Browsing by Author "Nutsugah, Noel"

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A Systematic Review of Social Media Research in Ghana: Gaps and Future Research Avenues
(Annals of the International Communication Association (Taylor & Francis Group), 2024-02-26) Nutsugah, Noel; Kuupuolo, Eva; Peculiar, Theophilus
The emergence of internet-based communities, popularly known as social media, has transformed communication drastically. Due to its importance, scholars have written on the subject within the Ghanaian context. However, the literature remains fragmented without knowledge of its current state, gaps, and opportunities for future research. To address this, we synthesised 29 peer-reviewed articles in academic databases from 2013 to 2023. Through a systematic literature review, we observed that social media research in Ghana had been underpinned by the quantitative approach at the expense of the others. Likewise, the most explored theme is Social Media and Politics, whereas the least is Health Communication and Social Media. Based on the gaps identified, we made recommendations for future research.
Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations and Communication Management: Perspectives of Ghanaian Professionals
(Communicare: Journal for Communication Sciences in Southern Africa (University of Johannesburg), 2024-08-01) Anani-Bossman, Albert; Nutsugah, Noel; Abudulai, Justice Issah
Artificial intelligence (AI) is presently transforming society and industries withsignificant implications for the public relations and communication profession.However, scholarship on this subject in Africa is lacking. This paper addressesthis gap by investigating AI in the public relations and communicationmanagement industry in Ghana. It focuses on the knowledge, adoption, andimpact of AI, as well as the perceived risks and challenges associated withthe application of AI. The study used the quantitative method to gather datafrom 275 professionals. Results revealed that professionals have a limitedunderstanding of AI despite their knowledge of the concept. Communicationprofessionals believe AI will impact the profession, their department, and howthey work. However, they did not foresee any challenges or risks associatedwith applying AI (e.g. competency in using AI, motivation to use AI, andloss of jobs). The result points to the need for professionals to increasetheir knowledge and understanding of AI. There is also the need for publicrelations scholars in Ghana, and Africa for that matter, to begin having seriousdiscussions on this issue.
Blockchain Application for Healthcare Data Management and Patient Experience
(IGI Global, 2023-11) Ayarnah, Amin; Mensah, Kobby; Odoom, Raphael; Nutsugah, Noel
Blockchain technology is transforming the healthcare sector in light of data management and patient experience. It can be used in building a more secure data management platform that allows patients to retain ownership over their medical records. Permitted healthcare practitioners can also monitor patients' medical histories, view their most recent prescriptions, and provide prognoses with excellent patient experience. Ultimately, healthcare policymakers responsible for the regulation of innovation should create a favourable environment that will spur the building of blockchain digital solutions with the propensity of providing a single protocol of trust among healthcare stakeholders. This will standardise the implementation of blockchain in the global healthcare space. Green-oriented organisations should also join the conversation on how blockchains are designed, especially ensuring that blockchain is built with sustainability principles.
COVID-19 Induced Changes to News Gathering and News Production: Practical Experiences from Five Ghanaian Newsrooms
(Journal of African Media Studies, 2024-06-20) Asuman, Manfred A. K.; Nutsugah, Noel; Buatsi, Redeemer; Peculiar, Theophilus
This study, grounded in Kurt Lewin’s theory of change management, investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced change in the news gathering and news production process in five newsrooms in Ghana. Through semi-structured in-depth interviews, our study proves that the social restrictions that were introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced Ghanaian newsrooms to introduce certain measures, including work-from-home policies, a strategy that had never been explored prior to the pandemic. Our study further reveals that, whereas male journalists were usually given tasks that were considered dangerous, such as reporting from the morgue and intensive care units of hospitals, female journalists were usually assigned news conferences and tasked to conduct interviews with various stakeholders, a gender perspective to news gathering during the pandemic which has never been reported. Based on these and other findings, we argue that the COVID-19 pandemic did indeed drive change in how journalists gather and produce news.
Development of Public Relations Research in Ghana: A Systematic Review
(Elsevier (Public Relations Review), 2023-06-06) Nutsugah, Noel; Anani-Bossman, Albert
Even though the extant literature has pointed to the steady growth of public relations research in different contexts, the developing economy context continues to be marginalised in terms of scholarship, theory development and, consequently, the practice of the discipline. This has necessitated calls from scholars to document research in the discipline to trigger future research agendas. This study was therefore undertaken to scientifically synthesise and analyze 26 peer-reviewed public relations studies in Ghana, which were published over a period of 10 years (2012–2021) to document the dominant issues, gaps, and future research avenues. Through a systematic review, the study found that there is an over-concentration on themes such as CSR and CSR communication, public relations within higher education institutions, and dialogic public relations at the expense of other key subject areas within the discipline. Methodologically, 65% of the studies reviewed have employed the qualitative methodology as opposed to the quantitative and mixed-method approaches, thereby reducing the ability to extrapolate their findings to other populations. The study has thoroughly discussed the implications for public relations scholarship, theory development and practice within Ghana and other emerging contexts.
Internal Communications During Crisis-Induced Organizational Change
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2024-07-30) Anani-Bossman, Albert; Boateng, Eric; Nutsugah, Noel; Semarco, Stanley
The COVID-19 epidemic prompted several organizations to make adjustments in order to handle economic and operational difficulties. Knowledge of how organizations use communication to drive changes and ensure employee commitment to the organization is essential. By integrating literature from symmetrical internal communication, organizational change research, and organizational support research, this study proposes a theoretical model to understand the role of symmetrical internal communication on the employees’ cognitive and affective experiences and affective organizational commitment during the pandemic. An online survey was conducted with 533 full-time employees in Ghana, West Africa. The overall result shows a positive correlation between symmetrical internal communication and employees’ perceived quality of change communication. Moreover, the perceived quality of change communication, facilitated by symmetrical internal communication, increases employees’ perception of organizational support and positive emotions during crisis-induced organizational change, resulting in affective commitment. The study discusses the theoretical and practical implications.
On the Tech Trek and Industrial Revolutions: Unravelling the Impact of Generative AI on Public Relations Praxis in Africa
(Journal of Public Relations Research (Taylor & Francis Group, LLC), 2024-06-24) Nutsugah, Noel; Senanu, Bright
This study holds substantial significance as it represents a pioneering continent-wide empirical endeavor to comprehend the extent to which public relations (PR) professionals value and engage with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies and the consequential impact they exert on the praxis of the profession in Africa. The study assumes a qualitative approach with data collected from in-house and agency PR professionals across the major economic blocks in Africa. Beyond unearthing the benefits and threats, we also found practical, socio-cultural, and ethical implications of the influx of GenAI technologies, based upon which we proffered valuable recommendations for both practice and scholarly pursuits. We make a central argument that even though there is a high adoption and usage of GenAIs among PR professionals in Africa, there are currently no ethical policies guiding its usage, and this threatens the professions’ quest to be transparent and accountable to their clients and publics.
Social Media, Misinformation and Fake News in the Pandemic: The Dominant Gaps and Future Research Avenues
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2024-09-16) Nutsugah, Noel; Mensah, Kobby; Odoom, Raphael; Ayarnah, Amin
Purpose – Social networking sites have become breeding grounds for the spread of fake news and misinformation. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the spread of fake news intensified, causing complications for health communicators by drowning authentic information from verifiable official sources. Looking at the impact of this growing phenomenon on people’s attitudes and behaviour during the pandemic, research in the area must be populated to help governments, supranational organisations, non-governmental organisations as well as civil society organisations to formulate policies to curb the menace. This study was therefore undertaken to unravel current gaps and future research avenues to empower academia in achieving the desired scholarly impact. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted the systematic review approach, relying on 56 peerreviewed articles on social media, fake news and misinformation in the Covid-19 pandemic. Findings – The study found that the use of social media during the height of the pandemic led to unhelpful information creation and sharing behaviours such that people’s self-awareness reduced drastically, thereby impeding the fight against the pandemic. The study also established that Entertainment motives, Ignorance and Altruism motives were the dominant factors that influenced the spread of fake news. There was evidence of the marginalization of research on the subject matter from contexts such as Africa, South America and Oceania. Originality/value – This study has established existing gaps in issues and evidence, methodology, theory and context and consequently discussed future research avenues for social media use and the spread of fake news. The study has also provided practical implications for both governmental and non-governmental organisations in curbing the phenomenon of fake news and misinformation.
Sustainable Tourism in Africa
(Elgar Publishing, 2023-05-16) Mensah, Kobby; Amissah, Eunice Fay; Nutsugah, Noel
This chapter examines the increasing concerns surrounding sustainable tourism in Africa, emphasising its influence on socio-economic progress and the well-being of the local communities that host tourist attractions. Additionally, the chapter sheds light on the important players involved in sustainable tourism, as well as the sector’s policies, challenges, and prospects. The chapter concludes that for tourism to be sustainable, National Tourism Organisations must adopt policies that balance the ambitions of present visitors with the protection and promotion of tourist destinations. Again, National Tourism Organisations must work to strengthen pricing control, improve internet connection, security, and safety, as well as accessible transportation, since these are just some of the variables that might jeopardise Africa’s sustainable tourism.