Professor Ben Quarshie Honyenuga, Vice Chancellor of Ho Technical University (HTU), has delivered his inaugural lecture following his promotion to full professorship, marking a significant milestone in his academic career.
The lecture, held at the George Afeti Auditorium in Ho on Wednesday, was titled “Navigating a Model of High-Performance Organisations (HPOs) in Ghana: Reflections on a Chameleon Business Environment.” It attracted faculty, students, academia, family, friends, and well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the Vice Chancellor’s academic accomplishments.
High-Performance Organisations (HPOs) are widely considered role models in organizational excellence, delivering both financial and non-financial results over time, maintaining strong stakeholder relationships, and demonstrating adaptability and competitiveness in evolving markets.
Professor Honyenuga emphasized the need to prioritize discussions around HPOs in Ghana as part of the broader goal of transitioning to a higher middle-income economy.
He described HPOs as entities that consistently outperform their peers, exhibit strong cultures, possess clear role definitions, continuously improve, and are resilient and adaptable in the face of change.
He noted that globalization and technological advancements, particularly in ICT and artificial intelligence, have transformed organizational performance management. These developments, coupled with ongoing economic and geopolitical disruptions, demand new strategies for organizations to remain competitive and achieve high performance.
He also referenced the emergence of New Public Management principles, which urge public institutions to adopt private sector practices, including result-orientation, responsiveness, and adaptability to societal needs.
Drawing inspiration from the chameleon, a symbol of adaptability and strategic foresight, Prof. Honyenuga used it as an allegory to describe Ghana’s dynamic and complex business environment. He identified the key traits of this “chameleon” environment as volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.
He proposed a HPO model tailored to Ghana’s context, emphasizing the synergy between knowledge management, management innovation, workforce quality, continuous improvement, and long-term orientation. This model, he explained, would enhance the ability of Ghanaian organizations to thrive and become benchmarks in their sectors.
Prof. Honyenuga stressed the importance of long-term strategic thinking, sustainable planning, and investment in human capital to ensure organizational resilience and national development.
He recommended embedding HPO principles in both public and private sector reforms. Incentivizing knowledge sharing and innovation, developing comprehensive workforce strategy Institutionalising continuous business renewal and prioritizsng long-term success over short-term gains
“The government has business to be in business,” he said, underscoring the state’s role in promoting high-performing institutions.
The event chair, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson, Vice Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Somanya, praised Prof. Honyenuga as a “man of many firsts” and a shining example of academic excellence. He urged lecturers and students to emulate his perseverance and dedication.
Dr. Christopher K. Amehoe, Registrar of HTU, described inaugural lectures as formal recognition of academic achievement and commended the Vice Chancellor for his resilience and leadership.
Prof. Honyenuga, who hails from Nyagbo, has received numerous national and international awards. He is married to Genevieve Kpordzih, with whom he has five children. Outside academia, he enjoys lawn tennis and countryside music.
From Maxwell Awumah, Ho
GNA
The post Professor Honyenuga delivers inaugural lecture after attaining full professorship appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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