Proactive Work Behaviour and Performance of Employees in Non-traditional Agricultural Export Enterprises In Central Uganda

ABSTRACT The level of employee performance has become more imperative as businesses are looking for competitive advantage in over-saturated global market. One way to improve performance of employees is to motivate them to behave in a proactive manner. This study investigated the relationship between p:-oactive work behaviour and perfonnance of employee in non-traditional agricultural expmt enterprises in central Uganda. Existence of few empirical studies on the effect of pro-active work behaviour on perfonnance of employees in Uganda is the motivation for this study. The study adopted a descriptive conelational survey design that involved the use of questionnaires and interviews in collecting data from a sample of 208 respondents randomly selected fi·om a population of 436 employees in eight NTAEs. Data was analyzed at uni-variate, bi-variate and at multivmiate level using means, standard deviation, !-statistics, ANOV A, PLCC m1d regression analysis. The study revealed that all variables included in the model (prediction, courage and goal setting) are strong predictors of employee perfonnance. The study also established a strong and positive con·elation between proactive work behaviour and perfonnance of employees. The study recommends that all the three constructs of pro-active work behaviour should be enhanced among employees in NT AEs through developing and implementing a behavioural modification program to train employees on proactive work behaviour improvement which in turn will lead to advancement of their perfonnance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................ i 

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. iii 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................ iv 

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. v 

LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... vii 

LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................... viii 

LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................ ix 

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................. .... X 

CHAPTER ONE: Introduction ................................................................................. 1 

1.0 Introductions ...................................................................... 1 

1.1 Background .............................................................. . 1 

1.1.1 Historical perspective ............................................................. 1 

1.1.2 Theoretical perspective ........................................................... 5 

1.1.3 Conceptual perspective ........................................................... 6 

1.1.4 Contextual perspective ............................................................ 8 

1.2 Problem statement ..................................................... . 11 

1.3 Purposes of the study ................................................... 13 

1.4 Objectives .................................................................... 13 

1.5 Research questions ...................................................... 13 

1.6 Hypotheses ............................................................... 14 

1.7 Scope ...................................................................... 14 

1.8 Significance of the study ................................................ 15 

CHAPTER TWO: Review of Related Literature ................................................... I? 

2.0 Introduction .............................................................. 17 

Theoretical review ...................................................... 17 

Conceptual framework ................................................. 21 

Related literature ........................................................ 22 

Proactive work behaviour ............................................................. 23 

Employee Perfonnance ............................................... .4 7 

Proactive work behaviour and employee perfom1ance ............. 58 

Conclusion ................................................................ 69 

CHAPTER THREE: !Vlethodology ......................................................................... 71 

3. 0 Introduction .............................................................. 71 

3.1 Research philosophy ................................................... ?! 

3.2 Research design ......................................................... 75 

3.3 Research population ................................................... 75 

3.3.1 Target Population .................................................................. 75 

3.3.2 Sample Size .......................................................................... 77 

3.5 Response rate ............................................................ 78 

3.6 Research insttuments ................................................... 78 

3.7 Validity and reliability of the instrument ............................ 81 

3.8 Data gathering procedure .............................................. 82 

3.9 Data analysis .............................................................. 83 

3.10 Ethical considerations .................................................. 85 

v 

CHAPTER FOUR: Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data ............... 87 

4.0 Introduction ............................................................. 87 

4.2 Profile of the respondents ............................................. 87 

4.3 Proactive work behaviour of employees ............................ 91 

4.4 Level of employee performance .................................... 1 08 

4.5 Relationship between proactive work behaviour and performance 

CHAPTER FIVE 

of employee ............................................................. 118 

Discussion of findings, Conclusions and Recommendations ..... 123 

Introduction ............................................................ 123 

Discussion .............................................................. 123 

Conclusions ............................................................ 133 

Implications of the study ............................................ 134 

Recommendations .................................................... 13 5 

BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................... 138 

APPENDIX I Transimittal Letter ............................................................................. 160 

APPENDIX II: Clearance From the Ethics Committee ............................................ 162 

APPENDIX III: Infonned Concent ........................................................................... 163 

APPEND IX IV: Questionnaire .................................................................................. 164 

APPENDIX V: Interview Guide ............................................................................... 169 

APPENDIX VI Sample size Calculation .................................................................. 171