
160 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors employ the multipurpose nature of mobile telephony to investigate its welfare implications using a large sample of households in Ghana, using seemingly unrelated probit and instrumental features.
Abstract: The paper employs the multipurpose nature of mobile telephony to investigate its welfare implications using a large sample of households in Ghana. We use seemingly unrelated probit and instrumental...
147 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors test the moderating effect of social networks in the relationship between mobile money usage and financial inclusion in rural Uganda and reveal that the results revealed that the effect of the social networks on mobile users' financial inclusion was moderate.
Abstract: The purpose of this article is to test the moderating effect of social networks in the relationship between mobile money usage and financial inclusion in rural Uganda. The results revealed that the...
147 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of mobile technology on productivity and the channels of transmission of these effects were evaluated using propensity score matching procedures, and the results showed that mobile pho...
Abstract: This study evaluates the effects of mobile technology on productivity and the channels of transmission of these effects. Using propensity score matching procedures, the results show that mobile pho...
124 citations
TL;DR: The widespread use of mobile phones in Cameroon should be translated into increased farmers' income by reducing information search costs as mentioned in this paper, and the authors investigate the effects of mobile phone usage on farmers in Cameroon.
Abstract: The widespread use of mobile phones in Cameroon should be translated into increased farmers’ income by reducing information-search costs. This study seeks to investigate the effects of mobile phone...
103 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight high-quality interdisciplinary research in the field of mobile phone technology and inclusive economic development, with a view to inspire and educate readers and policy makers on the vital role of mobile phones in economic development in Africa.
Abstract: The primary objective of this special issue is to showcase high-quality interdisciplinary research in the field of mobile phone technology and inclusive economic development, with a view to inspire and educate readers and policy makers on the vital role of mobile phones in economic development in Africa. We hope that the articles in this special issue will encourage academics and policy makers to carry out more research on the challenges and opportunities mobile phone technology offers in our quest to develop our communities.
89 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the firm and macro-level drivers of financial innovations in Kenya's commercial banks and focus on branchless banking innovations, namely: mobile banking, agency banking, inter-bank, etc.
Abstract: This paper examines the firm- and macro-level drivers of financial innovations in Kenya’s commercial banks. We focus on branchless banking innovations, namely: mobile banking, agency banking, inter...
72 citations
TL;DR: Tanzanian enterprises adopt network strategies instead of focus strategies, diversify instead of competitive strategies, and instead of internationalizing based on strengths, Tanzania enterprises internationalize to overcome weaknesses as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Weak institutions, endemic market failures and low trust permeate the Tanzanian business environment. Nevertheless, some local enterprises overcome these challenges. Based on case studies of Tanzanian food processing enterprises, this paper identifies a number of coping strategies that contrasts markedly with the strategies traditionally emphasized by the strategic management literature: Instead of focus strategies, Tanzanian enterprises diversify; Instead of competitive strategies, Tanzanian enterprises adopt network strategies; And instead of internationalizing based on strengths, Tanzanian enterprises internationalize to overcome weaknesses. The paper traces these strategies back to specificities of the Tanzanian institutional environment and discusses implications for the strategic management literature.
33 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of access to finance on the productivity of manufacturing firms in Sub-Saharan Africa was investigated with the aid of the Semi-parametric approach by Levinsohn and Petrin.
Abstract: The paper investigates the effect of access to finance on the productivity of manufacturing firms in Sub-Saharan Africa. With the aid of the Semi-parametric approach by Levinsohn and Petrin, findings reveal that access to a cost-effective line of credit/loan or an overdraft facility has a positive effect on firm productivity. The study, therefore, concludes that it is of outmost benefit for firms to acquire credit facilities for more productive projects and that the credit constraints firms in Africa face should be significantly relaxed.
32 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define the importance of board diversity as one of the pillars of a robust corporate governance framework and propose a set of guidelines for diversity in board diversity in companies.
Abstract: A board of directors forms one of the pillars of a robust corporate governance framework. Board diversity can offer both challenges and opportunities for a company. In this article we inves...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the effect of financial development on the social costs of financial intermediation across a large number of banks in Africa and distinguished between countries with and without financial development.
Abstract: This article investigates the effect of financial development on the social costs of financial intermediation across a large number of banks in Africa. The study distinguishes between countries tha...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the impact of institutional quality on the external debt-growth nexus in SSA, using data from 36 SSA economies over the 1996-2013 periods.
Abstract: The study investigates the impact of institutional quality on the external debt–growth nexus in SSA. Data from 36 SSA economies over the 1996–2013 periods were used. The results from the IV-System ...
TL;DR: In this paper, three pathways through which market orientation, outsourcing, and technology transfer improve organizational success in Ghana are postulated, and the results suggest that among foreign and Ghanaian businesses, there are variations in the contributions of market orientation and outsourcing to developing capability and impacting on organizati...
Abstract: In the world of business, developing the capability to succeed in the marketplace is a sine qua non for most organizations. An examination of studies on firm competitiveness indicates that market orientation, outsourcing, and technology transfer provide firms with the basis for building capability to succeed in the business environment. Nonetheless, in a developing nation context, the comparative influences of market orientation, outsourcing, and technology transfer on organizational success among foreign and local firms when considered together in a combined framework is yet to be investigated empirically. To gain clearer insights, three pathways through which market orientation, outsourcing, and technology transfer improve organizational success in Ghana are postulated. Findings of this study suggest that among foreign and Ghanaian businesses, there are variations in the contributions of market orientation, outsourcing, and technology transfer to developing capability and impacting on organizati...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assess the influence of entrepreneur attributes on business formalization while controlling for structural and institutional factors, and reveal that attributes likely to increase the probability of formalizing one's business include being either a male, aged between 31 and 50, opportunity-driven or having at least secondary education.
Abstract: New institutional economics literature underscores the role of entrepreneur attributes in structuring the entrepreneur’s views and decision-making about (in)formalizing the business while considering the environment which shapes one’s perceptions. However, empirical knowledge on same, based on the African/Tanzanian context, remains scant. Based on Tanzanian national survey data from 5549 micro, small and medium enterprises, this paper assesses the influence of entrepreneur attributes on business formalization while controlling for structural and institutional factors. The results reveal that attributes likely to increase the probability of formalizing one’s business include being either a male, aged between 31 and 50, opportunity-driven or having at least secondary education.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors introduce the possibility of asymmetry in the reaction of output growth to inflation shocks in South Africa by making use of the Markov-switching vector autoregressive model.
Abstract: This paper introduces the possibility of asymmetry in the reaction of output growth to inflation shocks in South Africa by making use of the Markov-switching vector autoregressive model. Using quarterly data from 1969Q1 to 2013Q4, the empirical finding suggests that the reaction of output growth to inflation shocks is not only regime dependent but is also contingent on how the monetary authority reacts to such shocks. Two important regimes are identified; the high and low inflation volatility regimes. Consistent with the signal extraction theory, the output effect of inflation shocks is found to be significantly lower in the high inflation volatility regime compared to the low inflation regime.
TL;DR: In this paper, the influence of perceived justice on customer satisfaction with service recovery and on the future behavioral intentions of customers in the airline industry is examined, and the authors use an online survey to evaluate the influence.
Abstract: This study examines the influence of perceived justice on customer satisfaction with service recovery and on the future behavioral intentions of customers in the airline industry. The study uses an...
TL;DR: The goal of this commentary is to introduce the multivariate data analysis methods in practical terms that do not require a strong statistical background, so that readers can choose the methods appropriate for their research questions.
Abstract: Unlike univariate and bivariate statistical methods, multivariate statistical methods are capable of analyzing more than one relationship at a time. There are a number of multivariate data analysis methods, each with its own purpose. For nonexperts in statistical analysis, it can be daunting to determine what method is appropriate for a given application. The goal of this commentary is to introduce the multivariate data analysis methods in practical terms that do not require a strong statistical background. The emphasis is describing the purpose of each method, so that readers can choose the methods appropriate for their research questions. The use of multivariate statistical methods in the Journal of African Business also is explored.
TL;DR: The influence of the dimensions of corporate social responsibility on firm performance were tested in Harare, Zimbabwe using perceptual data from a sample of 155 firms over a period of three years.
Abstract: The influence of the dimensions of corporate social responsibility on firm performance are tested in Harare, Zimbabwe using perceptual data from a sample of 155 firms over a period of three years. ...
TL;DR: In this article, the influence of mobile money usage on customer continuance intention (CCI) was examined by examining 507 mobile money users to test the research model using PLS-SE.
Abstract: The paper examines the influence of mobile money usage on customer continuance intention (CCI). The study conveniently sampled 507 mobile money users to test the research model using PLS-SE...
TL;DR: In this paper, the mediating role of social capital in the relationship between institutions and financial inclusion of poor households in rural Uganda was examined and the findings indicated that social capital partially mediates the relationship of institutions and the poor in accessing scarce resources.
Abstract: The study examined the mediating role of social capital in the relationship between institutions and financial inclusion of poor households in rural Uganda. Cross-sectional design was adopted and data were collected and analyzed using SPSS/20, MedGraph and Sobel-z test. The findings indicated that social capital partially mediates the relationship between institutions and financial inclusion. Besides, institutions and financial inclusion are significantly related. Thus, managers of financial institutions, financial inclusion working groups, and policy makers should pay more attention to the role of social capital in promoting cooperative behavior among the poor in accessing scarce resources such as financial services.
TL;DR: In this paper, the degree of persistence and level of unemployment in Nigeria were estimated using an upward sloping Phillips curve, which is consistent with the theoretical definition of the natural rate of unemployment for Nigeria.
Abstract: This paper estimates the degree of persistence and level of unemployment, fairly consistent with the theoretical definition of the natural rate of unemployment for Nigeria. It argues that hysteresis exists on real borderline with an upward sloping Phillips curve, an indication that the optimization problem of the Central Bank of Nigeria could be less costly than was originally envisaged.
TL;DR: In this article, Carhart's (1997) four-factor model has been shown to explain momentum in stock returns, with only Fama and French's (1993) three factor model consistently failing to explain stock returns.
Abstract: Both the capital asset pricing model and Fama and French’s (1993) three-factor model have consistently failed to explain momentum in stock returns, with only Carhart’s (1997) four-factor model havi...
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of market sentiment and foreign policy uncertainty in explaining rand price fluctuations using monthly data from 1995M2 to 2017M8 was investigated and empirical results from the pair c...
Abstract: This study investigates the role of market sentiment and foreign policy uncertainty in explaining rand price fluctuations using monthly data from 1995M2 to 2017M8. Empirical results from the pair c...
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of a typical set of determinants of loan repayment performance of SMEs in the context of a rural bank's setting in Ghana is examined and the analysis using survey data suggests that, while hig...
Abstract: We examine the role of a typical set of determinants of loan repayment performance of SMEs in the context of a rural bank’s setting in Ghana. Our analysis using survey data suggests that, while hig...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the return predictability of two indices (the GSEALSH index and the GSEFSII index) on the Ghana stock market and compared the results with the Adaptive Market Hypothesis.
Abstract: This study examines the return predictability of two indices – the GSEALSH index and the GSEFSII index on the Ghana stock market. We compare results from analyzing the return series between January 4, 2011 and August 28, 2015 using the generalized spectral test, the automatic portmanteau Box-Pierce test and the wild-bootstrapped automatic variance ratio test. A rolling window approach is used to track whether returns are predictable or not through time. It was observed that the GSEALSH index was more highly predictable than the GSEFSII index in all the three tests. The results obtained are consistent with the Adaptive Market Hypothesis.
TL;DR: A thesis submitted to the University of Edinburgh's Department of Economics as mentioned in this paper in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Science degree in economics degree in 2016, is described in detail.
Abstract: A thesis submitted to the Department of Economics,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
award of Master of Science degree in
Economics, 2016.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the performance of Ethiopian seed systems from a customer's perspective, and identified the criteria that farmers use to evaluate seed supply systems and evaluated Ethiopian seed supply system from a farmer customer's viewpoint, which can be used as a basis to increase customer satisfaction.
Abstract: This study explores the performance of Ethiopian seed systems from a customer’s perspective. The study builds on the view that seed supply systems perform marketing functions such as developing new varieties of seed, multiplying the right quantity and quality, and distributing to the right places, at the right time, for an acceptable price. Hence, supply systems create value and satisfy customers. This study’s contribution is twofold. First, customer satisfaction theory is applied to complex chains (i.e. seed supply systems) in emerging markets, with their specific contextual challenges. Second, it identifies the criteria that farmers use to evaluate seed supply systems and evaluates Ethiopian seed supply systems from a farmer customer’s perspective, which can be used as a basis to increase customer satisfaction.
TL;DR: In this article, the capacity of Ghanaian banks to absorb large but plausible losses resulting from concentration of individual bank loan portfolios in sectors of the Ghanaian economy is investigated, and it is argued that these would be micro-prudential breaches, they are of such magnitude as to have economy-wide repercussions.
Abstract: The capacity of Ghanaian banks to absorb large but plausible losses resulting from concentration of individual bank loan portfolios in sectors of the Ghanaian economy is investigated. Stress scenarios consist of worsening of banks’ impaired loan charges by one, two and three standard deviations of the industry’s recent distribution of non-performing loans. Findings reveal that the capital adequacy ratios of many banks would have been negatively impacted, some to the point of becoming insolvent. It is argued that, though these would be micro-prudential breaches, they are of such magnitude as to have economy-wide repercussions. Thus, bank loan portfolios are too concentrated.
TL;DR: This article examined the role of an individual's belonging to some ethnic groups as it relates to the meanings associated with food consumption as well as the outcome(s) of ethnic food consumption.
Abstract: This study examines the role of an individual’s belonging to some ethnic groups as it relates to the meanings associated with food consumption as well as the outcome(s) of ethnic food consumption. ...