ISBN 9789970029686
Pages 434
Dimensions 254 x 178mm
Published 2009
Publisher Fountain Publishers, Uganda
Format Paperback

Uganda's Human Resource Challenge

Training, Business Culture and Economic Development

by Jörg Wiegratz

Despite significant economic recovery and improved macro-economic indicators since 1986, Uganda’s economy continues to face considerable challenges. This book analyses the relationship between economic and human resource development in the country. It identifies deficits in capabilities, skills, know-how, experience, linkage building, and technology use as well as undesirable business practices. These shortcomings limit economic diversification, productivity enhancement, job and income creation, as well as poverty reduction. The book calls for more efforts towards human resource development. The current narrow mainstream economic policy focus on macro-economic stability, a favourable investment climate, and improved physical infrastructure alone will not foster economic development and broad-based well-being. The Ugandan people and the private sector need more state support - in addition to the predominant education and health focus of the government and donors - if they are to develop the required human resources. More and better training, enhanced learning at the place of work and an improved business culture are vital. It is essential to focus on technical, organisational, managerial, entrepreneurial, learning, innovative, social, and institutional capabilities. Efforts towards dealing with these challenges will require attention to the political-economic climate of the country. To make the argument, the author covers a wide range of topics such as training and learning, technology, productivity, latecomer development, competitiveness, labour market, MSMEs, entrepreneurship, value chains, cooperation and trust, and human resource management. The book contains more than 130 figures, tables and information boxes.

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Reviews

'This is a very original and timely analysis of today’s ‘real’ Ugandan economy with a focus on issues have often been neglected in mainstream studies. It contributes to important debates. The book advocates more attention to human resources for the economy to advance more sustainable human development in the second decade of the 21st century.’

Timothy M Shaw, Research Professor, Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance at the University of Massachusetts Boston

"On making the case for human resource development as part of private sector development, Wiegratz provides a crucial reminder that people matter more, and not less than foreign direct investment, capital accumulation, technology acquisition, infrastructure development and all the factors that are considered as good for business."

About the Author

Jörg Wiegratz

Dr. Jörg Wiegratz is a Lecturer in Political Economy of Global Development at the University of Leeds (UK), School of Politics and International Studies. Previously, he also taught at the Universities of Bath and Sheffield. Between 2004-2007, he worked as a researcher and consultant in Uganda (for the UN Industrial Development Organization, the Government of Uganda's Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation) and has been a Resource Person at Makerere University and a Visiting Scholar at the Economic Policy Research Centre, Kampala. To-date, his research has explored aspects of neoliberalism especially neoliberal moral economy and moral restructuring, market society, economic fraud, global value chains, industrial development, and human resource development, predominantly with an empirical focus on Uganda. In recent years, he has been particularly interested in studying processes related to the emergence and consolidation of neoliberal market societies in the various parts of the world, especially (but not only) in Africa.

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