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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between stewardship behaviour and perceived goal congruence. Using local governments, the paper introduces collectivism as a moderating variable to ascertain whether the mixed views in the stewardship behaviour-perceived goal congruence nexus is due to variations in collectivism.

The paper espouses a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical design. The authors use structural equation modelling to investigate hypotheses. Using proportionate and simple random sampling procedures, a sample of 310 respondents were drawn from local governments in Uganda of which a response rate of 72.6 per cent was obtained.

The findings show that stewardship behaviour and collectivism are significant predictors of perceived goal congruence. Furthermore, the magnitude effect of stewardship behaviour on perceived goal congruence depends on collectivism; implying that the assumption of non-additivity is met.

Only a single research methodological approach was employed and future research through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate.

Variations that occur in stewardship behaviour create variations in goal congruence in local governments. It is confirmed that collectivism technically strengthens the link between stewardship behaviour and perceived goal congruence: suggesting that indeed collectivism could establish a maximal impact on the stewardship behaviour—perceived goal congruence link.

This is one of the few studies that focus on testing the interactive effects of collectivism on the relationship between stewardship behaviour and perceived goal congruence in local governments in Uganda.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether each level in international networking (network extension, network penetration and network integration) matters in the internationalization of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The study adopted a cross-sectional and correlational research design. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 206 exporting SMEs in Uganda. The study employed a structural equation modelling (SEM) technique using partial least square (PLS) to test the hypothesis.

The findings revealed that network extension and network integration do matter in SMEs’ internationalization, while network penetration does not.

SMEs in developing countries need to concentrate on network extension and network integration levels to successfully internationalize their operations.

The study provides initial evidence on whether network extension, network penetration and network integration matter in SMEs’ internationalization in developing countries like Uganda.

The purpose of this study was to establish the mediation role of organizational learning in the relationship between business networking and internationalization of manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using evidence from Uganda.

This study is cross sectional and correlational. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 96 manufacturing SMEs. Data were analyzed through correlation coefficients, hierarchical regression and mediation analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and MedGraph - Excel Version.

Findings indicate that organizational learning partially mediates the relationship between business networking and internationalization of SMEs. Results further reveal that business networking and organizational learning significantly predict internationalization of SMEs.

This study contributes to the already existing literature on internationalization of SMEs as it provides initial empirical evidence on the mediating role of organizational learning in the relationship between business networking and internationalization of SMEs using evidence from a developing country – Uganda.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the readiness of Ugandans to accept electronic voting under the restrictive conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A semi-structured questionnaire, built on a five-point-Likert scale with responses ranging from 1 – strongly disagree to 5 – strongly agree was used to get quantifiable data from four main electoral stakeholders i.e. the policymakers, urban and semi-urban youth, rural voters and government officials. These stakeholders were purposively and conveniently selected because of the influential roles they play in promoting electoral democracy in Uganda. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the authors adopted correlational and quantitative research designs to collect and analyse data. Data was collected from a maximum sample size of 384 as recommended by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) from which 252 useful responses (65.6% response rate) were obtained. Using a statistical package for social scientists version 21.0, the authors performed a Pearson correlation coefficient to determine the relationships between study variables and linear regression analysis to predict the readiness of the stakeholders to accept e-voting more especially under the constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was a positive significant relationship between perceived usefulness (PU) and attitude towards adoption, perceived ease of use and attitude towards adoption, attitude and readiness and finally trust propensity and readiness. The regression results show that 65% of the variations in readiness to adopt e-voting can be explained by perceived ease of use, PU, trust propensity and attitude towards adoption. Attitude towards adopting e-voting accounts for the highest variations in the model followed by trust propensity and finally PU. However, perceived ease of use was found to be insignificant.

The study was limited to only PU, perceived ease of use, trust propensity, attitudes towards using/adoption and readiness to accept e-voting amidst the COVID-19 strict conditions. In Africa, electoral democracy can be influenced by a number of factors such as finances, education levels, sectarianism, voter rigging, perceived risk, political and economic environment. These were not taken into consideration yet they would affect the stakeholders’ attitudes and perceptions which would directly or indirectly affect the adoption of electronic voting.

Given the low levels of technology infrastructure in the country, there is a general low uptake of technology-oriented systems. The internet reach is low and quality is poor whilst the radio and televisions network is limited to a few urban settings, poor quality technology systems such as the recently acquired voter biometric systems and the constant government actions to switch off the internet and social media whenever there are contentious political issues. These inadequacies together with the restrictive COVID-19 conditions have compromised the participation of stakeholders which dents the stakeholders’ readiness to accept e-voting which consequently compromises electoral democracy in the country. Therefore, government, electoral observers, the international community and civil society organizations need to accelerate the technology infrastructure development in the country, training and development of technical skills and competences, as well as mass mobilization on the use of technology-oriented platforms aimed at promoting electoral democracy. The country should come up with ICT policies and regulations that encourage the use of ICT in areas that promote democracy. These may include; the use of an easy e-voting system such as emails and voting via the post office. Also, Lawmakers, civil society organizations and the international community should make it punitive for anyone who disenfranchises people through internet disconnection, denial of access to broadcast, print and online media. These interventions will restore peoples’ attitudes and perceptions towards electronic voting, consequently increasing their levels of participation in the electioneering process.

The Ministry of Health, the Uganda Police Force and other security agencies have come out strongly to enforce the COVID-19 standard operating procedures which among others include the banning of political gatherings, processions and meetings of any kind. As a remedy, the Electoral Commission is encouraging political parties, electoral candidates, voters and other stakeholders to use technology-oriented systems such as mobile phones, broadcast and print media, the internet and others to reach out to the electorate. With the government in full control of all these electronic, print and broadcast media, having previously switched them off during the 2011 and 2016 polls consequently disenfranchising many people from their democratic rights, it remains unknown the extent to which the electorate is ready to accept and appreciate scientific voting more so during this time when restrictions against COVID-19 are not making it any better for the voters and other key participants to carry out their political and civil activities.

The purpose of this paper is twofold (1) to establish the relationship between infrastructure development and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on the entrepreneurial activities in the Albertine Graben region of Uganda and (2) to establish whether entrepreneurial orientation mediates the relationship between infrastructure development and entrepreneurial activity.

Quantitative data were collected from a sample of 118 enterprises, mainly small businesses. The authors sent out 118 self-administered questionnaires of which 93 useable questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 79%. Quantitative data were processed and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Analyses such as correlation, hierarchical regression and mediation were carried out to understand (1) the relationship between the variables, (2) the prediction potential of the independent variables to entrepreneurial activity and (3) the mediation role of EO on the relationship between infrastructure activity and business performance.

The authors found out that infrastructure developments are a significant predictor of entrepreneurial activity (ß = 0.432**, p < 0.01), explaining 21.6% of entrepreneurial activity in the region. EO was found to have a significant positive relationship with entrepreneurial activity (r = 0.580**, p < 0.01). The results of a hierarchical regression indicate that both infrastructure development and EO explain 42% of the entrepreneurial activity in the Albertine region. Mediation analysis indicated that EO is a partial mediator in the relationship between infrastructure development and entrepreneurial activity.

The results are based on self-report statistics. The model explains 42% of entrepreneurial activity thus there is need to examine the influence of other factors which contribute the 58% to entrepreneurial activity. The study was also limited to public infrastructure, with much attention on transportation (roads) and energy (electricity). Future studies can consider looking at private infrastructure as well.

Understanding the role of infrastructure development and EO helps government and other development partners to know the type, quantity and quality of the infrastructure required as well as how to grow the EO of entrepreneurs to boost entrepreneurial activity in the region.

This paper provides insights into our understanding of the relationship between infrastructure development, entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial activity using evidence from Uganda’s oil rich region. The originality of this paper further lies in the discovery of the partial mediation of entrepreneurial orientation in the relationship between infrastructure development and entrepreneurial activity. This is the first time such a study is conducted in an African developing country such as Uganda whose oil exploration activities are still in their infancy.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of export logistics components: shipment arrangements, timely delivery, customs quality, trade infrastructure, and tracking and tracing on export competitiveness of firms in the East African Community (EAC).

The study adopted the Structural Gravity Model and the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood (PPML). PPML a nonlinear estimation method was applied in STATA on a balanced panel data for the period of 2007–2018. Data were obtained from World Bank International Trade Centre (ITC), World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and World Bank development indicators.

Results show that timely delivery and tracking and tracing of exports are positive and significant predictors of export competitiveness in EAC countries. Conversely, shipment arrangements, customs quality and trade infrastructure have no influence on export competitiveness.

The results of this study show that export logistics components of shipment arrangements, customs quality and trade infrastructure do not matter at the present in improving export competitiveness in the EAC. There is a need to examine the intricate nature of the EAC economy to further this study's findings.

The EAC partner states should embrace deep integration by removing the behind the border trade barriers in addition to other trade restrictions, to create a common economic space among member states. This will further shrink the delivery time and the tracking and tracing of exports hence improving the competitiveness of EAC exports within the region and outside. Also, common and harmonized trade policies and regulations should be implemented through mutual recognition agreements where countries agree to recognize one another's conformity assessments.

This study explains the complex dynamic interactions of export logistics factors in the EAC using quantitative data and that this interaction has an effect on the export competitiveness in import-dominated countries with less harmonization in their trade policies.

This article examines the potential of increasing commitment of medical knowledge-workers (medical-KWs) in hospitals, particularly in handling deadly pandemics like COVID-19, through servant leadership behaviour. The authors hold that medical-KWs like doctors and nurses form the core team of knowledge-workers (KWs) at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 through seeking possible vaccines, treating patients and promoting behaviours that curtail its spread. Thus research directed towards enhancing their continued commitment is both timely and valuable.

The study uses an explanatory cross-sectional survey design.

Results reveal that servant leadership behaviour significantly explains changes in commitment of medical-KWs. Results further establish that perceived fairness – a key psychological factor – significantly explains how servant leadership enhances the commitment of medical-KWs.

Data used were sourced from medical-KWs in selected public hospitals only. Thus results may differ among medical-KWs in private hospitals, yet they have also championed the fight against COVID-19. Never the less these results provide a direction of thought to guide practice and other related studies on a wider-scale.

In their quest to eradicate COVID-19 and its negative effects on social-economic development, nations have to actively promote servant leadership behaviour in the hospitals (by establishing quality relationships, credibility and efficient processes for delivering the shared goal) as mechanisms for sustaining the continued commitment of medical-KWs towards fighting the pandemic.

Results portray events from an economy that has registered successes in combating pandemics like Ebola and currently COVID-19 and thus offer a plausible benchmark for practice.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which perceived leadership integrity influences changes in organisational commitment. The premise of the study is the argument that non-financial rewards alleviate the challenges associated with low levels of commitment in economies that are riddled with incessant situations of economic scarcity.

An explanatory study approach was adopted to investigate the envisaged linkage between the study variables from a socio-psychological perspective.

The results of the study establish that perceived leadership integrity significantly influences variations in commitment among organisational employees.

The study results provide a reason for firms to invest more resources towards promoting honesty among organisational leaders. The findings of the study support the idea that perceived integrity of an organisation's leadership generates a sustainable win–win position not only between the organisation and employees, but also among the leaders and subordinates.

Organisations must regularly consider the drivers of organisational commitment and pay sufficient attention to non-financial drivers. As advanced by this study, a very important yet economical way of effecting such a strategy is through instituting measures that sustainably create a perception among employees that organisational leaders execute their duties with the utmost integrity.

This article has both empirical and theoretical value. Empirically, this work is the first of its kind aimed at investigating the effect of perceived leadership integrity on organisational commitment within Uganda's hospitality setting. Theoretically, the study extends the versatility of the hierarchy of needs theory by clarifying that higher-level needs offer a basis for explaining the effect of psychological processes (in this case, perceived leadership integrity) on behavioural changes (in this case, organisational commitment).

The purpose of this paper is to identify gaps in the structure of organizations that hinder collaboration of organizations involved in the creation of graduate employment opportunities in Uganda.

Data was collected from staff and leaders of 14 organizations that were purposely selected to represent government, private, and civil society organizations. These organizations were selected based on their mandates, which touch on the employability of university graduates in the country in very direct ways. This was a cross-sectional survey design—based on a self-administered questionnaire, key informant interviews, and documentary analysis.

Organizations were found to have “Tell”/directive decision-making, high power distance between employees, and jobs were not coded in a way that gives employees freedoms to interact and build collaborative relationships. Finally, rules and regulations were very restrictive, disorienting employee's abilities to collaborate.

This research concentrated on the gaps that exist in the structure of organizations from which the results point to inadequate relational, interactional, inclusive, and democratic space among different stakeholders. It would be useful for future research to examine the extent to which the structure of organizations not only impacts collaboration but also measures the level to which it affects organizational performance.

The knowledge economy of the twenty-first century demands for collaborative engagements with different stakeholders if they are to survive the competitive business environment. Collaborative engagement helps in the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and resources, development of more coherent services, facilitation of innovation and evaluation, avoiding duplication of work, and minimizing conflicts and competition while creating synergy among partners.

Unlike previous studies, which have examined employability of graduates from a supply side perspective, this study investigates organizations from both the supply and demand perspectives and identifies synergy that is as a result of bringing organizations to work together.

This study aims to examine the contribution of board role performance and isomorphic forces on internet financial reporting.

This study is cross-sectional and correlational. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 40 financial services firms. The study’s unit of analysis was a firm. Chief Internal Auditors and Chief Finance Officers were the study’s unit of inquiry. Data were analyzed through correlation coefficients and linear regression using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.

The results suggest that board role performance and isomorphic forces are significant predictors of internet financial reporting. However, board role performance is not a significant predictor of internet financial reporting in the presence of isomorphic forces. The control and strategic roles of the board are positively and significantly associated with internet financial reporting unlike the service role. Only the coercive isomorphism is positively and significantly associated with internet financial reporting unlike the normative and mimetic isomorphism.

This study provides initial empirical evidence on the contribution of board role performance and isomorphic forces on internet financial reporting using evidence from Uganda’s financial service firms. To the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first perception-based study on internet financial reporting.