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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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<strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Era</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Globalization</strong><br />

Edited by Emmanuel Obuah<br />

that foreign <strong>in</strong>vestors’ FDI decisions have been motivated by three traditional economic determ<strong>in</strong>ants<br />

differentiated as resource-seek<strong>in</strong>g FDI, Market-seek<strong>in</strong>g FDI and efficiency-seek<strong>in</strong>g FDI (Nunnenkamp<br />

2002). However, ano<strong>the</strong>r potential determ<strong>in</strong>ant <strong>of</strong> decisions on FDI sectors <strong>of</strong> dest<strong>in</strong>ation is <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong><br />

quality <strong>of</strong> service <strong>of</strong>fered by GOU (policymakers) to <strong>the</strong> different foreign <strong>in</strong>vestors to <strong>the</strong> Ugandan<br />

economy. This implies that <strong>the</strong> traditional determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> FDI flows notwithstand<strong>in</strong>g, perceptions <strong>of</strong><br />

quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestment services by both foreign <strong>in</strong>vestors and GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials are ano<strong>the</strong>r potential<br />

determ<strong>in</strong>ant <strong>of</strong> decisions on FDI sectors <strong>of</strong> dest<strong>in</strong>ations <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ugandan economy.<br />

Despite <strong>the</strong> GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials’ efforts to create a good <strong>in</strong>vestment climate, three key questions come to <strong>the</strong><br />

fore: Firstly, are FDI clients receiv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>vestment services <strong>the</strong>y expect from GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials? Secondly, do<br />

<strong>the</strong> GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials’ perceptions <strong>of</strong> quality <strong>in</strong>vestment services mirror FDI clients’ expected and actual<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestment services? Thirdly, what is <strong>the</strong> relative importance <strong>of</strong> service quality dimensions as<br />

determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> FDI sector dest<strong>in</strong>ation decisions <strong>in</strong> Uganda? The first question implies a potential<br />

disparity between FDI clients’ expected and experienced service quality that impacts <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>in</strong>vestment<br />

decisions. The second question implies a potential disparity between GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials’ perceptions <strong>of</strong> FDI<br />

clients’ expectations <strong>of</strong> quality <strong>in</strong>vestment services that may <strong>in</strong>fluence <strong>the</strong>ir FDI decisions <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ugandan<br />

economy. The third question implies a potential variation <strong>in</strong> relative importance <strong>of</strong> service quality<br />

dimensions <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>fluenc<strong>in</strong>g FDI clients’ decisions <strong>in</strong> regard to sector dest<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong> Uganda. The<br />

aforementioned disparities and relative importance will be <strong>in</strong>vestigated <strong>in</strong> this research with a view <strong>of</strong><br />

clos<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> disparities to <strong>in</strong>crease DFI flows to different sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations <strong>in</strong> Uganda. To have a better<br />

understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> potential impact <strong>of</strong> FDI clients’ and GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials’ service quality perceptions on<br />

DFI flows to <strong>the</strong> different sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations <strong>of</strong> Ugandan economy, <strong>the</strong> Gaps model <strong>of</strong> service quality by<br />

Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985) is useful. In this respect, <strong>the</strong> SERVQUAL scale based on <strong>the</strong><br />

identified seven dimensions <strong>of</strong> service quality (Kang & James 2004; Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler 2006)<br />

will be used to measure <strong>the</strong> service quality Gaps from two perspectives. Firstly, form GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials’<br />

perceptions <strong>of</strong> quality <strong>in</strong>vestment services and how <strong>the</strong>y impact <strong>in</strong>vestment decisions <strong>of</strong> FDI clients will<br />

be <strong>in</strong>vestigated. Secondly, from FDI clients’ perceptions <strong>of</strong> quality <strong>in</strong>vestment services and how <strong>the</strong>y<br />

impact <strong>the</strong>ir decisions will be <strong>in</strong>vestigated too. The study will also <strong>in</strong>vestigate <strong>the</strong> relative importance <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> seven dimensions <strong>of</strong> service quality as potential determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> decisions on sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations as<br />

regards resource-seek<strong>in</strong>g FDI, market-seek<strong>in</strong>g FDI, and efficiency-seek<strong>in</strong>g FDI <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ugandan economy.<br />

This is premised on <strong>the</strong> potential disparity between what GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials perceive as quality <strong>in</strong>vestment<br />

services <strong>of</strong>fered to FDI clients and what FDI clients perceive as quality <strong>in</strong>vestment services both <strong>of</strong> which<br />

have a potential <strong>in</strong>fluence on FDI decisions to <strong>the</strong> different sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> economy. Because<br />

quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestment services are perceived differently <strong>in</strong> different sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations and for <strong>the</strong><br />

different traditional determ<strong>in</strong>ants, <strong>the</strong> SERVQUAL scales will be adapted to capture perceptual data both<br />

on traditional determ<strong>in</strong>ants and <strong>the</strong> different FDI sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations <strong>in</strong> Uganda. The SERVQUAL scales<br />

will also measure <strong>the</strong> causal relationships between <strong>the</strong> identified variables <strong>in</strong> this study (see Figures 1 &<br />

2). For purposes <strong>of</strong> this research, <strong>the</strong> focus will be on GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials’ Gap 1 and <strong>the</strong> FDI clients’ Gap 5.<br />

Problem statement<br />

Because this <strong>in</strong>vestigation requires <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tervention <strong>of</strong> FDI clients and <strong>the</strong> GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials <strong>in</strong> determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

FDI decisions on sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations, <strong>the</strong> problem statement can be phrased <strong>in</strong> a fourfold manner: Firstly,<br />

as shown by Gap 1 (Figure 3), a potential disparity may exist between GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials understand<strong>in</strong>g and<br />

design <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>in</strong>vestment service FDI clients expect <strong>in</strong> decision mak<strong>in</strong>g. The question is which<br />

variable(s) impact on this Gap to <strong>in</strong>fluence FDI decisions on different sector dest<strong>in</strong>ations? Secondly, as<br />

shown by Gap 5 (Figures 1), a potential disparity may arise between FDI clients’ expected and<br />

experienced service form GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials with a potential <strong>in</strong>fluence on FDI <strong>in</strong>vestment decisions on<br />

different dest<strong>in</strong>ation sectors <strong>of</strong> Ugandan economy. As for Gap 1, <strong>the</strong> question is which variables impact<br />

on this Gap to <strong>in</strong>fluence FDI clients’ decisions? Thirdly, because GOU <strong>of</strong>ficials aim at creat<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

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