The Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovation in conjunction with the Faculty of Management Science, the host unit of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration and Management (PhD, BAM) successfully carried out a PhD Research Proposal defence on Monday, 10th July 2023. Research Proposal defence is a second important phase after the presentation and defence of the Concept Note leading to full admission into the doctoral studentship. Three candidates presented their proposals before a panel of eminent scholars and the works were found worth in making significant contributions to the scholarly world. Briefly, their profiles and proposed works are presented:
1. MATSIKO, Mutungwire Abert- Staff Presenteeism in Uganda’s Public Universities
MATSIKO, Mutungwire Abert holds a BA (Social Sciences), and MHRM degree from Makerere University. He is a career civil servant having worked for Local and then Central Government for some time in the field of management and administration rising through the rungs of power and authority. He therefore comes from a public sector domain with work experience spanning beyond three decades.
Research Brief
At the wake of increasing rates of staff presenteeism across industries and service sectors, organisations are now paying more attention on this phenomenon that can be counterproductive to individual, work teams and general organisations’ productivities. In order to respond to diverse calls to deeply investigate this matter, Mr. Matsiko examines ‘Staff Presenteeism’ among non- academic staff using the lens of Uganda’s higher education sector, with specific focus on Public Universities. Through the Job Demands theory and conservation of resources theory, he proposes to develop a staff presenteeism model based on the integrated constructs of organizational Justice, self-efficacy and social support to assist diminish the associated challenges of staff presenteeism. It is hoped that this research will contribute to the extension of the boundaries of knowledge in the areas of practice, theory, policy and management scholarship. Mr. Matsiko’s doctoral work is supervised by: 1) Prof. Abdul Kaziba Mpaata, 2) Dr. Musenze Ibrahim Abaasi
2. MAYENDE, Sifuna Thomas- Work Engagement among the Teaching Staff in Uganda
MAYENDE, Sifuna Thomas holds BPhil (Urban University), MAHRM (Kampala International University), and currently, he is registered for a PhD, BAM. For the past two decades, he has been working in the higher education sector in teaching and administrative capacities.
Research Brief
Mr. Mayende is interrogating the concept of Work Engagement in the Uganda’s Public Universities. The current business ecology is fast changing due to the war for talents, cutthroat competition among organisations, globalization, communication and technology that can at times end-tip the workplace operations. These developments have come at a time when there is a marked global downturn among workers in organisations. These new organization formations necessitate the presence of an engaged workforce. In response to this call, using both inductive and deductive approaches, Mayende investigates Work Engagement phenomenon within the milieu of Uganda’s State-owned Universities using a sample of teaching staff. As a central argument, he develops a work Engagement Model using integrated constructs of perceived organizational support, psychological capital and job satisfaction
Mr. Mayende’s doctoral work is supervised by: 1) Prof. Abdul Kaziba Mpaata, 2) Dr. Musenze Ibrahim Abaasi and 3) Dr. Nkurunziza Gideon
3. WANYANA, Mercy- Employees’ Innovative Work Behaviour among Academic Staff in Public Universities of Uganda
WANYANA, Mercy is a holder of BA (Social Sciences), Makerere University; MMS (HRM), Uganda Management Institute. She has a wide experience in the field of Human Resource Management gained in university setting. Currently, she is registered for the PhD, BAM of Busitema University.
Research Brief
Uganda is on a strategic path towards the realisation of the national vision (Vision 2040). This calls for the presence of creative and innovative workers situated at all levels of production sectors, including higher education. As a response to this need and call, Wanyana intends to interrogate this occurrence in the context of Public Universities. She argues that for the teaching staff in these institutions to innovate, the Organisation’s Culture, Servant Leadership and Perceived Oganisational Support have to freely operate are prerequisites. Moreover, she argues that Psychological Empowerment acts as a mechanism through which Servant Leadership and Perceived Organisational Support influence Innovative Work Behaviour of the academic staff.
Mr. Mayende’s doctoral work is supervised by: 1) Prof. Abdul Kaziba Mpaata, and Dr. Musenze Ibrahim Abaasi
