Informational differences and entrepreneurial networking among small and medium enterprises in Kampala, Uganda: The mediating role of ecologies of innovation
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Cogent Business & Management
Abstract
This paper examines the mediating role of ecologies of innovation in the
relationship between informational differences and entrepreneurial networking
among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kampala, Uganda. To empirically
validate the conceptual model and test the hypothesised relationships, the authors
collected data from a sample of 228 SMEs in Kampala district, Uganda purposefully
selected for this study. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were
analysed using SPSS/20 and AMOS version 23. The findings exhibit a full mediation
of ecologies of innovation in the relationship between informational differences and
entrepreneurial networking among SMEs. Besides, informational differences and entrepreneurial networking are insignificantly related. There were, however, some
limitations: as the study was cross-sectional in nature, it was difficult to trace the
process of interactions among employees especially, how they attach meaning to
information and entrepreneurial networking patterns over time;—the study was
conducted in Kampala district among trade, manufacturing, and services sectors
only. The implication is that entrepreneurial networking can only be explained and
predicted through ecologies of innovation. The study recommends that SME owners/
managers need to fully understand and facilitate ecologies of innovation for
employees to interact and attach meaning to information. This research contributes
to the literature on mediation of ecologies of innovation between informational
differences and entrepreneurial networking through its empirical findings of the
hypothesised relationships. It theoretically contributes to existing knowledge by
integrating complexity systems leadership theory.
Description
Keywords
Informational differences, Ecologies of innovation, Entrepreneurial networking, SMEs, Complexity
Citation
Samuel Mayanja, Joseph M. Ntayi, J.C. Munene, Waswa Balunywa, Arthur Sserwanga & James R.K. Kagaari | (2019) Informational differences and entrepreneurial networking among small and medium enterprises in Kampala, Uganda: The mediating role of ecologies of innovation, Cogent Business & Management, 6:1, 1617020, DOI: 10.1080/23311975.2019.1617020