The financial sector in Ghana has experienced intensive reforms resulting in the closure of many financial institutions that did not meet the required principles. In order to guarantee the sustainability of the microfinance sub-sector, management of risk practices must be effectively carried out. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of some major risk management practices (RMP) on the financial performance of some selected microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. The financial performance measures used were Return on Asset (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE). The RMPs in question included risk identification, risk appraisal, risk control, risk monitoring and often practiced risk management. A five likert scale questionnaire with closedended questions were administered to ten selected MFIs. The results showed mean ROA and ROE of the selected MFIs to be 3% and 35% respectively. The results also showed a moderate to great extent usage of risk identification, risk appraisal, risk control, risk monitoring and often practiced risk management occasionally. Benchmark ranking of frequent usage of these RMPs was in the order risk identification>risk monitoring> risk appraisal>risk control. It was recommended that Managers and Directors should ensure continuous usage of these risk management practices for more profitability.

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) play an important role in enhancing the growth potential of small businesses. However, while regulation ensures that MFIs are financially sustainable, compliance compels them to make large-sized loans to wealthy clients in order to reduce the risk of lending and minimize administrative costs, a situation that compromises their main goal of reaching out to the poor. The study therefore, examined the effect of regulation on breadth and depth of outreach by microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Ghana. The purpose of the study is to find out whether regulation has enabled MFIs to increase their outreach (breadth and depth) thereby improving their sustainability. A mixed methods research design was employed, involving initial hypotheses testing with 31 self-regulated and 24 Central bank-regulated MFIs. The findings were then triangulated with a qualitative research design involving 13 Central bank-regulated and 20 self-regulated MFIs. The results showed that regulations increased the client base of MFIs but reduced the percentage of poor clients served, largely women. It is recommended that the government set up a fund for poor clients to be accessed by well-performing MFIs for provision of financial services to the poor to assist in poverty reduction.

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The characterisation and justification of corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions have left unexplored the antecedents of CSR such as societal values. In this study, using Vodafone Ghana, we explore the role of societal values in business and corporate social responsibility. Societal views, expressed in local philosophical thoughts, showed the expectations on business to uphold both the profit motive and sharing of gains with society. Community connection and stakeholder perspectives are central to Vodafone’s CSR initiatives and business strategy. Thus, mainstreaming of CSR follows the syncretic stewardship model as the company embraces economic objectives as well as virtue. The societal value antecedent, therefore, has implication for the model of CSR that is adopted to achieve the business’ strategic objectives. It also adds to the integrative social contract theory by making explicit aspects of the implicit social contract that exists in the relationship between business and society

Rural banks play enormous role in ensuring socio-economic development in Ghana. However, it has been observed that these rural banks face a number of challenges that affect their sustainability. This study examined the determinants of financial sustainability of the Rural Banks in Ghana. The cross- sectional survey was used where questionnaires were designed to collect data. The selections of the respondents were done using the snow ball sampling procedures to locate the 150 customers of three rural banks. The results from the multiple regression analysis showed that the amount of loans significantly affect the financial sustainability of the Rural Banks. The findings further showed that a unit increase in loan interest would lead to 20.5 percent reduction in the number of years a customer had been with the bank thereby affecting their financial sustainability. It was obvious from the study that loans and advances were not in the best of quality. Since these have bearing on the sustainability of the banks, it is recommended that management of these banks put in place rigorous strategies to improve the credit appraisal systems and boost loan recovery.