IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/mgs/ijmsba/v1y2015i6p42-57.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Leadership Traits and Business Sustainability in Ugandan SMEs: A Qualitative Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Samuel Sejjaaka

    (Department of Accounting, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda)

  • Rachel Mindra

    (Department of Finance, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda)

  • Isa Nsereko

    (Department of Entrepreneurship, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda)

Abstract

The study examined the characteristics of business owners that enable them create sustainable businesses in emerging economy contexts where the dearth of SME’s is the norm. The study used a cross sectional design and qualitative approach to collect data from reputable businesses that had survived for more than 10 years. Data was analysed using a content analysis approach with NVivo software. Owner managers of sustainable businesses exhibited strong antecedents of resilience, social capital, resourcefulness, personal values and strategic flexibility. Successful business owners are created more by the environment they inhabit and their socialization context. The businesses they established were a result of an innate will to succeed and adaptability to overcome constraints. The research does not establish the empirical correlations between the different traits. This study used a qualitative and interactive approach to classify the traits of successful business leaders and develop a model showing the potential relationships and behaviours that breed sustainability or success.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Sejjaaka & Rachel Mindra & Isa Nsereko, 2015. "Leadership Traits and Business Sustainability in Ugandan SMEs: A Qualitative Analysis," International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 1(6), pages 42-57, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:mgs:ijmsba:v:1:y:2015:i:6:p:42-57
    DOI: 10.18775/ijmsba.1849-5664-5419.2014.16.1004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://researchleap.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/4.-Leadership-Traits-and-Business-Sustainability-in-Ugandan-SMEs-A-Qualitative-Analysis.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://researchleap.com/leadership-traits-and-business-sustainability-in-ugandan-smes-a-qualitative-analysis/
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.18775/ijmsba.1849-5664-5419.2014.16.1004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gary S. Becker & Nigel Tomes, 1994. "Human Capital and the Rise and Fall of Families," NBER Chapters, in: Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition, pages 257-298, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. G. M.P. Swann, 2009. "The Economics of Innovation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13211.
    3. מחקר - ביטוח לאומי, 1994. "Volume 3," Working Papers 60, National Insurance Institute of Israel.
    4. Davidsson, Per & Honig, Benson, 2003. "The role of social and human capital among nascent entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 301-331, May.
    5. מחקר - ביטוח לאומי, 2000. "Volume 6," Working Papers 62, National Insurance Institute of Israel.
    6. J. Stuart Evans, 1991. "Strategic Flexibility For High Technology Manoeuvres: A Conceptual Framework," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 69-89, January.
    7. Peter Witt, 2004. "Entrepreneurs’ networks and the success of start-ups," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(5), pages 391-412, September.
    8. Macpherson, Allan & Holt, Robin, 2007. "Knowledge, learning and small firm growth: A systematic review of the evidence," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 172-192, March.
    9. מחקר - ביטוח לאומי, 1996. "Volume 4," Working Papers 65, National Insurance Institute of Israel.
    10. מחקר - ביטוח לאומי, 2004. "Volume 7," Working Papers 64, National Insurance Institute of Israel.
    11. Sanjay Sharma & Audun Ruud, 2003. "On the path to sustainability: integrating social dimensions into the research and practice of environmental management," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(4), pages 205-214, July.
    12. Gary S. Becker, 1994. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck94-1, March.
    13. Sanchez, Ron & Heene, Aimé, 1997. "Reinventing strategic management: New theory and practice for competence-based competition," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 303-317, June.
    14. Gerrit Rooks & Adam Szirmai & Arthur Sserwanga, 2009. "Interplay of Human and Social Capital in Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries: The Case of Uganda," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2009-09, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Wei‐ping Wu, 2008. "Dimensions of Social Capital and Firm Competitiveness Improvement: The Mediating Role of Information Sharing," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 122-146, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cliff R. Kikawa & Charity Kiconco & Moses Agaba & Dimas Ntirampeba & Amos Ssematimba & Billy M. Kalema, 2022. "Social Media Marketing for Small and Medium Enterprise Performance in Uganda: A Structural Equation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bird, Miriam & Wennberg, Karl, 2016. "Why family matters: The impact of family resources on immigrant entrepreneurs' exit from entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 687-704.
    2. Emiel L. Eijdenberg & Kathrin Borner, 2017. "The Performance Of Subsistence Entrepreneurs In Tanzania’S Informal Economy," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(01), pages 1-22, March.
    3. Enrico Santarelli & Hien Tran, 2013. "The interplay of human and social capital in shaping entrepreneurial performance: the case of Vietnam," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 435-458, February.
    4. Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine, 2009. "Finance and Inequality: Theory and Evidence," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 1(1), pages 287-318, November.
    5. Marti Mestieri & Johanna Schauer & Robert Townsend, 2017. "Human Capital Acquisition and Occupational Choice: Implications for Economic Development," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 25, pages 151-186, April.
    6. Mayer-Haug, Katrin & Read, Stuart & Brinckmann, Jan & Dew, Nicholas & Grichnik, Dietmar, 2013. "Entrepreneurial talent and venture performance: A meta-analytic investigation of SMEs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 1251-1273.
    7. Metaxas, Theodore & Economou, Athina, 2012. "Assessing the determinants of Firms’ Competitiveness in Greece: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis," MPRA Paper 42794, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Olatunji A. Shobande & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Has Knowledge Improved Economic Growth? Evidence from Nigeria and South Africa," Working Papers 21/059, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    9. Dina M. Yousri & Christian Richter, 2018. "Sociological challenges for Egypt’s development: 1981–2013," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 727-742, October.
    10. Hayward, Mathew & Cheng, Zhiming & Zhe Wang, Ben, 2022. "Disrupted education, underdogs and the propensity for entrepreneurship: Evidence from China’s sent-down youth program," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 33-39.
    11. Renato Passaro & Ivana Quinto & Pierluigi Rippa & Antonio Thomas, 2020. "Evolution of Collaborative Networks Supporting Startup Sustainability: Evidences from Digital Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-20, November.
    12. Ignacio Alvarez de Mon & Jorge Merladet & Margarita Núñez-Canal, 2021. "Social Entrepreneurs as Role Models for Innovative Professional Career Developments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-19, November.
    13. Sameh Hallaq, 2020. "First Palestinian Intifada and Intergenerational Transmission of Human Capital," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_965, Levy Economics Institute.
    14. Demir, Robert & Wennberg, Karl & McKelvie, Alexander, 2016. "The Strategic Management of High-Growth Firms: A Review and Theoretical Conceptualization," Ratio Working Papers 273, The Ratio Institute.
    15. Tesfaye Leta Tufa, 2021. "The effect of entrepreneurial intention and autonomy on self-employment: does technical and vocational educations and training institutions support matters?," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 11(1), pages 551-561, December.
    16. Leonidou, Erasmia & Christofi, Michael & Vrontis, Demetris & Thrassou, Alkis, 2020. "An integrative framework of stakeholder engagement for innovation management and entrepreneurship development," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 245-258.
    17. Mohammad Mainul Hoque & Elizabeth M. King & Claudio E. Montenegro & Peter F. Orazem, 2019. "Revisiting the relationship between longevity and lifetime education: global evidence from 919 surveys," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(2), pages 551-589, April.
    18. Pablo D’Este & Alberto Marzucchi & Francesco Rentocchini, 2014. "Exploring and yet failing less: Learning from exploration, exploitation and human capital in R&D," SPRU Working Paper Series 2014-23, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    19. Haitham Alhnaity & Ayed Almuala & Ali Kh Elmasri, 2018. "The Role of Government Intervention as a Moderating Variable in the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Networks and Business Owners’ Performance in Jordan," Asian Journal of Economics and Empirical Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 5(1), pages 93-98.
    20. Robert Lee & Heinz Tüselmann & Dilani Jayawarna & Julia Rouse, 2011. "Investigating the Social Capital and Resource Acquisition of Entrepreneurs Residing in Deprived Areas of England," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 29(6), pages 1054-1072, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Owner-managers; Personal values; Resilience; Social capital; Resourcefulness; Strategic flexibility; Business sustainability; Uganda;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M00 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - General - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:mgs:ijmsba:v:1:y:2015:i:6:p:42-57. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Bojan Obrenovic (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://researchleap.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.