PHD-Department of Management Science

Permanent URI for this collection

https://repository.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/9317

Browse

Browsing PHD-Department of Management Science by Subject "Agricultural Innovation Platforms"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Governance and Resilience of Project Networks among Agricultural Innovation Platforms in Central and South Western Uganda
    (Kenyatta University, 2021) Mugarura, Yosamu; Paul Sang; James Maingi
    Forming agricultural innovation platforms (AIPS) provides a key attempt at integrating stakeholders into project affairs in order to achieve resilient project networks. However, in majority of the AIPs, innovations have either collapsed or not moved beyond locality borders with reported incidents of corruption, resignation of leaders, and conflicts between key sets of actors. The study therefore investigated how governance affects project resilience networks for (AIPS) in the Central and the South western parts of Uganda. Specifically, the research assessed the effects of management practices, network composition, and cultural attributes. Further the study investigated the mediating effect of network interactions as well as how policy framework moderates the relationship between governance and resilience of project networks among AIPS. The study was underpinned by systems theory, stakeholder theory and social network theory. The study used positivism research philosophy with explanatory research design. The participants of the analysis were 220 individuals in 22 AIPs in Central and South Western Uganda. We surveyed 132 actors through stratified sampling techniques in the 22 AIPs in Central and South western Uganda. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection in each of the AIPs in the analysis. From the 132 actors visited, 103 were sampled making up a representative index of 78%. The analysis was performed using a mathematical statistical program SPSS. Both research variables were validated at a 95% degree of trust. The results revealed that management practices and network composition were moderately exhibited while cultural attributes, network interactions, and policy framework were more exhibited. The study concluded that cultural characteristics, network structure, and management activities have a strong impact on the sustainability of project networks in central and the South western Uganda. The study concludes that network interactions partially mediated the relation between governance and resilience of project networks. Policy system proved to have the most important impact on project networks' durability. Cantered on these findings’ conclusions, the study suggests the following recommendations: First, AIP leadership should emphasize coordination, accountability, as well as monitoring and evaluation framework. Secondly, management of AIPs should put mechanisms in place that encourage AIP members to embrace network composition. Thirdly, AIPs should put in place strategies that promote proper practice of network norms, values, and power distance. Fourthly, AIPs should embrace common understanding, cooperation, trust and capacity building and learning. Finally, AIPs should encourage involvement of government representatives and align AIP activities with government policies. The study recommends an empirically tested governance framework that articulates clear management pathways of governing AIPs and ensuring their resilience. The study also successfully introduced and validated project network concepts into AIP context. The study successfully tested a combined effect of different governance components on resilience of project networks. Finally, the study validated the application of systems, stakeholder and network theories in project networks that exist in agricultural sector (AIPs).