Browsing by Author "Kikooma, Julius F."

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Does personality of owners of micro enterprises matter for the relationship between startup capital and entrepreneurial success?
    (African Journal of Business Management, 2016) Baluku, Martin M.; Kikooma, Julius F.; Kibanja, Grace M.
    Following the devastating effects of the recent global economic and financial crisis, both developing and developed countries are desperate to boost economic development and reduce unemployment rates. Consequently, entrepreneurship is being promoted. The resulting enterprises contribute to economic development and create employment opportunities. However, the contribution to economic development can only be realized if the enterprises themselves are growing. Whereas the contribution of both startup capital and personality to entrepreneurial success is well researched, the interaction between the two leading to entrepreneurial success has not been investigated. Using a sample of 384 owners of micro-enterprises from a cross-section of industry sectors in Uganda, The study examine the moderating effect of Big Five personality factors on the relationship between startup capital and entrepreneurial success. The study observes that startup capital, agreeableness and extraversion positively predict entrepreneurial success. Neuroticism, on the other hand, negatively predicts entrepreneurial success. Extraversion is the only factor in the Big Five model that moderates the relationship between startup capital and entrepreneurial success, highlighting the importance of interpersonal skills in microenterprises. The study also discusses implications for research, entrepreneurial education and support in relation to startup capital, specific personality factors.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Entrepreneurial Socialization and Psychological Capital: Cross-Cultural and Multigroup Analyses of Impact of Mentoring, Optimism, and Self-Efficacy on Entrepreneurial Intentions
    (Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 2019) Baluku, Martin M.; Matagi, Leonsio; Musanje, Khamisi; Kikooma, Julius F.; Otto, Kathleen
    This study demonstrates that psychological capital is essential in the process of developing and strengthening entrepreneurial intentions. We specifically investigate the mediating roles of optimism and self-efficacy facets of psychological capital in the relationship between entrepreneurial mentoring and intentions. The study was conducted among 1,272 young persons from Germany and East Africa (Uganda and Kenya). These included 784 final year university students and 488 wage employed. A multigroup analysis was applied to test for the effects of employment status and country differences. Results indicate that mentoring, optimism, and self-efficacy are positively correlated with entrepreneurial intentions. Findings also supported the hypothesized-mediated mediation model that mentoring impacts on entrepreneurial intentions through optimism and self-efficacy. The association of entrepreneurial mentoring on intentions was higher among the Germany participants than in the East African sample as well as among the students compared with employed individuals. Practical and theoretical implications of our findings are discussed
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Impact of personal cultural orientations and cultural intelligence on subjective success in self-employment in multi-ethnic societies
    (Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 2019) Baluku, Martin M.; Kikooma, Julius F.; Bantu, Edward; Onderi, Peter; Otto, Kathleen
    The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of personal cultural orientation and behavioral aspect of cultural intelligence on subjective success in self-employment in a multi-ethnic context. Based on Sharma (J Acad Mark Sci 38: 787–806, 2010) taxonomy of personal cultural orientations, the paper examines the impact of interdependence and social inequality orientations on subjective success in selfemployment (measured in terms of job satisfaction). Self-employed individuals working in multiethnic communities in East Africa (Uganda and Kenya) were compared with their counterparts in Germany operating in a less culturally or ethnically diverse context. Moderated mediation analysis using PROCESS macro model 8 is applied to measure the direct and indirect effects. Interdependence and social inequality cultural orientations were positively related to subjective success in self-employment for the East African sample, but not for the Germany sample. The results revealed that the impact of these cultural orientations on subjective success is mediated by behavioral cultural intelligence. However, these indirect effects vary between Germany and East Africa. Similar to cross-cultural settings, multiethnic business settings involve doing business with people from various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. This requires the entrepreneur to behave in a manner that demonstrates appreciation and respect of other people’s cultures.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Positive mindset and entrepreneurial outcomes: the magical contributions of psychological resources and autonomy
    (Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 2018) Baluku, Martin M.; Kikooma, Julius F.; Otto, Kathleen
    This paper applies self-determination theory (SDT) and psychological capital literature to examine the impact of psychological capital and autonomy on a number of entrepreneurial outcomes including entrepreneurs’ income, satisfaction, meaning in life, and commitment to the entrepreneurial career path. The results from two studies reported in this paper support the proposition that a positive mindset (consisting of psychological resources) and a feeling of autonomy are essential for entrepreneurial success. We also found that entrepreneurs’ satisfaction mediates the effects of psychological capital, autonomy, as well as their interaction effects on commitment. In addition, the effects of psychological capital and autonomy on satisfaction were also moderated by level of income. The results have implications for entrepreneurship training and support interventions. The implications for research are also discussed
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Positive Psychological Attributes and Entrepreneurial Intention and Action: The Moderating Role of Perceived Family Support
    (Front. Psychol, 2020) Baluku, Martin M.; Kikooma, Julius F.; Otto, Kathleen; König, Cornelius J.; Bajwa, Nida ul H.
    Recent research illustrates substantial gaps between entrepreneurial intentions and behavior. This is a challenge for entrepreneurship promotion interventions that have primarily focused on stimulating entrepreneurial intentions. However, extant literature suggests that implementation intentions enhance the likelihood of acting congruently to the behavioral intention. Furthermore, theory also suggests the condition effects of situations and the perceived control over them. We therefore hypothesized that implementation intentions mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and action, while perceived family support moderates the movement from implementation intention to entrepreneurial action. Using two-wave survey data from a sample of students at an African university, we measured two psychological attributes (proactive personality and psychological capital) as important precursors of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intentions present before undertaking an innovations and entrepreneurship course. Implementation intentions regarding entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial actions, and perceived parental support for entrepreneurial activities were also measured 2 weeks after completion of the course
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Psychological capital and entrepreneurial outcomes: the moderating role of social competences of owners of microenterprises in East Africa
    (Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 2018) Baluku, Martin M.; Kikooma, Julius F.; Bantu, Edward; Otto, Kathleen
    Business success arises out of the total investments in the venture. This is not limited to tangible inputs such as financial capital, but on intangible resources as well. Entrepreneurship is a highly stressing occupation involving undertaking risks and often demanding workloads; hence requiring mental inputs (psychological capital). Moreover, the entrepreneurial job also involves doing business with other people of different statuses including investors, partners, customers, and employees; hence requiring the entrepreneur to exhibit a great deal of social competence to relate with others. Using two independent studies, we assess the contribution of psychological capital and social competence, as well as their interaction to entrepreneurial outcomes including performance (Study 1), and entrepreneurs’ wellbeing, satisfaction, and commitment to their entrepreneurial career role (Study 2). Study 1 uses a sample of 102 owner-managers or managers of small companies in Uganda. In this study, entrepreneurs’ social competence is measured as the relationship between entrepreneurs and their employees. Study 2 uses a sample of 228 young self-employed individuals in Uganda and Kenya; and operationalizes social competence via social intelligence. The results were consistent with our assumptions, highlighting the relevance of both psychological capital and social competence to entrepreneurial outcomes. Yet their i
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Psychological capital and the startup capital–entrepreneurial success relationship
    (Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 2016) Baluku, Martin M.; Kikooma, Julius F.; Kibanja, Grace M.
    Research has demonstrated that psychological strengths have important influences on entrepreneurial behavior. The current study explored the interaction between entrepreneurs’ positive psychological capital and startup capital in leading to entrepreneurial success. Focus is on how owners of small scale enterprises use their psychological strengths to achieve their business goals. Using a sample of 384 entrepreneurs selected from the two leading business districts in Uganda, we observe that optimism is the component of psychological capital that significantly moderates the relationship between startup capital and entrepreneurial success. Both startup capital and psychological capital are significant predictors of entrepreneurial success; however, psychological capital is the better predictor. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings on entrepreneurial behavior, success and entrepreneurship promotion interventions are discussed.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Software 'Enabled' Research? Fears, Hopes, and Some 'New Vistas for Social Science Research in Africa
    (Phantom Solutions, 2005) Kikooma, Julius F.
    Computerizing qualitative research over two decades ago transformed the way social scientists could experiment with electronic manipulation of textual data based on the application of existing programs and approaches. There is however legitimate concerns about the effects of technology on practice that help define the problems to be addressed in computerizing research. Such concerns point yet to another example of a deeper issue raising such questions as: Is the software just a tool or does it in some way drive the research? Or whether specific software favours or precludes particular research methods. While reflecting on my own experiences with using one of the software programs-namely NVivo, my second aim is to critique the typical sentiments that software is simply and innocent research tool for the social scientist all too often missing, ignoring or leaving out important debates in the research community. The implications of the strategies adopted in this study are that unlike the situation just a decade ago, qualitative researchers now have available to them, an array of software tools to assist their research, and the use of software - including, but not limited to, word processors- seems more and more to be a regular part of the qualitative research process.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Using Qualitative Data Analysis Software in a Social Constructionist Study of Entrepreneurship
    (Qualitative Research Journal, 2010) Kikooma, Julius F.
    Discussions of the use of computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) in social science research studies are still few and isolated. In fact, much of the literature takes an uncritical approach to CAQDAS programs based on unrealistic expectations of the software as a methodology in and of itself. This has significant implications for learning and teaching qualitative data analysis software and the way it is used in research. The study on which this article is based combined formal narrative analysis, thematic coding, and deconstruction techniques to analyse the data using a dedicated qualitative data analysis software—NVivo. A discussion is given of how the qualitative analysis software was used in a social constructionist study, particularly outlining how it fitted with the methodological perspective adopted, and where, why and in what way rigour fitted with the underpinning epistemological position. Thus, this article illuminates how rigour can be integrated with relevance with the aid of the power and possibilities that qualitative research software possesses. In addition, an attempt is made to demonstrate how the use of CAQDAS enhances the validity of a qualitative project.