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    Understanding ICT adoption amongst SMEs in Uganda: Towards a participatory design model to enhance technology diffusion
    (African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 2021-01-19) Kyakulumbye, Stephen; Pather, Shaun
    Policy statements by the United Nations, the African Union and most African countries boldly pronounce on the anticipated benefits of the internetworked world and associated ICT to society in general and to the world of business specifically. In terms of the latter, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are recognized as being critical to the growth of developing economies. There is consensus that this sector has considerable potential for improved business outcomes through the harnessing of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). However, a problem of low adoption of ICT in this sector still prevails in Africa and there is a gap in our understanding of the reasons for this. In light of this problem, this paper reports on a survey of Ugandan SME owners in which their ICT pre-usage beliefs and attitudes are explored. The study identified four pre-use factors that are correlated with ICT use. The pre-usage beliefs which significantly influence decisions to adopt and use ICT include Benefit expectation, ICT learnability, User-confidence, and User-friendliness. These are found to be key determinants of ICT adoption. ICT support and ease-of-use on the other hand were factors that did not correlate with decisions to use ICT. However, it is found that there is a low predictive capability (17.7%) of pre-usage beliefs and attitudes in respect of prior use or non-use of ICT among SMEs. As such, this study found that other contextual factors constitute a greater (82.3%) predictive percentage. In light of this, the paper concludes by recommending an ICT participatory design process to mitigate ICT pre-use scepticism among SMEs owners.
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    The 14 cost of commercial motorcycle accidents in Uganda
    (Taylor & Francis, 2017-04-21) Sebaggala, Richard; Matovu, Fred; Ayebale, Dan; Kisenyi, Vincent; Katusiimeh, Messarck
    Understanding the cost of the road traffic accidents (RTAs) has been of interest to many scholars and policy makers for a long time. In Uganda like many developing countries in Africa, injuries due to motorcycle accidents represent a major but often neglected emerging public health problem and contribute significantly to the overall road traffic injuries. This research study therefore explored the costs of motorcycle accidents and the pain, grief and sufferings of the motorcycle accident victims using a multi-method approach. Unlike many studies on cost of accidents which use the traditional human capital approach, this study in addition to the human capital approach, applied the Willingness-to-pay (WTP) approach to estimate the cost of motorcycle accidents. WTP method was used to estimate the value that boda boda riders would pay for reducing the risk of loss of life based on Contingent Valuation (CV) method. We extend the analysis to also explore the key coping mechanisms adopted by the Boda- boda riders amidst the challenges the riders face when they suffer motorcycle accidents. The data were obtained from multiple sources, including a survey of 1600 boda boda cyclists in Kawempe and Central divisions in Kampala City, interviews with accident victims and their immediate family members, traffic police records, hospitals and national statistics on selected economic aggregates. The results show that motorcycle accidents are associated with huge economic and non-economic burden borne by the accident victims and the society as a whole. The study established that it costs approximately 7 million shillings (or 2800 USD) to treat a boda boda accident victim who is severely injured. Based on annual police statistics on motorcycle accidents for 2012; the Ugandan economy losses more than UGX 3 billion (1.2m USD) value of output due to days away from productive work as result of severe injuries and death. Likewise, the cost of motorcycle repairs amounted to UGX 350 million (140,000 USD). The study also estimated the value of preventing motorcycle accidents. The estimates show that on average boda boda riders are willing to pay Ug Shs 222,550 (89 USD) a year for a reduction in mortality risks associated with motorcycle accidents that translate into UGX 4.45 billion (US$1.78m), the value of statistical life (VOSL). Overall, the combined economic burden of the motorycle accidents (repairs, medical costs, lost output and imputed cost of pain grief and suffering) were estimated to be approximately US$ 3.6 million annually. This cost is about 0.02% of Uganda’s GDP in 2013. The key policy implication of the study is that reducing motorcycle causalities and fatalities will reduce social and economic sufferings of victims, unlock growth and free resources for more productive use. The findings provide the cost-benefit analysis of any investment in areas that will promote the prevention, treatment, care and management of motorcycle accidents in Uganda.
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    Green Information Technology Audit and Digitalization in Small Medium Enterprise (SME): Factors That Influence Intentions to Use Hotel Websites
    (International Journal of Information Communication Technologies and Human Development, 2014-12) Ariwa, Ezendu; Olaya, Sarah; Katono, Isaac Wasswa
    According to Chung and law (2003); Jeong et al (2003); Jeong and Lambert (2001) and Kim et al. (2003), information satisfaction is the most important requirement of online customers’ purchases decision making. This need remains largely unmet despite the growing importance of e-commerce within the hospitality industry. According to Kim et al. (2005), the changing trend in the business activities is largely attributable to the fast and improved developments in information and telecommunications. As a result, Chung and Law, (2003) noted that the Internet is also helping to drive down overhead costs for the hospitality industry and cost of information for the customers, as the traditional method of communication is slowly being phased out. Similarly Kim et al (2005) argue that the Internet gives the customers more advantages by allowing them to obtain valuable information such as prices and hotel facilities without the need of getting into contact with any sales agents. In addition, the Internet provides the customers with numerous supplies allowing customers to access a pool of products and services information from which they can make choices and compare prices.
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    Impact of Multiparty Politics on Local Government in Uganda
    (Indiana University Press, 2011) Manyak, Terrell G.; Katono, Isaac Wasswa
    Following years of civil strife, Uganda emerged as a “movement only” state under the National Resistance Movement led by Yoweri Museveni. One of the major innovations of this new government was to implement a strategy of administrative and fiscal decentralization. This experiment was long hailed as an African success story, but the reemergence of multiparty politics in 2006 is having a major impact on local governance. This study traces the development of political parties and local governments in Uganda. It then examines how multiparty politics has resulted in changes that have impacted decision making at the local government level. The study concludes that multiparty politics is leading to fiscal insolvency of local governments, the creation of unviable new district governments, and administrative recentralization.
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    Conflict management style in Uganda: a gender perspective
    (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2010) Manyak, Terrell G.; Katono, Isaac Wasswa
    Purpose – The paper aims to investigate whether differences exist in the conflict management styles exhibited by male and female managers at different organizational levels in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach – Using samples from organizations within Uganda, the paper utilizes the Rahim Organization Conflict Inventory to collect data. Findings – Independent sample t-tests of the hypotheses reveal that basically no statistically significant differences exist in the way men and women in Uganda handle conflict when dealing with subordinates, peers, or supervisors. Research limitations/implications – Research is restricted to a convenience sample of educated working men and women in the greater Kampala urban area. The findings serve to dispel the widely held myth that women in Uganda use significantly different management styles than men because of the patrilineal nature of the male dominated society. Practical implications – The paper shows that Ugandan women exhibit little difference from their male counterparts in how they deal with conflict. They also have much in common with their female counterparts in the developed world in confronting gender based discrimination in the workplace. Social implications – The findings of this paper neutralize some of the negative connotations about women in Uganda and may help lead to a protracted campaign to change the attitudes toward women in this patriarchal society. Originality/value – Little is known in Africa about the conflict management styles of women because they are only now becoming a significant element in the economies of developing countries. This paper fills some of gaps.