Abednego Feehi Okoe

Consumers’ attitude towards social media advertising and their behavioural response: The moderating role of corporate reputation

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between consumers’ attitude toward social media advertising and their behavioural response and the moderating effect of corporate reputation in this relationship. Social media advertising is gradually gaining grounds among practitioners and researchers. Design/methodology/approach – Survey design was used and the respondents totaled 441. They were selected using convenience sampling technique. Questionnaires were used to collect the data and analyzed using hierarchical regression. Findings – Findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between consumers’ attitude toward social media advertising and their behavioural responses. Again, it was noted that corporate reputation moderates this relationship. Research limitations/implications – This study relied on convenience sampling and a cross-sectional survey design, which makes it difficult to generalize the findings and account for changes that occurred in the attitude of consu...

Examining human resource practice outcomes and service innovation

ABSTRACT This study sought to examine the relationship between human resource practice outcomes and service innovation. It also examines the moderating role of knowledge sharing in the relationship between workplace friendship and service innovation, as well as the mediating role of knowledge sharing in the relationship between job satisfaction and service innovation. The study employed survey research design. The respondents were selected from across the service industry in Ghana using convenience sampling technique. Items measuring the constructs were adapted from extant literature. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to ascertain the validity of the measurement model. Hierarchical regression was used to analyse the data. The results show that knowledge sharing, job satisfaction, workplace friendship, and employee commitment predict service innovation. However, the interaction of workplace friendship and knowledge sharing has no effect on service innovation. Similarly, the moderation of employee commitment and job satisfaction did not make any contribution to service innovation. The findings imply that service firms must create a friendly working environment, ensuring that employees are satisfied in order to promote service innovation. It also implies that service firms must promote social activities that encourage knowledge sharing, but these social activities must relate to employees’ job.

The relationship between human resource practices and knowledge sharing in service firms

Human resource practices have been found to be critical in knowledge sharing. Thus, this study examined the effects of job satisfaction, employee commitment, workplace friendship and team culture on knowledge sharing. This study used the survey research design. The respondents of the study were employees of the service industry. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the data. The results show that employee commitment, workplace friendship and team culture explain the variance in knowledge sharing in service firms. The implications of the findings have been discussed at the end of the article.

Determinants of Consumers’ Attitude towards Social Media Advertising

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors determining consumers’ attitude towards social media advertising. The survey research design was employed as the research design. Validity and reliability of the measures were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, structural equation modelling was used to examine the structural model. Credibility, materialism, value corruption and corporate reputation are found to have an effect on consumers’ attitudes towards social media advertising. This study provides evidence of the role of corporate reputation in consumers’ attitudes towards social media advertising. Recommendations of the study have been provided.

Examining customers’ continuance intentions towards internet banking usage

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that affect continuance intention towards internet banking usage using the institutional trust theory. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 481 internet banking users from a bank in Ghana using a questionnaire. The respondents were internet banking users. Data were analysed using partial least square-structural equation modelling. Findings The results from the analysis revealed that information quality, service quality, privacy and security concerns were significant predictors of both trust and satisfaction. Structural assurance and situational normality were also found to significantly affect trust. Other factors that were found to be significant of continuance intention included satisfaction and trust. Originality/value Studies investigating customers’ continuance intention towards internet banking usage using the institutional trust theory in an emerging economy like Ghana is rare. Hence, this study provides a model for banks operating in Ghana to understand internet banking customers’ continuance intention towards internet banking usage.

Two-way communication on bank websites in Ghana: A data triangulation approach

The objective of the study was to assess how banks adopt a two-way communication approach in communicating with their customers. It further examined the difference that exists between the websites of locally and foreign owned banks operating in Ghana with respect to their dialogic potentials. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data was obtained from the contents of the websites as well as from customers of the banks considered. A two-sample t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The results show that all the banks incorporate ease of interface, usefulness of information and conservation of visitors’ features in their websites. Again, the results show that significant differences exist between locally-owned banks and foreign-owned banks with regards to user perceptions of the conservation of visitors’ principles on bank websites. The findings are that user perceptions must be taken into consideration in the development of websites. Firms should avoid the temptation of blindly imitating other websites without considering the input of specific users and other stakeholders. The novelty of the research stems from the data triangulation approach used.

Trust and customer engagement in the banking sector in Ghana

ABSTRACT Customer engagement has become a topical issue in the marketing literature in recent times. Many researchers have called for more research to be done on the antecedents of customer engagement. In response to this call, we examine the impact of trust on customer engagement. We used the survey research design to address the research question. We used the intercept approach to select the participants of the study. We collected the data from retail banking customers in Ghana. The hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings of this study show that trust in service providers and economy-based trust have a significant and positive effect on emotional engagement, cognitive engagement, and behavioural engagement. The implications of the findings have been discussed at the end of the paper.

Examining the relationship between trustworthiness and students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing

Purpose This study aims to ascertain the relationship between trustworthiness and students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach For this study, the authors used the survey research design technique. Data were collected from students pursuing a degree in Business and Administration. Convenience sampling technique was used to select the participants. A total of 400 students participated in the study. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data. Findings The results show that trustworthiness, integrity, benevolence and ability have a positive relationship with students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing. Originality/value Studies investigating the relationship between trustworthiness and students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing is rare, especially in Ghana.

Assessing the CSR information needs of Microfinance institutions’ (MFIs) customers

Purpose This paper aims to seek to ascertain the corporate social responsibility (CSR) information needs of customers of microfinance institutions (MFIs). It also ascertains their media preferences for CSR disclosure. Design/methodology/approach The study adapted Wilson’s (1981) concept of information needs as the conceptual basis of this study. Case study research design was used. The respondents consisted of customers of MFIs in Ghana. Semi-structured interview was used to collect the data. Data were analysed using thematic analysis technique. Findings The study found that the CSR information needs of MFIs’ customers relate to moral disclosure, business survival disclosure, financial and business terms and conditions disclosure, donations disclosure and capacity building and training disclosure. The study also found that family and friends are the most reliable sources of CSR information for MFIs’ customers. Originality/value There is a great deal of literature available on CSR disclosure. However, limited studies have investigated the information needs of customers regarding CSR disclosure. Again, CSR disclosure in the Microfinance sector has received limited attention in the existing literature. This study expanded the existing literature by investigating the CSR information needs of MFIs’ customers.

Assessing the online CSR communication of an indigenous Ghanaian bank

ABSTRACT Corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication has received much attention in recent times. This could be attributed to stakeholder concerns of ethical practices of companies globally. This study focuses on how an indigenous Ghanaian bank communicates its CSR on the corporate website. Specifically, we explored the bank’s CSR activities that are communicated on the corporate website. We also examined whether or not CSR communication is integrated into the corporate communication strategy of the bank. This study adopted a case study research design drawing on information from CAL Bank’s website and conducting ‘elite interviews’ with senior managers of the bank. We found that the bank’s CSR communication on the corporate website focuses mainly on external disclosures. It also came to light that the bank’s CSR communication is fragmented and is not integrated into the corporate communication strategy. These findings demonstrate the challenges the bank faces in coordinating and integrating its communication strategy.