Managerial Competencies and Performance of Small-Scale Businesses in Sheema Municipality, Sheema District, Uganda

Abstract

This study assessed the influence of managerial competencies on performance of small-scale businesses with special emphasis on the experiences in Sheema Municipality. A cross-sectional design with a quantitative method was used to conduct the study among small-scale businesses with special emphasis on the experiences in Sheema Municipality. The data was obtained from small-scale businesses business owners, managers and resource people. The study employed stratified random sampling in which 309 respondents selected to participate in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the data from small-scale businessesentities. The study results led to the rejection of first, second and third null hypotheses of this studyand alternative hypotheses stating that operational managerial competencies of business owners and managers significantly influence the performance of small-scale businesses in Sheema Municipality, relational managerial competencies of business owners and managers significantly influence performance of small-scale businesses in Sheema Municipality, and strategic managerial competencies of business owners and managers significantly influence performance of small-scale businesses in Sheema Municipality were accepted. The findings also revealed that for each additional increase in overall rigour of operational managerial competencies of business owners and managers, performance of small-scale businesses in Sheema Municipality was likely to get an average increase of 2.149 units in performance of small-scale businesses (β = 2.149, p = 0.000); each additional increase in overall rigour of relational managerial competencies of business owners, performance of small-scale businesses in Sheema Municipality was likely to get an average increase of 2.423 units and 1.513 units in performance of small-scale businesses (β = 1.513, p = 0.000, β = 2.423, p = 0.000) ; and each additional increase in overall rigour of strategic managerial competencies of business owners, performance of small-scale businesses in Sheema Municipality was likely to get an average increase of 1.519 units, 2.054 units, 1.222 units and decrease by 1.819 units in performance of small-scale businesses (β = 1.519, p = 0.003, β = 2.054, p = 0.000, β = 1.222, p = 0.0020, β = -1.819, p = 0.000). It was concluded that business scall-scale business attach importance to operational, and Strategic managerial competencies