Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Social Work

Faculty/School

Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work

First Advisor

Lesley Cooper

Advisor Role

Dissertation Supervisor

Abstract

This study was an exploration of the concepts of partnership in the La and Nsawam-Adoajiri communities of Ghana and their implications for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support. Using qualitative data gathering methods, this study sought to discover what is referred to as a partnership, how it is initiated, why it is initiated, the meanings ascribed to it, and its structure and processes in either community. The study further sought to understand how the concepts of partnership in each community could facilitate the development of an effective community-based initiative for HIV and AIDS prevention and care in either community. The study was conducted from a social constructivist perspective using a social ecological framework for understanding factors that influence partnerships in the two communities.

The findings of the study revealed that partnership is conceptualized as a group of individuals or organizations working together to achieve a common purpose, in both communities. The findings also revealed two common underlying principles of the concepts of partnership in the two communities, namely, using collaborative advantage to 1) solve individual and common problems, and 2) for mutual aid. A third underlying principle of partnership: using collaborative advantage for group self-preservation, was found only in the La community.

The study also revealed that partnerships in the two communities are affected by factors operating at three main levels, namely, the individual, organizational and contextual levels. Partnerships in the two communities are facilitated by personal integrity, good partnership process, shared culture, strong sense of community, and a healthy local economy. Furthermore, partnerships in the two communities are as much about relationships as they are about solving problems. In both communities, people who are working together become “one family”; they take care of each other and provide emotional and material support for each other in time of need.

Three models of partnership were identified in this study, namely, 1) the customary model, 2) the adaptive transactional model, and 3) the culturally dynamic model. The first two were found in both communities but the third was found only in the La community. The customary model of partnership was a purely traditional model of partnership that uses traditional processes; the adaptive transactional model was contemporary and uses formal legal/administrative procedures; and the culturally dynamic model was a blend between the customary and adaptive transactional models of partnership. Consequently, this model of partnership combines La traditional practices with Western meeting procedures. Based on the suggestions of research participants from both communities, the culturally dynamic model of partnership was identified as, potentially, the most suitable form of partnership for a community-based initiative for HIV and AIDS prevention and care in either community.

Convocation Year

2010

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