Samuel Owusu-Ansah | University Of Ghana, Accra,Legon (original) (raw)

Papers by Samuel Owusu-Ansah

University of Ghana, Apr 17, 2015

Advances in Library and Information Science, 2020

This study represents a framework that digital libraries can leverage to increase usage and visib... more This study represents a framework that digital libraries can leverage to increase usage and visibility. The adopted qualitative research aims to examine a digital engagement strategy for the libraries in the University of Ghana (UG). Data is collected from participants (digital librarians) who are key stakeholders of digital library service provision in the University of Ghana Library System (UGLS). The chapter reveals that digital library services included rare collections, e-journal, e-databases, e-books, microfilms, e-theses, e-newspapers, and e-past questions. Additionally, the research revealed that the digital library service patronage could be enhanced through outreach programmes, open access, exhibitions, social media, and conferences. Digital librarians recommend that to optimize digital library services, literacy programmes/instructions, social media platforms, IT equipment, software, and website must be deployed. In conclusion, a DES helps UGLS foster new relationships, c...

With the continuous improvement of library services across the globe owing to automation, technol... more With the continuous improvement of library services across the globe owing to automation, technological advancement, and growth in student population, rapid access to social media (SM) platforms has become a vital part of keeping present and would-be users well-versed about academic library service. The study brings to bear on the use of SM platforms in promoting library services. Using the survey approach, one hundred and seventy-six (176) library users of the University of Ghana (UG), Library System (LS) were selected to provide primary data via questionnaires. All respondents were selected through simple random sampling. The SPSS was used to generate Pearson correlation, mean, and standard deviation results. The results revealed that the effectiveness of SM platforms has asignificant positive relationship with users' perception and its usefulness. The deployment of SM as a marketing tool in university libraries, marketing library resources, and information centrescan be promoted greatly. Moreover, few challenges encountered by library users in using the SM include lack of privacy, the confidentiality of information, power cut or shortage, and inadequate training opportunities for the UGLS staff among others. The study presents opportunities useful for professional librarians.

The results of the findings revealed that the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats o... more The results of the findings revealed that the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of SAKAI, have no significant relationship with distance learners' level of ICT skills. From the results, it was clear that for management to be able to capitalize on the strengths of SAKAI as an eLearning platform, much attention must be paid to the stability of internet connection, user interface for ease of use, accessibility to mobile technology and much user training. The study made a significant recommendation for adoption.

This study aims to investigate or verify whether gender affects the use of Information and Commun... more This study aims to investigate or verify whether gender affects the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities among academics. The study used a survey approach that involved questionnaires to solicit data from 154 academics. For the past few years, an assortment of ICT facilities such as computers, laptops, projectors, printers and many others have been available to academics for accessibility and use in collaboration, teacher-student communication, online assignment, research, teaching and learning. Using the t-test analysis, access rates and use of ICT among male and female academics was observed to be insignificant. Again, the findings revealed a significant difference between male and female academics on 'ICT increasing collaboration with other tertiary faculty members', 'performing information/data management activities' and 'accomplishing tasks more quickly'. Strategies have been suggested to utilize ICT in educational institutions include improving on ICT infrastructure, provision of a policy environment, increasing Internet bandwidth, providing alternative power supply, improving on ICT infrastructure, enhancing ICT training programs, recruiting more ICT personnel and collaboration between academics and industry.

This study seeks to investigate the accessibility of academic library services to distance learne... more This study seeks to investigate the accessibility of academic library services to distance learners, with specific reference to University of Ghana Library System (UGLS). A survey was conducted and one hundred and thirty eight (138) Level 400 distance learning students. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) is used to analyze the completed questionnaire. The results revealed that a greater proportion of the respondents were not aware of the library services because they were not available on the UGLS. Distance learners had no remote access to library electronic resources and other databases and therefore did not strongly agree to the provision of information needs through social media services. It was also evident that information needs of respondents were mostly not adequately provided for. The study recommended the following to the management of UGLS; awareness creation of library resources, user education on information literacy of library resources, encouraging the u...

Information Technology (IT) has changed the business world many times over. In the Information Ag... more Information Technology (IT) has changed the business world many times over. In the Information Age, the advent of computers and the Internet has increased that impact significantly. Many businesses particularly banking industry cannot even function without the use of computer technology. This impact is seen in nearly all areas of business, including human resources, where technology continues to have a significant impact on Human Resource (HR) practices.The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of IT on HR functions in Fidelity Bank and National Investment Bank (NIB). The Survey approach was adopted for this study, with staff from the HR department as the subjects. The purposive sampling technique was adopted and the SPSS as an analytical tool was used to create tables and correlation of some variables. It was found out that Online Social Network (OSN) among other IT tools is mostly used for recruitment by private banks whereas daily newspapers are used by the public bank...

Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies, 2021

Ghana has a large and complex higher learning educational system, with an increasing enrolment ea... more Ghana has a large and complex higher learning educational system, with an increasing enrolment each year. Given the global significance of the Sustainable Development Goals, this study aims to assess the roles of Ghanaian university libraries in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4. The study applied a qualitative research approach to examine the strategies deployed by libraries in Ghana and the purposive sampling technique was used to select interviewees. The findings indicate that university libraries in Ghana are at the forefront of providing information and library services to support capacity building. These libraries have ensured inclusiveness to quality education by providing equitable library services, information access, and unbiased information services to all clients without discrimination. The study identified poor public perceptions of these libraries, inadequate funding, and emerging technologies as challenges facing libraries in Ghana. It was revealed that the are...

Advances in Library and Information Science, 2021

To continue to remain the backbone in research-intensive universities and centre for educational ... more To continue to remain the backbone in research-intensive universities and centre for educational excellence, academic libraries must have the capacity to renew library competences to respond rapidly and promptly towards the new global health crisis, and effectively adapt, integrate, and reconfigure the internal and external organizational repertoire to match the needs of users. During COVID-19 pandemic, academic libraries need to be innovative and operate more virtual than traditional. The dynamic capability framework assists library managers and policymakers in recognizing aspects of enhancement capacity that require improvement. In conclusion, the dynamic capability framework is an optimal decision-making alternative for library management and academic libraries in the context of isolation, quarantine, and physical distance during the COVID-19 era.

Current Research Journal of Social Sciences, 2013

International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 2016

The technological revolution has undoubtedly brought about many changes in the modern workplace. ... more The technological revolution has undoubtedly brought about many changes in the modern workplace. Although it has allowed work to be carried out faster and more efficiently, many employees are not comfortable with its implementation since it involves change and uncertainty. As a result, users experience technological stress (techno-stress), which may have negative consequences on work places like commercial banks. This paper aims at investigating the effects of techno-stress on employees in the banking sector. A survey methodology that involves self-administered questionnaires to solicit data from 400 banking staff of commercial banks was employed. The employees revealed that ICTs create mental pressure, sense of anxiety and pessimism, as they have to keep up with the fast advancing pace of the new ICTs. Our study reveals that techno-stress has a negative impact on employee performance. It is recommended that the management of commercial banks, and IT professionals provide a better environment, alternative power supply and adequate training programs.

Journal of Information Engineering and Applications, 2014

Performance appraisal is the systematic review of an individual employee's performance on the job... more Performance appraisal is the systematic review of an individual employee's performance on the job which is used to evaluate the effectiveness of his or her work. The present research seeks to evaluate the performance appraisal system at the University of Cape Coast library. The authors in this study adopted the survey approach to gather data from library staff located in the University of Cape Coast Library. Using the descriptive statistics, it was found out that library staff (76.8%) affirmed the existence of a performance appraisal system in the library. From the participants view, performance appraisal system was necessary to assist in determining the input of staff, bring motivation to workers and ensure effective work by the staff. The majority of the library staff (70.2%) stressed that their immediate boss was responsible for appraising their work output in the UCC library. Based on the major findings of the study, the authors recommended to the management the following: clarity of the rating criteria or qualities, training of appraisers, appraisal interview or discussion and counselling, frequency of appraisals, responsibility for appraising staff, staff motivation, use of computer software and periodic review the appraisal system

This paper assesses the impact of "One Laptop Per Child Policy" on teaching and learning in basic... more This paper assesses the impact of "One Laptop Per Child Policy" on teaching and learning in basic schools in Ghana. Specifically, 500 students were randomly selected together with 10 information and communication technology (ICT) instructors in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Both questionnaire and in-depth interviews were used for gathering data. The data collected were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Findings of the study showed that stringent criteria are used to assess the needs of students and in the distribution of the laptops. The use of user-friendly laptops and qualified instructors has significantly improved the students' knowledge in ICT. However, lack of infrastructure, power supply and qualified tutors were notable challenges that hindered the attainment of the goals of the policy. To ensure equity and quality ICT education, recommendation were given in the study.

It is an undisputable fact that the world is changing at a very fast pace. It therefore requires ... more It is an undisputable fact that the world is changing at a very fast pace. It therefore requires a change if every organization and institution are to respond to these changes. It is for these reasons that government needs to take initiative in order to stimulate its citizens to adopt and embrace the use of ICT, using usability engineering as a tool to iimprove the existing and future government Virtual Interactive Systems designthem to give off the best leading to an increase in work performance.Given the fact that more and more governments in Europe and Africa invest heavily in e-government design and implementation, e-government has become an evolving and important research area in the IS (Information System) field. A mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative) was adopted whilst the purposive sampling was used to select respondents of the study. The main instrument used in gathering data was questionnaire. The results indicated that the e-government services have transformed how government relates itself to its citizenry. About (38.1%) of respondents identified that an improved usability or system interface was a major reason for the adoption and usage of e-government service and vice versa. However, there were some suggestions and recommendations on how to improve the human factor issues in the adoption and use of egovernment services among the middle age population in Ghana with purpose of improving usability of existing and future government virtual interactive systems design, which include establishment of Public Authority for egovernment projects, improvement of Payment systems, e-government campaign, improvement of ease of use of services, enhance training of personnel, interactive interfaces and effectiveness of the system design. 1.1 Introduction The information and Communication Technology (ICT) insurgency, especially fast technological advancement of the Internet as well as the declining prices for the use of this technology has dramatically changed how citizens interact with their ministries and government and therefore creating a significant development in their hopes (Dodd, 2000). Following the electronic commerce's advancement in the private sector, electronic government, i.e. egovernment, seems to be the next step in the public sector administration. Rana et al. (2012) underscored that many governments in Africa and Europe are modernizing themselves into an innovative form called electronic government or e-government (Akman et al., 2005) for strengthening and keeping themselves in the global competition. According to Bose (2004), e-government is the application of ICT, including an Internet to the advancement and innovation in, and improvement of government services to its citizenry. E-government refers to the use of information technology (IT) by governments to enhance the access and delivery of its information and service to the citizens, business partners, professionals, other organizations, and even government entities(McClure, 2000; Symonds, 2000; West, 2004) themselves. Its primary purpose is to improve the liability and functioning of the government operations. These activities incorporate government services delivery, access to government information, and participation by citizens and businesses (DeBenedictis, 2002). According scholras like Dwivedi and Williams, 2008; Dwivedi et al.,2006; Ke and Wei, 2004; Tan and Subramaniam, 2005, e-governments platforms impart a range of benefits such as low-cost, high speed, responsible, and reliable services not only to governments, businesses, but extensively to citizens as well (Jaeger, 2003). It has become a common focus of government efforts and abilities in many developed nations such as Australia (Teicher & Dow, 2002) UK (Beynon-Davies, 2005) and more recently in several developing countries like Dubai (World Bank, 2002). It has been established that most existing research on e-government has focused on western developed states (Ho, 2002; Leitner, 2003; Choudrie et al., 2005). Among those that focused on egovernment implementation within developing states, only a few have emphasized several issues and obstacles that need to be confronted (Atallah, 2011 and Ndou, 2004). As it is mentioned earlier and also as a reason for doing this research, the previous researches in this area (egovernment services among the middle age population in Ghana: improving usability of existing and future

E-Services [Working Title], 2019

Our understanding of the library context on security challenges on storing research output on the... more Our understanding of the library context on security challenges on storing research output on the cloud is inadequate and incomplete. Existing research has mostly focused on profit-oriented organizations. To address the limitation within the university environment, the paper unravels the data/information security concerns of cloud storage services within the university libraries. On the score of changes occurring in the libraries, this paper serves to inform users and library managers of the traditional approaches that have not guaranteed the security of research output. The paper is built upon the work of Shaw and the cloud storage security framework, which links aspects of cloud security and helps explain reasons for university libraries moving research output into cloud infrastructure, and how the cloud service is more secured. Specifically, this paper examined the existing storage carriers/media for storing research output and the associated risks with cloud storage services for...

Journal of Information Techology for Teacher Education, 2002

Research evidence suggests teacher educators who role model the use of information communication ... more Research evidence suggests teacher educators who role model the use of information communication technology (ICT) in their practice help their students build confidence and competence as ICT users. This research finding is also supported by feedback from Louisiana Tech University students in teacher education. Research also indicates that a number of factors impact the adoption of ICT in the practice of teacher educators. This research has examined one of these factors, namely the benefits of one-on-one coaching for teacher educators by technology coaches as they worked together to learn to use technology. Participants included 33 teacher educators from Louisiana Tech University and 14 pre-service teachers. The pre-service teachers served as technology coaches and worked with the teacher educators in their offices and classrooms as they learned to use technology for their personal benefit and to integrate technology into their teaching. Interviews and observations indicated that coaches as well as teacher educators benefited from the relationship and both groups increased their technology competency. The Importance of Teacher Educators Using Information Communication Technology (ICT) A survey conducted by the International Society for Technology in Education commissioned by the Milken Exchange on Education Technology found that teacher preparation programs are not preparing teachers to teach effectively with technology (Moursund & Bielefeldt, 1999). Results of this survey indicate that teacher educators do not model technology use in part because they lack the skills to do so, and they lack the necessary hardware and software.