Strategic Organization for Competitiveness in East African Universities

The success of any organization is intricately tied to its ability to positively respond to environmental dynamics. Universities are no exception to environmental changes; due to global politics, economic and technological changes, fragmentation of consumer and business markets due to changing tastes and craving by consumers for specialized services. This has led to increasing the velocity of change, critical issue of time, bending shape of organizations, need to compete and yet innovate simultaneously, design and implement new organizational architectures. The challenge today is to design an organization architecture which is flexible and adaptable with ability to perform effectively in the face of uncertainty. This is not just for today but for a great time in the future. Whereas in other parts of the World Universities have been in a position to adapt to the changes and dynamics but Universities in E. Africa have lagged behind. These therefore calls for Universities in E. Africa to quickly adapt to the environmental changes, match global trends, become competitive and enhance effective service delivery. This paper highlights traditional organization in E. African Universities, changing environmental trends, current organizational challenges, and strategies for effective management of Universities. The strategies for organization will enhance University clock speed, establish structures that promote divergence, promote organization modularity, structure hybrid distribution channels, design symmetrical research and development, construct conflict management processes, maintain organizational coherence and develop executive teams that will manage the challenges in the new century. Finally the strategies proposed are mindful of the current and future organizational environment. Key Words: Strategies, Structures, Organization, and Environmen

Influence of Formal Institutions on Solid Waste Disposal in Newly Created Town Councils in Uganda: A Case Study of Bukedea Town Council.

The study analyzed the influence of formal institutions on solid waste disposal in Bukedea Town Council. The conceptual framework was based on formal institutions and solid waste disposal. The study used a cross sectional survey research design. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used. The study used questionnaire, interview, focus group discussions and review of documents methods for collection of data. The respondents filled 286 questionnaires representing a return rate of 86.1 % and these results were supplemented with interviews from 22 key informants. The data collected was sorted, cleaned, coded and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The quantitative data were analyzed by aid of statistical package for social scientists (SPSS). The research findings were contently analyzed and presented in the form of tables, figures and graphs. The study established that formal institutions; legislation, policies and regulations didn’t influence solid waste disposal. This was because of irrelevance, inadequacy, lack of enforcement and general ineffectiveness of the formal institutions in Bukedea Town Council. The study therefore recommends the review of formal institutions, formulation of appropriate laws, policies and regulations, sensitization of residents, recruitment of staff, and effective enforcement of formal institutions. Keywords: Formal Institutions & Solid Waste Disposal

ACADEMIC RESEARCH – A DRIVER TO PUBLIC SECTOR PROGRAMMING: BARRIERS AND APPROACHES FOR IMPROVEMENTS

Research is a systematic approach for creation and advancement of knowledge and practice. Universities in Uganda generate contemporary findings to facilitate advancement of knowledge and practice in the Public Sector in relation to policy, society, marketing, business, technology and management. However, evidence continued to highlight limited progress in the public sector programming as opposed to research. Despite the research in academic institutions, no specific study has examined uptake of research evidence in the Public Sector in Uganda. This study was commissioned for examining the barriers to utilization of academic research evidence in the Public Sector in Uganda with the Ministry of Agriculture as a case study. The case study research design was used for assessment of uptake of research findings. Qualitative data was collected using key informant interviews of Key technical Officers from Ministry of Agriculture in Uganda. Thematic and content data analysis was used for analyzing the qualitative data. The study established that utilisation of research findings was constrained by awareness, access and quality of research evidence. However, the barriers constraining utilisation of academic research included, poor linkage, lack of engagement, dissemination, access, low quality of research findings. The study therefore recommends systematic addressing barriers for improvement of research uptake and practice.  Article visualizations

Dynamics of Management of Cross Border University Education in East Africa

The success of any organization is intricately tied to its ability to positively respond to environmental dynamics. Universities are no exception to environmental changes; due to global politics, economic and technological changes, fragmentation of consumer and business markets due to changing tastes and craving by consumers for specialized services. This has increased the velocity of change, critical issue of time, and shaping of the organization as universities need to compete and yet innovate simultaneously. Worldwide various universities have responded to the changing trends by the organization of education across borders but the East African Universities have not fully embraced organizing of education across borders. Whereas the integration of East Africa was viewed as a catalyst but this has not been the case. Universities in E. Africa needs to quickly adapt to environmental changes, match global trends, become competitive and enhance effectiveness. This paper historical trend of cross border education in East Africa, arguments for and against cross border education, strategies for organizing cross border education, approaches for organizing cross border education and recommendations for the most effective means of organizing across borders. The proposed recommendations are mindful of the current and future environmental dynamics in the provision of education in East Africa

Plagiarism: the Cancer of East African University Education

The African tradition generally discourages dishonesty of any form as a dishonest person is viewed as a liar, a cheat, a thief and a hypocrite. Academic dishonesty of any form is regarded as plagiarism; most universities punish this crime so as to promote academic integrity. Worldwide Universities have tried to deal with this dishonesty through promotion of integrity in communication, and leadership practices in all academic work. Plagiarism is evident in students' work such as essays, term papers, reports, dissertations and thesis. Some Universities have established policies to regulate plagiarism for students in the handling of assignments, course works, research proposals, dissertations and any piece of work. The policies clearly articulate strict adherence of the code of conduct to deal with any form of plagiarism; collusion, fabrication and any other form of academic dishonesty. This is meant to build people of good values and high academic stature to capture job market and promote the image of the Universities. Education is not just the acquisition of knowledge only but personal development that encourages intellectual and moral development. Globally Universities aspire to produce creative and innovative professionals with high moral standing in society. Universities have tried to uphold honesty through teaching, mentorship, guidance, examination and implementation of honesty policies. This paper discusses the various forms of plagiarism, causes, approaches and mechanisms that have been adopted to combat plagiarism, the current emerging trends and challenges of academic dishonesty and recommendations for combating the plagiarism in East Africa. This highlights that unless plagiarism is given proper attention it will continue to destroy the fabrics of university education like a cancer. Keywords: Plagiarism, Honesty and Integrity

Managerial Challenge to Cross Cultural Management of Diversity

Organizational culture was initially thought to be monumental that could easily be conceptualized but globalization has challenged this notion. Culture the multifaceted concept of shared beliefs, philosophies, values, norms, customs and mental programming is no longer static but volatile. Most scholars argue that free movement of political, economic and cultural resources between and within countries has facilitated the change in culture as the elements interact during the movement of various cultures. Conceptualization of culture with volatile boundaries and dynamic nature calls for proper understanding of the movement in culture with its cognitive elements. Theoretical explanation of cultural movement through convergence, divergence and crossvergence attempts to explain the movement of culture. This process transforms cultures through conflict and stress which affects boundaries and elements of culture leading to shifts through natural adaptive mechanisms. Traditional management was not interested in organization environment but the paradigm shift of static culture has brought in new management concepts that are mindful about organizational culture and dynamics of its environment. The paper undertakes to define culture explain constituents of culture, the concept of national culture and organizational culture, theories convergence, divergence and crossvergence of cultural movement and contemporary factors influencing cultural movement. The paper strongly advocates for management to understand the cultural elements in order to effectively manage diversity. Keywords: Crossvergence, globalization, Culture, divergence, and convergence

Political Dimension in Pan-African Cross-border Banking: An Inhibitor or Catalyst?

The emergence and the dominance of African banks in Africa have been touted as one of the popular mechanisms for financial development leading to a concept termed as Pan-African cross-border banking. African Banks have become dominant in the African market as opposed to European colonial banks substantially increasing their geographic footprints on the continent. African banks have become economically significant beyond their home countries and of systematic importance in a number of jurisdictions. This systematically examined the influence of the political environment on Pan-African cross-border banking using Kenya Commercial bank as a case study.Interpretive research paradigm guided the study seeking using qualitative data by interviewing employees, managers, and policymakers from the three subsidiaries of Kenya Commercial Bank; Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. This was further supported by secondary data collected from journal articles and reports from the Kenya Commercial Bank.The study established that political environment plays an important role in influencing Pan-African cross-border banking either through catalysing or inhibiting. Despite effort integration by African Union, regional unions like East African Community there still areas for improvement. In order to enhance Pan-African cross-border banking, there has to be systematically management of political environment which was distorted by history, ideologies, different political systems, different regulatory frameworks between the subsidiaries and home countries. This will further enhance the significance of Pan-African banks African cross-border banks enhancing economic development within Africa

INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN AFRICA: DYNAMICS, CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES

Quality assurance involves the systematic implementation, monitoring and evaluation of products and services and certification of fitness for use. The process involves utilization of a framework that involves determination of adequate technical requirements of inputs and outputs, certification and rating of suppliers, testing of procured materials for conformance to established quality, performance, safety and reliability of standards; proper receipt, storage, issue of material, audit of process quality, evaluation of process to establish required corrective response and audit of final output for final conformance to technical reliability, maintainability and performance requirement. Worldwide Universities have established mechanisms for streamlining quality in the university systems. This paper appreciates that external quality assurance mechanism undertaken by external parties but argues that internal quality assurance is equally critical and paramount in the pursuit of quality in the provision of university education. Quality assurance by national accreditation bodies; Ministry of education by externally undertaking quality assurance are critical in the improvement of university standards. However, internal quality assurance mechanisms by Universities are more critical in improvement of standards. This paper has emphasized streamlining of internal quality assurance mechanisms within universities as equally critical in the improvement of quality of education. The concept of internal quality assurance has been systematically examined by looking at dynamics, challenges and solutions. The paper has examined aspects internal quality assurance; quality assurance policy, staff development capacity, research performance, curriculum design and development, teaching and learning, student support, research performance, teaching and learning, effective university student assessment, infrastructure development, provision of quality education for students with specialised needs, inadequate capacity to undertake quality assurance, funding and budget constraints, negative attitude towards quality assurance, student-lecturer assessment and management support together with staff towards quality.  Article visualizations

Multiclonal spread of Klebsiella pneumoniae across hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan

Objectives Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae is increasing worldwide with poorly characterised epidemiology in many parts of the world, particularly in Africa. This study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology of K. pneumoniae, to identify the diversity of sequence types (ST), and to detect carbapenem resistance genes in major regional hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan. Methods Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates (n = 117) were cultured from four hospitals in Khartoum, from April 2015 to October 2016. The isolates were characterised by sequencing of 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Molecular epidemiology was determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and analysed by maximum likelihood phylogeny (PhyML). Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion. Isolates phenotypically resistant to carbapenem were screened for carbapenemase genes: blaNDM, blaOXA48, blaIMP, blaVIM and blaGES by PCR. Results ITS sequencing confirmed the 117 isolates as K. pneumoniae. MLST revealed 52 different STs grouped in four distinct clusters by PhyML. All isolates were MDR, and carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CP-KP) isolates accounted for 44/117 (37.6%) mostly harbouring blaNDM (28/44) and blaOXA-48 (7/44), with several isolates harbouring multiple genes. Conclusion MDR and CP-KP K. pneumoniae is widespread in Khartoum hospitals, with a diverse population of 52 STs clustering in four major lineages. There is an urgent need for systematic epidemiological studies of drug-resistant infections across all healthcare institutions in Sudan to inform local infection prevention and control strategies