Public-sector organisational competitiveness using the lens of corporate governance practices drawing evidence from Uganda

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish whether corporate governance practices of employee participation, board structuring and social responsibility influence the competitiveness of public-sector organisations using evidence from Uganda. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative and cross-sectional design. A self-administered questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 40 public-sector organisations. Smart PLS-SEM version 3 was used to analyse data. Findings This paper makes a significant contribution to theory by offering literature that enables a comprehensive understanding of and insights into corporate governance practices and competitiveness of public-sector organisations in Uganda. The study results established that the three corporate governance practices of employee participation, board structuring and social responsibility influence the competitiveness of public-sector entities. The research devised and authenticated a tool for assessing corporate governance practices and competitiveness in the developing world context, offering the potential for adoption in subsequent studies. Originality/value The majority of studies done in developing context have focused on corporate governance and firm performance in private firms, with little attention being paid to corporate governance practices and organisational competitiveness in public-sector organisations. This study has taken on public-sector organisational competitiveness using a lens from corporate governance practices, drawing evidence from Uganda.