Integrated financial management systems and performance in public universities in Uganda: a case study of Soroti University.

Abstract

The general purpose of the study attempted to examine the relationship between integrated financial management systems (IFMS) components of budgeting, cash management and financial commitment control and performance in Soroti University. The study was guided by three specific objectives that included; to investigate how budgeting influenced performance in Soroti University; to examine the extent to which cash management influenced performance in Soroti University; and to examine how financial commitment control influenced the performance of Soroti University. A cross-sectional survey design was employed targeting 258 full time employees of Soroti University and a sample of 155 employees taken to as representative of all the employees who use IFMS services directly and others indirectly. Data collected from 127 respondents who successfully returned completed questionnaires, was checked and edited for consistency and accuracy. data was analyzed using statistical package of social sciences (SPSS) Version 20. Descriptive statistics in the form of distribution frequency and percentages were obtained. Inferential analysis was done using Pearson’s correlation in order to establish the linear relationship between the independent and dependent variable. The results revealed that there is a significant relationship between budgeting, cash management, financial commitment control on performance in Soroti University. The researcher through the study findings recommended that the Soroti University management should embrace the effective IFMS implementation in her pursuit to improve on its multifaceted performances, because IFMS systems implementation improves credibility and confidence, provides real time financial information and recommend to enhance communication flows amongst departments and staff trainings for effective realization of planned institutional goals.