A review of an article on Ghana’s housing deficit and quality trends, with focus on the literature review done: for Housing Studies students

A review of an article on Ghana’s housing deficit and quality trends, with focus on the literature review done: for Housing Studies students

 

How to describe the reference of the article in Harvard reference format?

Dramani, J.B., Frimpong, P.B. & Adusah-Poku, F., 2026. A look at Ghana’s housing deficit and quality trends for over 20 years. Housing Studies, 41(5), pp.996-1020. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2025.2537647 [Accessed date].

 

What are the research objectives, research issues, research philosophy and research type of the study?

The study's research objectives, issues, philosophy, and type can be summarized as follows based on the provided content:

Research Objectives:

To examine the role of government housing policies, such as the Affordable Housing Policy, in understanding the demand, supply, and cost of housing in Ghana.

To analyze the trend and pattern of housing deficit and quality changes and distribution in Ghana from 2000 to 2021.

To identify the current determinants of the housing quality index, ownership, and types of housing in Ghana.

Research Issues (Research Questions):

What role do government housing policies play in understanding the demand and supply of housing in Ghana?

What is the trend and pattern of housing deficit and quality changes over the study period?

What are the current determinants of housing quality index, ownership, and types of housing in Ghana?.

Research Philosophy:

The study follows a positivist approach by using quantitative data from three waves of Ghana’s Population and Housing Censuses (2000, 2010, and 2021) to analyze housing trends over time.

The methodology involves quantitative measurement using a constructed Housing Quality Index based on census data indicators, suggesting an empirical and objective stance.

Research Type:

The study is empirical, longitudinal, and quantitative, analyzing secondary data spanning over 20 years to understand trends and determinants of housing deficit and quality in Ghana.

It also adopts a descriptive and explanatory approach by examining trends, patterns, and causal relationships influencing housing quality and deficit.

These details indicate the study’s systematic investigation into Ghana's housing sector, relying on census data and structured indices to derive its conclusions.

 

How do the research philosophy, research type and research objectives of the study influence the literature review approach and literature review focus of the study?

The research philosophy, research type, and research objectives of the study significantly shape both the approach to the literature review and its focus as follows:

Influence of Research Philosophy (Positivist, Quantitative, Empirical):

The study adopts a positivist philosophy, relying on objective, measurable data (Population and Housing Census data) over time. Consequently, the literature review focuses on prior empirical studies that utilize quantitative data and statistical methods to analyze housing deficit and quality.

This leads the authors to prioritize studies that have applied objective housing quality indices, multi-criteria analyses, or census/survey data to understand housing issues in Ghana and other Global South contexts (e.g., Fiadzo et al. 2001; Meng and Hall 2006)  .

The review also emphasizes research gaps identified by earlier quantitative studies, especially the lack of longitudinal analyses on distribution and trends, to justify their empirical approach.

Influence of Research Type (Empirical, Longitudinal, Quantitative):

Since the research analyzes 20+ years of census data describing trends and changes, the literature review takes a chronological and thematic approach, highlighting studies on housing trends, policy impacts, and housing quality determinants over time.

It examines empirical findings on housing policies’ effectiveness, structural changes in housing supply, and quality assessment methodologies to set the stage for the study’s multi-year census data analysis.

The focus is on quantitative indicators such as housing quality indices, ownership types, and housing materials rather than purely qualitative or theoretical discussions.

Influence of Research Objectives (Policy role, Housing quality trend, Determinants):

Given the objectives to investigate government policy impact, quality trends, and determinants, the literature review concentrates on:

National housing policies and affordable housing program evaluations in Ghana, focusing on their relation to supply-demand gaps and quality changes.

Studies that identify factors influencing housing quality, such as socioeconomic drivers, material usage, and overcrowding  .

The spatial and temporal distribution of housing quality that aligns with the objective of analyzing trends and regional disparities .

This policy- and determinant-oriented focus ensures the literature identifies relevant frameworks and gaps related to government interventions and quality indicators, supporting the study’s empirical analyses.

Summary: The positivist, empirical, and quantitative nature of the study directs the literature review to emphasize previous empirical quantitative research, longitudinal studies, and policy evaluation literature. The focus is on measurable housing quality indices, government policy roles, and determinants of housing quality, aligning with the study’s objectives of trend analysis and understanding policy influences. This ensures a well-justified foundation for the study’s methodological and analytic choices, situated firmly within existing knowledge gaps.

 

Does the literature review examine any major academic theories?

The literature review in the study does not explicitly examine or discuss any major academic housing or economic theories in a formal theoretical framework. Instead, it focuses primarily on empirical studies related to housing deficit and quality in Ghana and other Global South contexts, reviewing previous findings on housing types, maintenance, quality indices, and the effects of housing policies.

Specifically, the review:

Summarizes empirical findings about housing quality drivers such as access to social amenities and construction materials.

Highlights challenges like informal housing growth due to self-built houses and high costs from developers.

Discusses previous research on spatial distribution of housing quality and housing systems in Ghana.

Notes the absence of updated work on determinants and distribution of housing quality in Ghana after policy interventions.

Therefore, while the literature engages with prior empirical research and relevant housing concepts (e.g., housing quality index, determinants of quality, ownership types), it does not explicitly discuss or build upon any major academic theories or model frameworks related to housing economics, urban studies, or social theory. The focus is more on empirical gaps and policy relevance rather than theoretical exposition.

 

Describe 2 research limitations and 2 literature review limitations of the study.

The study acknowledges several limitations in both its research design and literature review as follows:

Research Limitations

Data Coverage Limitation:

The study uses only a subset of the full Population and Housing Census data (about 10-12% samples from 2000, 2010, and 2021 censuses) rather than the complete datasets. This partial coverage may limit the generalizability of detailed localized findings, although it still captures national trends.

Lack of Certain Data Dimensions:

The housing quality index constructed in the study uses only three dimensions (physical durability, overcrowding, and housing services) due to the unavailability of data for the fourth dimension (household extra amenities) across all three censuses. This omission may restrict the comprehensiveness of the housing quality measure.

Literature Review Limitations

Scarcity of Recent Empirical Studies:

The literature review highlights a gap in recent empirical research analyzing the determinants of housing quality in Ghana. For example, the study notes that previous key work on the housing quality index (Fiadzo et al., 2001) is outdated and that there is limited recent research updating or expanding on this topic, especially after significant policy reforms .

Limited Documentation on Temporal Distribution and Policy Effects:

The literature review reveals insufficient focus in previous studies on the temporal distribution of housing deficit and quality across time and space, as well as limited analysis on the role of government housing policies in affecting housing demand, supply, and quality over the long term. This gap necessitates the current study’s focus on trends from 2000 to 2021 and policy impact evaluation.

These limitations underscore areas for caution in interpreting the study’s results and highlight avenues for future research to build more comprehensive and updated evidence on Ghana’s housing sector.