Leadership Traits and Business Sustainability in Ugandan SMEs: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

The study examined the characteristics of business owners that enable them create sustainable businesses in emerging economy contexts where the dearth of SME’s is the norm. The study used a cross sectional design and qualitative approach to collect data from reputable businesses that had survived for more than 10 years. Data was analysed using a content analysis approach with NVivo software. Owner managers of sustainable businesses exhibited strong antecedents of resilience, social capital, resourcefulness, personal values and strategic flexibility. Successful business owners are created more by the environment they inhabit and their socialization context. The businesses they established were a result of an innate will to succeed and adaptability to overcome constraints. The research does not establish the empirical correlations between the different traits. This study used a qualitative and interactive approach to classify the traits of successful business leaders and develop a model showing the potential relationships and behaviours that breed sustainability or success.