Browsing by Author "Kikawa, Cliff R."

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    Financial Accountability and Performance of Private Universities in Uganda : A moderating effect of resources and competence of proprietors
    (New Paradigms on Research in Africa, 2018) Akatwijuka, Habaasa I.; Sekiwu, Denis; Turyahebwa, Abanis; Kikawa, Cliff R.
    Worldwide, higher education has undergone significant changes in response to societal demands and needs in the USA, Europe, Latin America, Canada, Asia, and Africa. In fact, private higher education has evolved more rapidly than the public system, and in many nations, it is seen as a supplement to the public system (Obasi, 2016). To enhance access to higher education, many nations, like Nigeria, Malaysia, and Indonesia, liberalized and encouraged the privatization of higher education and many private universities mushroomed in those countries (Lawita, 2018). In the last three decades, many private universities have been mounting support and dedication to address performance challenges. Many universities in different parts of the world started implementing policies aimed at improving performance of these education institutions (Amponsah & Onuoba, 2013). Many around the globe view good performance in following areas, that is, adjustment and restructuring of the teaching curriculum, research, daily operations, the human resources, financial management, adequate learning infrastructure, financial sustainability, strategic planning, resource mobilization, environmental issues, competitive position, quality teaching and research, social corporate responsibility among others (Aleixo, 2018; Amponsah & Onuoba, 2013). The World Bank and international monetary fund required sub-Saharan African nations like Uganda to adopt certain policies known as the structural adjustments, which called for the removal of subsidies from higher education and advocated for cost sharing in university education. These policies, along with an increase in population that was not matched by the government's expansion of new educational institutions or universities, all contributed to the acceleration of the establishment of private universities in Uganda in 1988 (Ochwa-Echel, 2016). The demand for private universities was further enhanced by the introduction of universal primary education in 1997 that doubled primary enrollment from three million in 1998 to six million in 1999 and to 8,297,000 in 2009. This was followed by the introduction of universal secondary education in 2006 which increased the number of potential applicants for university entrance from 728,393 in 2005 to 1,194,454 in 2009 (UBOS, 2010). Following the explosion of private universities globally, the number of private universities has grown from 40.6%
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    Social Media Marketing for Small and Medium Enterprise Performance in Uganda: A Structural Equation Model
    (Sustainability, 2022) Kikawa, Cliff R.; Kiconco, Charity; Agaba, Moses; Ntirampeba, Dimas; Ssematimba, Amos; Kalema, Billy M.
    Thanks to the ongoing expansion of internet access and, most recently, the movement restrictions that were put in place globally to stop COVID-19 spread, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are prepared to use social media platforms to market their products as a way to improve their business performance in emerging economies. Businesses at all levels that use social media marketing (SMM) see a considerable increase in their output. This study’s objective is to identify the factors that significantly help Ugandan SMEs implement SMM techniques to enhance their commercial performance. Here, statistical models are utilized to analyze how the age and gender of SMEs owners as moderating variables affect the adoption and performance of SMEs in Uganda. A theoretical model that is based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) theories has been put out as part of a specific conceptual framework. The following indicators are used to evaluate the performance of SMEs: sales, customer engagement, awareness of customers’ needs, low operation costs, and brand modification by staff. Empirical model validation has been performed using 152 business units (observation units) corresponding to the number of respondents (units of analysis), and the ensuing analyses have been done using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results indicate that compatibility and perceived ease of use have a positive impact on SMEs to adopt SMM, while perceived usefulness has a negative impact on SMEs to adopt SMM. Age and gender as moderating variables all have a positive moderating effect. With limited studies available on the subject, this research contributes to already existing literature by combining two components of the TAM model and one component of the IDT to explain the impact of SMM on SMEs when moderated by both age and gender in a developing economy.