AN EVALUATION OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND PERFORMANCE OF SMALL SCALE BUSINESSES IN GHANA.

ABSTRACT Over the years, the business environments are increasingly becoming highly integrated and more complex due to a sudden rise to the numerous business functions and operations at the various work places. At the same time, the management function is undoubtedly faced with the challenge of keeping track of all the diverse organizational resources, numerous business activities, together with monitoring the entire business processes and the huge order-turnover processes. In light of the foregoing, this study explored the relationship between Accounting Information Systems adoption and performance of Small Scale Businesses in the Wa Municipality. Employing descriptive cross-sectional research design, purposive sample of 96 were recruited for the study. The findings revealed that services undertaken by the Small Scale Business men and women were super market operation, table top trading, market trading, and boutique services. Some challenges faced in seeking credit included their inability to meet all requirements for financial assistance, untimely delivery of credit by financial institutions and their inability to understand the terms and conditions of loans. Consequently, it is recommended that financial institutions must reduce the requirements needed to qualify someone for financial assistance as well as the need for business men and women to employ qualified staff to manage their accounting information systems. Also, financial institutions must be timely in offering financial assistance to the business men and women.