Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are vital to the economic development of emerging economies, significantly contributing to employment, innovation, and GDP growth. This study investigates the influence of market competition on SME performance in emerging economies, specifically examining the moderating role of process innovation. Using a sample of 365 SMEs in the western region of Ghana, the research employed a convenience sampling technique to gather data. The analysis utilized partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to explore the relationships between market competition, process innovation, and SME performance. The findings revealed that three direct hypotheses were supported, indicating a positive relationship between market competition and SME performance, while the moderated hypotheses were not supported. These insights provide valuable implications for SME owners, managers, and policymakers.

Purpose: Despite the growth of literature on SC performance drivers, there is still limited attention on how road transport infrastructure may drive SC performance. This study is conducted to examine the mediating role of road safety compliance in the relationship between road transport infrastructure and SC performance among manufacturing firms in emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from the system and knowledge-based view perspectives, a framework was proposed and validated using survey data from the beverage manufacturing firms in Ghana. Data were gathered from 359 managers of firms in Ghana. The model was validated by PLS-SEM. Findings: The results showed a direct significant relationship between road transport infrastructure, road safety compliance, and SCP. The findings further revealed that the influence of road transport infrastructure on SCP is not just a bivariate relationship but also mediated through road safety compliance. The outcome of this study provides evidence that though road transport infrastructure remains crucial to driving SCP, superior SCP could be achieved in the presence of road safety compliance. Originality/value: The outcome of this study offers an important extension to the frontiers of literature on supply chain performance. It also provides practical insight to practitioners in the manufacturing setting by emphasizing the need to pay crucial attention to road safety compliance as well as invest in road infrastructure development in the quest to achieve efficient SC performance of firms.

This study delves into the role of procurement training on procurement process efficiency and its subsequent impact on organizational performance. Employing the resource-based view theory as a theoretical foundation, the research adopts a quantitative approach, utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). This study adopted a purposive-convenient sampling technique to select the needed respondents. 312 procurement officials from diverse institutions in Ghana as participants were engaged in the study. The findings reveal a significant effect of procurement training on procurement process efficiency and organizational performance. The positive correlation between procurement and process efficiency contributes to enhanced organizational performance. These results emphasize the pivotal role of training interventions in optimizing the procurement process, benefiting overall organizational effectiveness. Recognizing the substantial impact of training on enhancing efficiency and, in turn, organizational performance, organizations are encouraged to invest strategically in procurement training programs. This research contributes valuable insights to the field, offering a nuanced understanding of the interplay between training, process efficiency, and organizational performance in the procurement domain.

Sustainability practices have grown to an increasing significance for entrepreneurial success, reflecting the true commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability. While sustainability and gender in entrepreneurship have been approached as independent studies, the point of confluence of both gender and sustainable solopreneurship practices has not been the focus of much research. The aim of the research was to comprehensively examine sustainable solopreneurship practices, focusing on the significant role of gender dynamics. The purposive sampling method was adopted to select 10 solopreneurs and investigate their experiences. This study used a phenomenological research design, and the data collection method includes semi-structured interviews, allowing the participants to explain in detail their motives, challenges, and strategies for practicing sustainability. The identification of the patterns and variations was conducted through thematic analyses to ensure the legitimacy of the rigor and credibility. The study found that the challenges are family expectations and gender stereotyping, while the opportunities are profitability and adaptability to market changes. Strategies that emerged for financial resilience included savings and cost efficiency through bulk purchases and energy conservation. The study has enormous implications for the design of tailored support to aid males in female-dominated businesses, access to capital and resources for them, and suggests the need for financial literacy programs and policy initiatives on sustainability practices. These provide the way forward for the above-addressed challenges in creating an enabling environment for sustainable solopreneurship.

In today’s business environment, establishing a positive business climate is becoming increasingly important for organisational performance. A positive employee factor creates a social atmosphere, which encourages high employee involvement and an employee-centered culture. In response, employees feel comfortable and contribute positively to financial performance of the business. Given the intensity of competition in the service industry, firms must understand how the employee factor affect their performance. This study examined the way the employee factor mediates the relationship between sensory marketing and organisational performance in the Foodservice Sector of Ghana. The study used quantitative research method for data collection through survey questionnaires. The questionnaires were developed and distributed directly in physical form at the restaurants through stratified sampling method. The study used a total of 38 management staff and 331 customers as respondents for the data collection. The research data was analysed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Analysis of Moment of Structures (AMOS), with the support of the maximum likelihood estimator to achieve the covariance of the constructs. The mediating variable was measure by the binary outcome variable with Andrew Hayes Process Model. The results indicate that sensory marketing has a significant positive relationship on economic performance. In addition, no mediating effect was found in the relationship between sensory marketing and economic performance. Cross-sectional data, a restricted target sample senior staff of restaurants, and a restricted target area (i.e. Greater Accra Region) were limitations of this study. In addition, the dimensions of economic performance were identified as market share, profitability and sales growth. Finally, the hypothesised relationship was explored only for the foodservice sector. Therefore, the results of this study will assist foodservice operators to develop and implement market-orientated strategies to help achieve sales growth, enhance profit, and market share among themselves. It is hoped this study will be a useful reference point for future academic researchers who will undertake similar study in relation to the discussed variables.

Retention of medical doctors within the public healthcare sector has remained a pressing challenge in Ghana. This study is guided by the Equity theory (1965). The study employed the use of a cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted in three public-based hospitals in Accra, Ghana namely: Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, and University of Ghana Medical Center, Accra. Using a random sampling method, a tagret study population of 370 medical doctors was obtained and a sample size of 192 was obtained using the Yamane formula. The instrument of data collection was a structured questionnaire. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed with 193 returned representing a 96.5% response rate. The study evaluated the collected using descriptive statistics using: tables, mean, frequencies, and percentages and also established the research objectives employing inferential statistics where a linear regression model was employed. The dependent variable was retention (RETM), while the independent variable was salary remuneration (SRM), financial bonuses (FBM), and the prompt payment of financial entitlements (PPM). The result of the regression analysis shows that the R-square is 0.445, the relationship between RETM and SRM was statistically significant at P-value<0.05, while the coefficient is positively related at 0.242. The relationship between RETM and FBM was also positive and statistically significant at a p-value0.05 between RETM and PPM showing a non-significant relationship. The study concludes that salary remuneration and financial bonuses are the most influential financial factors in retaining medical doctors in public hospitals. The study recommends increasing the salaries of medical doctors and introducing performance-based financial bonuses to retain medical doctors.