Innovations for reviving small-scale industries in Ghana
Abstract:
This research paper give emphasis to
some of the innovations used in reviving small-scale industries in Ghana. It stresses
on the point that if SMEs that has been labelled as the engine growth of the Ghanaian
economy can adopt innovative ways in doing business, there would be great impact
to Ghana. There is a general awareness and acceptance
of the role SMEs play in socio-economic development in Ghana. The Small-Scale industries
contributes greatly to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in ensuring economic growth,
employment, income stability and poverty reduction in most developing countries.
In-spite of the above roles, most of these industries are now collapsing because
of the lack of innovations in conducting their businesses. The few who has been
able to adopt innovated ways of doing business are experiencing business boom while
the majority of them are struggling to break-even thereby classifying the small-scale
industries as synonymous to a ‘hand to mouth’ industry. This study intends to achieve
the following objectives; first is to pinpoint some of the innovations used in reviving
SMEs, to identify some challenges faced in the adoption of innovation in small-scale
business delivery in Ghana and to determine and make effective recommendations that
would help to reduce or mitigate those challenges. To achieve the objectives slated,
review of secondary data from documented reports and the internet, publications,
journals and articles were used. The primary data was an in-depth guided interview
with key stakeholders (revenue collectors, policy makers, small-scale business owners,
members of the SMEs etc.)
Keywords:
Innovation, Small scale industries, SME, Ghana.
References:
[1].
Annual Report of UNIDO, 1999. Available at
https://www.unido.org/annual-report-unido-1999.
[2].
Aryeety, E. (2001). Priority Research Issues
Relating to Regulation and Competition in Ghana. Centre for Regulation and Competition
Working Paper Series. (Paper No.10).
[3].
Aryeety, E., Kayanula D, and Quartey P. (1994).
Supply and Demand for Finance of Small Enterprises in Ghana. World Bank Discussion
Paper. (No.251).
[4].
Baregheh, A., Rowley, J., Sambrook, S. (2009),
Towards a multidisciplinary definition of innovation. Management Decision, 47(8),
1323-1339.
[5].
Cook, P. and Nixson, F. (2000). ‘Finance and
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development, IDPM, Finance and Development Research
Programme Working Paper Series, Paper No 14, University of Manchester.
[6].
Feeney, L. S. and Riding, A. L. (1997). ‘Business
Owners’ Fundamental Trade-off: Finance and the Vicious Circle of Growth and Control’,
Canadian Business Owner, November.
[7].
Hidalgo N., Vizán I. y Torres M. (2008). Los
factores clave de la innovación tecnológica: claves de la competitividad empresarial.
Dirección y Organización, Journal núm. 36, (Octubre). pp. 132-175.
[8].
http://hrmars.com/hrmars_papers/Article_05_The_Impacts_of_Interest_Rate_Fluctuations1.pdf (Retrieved
on 25/04/2018).
[9].
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation.html (Retrieved
on 25/04/2018)
[10]. http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/innovation/index.html (Retrieved
on 25/04/2018)
[11]. https://www.slideshare.net/YvonneDwomohOkudzeto/third-year-internship-thesis (Retrieved
on 25/04/2018).
[12]. https://www.coursehero.com/file/p14c11t/have-indeed-not-been-spared-with-the-definition-problem-that-is-usually/ (Retrieved
on 25/04/2018).
[13]. http://www.managementnote.com/stages-of-technological-innovation/ (Retrieved
on 25/04/2018).
[14]. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/jun/03/2015-challenges-how-can-technology-and-innovation-be-a-force-for-good (Retrieved
on 25/04/2018).
[15].
https://www.cleverism.com/lexicon/innovation-marketing-definition/ (Retrieved on 25/04/2018).
[16].
http://www.internetmarketingforcompanies.com/seosocialppc/ (Retrieved on 25/04/2018).
[17].
https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Demand_generation.html (Retrieved on 25/04/2018).
[18].
https://issuu.com/bobperella/docs/elements_of_demand_generation (Retrieved on 25/04/2018)
[19].
James C. Sarros, Brian K. Cooper, Joseph
C. Santora, (2011) "Leadership vision, organizational culture,
and support for innovation in not‐for‐profit and for‐profit organizations",
Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 32 Issue: 3, pp.291-309,
https://doi.org/10.1108/01437731111123933.
[20]. Mullinuex,
A.W. (1997). ‘The Funding of Non-Financial Corporations (NFCs) in the EU (1971 -1993):
Evidence of Convergence, Mimeo’, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham.
[21]. Pavón,
J. E Hidalgo, A. The strategic dimension of technological innovation, in:
Pavón, J. E Hidalgo, A. Management of innovation. A strategic approach, Carlos V International Center, Ediciones
Pirámide, Madrid, 1997.