An investigation of key predictors of performance of agricultural projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 676-691
Author(s):  
Gideon Nkuruziza ◽  
Francis Kasekende ◽  
Samson Omuudu Otengei ◽  
Shafic Mujabi ◽  
Joseph Mpeera Ntayi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agricultural Performance ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways of improving performance of agricultural projects through stakeholder engagement and knowledge management in a Sub-Saharan context. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from 342 agricultural projects in Mukono and Wakiso districts in Uganda. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in the analysis. Findings – The results reveal that stakeholder engagement and knowledge management are valuable intangible resources that significantly influence performance of agricultural projects. The findings, managerial and policy implications are fully discussed in this paper. Originality/value – The authors empirically show that a model that synchronizes stakeholder engagement, knowledge management and performance of agricultural projects is a requirement for promoting sustainable agricultural performance outcomes. This study makes a contribution by providing information that is relevant for filling the practical gap that exists in agricultural projects of Sub-Saharan Africa as well as contributing to the theoretical development of project management discipline.

scholarly journals The state of business sustainability reporting in sub-Saharan Africa: an agenda for policy and practice

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Tilt ◽  
Wei Qian ◽  
Sanjaya Kuruppu ◽  
Dinithi Dissanayake
Keyword(s):  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
New Institutional Economics ◽  
The State ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose Developing countries experience their own social, political and environmental issues, but surprisingly limited papers have examined sustainability reporting in these regions, notably in sub-Saharan Africa. To fill this gap and understand the state of sustainability reporting in sub-Saharan Africa, this paper aims to investigate the current state of reporting, identifies the major motivations and barriers for reporting and suggests an agenda of future issues that need to be considered by firms, policymakers and academics. Design/methodology/approach This paper includes analysis of reporting practices in 48 sub-Saharan African countries using the lens of New Institutional Economics. It comprises three phases of data collection and analysis: presentation of overall reporting data collected and provided by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). analysis of stand-alone sustainability reports using qualitative data analysis and interviews with key report producers. Findings The analysis identifies key issues that companies in selected sub-Saharan African countries are grappling within their contexts. There are significant barriers to reporting but institutional mechanisms, such as voluntary reporting frameworks, provide an important bridge between embedding informal norms and changes to regulatory requirements. These are important for the development of better governance and accountability mechanisms. Research limitations/implications Findings have important implications for policymakers and institutions such as GRI in terms of regulation, outreach and localised training. More broadly, global bodies such as GRI and IIRC in a developing country context may require more local knowledge and support. Limitations include limited data availability, particularly for interviews, which means that these results are preliminary and provide a basis for further work. Practical implications The findings of this paper contribute to the knowledge of sustainability reporting in this region, and provide some policy implications for firms, governments and regulators. Originality/value This paper is one of only a handful looking at the emerging phenomenon of sustainability reporting in sub-Saharan African countries.

A borrowing cost model for effective performance of SMEs in Uganda

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulait Tumwine ◽  
Richard Akisimire ◽  
Nixon Kamukama ◽  
Gad Mutaremwa
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Cost Model ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Performance ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective cost borrowing model of qualitative factors that are relevant to micro and small enterprises (SMEs) better performance. Design/methodology/approach – A valid research instrument was utilized to conduct a survey on 359 SMEs (131 retail businesses, 125 service businesses, 48 farming businesses and 55 other businesses) and 897 respondents that are representative of 397 SMEs and 1,087 respondents. Correlation and regression analysis were conducted to ascertain the validity of the hypotheses. Findings – It was established that cost of borrowing elements (interest rate and loan processing costs) are associated with SME performance. Furthermore, cost of borrowing as a whole accounts for 31.1 percent of the variation in performance Uganda’s SMEs. Research limitations/implications – Only a single research methodological approach was employed, future research through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate. Multiple respondents in SMEs (owner, manager and cashier) were studied neglecting others. Furthermore, the study used the cross-sectional approach – a longitudinal approach should be employed to study the trend over years. Finally, cost of borrowing was studied and by the virtual of the results, there are other factors that contribute to SME performance that were not part of this study. Practical implications – There is need to intensify initiatives to encourage greater understanding and acceptance of cost of borrowing, select appropriate elements that includes interest rate and loan processing costs in order to have affordable source of financing to establish and grow SMEs, provide employment, competitive and contribute to countries GDP. Originality/value – This is the first paper in Sub-Saharan Africa to test empirically the relationship between cost of borrowing and performance of SMEs in the Ugandan context.

A taxonomy of strategic sourcing for defense forces in sub-Saharan Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Mpeera Ntayi ◽  
Ephraim Mugume
Keyword(s):  
Research Design ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Sourcing ◽  
Current Resource ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Internal Integration

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a taxonomy of strategic sourcing using the defense forces from a developing world context as a testing ground. This study builds upon the current resource-based conceptualization of strategic sourcing as a construct to introduce the institutional orientation. Design/methodology/approach – This study adopts a descriptive and analytical research design of cross-sectional nature to collect data from a sample of 120 respondents to examine the taxonomy of strategic sourcing for defense forces in sub-Saharan Africa. Data were collected using an interviewee administered questionnaire and analysed using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The conceptualization of strategic sourcing is presented using a CFA. Findings – Findings reveal that strategic sourcing is a multidimensional construct composed of: information sharing and risk management, strategic purchasing, institutions for sourcing, internal integration and performance assessment, supplier management and sourcing professionalism and ethics. Research limitations/implications – The study used cross-sectional research design which limits monitoring behaviour over time. Cross-sectional data do not allow control in the analysis for residual heterogeneity. Additionally, all item scales adapted in this study were developed in either manufacturing or profit-oriented sector. Originality/value – A taxonomy for strategic sourcing within the defense forces is presented. This study is based on the observation that despite increased research, there remains a certain level of confusion surrounding the conceptualization of “strategic sourcing”. Researchers attach a startling diversity of definitions and measures to the strategic sourcing concept. Its conceptualization and stability remains an important task for scholars to undertake. Besides, much research in strategic sourcing, are conceptual frameworks identifying key elements and procedures or processes to implement strategic sourcing with sparse empirical studies. The results of the study will be used for further research on strategic sourcing in the defense forces in sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Institutional shareholder activism in Nigeria

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 680-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinyere Uche ◽  
Emmanuel Adegbite ◽  
Michael John Jones
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Institutional Arrangement ◽  
Shareholder Activism ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
The Status ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate institutional shareholder activism in Nigeria. It addresses the paucity of empirical research on institutional shareholder activism in sub-Saharan Africa. Design/methodology/approach This study uses agency theory to understand the institutional shareholder approach to shareholder activism in Nigeria. The data are collected through qualitative interviews with expert representatives from financial institutions. Findings The findings indicate evidence of low-level shareholder activism in Nigeria. The study provides empirical insight into the reasons why institutional shareholders might adopt an active or passive approach to shareholder activism. The findings suggest the pension structure involving two types of pension institutions affects the ability to engage in shareholder activism. Research limitations/implications The research study advances our understanding of the status quo of institutional shareholder activism in an African context such as Nigeria. Practical implications The paper makes a practical contribution by highlighting that regulators need to consider how the financial market conditions and characteristics affect effective promotion of better governance practices and performance through shareholder activism. Originality/value This study draws attention to the implication for shareholder activism of complexities associated with an institutional arrangement where two types of financial institutions are expected to operate and manage the private pension funds in a country.

scholarly journals State fragility, rent seeking and lobbying: evidence from African data

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 1016-1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oasis Kodila-Tedika ◽  
Asongu Simplice
Keyword(s):  
Nation Building ◽  
Rent Seeking ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Governance Capacity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
State Fragility ◽  
Political Interference ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Extreme State

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the determinants of state fragility in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using hitherto unexplored variables in the literature. Design/methodology/approach The previously missing dimension of nation building is integrated and the hypothesis of state fragility being a function of rent seeking and/or lobbying by de facto power holders is tested. Findings The resulting interesting finding is that political interference, rent seeking and lobbying increase the probability of state fragility by mitigating the effectiveness of governance capacity. This relationship (after controlling for a range of economic, institutional and demographic factors) is consistent with a plethora of models and specifications. The validity of the hypothesis is confirmed in a scenario of extreme state fragility. Moreover, the interaction between political interferences and revolutions mitigates the probability of state fragility while the interaction between natural resources and political interferences breeds the probability of extreme state fragility. Practical implications There are two main policy implications. First, political interference, rent seeking and lobbying are likely to increase the fragility of SSA nations. Second, there is a “Sub-Saharan African specificity” in “nation building” and prevention of conflicts. Blanket fragility-oriented policies will be misplaced unless they are contingent on the degree of fragility, since “fragile” and “extreme fragile” countries respond differently to economic, institutional and demographic characteristics of state fragility. Originality/value The study is timely given the political strife, violence and conflicts issues currently affecting African development.

scholarly journals Inclusive human development in sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-200
Author(s):  
Simplice Asongu ◽  
Joseph Nnanna
Keyword(s):  
Human Development ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Economic Governance ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Income Levels ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Political Governance

Purpose This study aims to assess the role of income levels (low and middle) in modulating governance (political and economic) to influence inclusive human development. Design/methodology/approach The empirical evidence is based on interactive quantile regressions and 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa for the period 2000-2002. Findings The following main findings are established. Firstly, low income modulates governance (economic and political) to positively affect inclusive human development exclusively in countries with above-median levels of inclusive human development. It follows that countries with averagely higher levels of inclusive human development are more likely to benefit from the relevance of income levels in influencing governance for inclusive development. Secondly, the importance of middle income in modulating political governance to positively affect inclusive human development is apparent exclusively in the median while the relevance of middle income in moderating economic governance to positively influence inclusive human development is significantly apparent in the 10th and 75th quantiles. Thirdly, regardless of panels, income levels modulate economic governance to affect inclusive human development at a higher magnitude, compared to political governance. Policy implications are discussed in light of the post-2015 agenda of sustainable development goals and contemporary development paradigms. Originality/value This study complements the extant sparse literature on inclusive human development in Africa.

Regulatory environment, environmental dynamism, political ties, and performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Adomako ◽  
Albert Danso
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Regulatory Environment ◽  
Entrepreneurial Firms ◽  
Environmental Dynamism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – Regulatory environment, environmental dynamism, and political ties are typically modelled as separate antecedents of firm performance. However, the boundary conditions for such models are less examined in a developing country context where regulatory environments have been argued to be weak. Accordingly, drawing on institutional and social capital theories, the purpose of this paper is to examine the interrelationship between regulatory environment, political ties, environmental dynamism, and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses primary data gathered from 372 entrepreneurial firms in Nigeria, a Sub-Saharan African country. Findings – The findings of the paper suggest that that regulatory environment is negatively related to firm performance. However, political ties and environmental dynamism moderate the regulatory environment-firm performance relationship such that such relationship is positive and significant. Research limitations/implications – First, the study provides important insights on how weak and underdeveloped regulatory environment negatively affect the performance of firms. In other words, the study represents a response to call for the development of better regulatory environment since regulatory environment plays significant role in firm performance. Second, this study also demonstrates the importance of political ties and environment dynamism on firm performance in an emerging economy such as Nigeria where regulatory environment is weak. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study from the perspective of Sub-Saharan Africa that examine the moderating role of political ties and environmental dynamism on regulatory environment-firm performance relationship.

Do microsavings stimulate financial performance of microfinance institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa?

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 1072-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sydney Chikalipah
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the empirical relationship between microsavings and the financial performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Design/methodology/approach The approach in this paper is decidedly empirical, and employs data obtained from Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX). The data set consists of 350 microfinance MFIs domiciled in 36 Sub-Saharan African countries for the period covering 1998–2012. Findings The panel estimation results consistently show that there exists a negative and statistically significant relationship between microsavings and the financial performance of MFIs in SSA. This is perhaps surprising, albeit rational considering the exceedingly elevated operating expenses that ascend from mobilizing and managing microsavings, ceteris paribus, that could erode firm profitability. The paper draws policy implications from these important findings. Research limitations/implications Even though generalized method of moment estimation technique was employed and robustness checks, the issue of endogeneity cannot be eliminated entirely. Practical implications Microfinance industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the financial sector in SSA. The industry is increasingly becoming the core of financial inclusion in the region where two-thirds of the adult population lack access to formal financial services. Therefore, gaining an in-depth understanding of the role microsavings play in the financial performance of MFIs can contribute to the growth of the industry. Originality/value This study is timely considering the significant growth in the number of microsavings – there are currently twice as many microsavings accounts in SSA as there are microcredits. More importantly, based on 400 MFIs, that reported data to MIX in 2016, the total microsavings stood at about US$11bn against an aggregate loan portfolio of about US$10.5bn. The remarkable growth of microsavings in SSA, from less than US$100m in 2000 to US$11bn in 2016, is the main motivation of undertaking this study.

Corporate governance and corporate internet reporting in sub-Saharan Africa:the case of Kenya and Tanzania

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 751-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Waweru ◽  
Musa Mangena ◽  
George Riro
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Governance Structures ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exchange Panel ◽  
Sub Saharan

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate corporate internet reporting (CIR) by Kenyan and Tanzanian listed companies and whether the level of CIR is related to corporate governance structures.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collect data over a four-year period from companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and the Dar es Salaam Securities Exchange. Panel data models (random effects) are used for the analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that the level of CIR in both countries is high, but the highest in Kenya. The authors find that CIR increases with foreign ownership, audit committee independence and financial expertise but decreases with domestic ownership concentration. They also show that the effects of ownership concentration are moderated by country-specific factors. Overall, the results demonstrate that effective governance structures may lead to higher levels CIR in sub-Saharan Africans.Originality/valueThis study extends, as well as contributes to the existing literature by the examining the corporate governance-disclosure nexus relating to CIR in sub-Saharan Africa. These findings have policy implications for African countries looking to attract foreign investment.

scholarly journals Openness, ICT and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 278-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simplice A. Asongu ◽  
Jacinta C. Nwachukwu
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Doing Business ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Generalised Method Of Moments ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Contemporary Development

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how information and communication technology (ICT) influences openness to improve the conditions of doing business in sub-Saharan Africa. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected for the period 2000-2012. ICT is proxied with internet and mobile phone penetration rates whereas openness is measured in terms of financial and trade globalisation. Ten indicators of doing business are used, namely: cost of business start-up procedures; procedure to enforce a contract; start-up procedures to register a business; time required to build a warehouse; time required to enforce a contract; time required to register a property; time required to start a business; time to export; time to prepare and pay taxes; and time to resolve an insolvency. The empirical evidence is based on generalised method of moments with forward orthogonal deviations. Findings While the authors find substantial evidence that ICT complements openness to improve conditions for entrepreneurship, the effects are contingent on the dynamics of openness, ICT and entrepreneurship. Theoretical and practical policy implications are discussed. Originality/value The inquiry is based on two contemporary development concerns: the need for policy to leverage on the ICT penetration potential in the sub-region and the relevance of entrepreneurship in addressing associated issues of population growth such as unemployment.

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