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The purpose of this study is twofold (1) to establish the relationship between inventory management, managerial competence and financial performance and (2) to test whether inventory management mediates the relationship between managerial competence and financial performance.

We employed cross-sectional and correlational research designs. A questionnaire survey of 304 small businesses in Uganda was utilized. Hypotheses were tested using a bootstrap analysis technique with the aid of Analysis of Moments Structures (AMOS) software.

Results indicate that inventory management and managerial competence are significantly associated with financial performance of small businesses. Further, inventory management partially mediates the relationship between managerial competence and financial performance.

Rather than focusing on only the direct effects of managerial competence and inventory management, moreover independently, the indirect effect of inventory management is tested. Further, the behavioral perspective of inventory management, as opposed to financial ratios, is utilized.

By the end of their studies, students are expected to: undergraduate level. Learning objective 1: Describe the concept of social entrepreneurship. Learning objective 2: Explain the sources and challenges of funding social entrepreneurial activities. Learning objective 3: Discuss the different strategies that social entrepreneurs may use to raise funds. Postgraduate level. Learning Objective 1: Use theory to explain the concept of social entrepreneurship. Learning objective 2: Discuss the role of social capital in facilitating resource acquisition for social entrepreneurial activities. Learning objective 3: Evaluate the current action for fundamental change and development (AFFCAD) funding model and propose strategies that may be used by a social enterprise to achieve financial sustainability when donor funding expires.

The past decade has seen the emergence of many social enterprises from disadvantaged communities in low-income countries, seeking to provide solutions to social problems, which in developed countries would normally be addressed by government sponsored welfare programmes. The social entrepreneurs behind such initiatives are typically drawn from the disadvantaged communities they serve. They are often young people committed to improving the lives of their most disadvantaged community members. Being poor themselves and located in the poorest communities, establishing their enterprise faces fundamental challenges of obtaining resources and if accessed, sustaining the flow of resources to continue and grow their enterprise. Targeting external donors and mobilizing social resources within their community is a typical route to get their enterprise off the ground, but sustaining momentum when donor funding ceases requires changes of strategy and management. How are young social entrepreneurs dealing with these challenges? The case focusses on AFFCAD, a social enterprise founded by Mohammed Kisirisa and his three friends to support poor people in Bwaise, the largest slum in Kampala city. It illustrates how, like many other similar social enterprise teams, the AFFCAD team struggled to establish itself and its continuing difficulties in trying to financially sustain its activities. The case demonstrates how the youngsters mobilised social networks and collective action to gain access to donor funding and how they are modifying this strategy as donor funding expires. From an academic perspective, a positive theory of social entrepreneurship (Santos, 2012) is applied to create an understanding of the concept of social entrepreneurship. The case uses the social capital theory to demonstrate the role played by social ties in enabling social entrepreneurs to access financial and non-financial support in a resource scarce context (Bourdieu, 1983; Coleman, 1988, 1990). The National Council for Voluntary Organisations Income Spectrum is used as a tool to develop the options available for the AFFCAD team to sustain their activities in the absence of donor support. The case provides evidence that social entrepreneurs are not limited by an initial lack of resources especially if they create productive relationships at multiple levels in the communities where they work. However, their continued success depends on the ability to reinvent themselves by identifying ways to generate revenue to achieve their social goals.

This case study is aimed at Bachelor of Entrepreneurship students, MBA, MSc. Entrepreneurship and Masters of Social Innovation students.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial framework conditions (EFCs) and business sustainability among youth and women entrepreneurs using the institutional theory.

This study is cross-sectional and follows an explanatory research design using 390 youth and women entrepreneurs in Mbarara district (Uganda). A principal factor analysis was conducted to single out the particular constructs of business sustainability and EFC. Inferential analysis was conducted to test the relationships.

First, the constructs of business sustainability are stakeholder engagements, people and skills, ecosystem management, market and sales and innovation. Second, the constructs of EFC are education, government program and policies, IT infrastructure, market openness and finance. Finally, finance and IT infrastructure are significant predictors of business sustainability among the youth and women entrepreneurs.

The examination of EFCs from the perspective of the consumers/beneficiaries can offer reasonable results when compared to the national expert perspective.

This study generates initial evidence on the applicability of EFCs from the perspective of the individuals as opposed to the national experts.

This paper seeks to provide a multi-theoretical explanation of the living practice of a public entity found in Uganda, an African developing country, which successfully enhanced public accountability.

A qualitative narrative enquiry through storytelling was used to portray the practices of public accountability. The perceptions of various individuals were obtained using in-depth interviews, from which a coherent story structured under the themes of context, actions, results and lessons was obtained.

Findings show that public entities that put in place oversight mechanisms and management structures, involve stakeholders and create an ethical work climate enhance public accountability. The results further show that the integration of theories (agency, stewardship, stakeholder and ethical work climate) promotes public accountability.

In terms of limitations and areas for future research, the study has been conducted on a single city authority to explain public accountability. Perhaps there is a need to conduct similar studies with other city authorities or a combination of organizations. The study has used a qualitative methodology through narrative enquiry to explain public accountability. Future studies can use a quantitative methodology, more so to test the proposed conceptual model of public accountability. Despite the study limitations, the results of this study remain relevant.

This study uses the positive story of a public entity from a developing country that successfully practiced public accountability. Consequently, from a practical perspective, the findings of this study can be used as a benchmark for promoting effective public accountability practices, especially in developing countries across the globe, where public accountability has proven to be a challenge. Furthermore, governments in developing countries can also use the study findings to strengthen public accountability policies in their respective countries.

The study suggests that enhancement in public accountability practice requires an approach that brings together a multiplicity of factors. The study affords public accountability practitioners an opportunity to replicate the successful accountability practices from the story. When public accountability is enhanced, service delivery in terms of social services by the public organizations is likely to improve, leading to better quality of life in the communities served.

The study is novel in its use of a positive story that depicts an entity from a developing country that successfully enhanced public accountability. To explain this phenomenon, the study uses a multi-theoretical approach, unlike prior studies.

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of innovation on the relationship between managerial competencies and business performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Rwanda.

A cross-sectional survey and quantitative methodological approach were used to collect the data. The bootstrap method was used to test mediation effects.

The findings revealed that innovation is a significant mediator in the association between managerial competencies and business performance. This study, therefore, adds new knowledge by stating that innovation toward business performance is a partial mediator in the relationship between managerial competencies and business performance of SMEs in Rwanda.

Only a single research methodological approach was used. Qualitative studies through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate. Furthermore, the findings from the present study are cross-sectional. Longitudinal studies ought to be undertaken to examine the mediation effects studied to investigate any possibility of variations in the results.

The results may help owners-managers of SMEs to develop policies and strategies that could enable them to take advantage of new opportunities in relation to updated technology and cope with changes that may take place in the business environment to boost their business performance level.

To the authors’ knowledge, no research has ever been carried out on the mediating role of innovation in the relationship between managerial competencies and business performance of SMEs in Rwanda.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of competitive advantage in the relationship between managerial competence and financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda.

A cross-sectional survey was employed using 22 fully licensed and operational commercial banks in Uganda. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, zero order correlation and hierarchical regression analyses. Further, the bootstrap method was used to test the mediation effect of competitive advantage. All the analyses were performed using SPSS v21.

The findings reinforce the important position of managerial competence on financial performance of commercial banks. First, managerial competence enhances firms’ competitive advantage. Second, managerial competence has an indirect effect on financial performance through competitive advantage. Overall, managerial competence and competitive advantage are strong predictors of financial performance of commercial banks.

The study employed only a single research methodological approach, therefore future research could be undertaken using a mixed approach and triangulate to compare findings. Furthermore, the findings from the present study are cross-sectional, considering the limitations there in, a longitudinal approach should be explored.

Emphasis should be put on improving the knowledge and skills of managers so as to attain a competitive edge in the market and thus register increased profits. This will help practitioners make legitimate decisions and conclusions that can foster business growth.

A mediation effect of competitive advantage in the relationship between managerial competence and financial performance was tested; previous studies have tended to test the direct effects.

The purpose of this paper is to establish whether all the dimensions of individual learning behavior matter for self-employment practice among youths, using evidence from Uganda.

This study is a correlational and cross-sectional type. A questionnaire survey of 393 youths was used. The data collected were analyzed through SPSS.

The results indicate that meaning-oriented learning behavior, planned learning behavior and emergent learning behavior do matter for self-employment practice among youths in Uganda unlike instruction-oriented learning behavior.

This study focused on self-employed youths who have gone through tertiary education in Uganda. Therefore, it is likely that the results may not be generalized to other settings. The results show that to promote self-employment practice among youths, the focus should be put mainly on meaning-oriented learning behavior, planned learning behavior and emergent learning behavior.

This study provides initial evidence on whether all the dimensions of individual learning behavior do matter for self-employment practice among youths using evidence from an African developing country – Uganda.

The purpose of this study is threefold: first, to examine among the board role performance attributes, which ones are critical for sustainability reporting practices; second, to establish the relationship between the overall board role performance and sustainability reporting practices; and third, to establish the relationship between board role performance and the three dimensions of sustainability reporting practices.

This study is correlational as it aims to establish relationships. Data were collected within a period of one year. Usable questionnaires were received from 48 financial services firms in Uganda.

On average, financial services firms in Uganda follow the Global Reporting Initiative sustainability reporting standards to the extent of 64%. The study results also indicate that board role performance is significantly associated with sustainability reporting practices. Board role performance is more associated with social sustainability reporting than environmental and economic sustainability reporting. In terms of board roles, service role is more associated with the sustainability reporting practices than the control and strategic role of the board.

The board has to provide the necessary support to management by passing decisions aimed at improving sustainability reporting practices and providing the necessary resources such as budgets for training of staff in sustainability reporting standards. Policymakers may require companies to prepare sustainability reports annually.

This study provides insights on the initial understanding of the link between board role performance and sustainability reporting practices. This study sheds more light on the relationship between board role performance and the dimensions of sustainability reporting. The study further enlightens the academic community and practice on which board roles are critical for enhanced sustainability reporting. This study therefore posts that it is no longer a matter of having board members but, rather, the role these board members play.

The purpose of this study was to examine the actions owner‐managers of small businesses undertake in managing working capital.

The study adopted an exploratory research design. The point of saturation was achieved after ten owner‐managers were interviewed. Data were analyzed using content analysis technique with the aid of NVivo software. Verbatim texts were used to explain the emergent themes.

The findings indicate that in the absence of systems, structures and procedures, small business owner‐managers intuitively plan, monitor and control their working capital. The activities undertaken include; reliance on memory and oral agreements, informal planning, assuming inventory limits, unconventional record keeping, cash flow based information management and giving credit to close associates.

A more detailed investigation of the steps in the action sequence ma y advance our understanding of the process. Future studies need to test the effect of personal characteristics on working capital management process.

Owner‐managers of small businesses do not require the same degree of sophistication employed in planning, monitoring and controlling working capital. They require soft skills. Therefore, academicians, practitioners and policy makers need to emphasize knowledge management and cash accounting.

This study examines the process perspective of working capital management, an aspect that has not been adequately highlighted in previous studies.

Little is known about how self-determination and financial attitude are linked to retirees’ financial well-being in Nigerian context. Drawing from the theory of reasoned action, the purpose of this paper is to examine the connection of self-determination, financial attitude and financial well-being. Also, this paper examines the mediating role of financial attitude between self-determination and financial well-being.

A cross-sectional study was used in collecting quantitative data from 399 retirees drawn from North Central Nigeria. Hypotheses are tested through structural equation modelling using the Analysis of Moments of Structures (AMOS) software, version 23.

Results from the research indicate that financial attitude serves as a trajectory through which self-determination leads to financial well-being. Therefore, self-determination and financial attitude significantly contribute to the financial well-being of retirees.

The use of a cross-sectional design may undermine the causal conclusions of the findings. This study adds to existing research on financial well-being by showing that financial attitude is significant in attaining financial well-being and how self-determination variable impact financial well-being.

This study contributes to literature by establishing the mediating role of financial attitude in the relationship between self-determination and financial well-being. Thus, instead of concentrating on only the direct effects of self-determination and financial well-being, the indirect effect of financial attitude is tested.