Collaborative relationships, procurement practices and supply chain performance: the case of small and medium enterprises in Uganda

Abstract: Well established procurement systems and collaborative relationships are essential in realising organisational goals and improved supply chain performance. However, no empirical evidence supports this view in Uganda. This chapter attempts to fill this gap by examining the relationship between procurement practices, collaborative relationships and supply chain performance of Uganda’s SMEs. A cross – sectional survey design was used. Zero order correlations were used to determine the magnitude and direction of the relationship between the variables. A multiple regression model was used to determine the percentage of variance explained in supply chain performance. The findings revealed that procurement practices and collaborative relationships were significant predictors accounting for 29.6% of the variance in SME supply chain performance. Implications of findings for SME owners/managers and policy makers include putting in place systems to support collaborative relationships and improve procurement practices to ensure professionalism such that timely deliveries, flexibility and customer satisfaction are realised.