Assessment of Business Information Access Problems in Uganda

• Main Authors: Constant Okello-Obura, Mabel K. Minishi-Majanja, Linda Cloete, J.R. Ikoja-Odongo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Partnership 2007-09-01
• Series: Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research
• Subjects: Business information services; business information access; small scale business enterprises; Northern Uganda; information utilization; business information access problems
• Online Access: http://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article/view/306/573

Effective utilization of quality business information is crucial in attaining long-term and sustainable economic growth of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It is established that SMEs in northern Uganda operate in a business environment that is characterized by fragmented and incomplete information. It is a situation where an awareness of markets, technology, policies, regulations and finance is limited because businesses fail to receive timely business information. This article reports a portion of the results of a larger study using a descriptive design with survey research and other techniques. The study examined the problems SMEs in northern Uganda face in accessing business information; identified problems information providers face in providing business information to the SMEs in the region and attempted to establish whether SMEs in northern Uganda use public libraries in accessing business information as should be expected. The study’s respondents included the SMEs, information providers and business policy makers with the response rate of 87.3%; 72% and 85% respectively. The article proposes strategic interventions for business information to be accessed by the SMEs. It concludes that there is a need for Uganda and, in particular, northern Uganda to develop a strategy for business information access by the SMEs