Ugandan Journal of Management and Public Policy Studies

Social Media as a Catalyst of Good Governance:

Erick Odhiambo Ogolla — 2024-07-08

Social media has revolutionized how information flows among people. Therefore, social media is vital in promoting good governance through citizen participation in decision-making. This study investigated social media’s role as a catalyst for good governance in East Africa. The objectives of the study were to determine the quantity of research on social media as a catalyst of good governance in East Africa; identify the research themes addressed by scholarly articles on social media as a catalyst of good governance in East Africa; examine the authorship patterns of scholarly articles on social media as a catalyst of good governance in East Africa; and, evaluate the visibility of scholarly articles on social media as a catalyst of good governance in East Africa. The study applied a bibliometrics research approach. Data was collected from Google Scholar using Harzing’s “Publish or Perish” software and analyzed in Microsoft Excel and VOSviewer. A total of 999 articles were retrieved for data analysis using keywords in the title. After data cleaning, 601 articles were used for data analysis. The findings indicate that there was a gradual increase in papers on social media for good governance in the last ten years, with a sharp decline over the last two (2) years. Numerous research themes have emerged from diverse disciplines. However, there was little collaboration between authors in the area. The visibility of publications was high but with a significant variance between the leading and the rest. This study recommends that policies on engagement on social media be developed; there is need for training on the use of social media tools for research; and, the need to enhance collaborative efforts among researchers in the discipline to enhance good governance through social media.

Developing a system of Sustainability Indicators (SUI) for Community Participation in Physical Planning of the peri-urban area of Tlokweng, Botswana

Branko I. Cavric — 2024-07-08

The latest review of Tlokweng Planning Area (TPA) development plan, which borders Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, has included a large participation of numerous stakeholders and sustainability indicators (SUI) platform, in order to transform
physical planning into a proactive agent of positive social, economic and environmental change. This approach has helped planners to orient towards shaping the future with an emphasis on liveability, sustainability, resilience and switch from urban-rural fringe (URF) to rural-urban fringe (RUF) land use change. In order to apply that shift, the planning team has developed a system of SUIs based on opinions from different members of the social fabric living and working in 10 planning zones of TPA. The summary of this extensive field survey is translated into Indexes and Indicator maps and accompanied statistics showing the status of planning areas in five categories: natural environment (5), built environment (10), economic environment (2), social environment (5), and political environment (4). Outcomes of this approach clearly show how SUI can help land managers, planners and decision makers in short and mid-term monitoring, control and reviews of TPA development plan individual land use zones and sites.

Financial Inclusion and Financial Satisfaction among Finance Post-graduate Students at a Management Development Institute in Uganda

Paddy Mugambe — 2024-07-08

This study examines the relationship between financial inclusion and financial satisfaction, crucial components of overall well-being. Financial inclusion, defined as access to and usage of a wide range of quality and affordable financial services, is essential for financial security and well-being. This research focuses on post-graduate finance students at a Management Development Institute in Uganda, presumed to be financially literate and capable of leveraging available financial services. The study uses a cross-sectional design and survey method to evaluate financial inclusion through three dimensions: access, usage, and quality of financial services. Findings reveal a statistically significant positive relationship between both access to and quality of financial services and financial satisfaction, while the relationship between usage and financial satisfaction is not significant. These results suggest that policymakers should enhance access to financial services and that financial institutions should innovate to improve both access and quality. Researchers are encouraged to investigate further the dynamics behind the insignificant relationship between the usage of financial services and financial satisfaction in this population.

Ethics and Assisted Reproductive Technology in Uganda:

Wilson Muyinda Mande — 2024-07-08

The study analysed educated youths’ perceptions regarding the ethics associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Uganda. The guiding specific objectives were: (1) to analyze the youths’ perceptions of the relationship between ethics and culture; (2) to explore the relationship between culture and ART; and (3) to assess the effect of ethics on ART. A cross-sectional design was employed for the study. Graduates from various universities, various disciplines and gender compositions were included. Data collection methods were mainly two: (a) a purposely constructed questionnaire and (b) a documentary review. It was found that there was a low positive significant relationship between ethics and culture. Secondly, culture had a moderate positive significant effect on ART. Thirdly, Ethics had a positive significant relationship with ART. The mediation analysis revealed that culture contributed 31% to the relationship between ethics and ART. The remaining 69% operated directly. Two important actions are proposed by this study: (i) the Fertility Centres / Hospitals that offer ART services to form an Association; (ii) The Association to formulate an Ethics Policy that would guide all providers of ART services in the country. All this falls in the ambit of selfregulation which would lead to effective ethical observance in the fertility centres that offer those services.

The Relationship between Residential Land Use, Land Tenure and Values in Kampala City, Uganda

Luke M. Obala — 2024-07-08

Rapid population, land scarcity, derived demand, and overlapping land rights have increased conflicts over land in Kampala. These, coupled with high need and demand for accommodation, have contributed to the need for a better understanding of the interactions between existing land tenure systems and values. This is particularly critical given that land values influence access to land, use, and ownership. A good understanding of the interactions will help develop appropriate solutions to ensure a well-functioning property market. This paper, therefore, highlights the links between residential land use, land tenure systems, and land values in Kampala City. The study used a descriptive research design. Primary data was obtained through field studies undertaken between 2017 and 2018 but data collected on land values were for varied periods between and 10 years depending on data availability. A field survey was undertaken within Kampala’s Makindye Division and involved interviews with selected households, key informant interviews, informal discussions, and observation. Secondary data was obtained by reviewing relevant literature. The findings were that Kampala has a multiplicity of land tenure systems; land values are influenced by a multiplicity of factors; land tenure systems have a moderate positive significant relationship with urban land values and, therefore, insignificant in predicting urban residential land values. The study recommended the need to develop a land tenure map for the city due to the complexity of the existing tenure system, develop a land registry for all land parcels, and the need for more studies on land value dynamics and/or trends.

The Influence of Employee Development Initiatives in the Retention of Academics at Kyambogo University, Uganda

Sebastian Bigabwenkya — 2024-07-08

The study analysed the influence of employee development (ED) initiatives on the retention of academics at Kyambogo University (KYU) in Uganda. The issue of concern was that whereas KYU was investing up to 18% of her annual budget into staff hiring and development activities, the contribution of these ED activities or initiatives towards the retention of academics was not known. Hence, the study’s overall objective was to assess the influence of ED initiatives on the retention of academics at KYU. The study,, borrowing ideas from the job embeddedness theory, explains how staff retention at KYU is partly a question of being embedded in the university employment system and partly due to other factors. The study adopted an explanatory survey design that employed quantitative data collection and analysis approaches. Stratified sampling techniques were used to select a sample of 159 from a study population of 311 academics. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The study registered a response rate of 68.2% (107 out of 157). The data were analysed using SPSS Version 25 and presented as descriptive and inferential statistics. The key findings from the study revealed that ED had a significant positive correlation with academic retention (r = 0.489**, n= 107, p = 0.000). It was also established that ED is a significant predictor of retention of academics at KYU (F = 33.010, p< 0.01). Up to 23.2 per cent of the variance in the retention of academics at the university could be attributed to ED initiatives. It was concluded that if ED initiatives were effectively implemented, there would be a likelihood of improving retention levels of academics. The study recommends that the administration of KYU maintains the existing ED initiatives and strengthens them further to attain a high level of retention of academics. The study further recommends maintaining and improving the existing practices of ED, such as mentoring, coaching, lectures, workshops and conferences.

The Paradox of the 360-degree Performance Management

Baakile Motshegwa — 2024-07-08

Companies and governments worldwide have tried many types of performance management systems as they evolved, but new ones surfaced. The article reviews performance management as a sub-field of the human resource management literature. This article traces the history of performance management in organisations but later focuses on the 360-degree type of performance management. The article addresses the problem of performance management within an organisational setting, specifically the 360-degree performance Management system and how it is applied within an organisational setting. Managing performance in an organisation is a noble exercise. Still, the introduction of the 360-degree performance evaluation has its strengths and weaknesses that those in management should be aware of and have some mitigation strategies to control. The literature review reveals that performance management is a valuable practice in an organisation as a performance measurement tool. On the contrary, 360-degree performance management can be exploited by colleagues to get at each other or collude for some sinister motives. The adoption and use of the 360-degree performance management in an organisation can improve performance of both the organisations and the employees. Feedback will be coming from different sources such as the employees, customer and management. The study adopted the integrative literature review methodology where the previous literature was synthesised and evaluated to identify the benefits that could be accrued to organisations.

The Effect of Direct Infrastructure Utilization on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Zombo District, Uganda

Epiphany Odubuker Picho — 2024-07-08

The study examined the effect of direct infrastructure utilization on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Zombo district of Uganda. The study aimed to examine the effect of direct infrastructure utilization on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Zombo district of Uganda. A cross-sectional study design was used. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted with a sample of 150 out of 224 target population. A simple random sampling technique was used to select amongst the students, while purposive sampling was used to determine the headteachers and director of studies. Quantitative data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics (frequencies and
percentages) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation) and regression, while qualitative research used a thematic approach. Findings revealed a moderate positive correlation (r = .503) between direct infrastructure utilization and students’ academic performance. Results of regression analysis of direct infrastructure utilization revealed that a unit increase in direct infrastructure utilization leads to an improvement in students’ academic performance by 30.3% and was statistically significant at 1%. Thus, it was concluded that direct infrastructure utilization significantly affected academic performance in selected public secondary schools in the Zombo district of Uganda. It is recommended that secondary schools in Zombo district of Uganda should focus on direct infrastructure to improve students’ academic performance.