ABSTRACTS FROM THE VOLUME 6 PENTVARS BUSINESS JOURNAL


CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Edward Marfo-Yiadom

Abstract

The strategic role of board of directors in ensuring organizational success cannot be gainsaid. This paper examines the concept of corporate governance and how it affects strategic management. For the eleven public companies surveyed, the evidence indicates that, they have good corporate governance practices. In terms of membership, outside directors were more than inside directors. The companies also had important sub-committees of the boards to deal with matters in detail before they pre-presented to the Boards. There is seemingly low female representation on the boards of public companies. Overall, the public companies adhere to good corporate governance.



The Concept of ‘Informal Economy’ Revisited: A Review of Related Literature
Mavis Serwah Benneh Mensah & Edward Marfo-Yiadom
Abstract
The informal economy occupies a centre stage in today’s development agenda. It is an avenue for people to put their entrepreneurial ingenuity into fruition – majority surviving through evasion of tax and other forms of enterprise regulation. However, there is no consensus on exactly what the informal economy stands for and what it constitutes. The paper substantiates this argument with literature. Illustrations of the problem are provided with empirical data on 85 Ghanaian manufacturing micro and small enterprises. Evidently, the place of unregistered businesses that pay ‘taxes’ and the self-employed that offer employment to other people in the formal-informal economy cannot easily be determined. It is concluded that until the present cloud of confusion surrounding the concept is well addressed, the informal economy is less likely to properly function as an ideal pro-poor growth platform for development and poverty alleviation.


SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORK PLACE: A LITERATURE REVIEW
Rebecca Dei
ABSTRACT

Sexual Harassment (SH) is one of the challenging human resource management problems in the work environment. It usually has a great impact on individuals and affects organisations’ image and profitability. It can be classified into two; the quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment. Apart from its effect on the victim’s psychological, economic, and physical stability which influences their ability to work effectively, it also causes incalculable harm to their families.

Although the majority of sexual harassment complaints come from women, the number of complaints filed by men is swiftly increasing. In order to mitigate SH in the Ghanaian work environment, clearer policies and laws should be formulated and enacted so that perpetrators and victims alike will know what constitutes SH and the corresponding punishments. Both employer and employees have a role to play to curb its effect; whiles the onus lie on employers to draw SH policies, employees must acquaint themselves with it and discourage the act immediately it starts.

This paper discusses sexual harassment in the work environment from literature review perspective and provides an in depth review of the issue from different countries and institutions. It also examines some trends on the issue, explores some causes of SH in Ghana. In addition, the paper also provides precautionary measures that can be adopted by both victims and organisations to curb the menace and enhance stability and growth in organisations.


TOWARDS A GROWING GHANAIAN CHURCH

Very Rev. Dr. Richard Foli

Introduction

Church growth is normally defined purely numerically without taking into account other measurements of growth. This clearly does not present the full picture. This article therefore deals with general Church Growth Principles with a view to facilitating the total growth of the Ghanaian Church. It looks at a) The Church Growth Movement, b) The Meaning of “Growth”, c) A Biblical Illustration of Growth, and d) The Marks of Growth, e) Examples of growing churches in Ghana.

Even though many people may be familiar with the term “Church Growth”, a clear and full understanding of all the implications of the term seems to be lacking. The following illustrates this lack of a full understanding of “Church Growth”. In my research for this work, a number of people I talked to about the subject intimated that they too were deeply concerned about the issue of “Church Growth”. But what a majority of them meant, from all indications, was that they worked hard and prayed that the membership of churches would increase. Many Christians, perhaps, share this sentiment and are committed to “growth” one way or the other. However, as Donald McGavran rightly asserts:

The goal of church growth studies is not merely correct facts as to the quantity of growth. It is not sufficient to see the structure clearly – though that must be done. The goal is through evaluation of the facts to understand the dynamics of church growth

Thus, any conception of church growth, which is limited to increase in church membership or what McGavran calls the “quantity of growth”, is not adequate. It will be helpful, therefore, to look at the sort of understanding that may be derived from the Church Growth Movement on the issue.