Mergers and employee job performance of administrative staff in public universities in Uganda: a case study of Kyambogo university

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between mergers in higher institutions of learning and employee performance. The study specifically explored the effect of restructuring, integration and redundancy on employee job performance. The research design was a case study. A total of :r respondents, including 7 key informants and 98 employees, participated in the study. Primary data was obtained using a questionnaire and a structured interview guide. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential quantitative as well as qualitative methods. The findings have revealed that: Restructuring contributes to better employee job performance, but this was not the case in KyU because employees were not given clear work roles or trained to acquire skills relevant to the new roles. While integration had a positive effect on employee performance, this has not been achieved in KyU due the fact that most employees from the funner institutions are still attached to the culture of their former institutions and have fail ed learnt to work together and cooperate in order to transfer their competencies to the new institution. Redundancy among employees especially in the former institutions was significant and many felt trapped in their positions and did not have the motivation to be innovative and committed. These employees did not use their full energy and talent to do their further institutional objectives. Therefore the KyU merger has not fully achieved the intended objectives due to ineffective restructuring and integration which resulted into redundancy among administrative staff. study recommends that: The KYU merger should re-cast to include fitting of skills of employee with their new roles, development of competencies and work methods relevant to the new institution and organizational commitment. A model of mergers that is more relevant to KyU should be investigated and tried by top management so as to reduce inefficiencies in the current model and the government should loosen the current centralized union bonds and make University a federal one in order to regain the niche of its former institutions.