The role of inventory management on retail businesses : a case study of Busano trading centre, Mbale district.
| dc.contributor.author | Wangolo, Jude | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-10-14T13:07:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-10-14T13:07:38Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026 | |
| dc.description | Undergraduate research report | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study examined the role of inventory management on the performance of retail businesses in Busano Trading Centre, Mbale District. The study was motivated by inventory management challenges faced by many retail businesses, including poor stock record keeping, stockouts, overstocking, inadequate inventory control, and limited use of modern inventory management systems. The study specifically sought to assess the inventory management practices employed by retail businesses, examine their effect on business performance, and identify the challenges affecting effective inventory management. A cross-sectional survey design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted. The study targeted retail business owners and managers in Busano Trading Centre, with an estimated population of 180 businesses. A sample of 123 retail businesses was selected using simple random sampling, while five key informants were selected purposively. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and key informant interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression in SPSS. The findings showed that retailers had relatively strong practices in inspecting goods received from suppliers and using demand trends to guide reordering, but regular physical stock-taking and systematic stock recording were less common. The findings further revealed a positive relationship between inventory management and retail business performance. Stock recording was positively correlated with business performance (r = 0.584, p < .01), while demand-based ordering showed a stronger positive relationship (r = 0.612, p < .01). Stock control through minimum stock levels was also positively related to performance (r = 0.441, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that inventory management practices explained 46.8% of the variation in retail business performance (R² = 0.468). The major challenges identified included inadequate capital for inventory systems, limited access to digital technologies, supply-chain delays, and unrecorded stock movements arising from informal credit and family-related transactions. The study concludes that effective inventory management is important for improving the performance and sustainability of retail businesses in Busano Trading Centre. It recommends that retailers adopt systematic stock cards and inventory records, strengthen stock control procedures, improve demand forecasting, and gradually adopt affordable digital inventory systems. It also recommends that local government and business-support institutions provide training in inventory management and financial record keeping. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Mr. Lokiru John Aleper ; Busitema University | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Wangolo, J. (2026). The role of inventory management on retail businesses : a case study of Busano trading centre, Mbale district. [Unpublished undergraduate research report]. Busitema University. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://bdears.busitema.ac.ug/handle/123456789/10919 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Busitema University | |
| dc.title | The role of inventory management on retail businesses : a case study of Busano trading centre, Mbale district. | |
| dc.type | Other |