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The Growth and Usage of Internet in Ghana

  • September 2012
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Henry Osborn Quarshie at Dominion University College
Henry Osborn Quarshie
James Ami-Narh
James Ami-Narh
James Ami-Narh
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Abstract and Figures

The information superhighway pinnacled as the internet has significantly altered many aspects of life especially in the areas of banking, commerce, work and employment, transportation, entertainment, community life, family life, human relationships, education, freedom, democracy, and many more. The Internet Technologies provide communication tools and services, with distinct characteristics and communication capabilities that allow individuals and organizations to use them either independently or jointly, to achieve multiple communication goals. While the internet technology continues to develop as an important aspect of Ghanaian life, it becomes increasingly important to understand the behaviors of internet users in order to effectively market to its target audience. The objective of this study is to review the adoption and penetration of internet usage in Ghana and evaluate the current internet usage by various working folks in the country. The study shows that 45.6% use internet frequently for educational purpose, 33.75% frequently use it for news; and only 6.35% frequently use the internet for commerce.
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VOL. 3, NO. 9 SEP, 2012 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.
http://www.cisjournal.org
1302
The Growth and Usage of Internet in Ghana
1 Henry Osborn Quarshie, 2 James Ami-Narh
1Lecturer Regent University College of Science & Technology, Accra, Ghana.
2Lecturer Institute of Professional Studies Accra. Ghana
1 hquarshie@yahoo.com 2 jamesjta@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The information superhighway pinnacled as the internet has significantly altered many aspects of life especially in the areas of
banking, commerce, work and employment, transportation, entertainment, community life, family life, human relationships,
education, freedom, democracy, and many more. The Internet Technologies provide communication tools and services, with
distinct characteristics and communication capabilities that allow individuals and organizations to use them either independently
or jointly, to achieve multiple communication goals. While the internet technology continues to develop as an important aspect
of Ghanaian life, it becomes increasingly important to understand the behaviors of internet users in order to effectively market to
its target audience. The objective of this study is to review the adoption and penetration of internet usage in Ghana and evaluate
the current internet usage by various working folks in the country. The study shows that 45.6% use internet frequently for
educational purpose, 33.75% frequently use it for news; and only 6.35% frequently use the internet for commerce.
Keywords: Internet, usage, Ghana, entertainment, email.
1. INTRODUCTION
The internet since the early 1990’s saw the spark a
great transformation that embodies social, economic, political,
technical, and cultural processes affecting countries,
communities, and individuals in every part of the world. The
convergence of information communication and technology,
and the development of portable multi-media services create
an infrastructure for people and organizations to access and
use the internet. The Internet has become undoubtedly the
most prominent tool in today's business environment creating
a flatter and a more interconnected. The use of internet has
shown a very rapid growth during the last decade in almost
every country in the world [1, 2]. Access to the internet is
currently estimated at 2.2 billion users worldwide as at 31st
December 2011 (figure 1). People use the internet at home, at
work and other locations such as Internet cafes to send/receive
e-mails, chat, research for school or work, download music or
images, and to do many other activities. The Internet
contributes to an organization's market competitiveness by
empowering employees and increasing their productivity [3].
Growth in the adoption of broadband and access to
internet has also shown a responding increase in the
GDP of developing countries [3-7].
Fig 1: Internet World Statistics: www.internetworldsstats1.htm
VOL. 3, NO. 9 SEP, 2012 ISSN 2079-8407
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1303
Table 1: Internet usage in Africa and on the globe 2011
AFRICA REGION
Population
(2011 Est.) Pop. %
of World Internet Users,
31-Dec-11 Penetration
(% Population)
Total for Africa 1,037,524,058 15.0 % 139,875,242 13.5 %
Rest of World 5,892,531,096 85.0 % 2,127,358,500 36.1 %
WORLD TOTAL 6,930,055,154 100.0 % 2,267,233,742 32.7 %
Source. Internet World Statistics www.internetworldsstats1.htm
1.1 Population Growth and Internet Usage in
Ghana
Although Ghana was the second country in sub-
Saharan Africa to have full Internet connectivity in 1995 [8],
population penetration did not progressed rapidly until 2005
(Table 1). In 2004, the Ghana government ratified and adopted
an ICT policy – Information and Communication Technology
for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD). The purpose of the
ICT4D was to create the critical drive and strategies to harness
the full potential of ICT for the socio-economic development
of the country. The Internet technologies are important
infrastructure for supporting the activities a number of public
and private sector in various countries [9].
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
statistics in 2004 revealed very low Internet penetration in
Ghana, with a 172 Internet users per 10 000 inhabitants in
2004; it however increased higher than the African average of
123.21 [10]. As at 2003, there were more than 750 Internet
cafes in Ghana, mostly using dial-up connections [11].
Table 2: Population Growth and Internet Usage in Ghana
YEAR
Users
Population
% Pen.
Usage Source
2011
2,085,501
24,791,073
8.4 %
ITU
2010
1,297,000
24,339,838
5.3 %
ITU
2009
997,000
23,887,812
4.2 %
ITU
2008
880,000
23,382,848
3.8 %
ITU
2007
609 800
21 801 662
2.8 %
ITU
2006
401,300
21,501,842
1.8 %
ITU
2005
368,000
21,029,850
1.6 %
ITU
2001
40,500
19,101,878
0.3 %
ITU
2000
30,000
18,881,600
0.2 %
ITU
1999
20,000
18,599,549
0.1 %
ITU
2. METHODOLOGY
The objective of this study was to obtain the current
Internet usage by various working folks in the country. The
study adopted a survey research approach. The survey
strategy is usually the preferred choice for collecting original
data from a large population of interest at lower cost [12].
Surveys have become a widely used and acknowledged
research method. The concept of considering information
derived from a small number of people to be an accurate
representation of a significantly larger number of people has
become a familiar one. Since the internet provides a source
from which general information is known or can be collected,
Survey research is considered an appropriate technique for this
study. Data collected from the survey covered;
VOL. 3, NO. 9 SEP, 2012 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.
http://www.cisjournal.org
1304
• Type of organisation, the research looked at the
following government, private agencies and others
are from small and medium enterprise.
• Purpose of internet usage. This looked what the
average Ghanaian use the internet on a daily basis for
and the frequency of usage. These include,
entertainment, education, banking, current affairs
(news). work related research, product information
gathering, E-commerce and online communication
• The number of years one has used the internet. The
research looked at one year, 2-5 years and more than
5 years.
• The research also looked at the hours per week the
average Ghanaian who has access to the internet
actively use it.
A paper-based survey was developed and
administered by the authors. Out of the 200 survey that was
administered, 164 answered paper survey were received, but
after extraction 160 survey results were evaluated using SPSS.
From the 160 respondents 69% were male and 31% were
female. Table 3 indicates that 39% work in Government
organizations, 53% in Private organizations and 8% in other
Institutions.
Table 4: Purpose of internet usage
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The respondents were asked to indicate the purpose
of their use of the internet under classifications such as
entertainment, education, work-related research, personal
finance, events, travel, product information gathering, online
purchases and communication (Table 4).
4. ENTERTAINMENT
The internet provides a lot entertainment such
musical entertainment, free videos, computer games, social
networking, chatting etc. [13]. The Internet is a means by
which people can gain access to a bundle of services: The
research revealed that, with entertainment 3.1% of respondents
always use the internet for it. 9% frequently, 51%
occasionally, 24.4% rarely use it and 12.5% never use it.
5. EDUCATION
Internet as a powerful tool for education provides
learning platforms including online educational videos,
Virtual Classrooms, Webcasting, Wikis etc. The research
revealed that, more respondents use the internet for
educational purposes especially for research and sending
information to colleagues and lecturers. 23.7% use it always
for educational purposes, 45.6% use it frequently, 25%
occasionally, 5% rarely use it and only o,6% never use it for
educational purposes.
Table 3: Type of organisation
Frequency
Percent
Valid
Percent
Cumulati
ve Percent
Government
63
39.4
39.4
39.4
Private
84
52.5
52.5
91.9
others
13
8.1
8.1
100.0
Total
160
100.0
100.0
Purpose of internet usage
Percentage
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Frequently
Always
Total
Entertainment
12.5
24.4
51
9
3.1
100
Education 0.625 5 25 45.625 23.75 100
Work-related Research
10.63 13.12 36.25 31.25 8.75
100
Personal finance (banking, stock
trading)
26.25 23.75 34.375 13.125 2.5
100
Current events (news, sports and
weather)
5.63 15 33.75 33.75 11.87
100
Travel-related (research,
reservations)
38.18 28.75 19.37 8.7 5
100
Product information gathering 18.75 21.25 40.625 14.375 5 100
Making purchase from online
merchants
52.4 17.5 18.75 6.35 5
100
Communicating with others
(chat/email) 4.38 7.5 30 25 33.12 100
VOL. 3, NO. 9 SEP, 2012 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.
http://www.cisjournal.org
1305
6. RELATED WORK
A lot more Ghanaians now frequently use the internet
for work-related research. The research showed 31.25% for
frequent users, 36.25% for occasional users, 8.75% always,
13.12% rarely use it and 10.63% never use it for work-related
research.
7. PERSONAL FINANCE (BANKING AND
STOCK TRADING)
The internet provides the tool and power for keep
track of financial trends, search for loans, account balance,
and perform a variety of other essential financial tasks [14].
Using the internet for banking and stock trading has shown a
slight growth. 26.25% never use the internet for banking and
stock trading. 23.75% rarely use it, 34.37 use it occasionally,
13.13% frequently and 2.5% always use it for banking and
stock trading.
8. CURRENT AFFAIR (NEWS, SPORTS AND
WEATHER)
The internet is now an important medium for people
to search for the latest happenings around the world by a click
of the mouse. Internet users get access to real time news and
other information; the internet is the best choice for people to
find all the latest happenings and thus stay informed. More
Ghanaians now depend on the internet for sports, weather,
economic and political news events [15]. The research
revealed that, 33.75% frequently depend on it, another 33.75%
also occasionally use it for news items, 11.87% always depend
on it, 15% rarely use it and 5.63% never use it for news items.
9. TRAVEL-RELATED (RESEARCH
RESERVATION)
Internet is well suited for travel products and
services with the synergy for electronic environment [16].
With travelling activities, very few Ghanaians depend on the
internet for the search of information. 38.18% had never
used the internet for it. 28.75% rarely use it, 19.37%
occasionally and only 5% always depend on it for
information concerning travelling.
10. PRODUCT INFORMATION
Using the internet to search for information on
products and services has been one of the key usages [17].
The internet is one of the fastest growing technologies. The
research revealed that, 40.6% of Ghanaians occasionally
depend on the internet for product information gathering.
14.4% frequently, 5% always, 21.25%rarely use it and 18.75%
never use it.
11. MAKING PURCHASES ONLINE
Internet access and web applications, services and
platforms improve productivity and make it easier for
businesses to collaborate and access new markets via digital
distribution and online retail; increases consumer choice and
strengthens competition [18]. The internet provides consumers
the convenience of shopping anytime and anywhere, getting
better access to information and a broader selection of
products, comparing prices or obtaining opinions from other
consumers [17]. Though internet provides global access to
online goods and services as high as 52.4% of respondents
never use internet to make purchases online, 17.5% rarely use
it. 18.75% occasionally, 6.35% frequently and only 5% use it
always to make purchases. Although in Ghana the internet is
becoming more accessible, it is not mainly used by the
respondents for online shopping. Online sellers must adopt
strategies to maintain their appeal to consumers and it must
extend sensitive orientations on ways of boosting online sales.
The use of the Internet for transaction purposes will vastly
increases the value of the infrastructure, and thus the create the
incentives for organizations to build more ICT infrastructure
[19]. The ability of the banking industry in Ghana to capitalize
on the internet will enhance economic growth; make financial
services cost effective and competitive, and more accessible
for customers.
12. COMMUNICATING ONLINE
Access to the internet offers the possibility for people
to communicate with each other and to access information of
all types, without considerable spatial or temporal limits [20].
The Internet provides a many-to-many communication
medium, unlike the one-to-many model of the traditional mass
media. The research showed that, 33% always use internet for
online communication. 25% frequently, 30% occasionally,
7.5% rarely use it and 4% never use it for online
communication.
The internet is the fastest growing technology. It has
cut up in almost every country, and Ghana was left out. The
research revealed that 48% of Ghanaians have been using
internet frequently, over the past five years. This is shown on
table 2. 35.6% between two to five years and 15.6%, one year.
This is represented on the on figure 2.
Table 5: How long have you used the internet?
Frequency Percent
Valid
Percent
Cumulative
Percent
1 Year
25
15.6
15.6
15.6
2-5 years
57
35.6
35.6
51.2
more than 5
years
78 48.8 48.8 100.0
Total
160
100.0
100.0
VOL. 3, NO. 9 SEP, 2012 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.
http://www.cisjournal.org
1306
Fig 2
Table 6: How many hours per week are you actively using the internet from Home
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Valid
0-1 hour 44 27.5 27.5 27.5
2-3 hours
76
47.5
47.5
75.0
4-7 hours
31
19.4
19.4
94.4
8-10 hour
5
3.1
3.1
97.5
more than 10 hours
4
2.5
2.5
100.0
Total
160
100.0
100.0
Data from the same survey also show the number of
hours the respondent engaged in the use of the internet at
home. The research revealed that 47.5% of employees spend
between 2-3 hours at home per week on the internet. 27.5%
between 0-1 hour per week, 4-7 hours 19.4%, 8-10 hours,
3.1% and those who use it more than 10 hours per week at
home are 2.5%.
Table 7: How many hours per week are you actively using the internet from office
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative
Percent
Valid
0-1 hour
29
18.1
18.1
18.8
2-3 hours
67
41.9
41.9
60.6
4-7 hours
42
26.2
26.2
86.9
8-10 hour
11
6.9
6.9
93.8
more than 10 hours
11
6.8
6.8
100.0
Total
160
100.0
100.0
VOL. 3, NO. 9 SEP, 2012 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.
http://www.cisjournal.org
1307
In table 7, the research, looked at the productive
hours spent using the internet per week by the average
employee. It revealed that, 41.9% of employees spend
between 2-3 hours per week on the internet at work. Between
4-7 hours, 26.2%, 8-10 hours, 6.9%, and more than 10 hours
per week, 6,2%.
13. CONCLUSION
The internet has over the years have helped shape the
way the average Ghanaian communicates. Ten years ago the
fax was a prime means of communication in business. The
obvious advantage of email is the ability to transmit electronic
data almost instantaneously to many places at once all over the
world. This is a vast saving to businesses in Ghana. This
ability to transmit data means that there has been a boom in
people working from remote locations. No longer is the
Ghanaian workforce tied down to an office. People now have
the ability to obtain resource from around the world, to do
business with other companies from all over the world. It is
important for institutions to understand the differences in
Internet use by demographic groups to enable them reach
target audience through personalized online activities and
technologies.
A massive next-generation internet access is vital for
global edge in productivity and long-term competitiveness,
and a prerequisite for a return to sustainable growth and
prosperity [7]. Pragmatic investments in the internet will
create a global market for the goods and technical services of
domestic firms in Ghana and internet Technologies should be
widely available at affordable prices and should become an
integral part of national development policies and strategies.
Though it is beyond the scope of our paper to discuss cost of
internet access, it can suggested that a government
intervention to reduce the cost in internet access and provision
higher speed broadband infrastructure is essential to
transforming Ghana into information-rich, knowledge-based
economy and society. Increase in Internet access is a
key pillar to Ghana’s economic development, sound
management, a competitive business environment,
and sustained reductions in poverty levels.
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Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.
http://www.cisjournal.org
1308
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APPENDIX
RESEARCH SURVEY
Section A
Direction: Please select the item that best describe
you and the organisation where you work:
1. Gender:
□ Male □ Female
2. Type of Organization :
□ Government □ Private
□ Others:
3. Type of Industry:
□ Services □ Manufacturing
4. How long have you used the Internet?
□ 1 year □ 2 - 5 years
□ more than 5 years
7. How often do you use the Internet for each
of the following purposes? (TICK)
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Frequently
Always
Entertainment
Educational
Work-related research
Personal finance (banking, stock
trading)
Current events (news, sports,
weather)
Travel-related (research,
reservations)
Product information gathering
Making purchases from online
merchants.
Communicating with others
(chat/email)
5. How many times per week, on average,
do you connect to the Internet?
Once
Twice
3 times
4 times
5 or more
times
From Home
From office
Internet café
6. How many hours per week are you
actively using the Internet?
0 -1
hour
2 – 3
hours
4 – 7
hours
8 – 10
hours
More than 10
hours
From Home
From office
Internet café
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Full-text available
  • May 2023
The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the main independent variable, e-marketing and the main dependent variable e-loyalty, as well as the mediating roles of e-service quality and e-satisfaction in the link between e-marketing and e-loyalty. The study adopted a positivist stance with a quantitative method, with the adoption of a descriptive correlational design. A Structural Equation Modelling approach was employed to examine the nature of the associations between the independent, mediating and dependent variables. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to control for the potential confounding effects of the demographic factors. A sample size of 1,293 residents in Accra, Ghana, who had previously shopped online, responded to structured questionnaire in an online survey via Google Docs. The IBM SPSS Amos 24 software was used to analyse the data collected. Positive associations were found between the key constructs in the study: e-marketing, e-service quality, e-satisfaction and e-Loyalty. The findings from the study gave further backing to the diffusion innovation theory, resource-based view theory, and technology acceptance model. In addition, e-service quality and e-satisfaction individually and jointly mediated the relationship between e-marketing and e-loyalty. However, these mediations were partial. . In terms of value and contribution, this is the first study in a developing economy context to undertake a holistic examination of the key marketing performance variables within an online shopping context. The study uniquely tested the mediation roles of both e-service quality and e-satisfaction in the link between e-marketing and e-loyalty. The findings of the study are novel in the e-marketing literature as they unearthed the key antecedents of e-loyalty for online SMEs in a developing economy context.
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... en million, one hundred and ten thousand (10,110,000) users were counted in January 2018, and by January 2019 that figure had increased to ten million, three hundred and twenty thousand (10,321,000).Nevertheless, the amount of users increased fairly suddenly in January 2020 by almost four million (4,000,000), reaching fourteen million seven hundred sixty thousand (14,760,000), and it increased again in January 2021, reaching fifteen million seven hundred thousand (15,700,000) users. (Quarshie & Ami-Narh 2012). ...
Citizen Journalism in Ghana
Thesis
Full-text available
  • Sep 2022
If you ask me what comes to mind when I think of “Citizen Journalism” as a layperson, I will opine that it is citizens practicing journalism. The term has sparked debates amongst academics and policymakers in recent times. Citizen journalism, basic words yet a complicated concept, is interpreted as the redemption of detached society and the demise of the learned world of the media (Bentley, 2008). All through history, Citizen journalism has evolved and altered over time, but it has maintained an essential feature of contemporary civic society. Citizen journalism allows everyone to have their views represented and participate actively in society. Citizen journalism's role has never been more essential in today's epoch of digital interference. Audiences can either monitor the progress of particular happenings as they unfold or generate their own news. Citizen journalism also adds to the diversity and plurality of media channels. (Licitar,2018). Ghana, a country in the West African subregion and the focus of this research, has seen Citizen journalism gaining popularity in the country, with citizen journalists' operations allowing them to become prominent and sturdy actors in the Ghanaian media landscape. Although the concept of citizen journalism is still nascent in Ghana, its essential to investigate how its emergence affects mainstream journalistic practices in Ghana. Furthermore, mainstream news organisations have decided to enable ordinary citizens and not professional journalists to create news content by integrating film footage of prominent events in local communities, public comments and suggestions on social platforms and broadcast them on prime-time news. Again, several eminent figures, with well-known media practitioners inclusive, have pushed for the expansion of citizen journalism to complement the work of the media in a democratic society as fragile as Ghana. (Abdullah,2021). The research hinges on Singer’s Three-Dimensional Model of professionalism and Jürgen Habermas Public Sphere, all of which assumptions align with the research objectives. The research adopts a qualitative approach drawing data from fourteen professional journalist employing a semi-structured interview guide assessing (a) Noticeable changes in the journalism profession in Ghana (b) How professional journalists understand and define citizen journalism (c) How the emergence of citizen journalism affects mainstream journalistic practices in Ghana (d) Relationship between professional journalists and citizen journalists (e) Reactions of professional journalists to media houses using citizen journalists expertise (d) Role of citizen journalists in Ghana’s democracy. Keywords: Citizen journalism, professional journalism, professional journalists, Citizen journalist, technology, internet, Ghana, journalistic practices, democracy.
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... Ghana started enjoying full internet connectivity in 1995 and adopted an Information Communication Technology (ICT) policy in 2005 (Quarshie & Ami-Narh, 2012). The adoption of this policy, coupled with the rise of mobile broadband in Ghana, appears to have given Ghanaians the needed impetus to embrace internet usage for their personal and business use. ...
ANALYTIC STUDY OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND INFLUENCE ON PUBLIC RELATIONS IN GHANA
Thesis
Full-text available
  • Sep 2022
This study sought to analyze Ghanaian public relations practitioners’ use of social media and influence on public relations practice. Using the uses and gratification theory and dialogic theory of public relations as a lens, the study sought the views of 20 public relations practitioners. Essentially, the interviews sought information on how public relations deploy social media in their work, how their work is influenced, the challenges associated, and the competencies required to navigate the evolving world of social media and public relations. The study found that public relations practitioners in Ghana were well informed of social media platforms and employed them in their duties and are unanimous in agreement that social media have reshaped mainly the mechanism by which they interact with their publics by bringing them closer to their target audience. It was also revealed that work output and efficiency was positive because practitioners could get to their publics in real-time and interact seamlessly. Finally, the study revealed that practitioners may be under-utilizing social media and may not be reaping the benefits that abound primarily because training in the proper usage and deployment of social media platforms is not abreast with the evolving technology of social media. Despite these significant findings, there were other issues that the study could not address, including the views of organizational publics and the use of the quantitative approach, which would have made it possible to obtain a significant enough sample and thereby make it possible to generalize the findings of the study. Accordingly, the present study recommends that researchers investigate the extent to which social media mediate the relationship between organizations and their publics and find out whether the relationship mediated by social media is stronger or otherwise than the one by traditional/legacy media.
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... Yeboah (2018) re-echoed that the Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI), which allows online payments and financial transactions promotes e-commerce in Ghana. Quarshie and Ami-Narh [29] posit that 40% of the population use the Internet to enquire information on goods and services. This makes Ghana a fertile ground for e-commerce development. ...
Sustaining Consumer E-Commerce Adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do Trust and Payment Method Matter?
Article
Full-text available
  • Jul 2022
The long-term sustainability of e-commerce usage for improving quality of life is dependent on several factors. Presently, trust and payment methods have emerged as critical factors influencing e-commerce adoption. Consequently, this study investigates the UTAUT determinants of consumer e-commerce adoption in Ghana by focusing on the mediating and moderating roles of trust and payment method. The study employs the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) to estimate the survey response of 535 purposively selected respondents from six regions in Ghana. The results corroborate a direct relationship between the UTAUT variables and e-commerce adoption. However, the payment method suggests no moderating effect on trust and e-commerce adoption connection. Nevertheless, trust significantly mediates the UTAUT variables and e-commerce adoption. Finally, the mediation was highest between social influence and trust but lowest between effort expectancy and trust. This challenges practitioners and managers of e-commerce platforms to consider the mediating role of trust to improve adoption and the sustainable usage of e-commerce.
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... Foster, Goodman, Osiakwan and Bernstein [24] confirm that Ghana is among the few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to be linked to the Internet during its inception in the region and that the number of Internet users in Ghana has increased in recent times. Authors like Deng, Xu, Zeng, and Qi [25], Frimpong and Vaccari [26] and Quarshie and Ami-Narh [27] attest to Statista reports [28] that in January 2020, Ghana's Internet penetration rate was 48% (referring to the total population of people that used the Internet). According to Statista [28], this was an improvement on the 35% of people that used the Internet during the same month in 2019. ...
Towards a Framework to Gauge the Impact of Internet Radio on Dispersed Communities in the Western Region of Ghana
Chapter
  • Mar 2022
International migration is driven by factors such as the influx of skilled foreign workers and people travelling for greener pastures as a result of low income in their homeland compared to the foreign country in which they settle. This trend of migration continues unabated and thus the world is becoming a global village. However, migrants face some form of alienation from their host countries or dispersed communities and strive to build ties and remain connected with the people in their motherland. This necessitates their attempts to find comfort in the use of Internet radio, which has currently become one of the most popular services on the Internet. In this paper our goal is to propose a framework to gauge the impact of Internet radio on migrants living in dispersed communities away from their homeland. Measuring Information Systems (IS) success has been a major issue in the IS space. Drawing from present literature and reflecting on the updated DeLone and McLean model, key attributes of the major components of IS success were used to chart the impact of Internet radio. These attributes were identified from literature and the results produced a rudimentary framework to gauge the impact of Internet radio. This paper deepens the comprehension of IS success using multi-attributes from key IS components to gauge the impact of Internet radio.
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... According to a study by Quarshie & Ami-Narh (2012) on the growth and use of the internet in Ghana, 45.6% of Ghanaians use the internet frequently for educational purposes, 33.75% frequently use it for news, and only 6.35% frequently use the internet for commerce. Amegatcher (2014) asserts that the majority of Ghanaians who use the internet are often on social media. ...
Exploratory Study on Audience Perception of Information Credibility on Media Platforms in Ghana
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2021
Using a focus group discussion, this study sought to understand how media audiences perceive information in the media environment in Ghana. The study found out that the prevalence of fake news on social media platforms serves as a disincentive to consumers of media messages from giving attention to information from some media platforms. Legacy media, radio and television, for many of the participants, present credible information on its platform with the belief that rigorous scrutiny is done by the media organisation before information is shared with their audiences on air. Though participants in the group discussions are often dismissive of media information they have doubts about, they occasionally, not routinely, verify information from news portals they deem credible. Participants also rely on their intuition to assess the truthfulness or otherwise of a story.
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Ensuring Cloud Data Security Using the Soldier Ant Algorithm
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2023
Cloud computing is evolving as a firsthand archetype of large-scale distributed computing which adds more power to internet technologies. It is a framework aiming at convenient and on-request network access to an organized and shared pool of resources. Security of data transmitted and stored by a third party happens to be the greatest challenge for organizations embracing the technology. In this work, a proposed hybrid algorithm dubbed the Soldier Ant Algorithm (SAA) a blend of the Diffie-Hellman algorithm and Delta Encoding technique (Newton Forward and Backward Interpolation). The motivation obtained is the integration of algorithms for cryptography purposes. The integration makes the proposed SAA algorithm symmetric and also makes the Diffie-Hellman algorithm withstand security threats such as man-in-the-middle attacks. The proposed algorithm establishes a secured connection between the cloud client and the cloud service provider and at the same time secures the data sent to the cloud. A comparative analysis was performed against RSA and ElGamal and indicated that the proposed algorithms’ encryption and decryption time were lower even though it is linear (O(n)).
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Influence of Facebook Usage on Organisational Performance in Ghana: The Pivotal Role of Social Capital and Salesperson Extra-Role Behaviour
Chapter
  • Jan 2022
Leaning on the concept of social capital as the theoretical foundation, this study examines the effect of employees’ Facebook activities on organisational performance. By employing partial least square and independent sample t-test methods, findings reveal that Facebook usage significantly influences financial and non-financial performance. The results also show that the performance of organisations that encourage salespersons’ social media service behaviour differs significantly from organisations that do not. The use of Facebook for customer service and marketing activities is limited but significant in improving both financial and non-financial performance. The study contributes to marketing literature on social media usage and organisational performance by providing empirical evidence on the influence of a salesperson’s “extra-role” defined by social media behaviours, and by expanding the body of knowledge on salespersons’ Facebook usage within a developing country context.KeywordsSocial mediaFacebookSalesperson extra-rolesSocial media service behaviours
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Déterminants de l’Usage du Transfert d’Argent Mobile par les Utilisateurs d’Internet Mobile au Mali
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2021
Le présent papier analyse les principaux déterminants de l’utilisation des services de transfert d’argent mobile par les internautes maliens en situation mobile. Les données collectées auprès de 1739 individus utilisateurs d’Internet mobile de l’étude du groupe de recherche en économie solidaire et industrielle (GRESI) ont été utilisées. Après avoir implémenté le modèle Logit qui est un modèle de régression binomiale, les résultats montrent qu’avoir un niveau d’instruction inférieur au niveau secondaire, avoir un âge compris entre 15-35 ans et la cherté du coût de connexion jouent négativement sur la probabilité d’utiliser le mobile money via Internet mobile au Mali. Tandis que le revenu, la zone de résidence urbaine, les compétences en informatiques et les professions : ouvrier, entrepreneur, commerçant et agriculteur influencent positivement l’utilisation des services de transfert d’argent mobile par le truchement d’Internet mobile. This paper analyses the main determinants of the use of mobile money transfer services by Malian Internet users in a mobile situation. Data collected from 1739 individual mobile Internet users of the study by the solidarity and industrial economy research group (GRESI) were used. After having implemented the Logit model which is a binomial regression model, our results show that having an education level below secondary level, having an age between 15-35 years old and the high cost of connection have a negative impact on the probability of using mobile money via mobile Internet in Mali. While income, urban area of residence, computer skills and occupations: worker, entrepreneur, trader and farmer positively influence the use of mobile money transfer services through the mobile internet.
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The Impact of Computer Technology on the Development of Children In Ghana
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2012
The pervasive use of information technology has significantly altered many aspects of life-in banking and commerce, work and employment, medical care, national defence, transportation and entertainment. Consequently, information technology affects (in both good and bad ways) community life, family life, human relationships, education, freedom, democracy, and many more. The amount of time and the types of activities that children engage in while using computers are key factors influencing whether computer technology has positive or negative effects on their development.
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The Internet and Political Participation
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2005
There is a growing literature exploring the role of the Internet in influencing levels and styles of political participation. However, it is not yet clear why the Internet is perceived as a medium that can, at least potentially, increase participation. Moreover, putting the emphasis on the Internet as a technology rather than on its information and communication capabilities signals a tendency for technological determinism. In order to avoid this, the article explores the relation between the Internet and political participation by examining three different facets of the Internet: the Internet as an information source, as a communication medium and as a virtual public sphere. The main argument of the article is that it is these facets of the Internet that may affect levels and styles of political participation and hence are of interest for political scientists. The article also emphasizes the relevance of established theories of participation within political science in evaluating the potential role of the Internet for affecting levels and styles of political participation.
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Internet Usage for Travel and Tourism. The Case of Spain
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2011
The importance of Internet for the travel and tourism industry has increased rapidly over the last few years. Understanding how travellers behave is of critical importance to travel suppliers and tourism authorities for formulating appropriate marketing strategies so as to fully exploit the potential of this channel. This study explores the factors influencing Internet usage for travel information and shopping by using representative annual panel data from 2003 to 2007 on the 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities. Our results indicate that the use of Internet for information reasons depends basically on the ICT penetration level in the regions and the demographic characteristics of the population. However, when considering the use of the Internet as a productpurchasing tool, variables related to characteristics of travel are also relevant.
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Broadband as a platform for economic, social and cultural development
Chapter
  • Nov 2009
Far from "playing catch-up", Asian economies have been setting the pace in the development of broadband networks, both on fixed and mobile networks. Korea was an early leader in fixed broadband, and Japan has been leading in the early stages of mobile broadband deployment. Singapore is one of the world leaders in urban fibre deployment while Hong Kong, China, is a pioneer in the provision of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). Among the developing countries of the region, China now has the largest installed base of broadband users. India has recognised the critical importance of broadband for its bourgeoning software outsourcing industry. © OECD and The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, 2009.
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A Critique of Korean National Information Strategy
Article
In 2004, the Korean government launched the IT839 project with the objective of converting Korea into a ubiquitous information society. This study investigates the role of the Korean government in the development of the national information infrastructure and the realization of IT839 vision. This paper reviews the historic and individual data related to the infrastructure project, draws on the social construction of technology theory as a framework for interpreting such data, traces the transformations and translation of this data in the public, political, and social discourse, and discusses the next generation of information infrastructure. Findings imply that despite optimistic prospects and proactive drive, uncertainty still remains with respect to where IT839 will evolve and how it will impact the new information milieu.
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Broadband infrastructure investment in stimulus packages: Relevance for developing countries
Article
  • Mar 2010
Received 9 August 2009Accepted 9 October 2009Responsibility for all errors, omissions, and opinions rests solely with the author. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent. The author would like to thank Philippe Dongier, Tim Kelly, Yongsoo Kim, Siou Chew Kuek, Siddhartha Raja, Rajendra Singh, Eloy Vidal and Mark Williams for their comments and suggestions, and Siou Chew Kuek for preparing the draft Appendix.
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2012: Geneva. p. 1 -413 Economic Impacts of Broadband In Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact Broadband Infrastructure Investment in Stimulus Packages: Relevance for Developing Countries
  • Jan 2006
  • 2012
  • C Z W Qiang
  • C M And
  • Rossotto
[1] Globalization, Technology and Globalization. 2012 [retrieved on 02 August, 2012]; Available from: http://www.globalization101.org/uploads/File/Technolo gy/tech2011.pdf. [2] World Economic Forum and INSEAD, the Global Information Technology Report 2012. 2012: Geneva. p. 1 -413. [3] Qiang, C.Z.-W. And C.M. Rossotto, " Economic Impacts of Broadband. " In Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact. 2009, World Bank Publications: Washington DC. p. 35-50. [4] Qiang, C.Z.-W., " Broadband Infrastructure Investment in Stimulus Packages: Relevance for Developing Countries. " 2009, World Bank Washington, DC:. [5] World Bank, Information and Communications for Development. 2006. [6] Thompson, H.G. and C. Garbacz, Broadband Impacts on State GDP: Direct and Indirect Impacts in 17th Biennial Conference of the International Telecommunications Society (ITS). 2008: Montreal. [7] Meadway, J. and J. Mataos-Garcia, Getting up to speed: making super-fast broadband a reality. 2009.
Development of the Internet in Ghana A critique of Korean National Information Strategy: Case of national information infrastructures
  • Aug 1996
  • 24-624
  • W Tevie
  • N N Quaynor
  • A Bulley
Tevie, W., N.N. Quaynor, and A. Bulley. Development of the Internet in Ghana. 1996 [cited 20th July 2012]; Available from: http://www.isoc.org/inet96/proceedings/g6/g6_4.htm. [9] Shin, D.H., A critique of Korean National Information Strategy: Case of national information infrastructures. Government Information Quarterly, 2007. 24(3): p. 624-645.