- Title
- Expatriates’ perceptions of corrupt business practices: the Magendo phenomenon in Uganda
- Creator
- Mulumba, Matthias Sebuttemba
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2020
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- The internationalization of business brings expatriates from one institutional background to operate in countries with different institutional frameworks that guide business environments and practices. This may result in contradictions and tensions for expatriates if home country institutions differ from those in the host country. Expatriate business people working in developing countries often contend with corrupt business practices that are rooted in local informal institutions. In many emerging economies where formal institutions are not well established or implemented, informal institutions play a prominent part in guiding the behavior of citizens and business managers. This study draws on institutional theory to provide a deeper understanding of different contexts and societal attributes. Institutional theory provides a productive lens through which to examine the experiences of expatriate business people in the environment that is being investigated. Magendo is described as an informal institution that influences the conduct of business in Uganda. Whereas local Ugandans may take magendo as a way of life and live with it, it is not known how expatriate business people contend with it. This study builds a framework to analyse how business expatriates respond to business contradictions and tensions between the institutional contexts they know from their own countries and the ones they are faced with under the influence of magendo. The framework enables the examination of potential relational contradictions, tensions and paradoxes that may result due to institutional differences between Uganda and the home countries of expatriates. The purpose of the framework is to enable analysis as to how business expatriates respond to experienced business contradictions and tensions in a host emerging economy. The study is based on qualitative research methods, in order to enable the development of theory to explain the influence of magendo on expatriate business people working in Uganda. Such an approach suits the exploration of expatriates’ perceptions because of its appreciation for, and attention to data. The analysis adopts a constructivist approach whereby ideas and concepts are drawn from the data, rather than superimposed by the researcher. This research contributes to institutional theory by using it to examine magendo through the perceptions of expatriates. It also contributes to policy and business practices by identifying how expatriates manage magendo. Last, it provides insights for Ugandan policy makers on how magendo impacts expatriate business behavior. This forms basis for better policy formulation and improvement of the business environment in Uganda to attract more investors into the country.
- Subject
- Magendo; expatriate; Africa; Uganda; informal institution; institutional theory
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1415957
- Identifier
- uon:36977
- Rights
- Copyright 2020 Matthias Sebuttemba Mulumba
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
- Hits: 1835
- Visitors: 2719
- Downloads: 1028
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 251 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |