TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAL

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENT iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS v

CHAPTER ONE 1

INTRODUCTION 1

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 3

1.3 Purpose of the study 3

1.4 Objectives of the Study 4

1.5 Research Questions 4

1.6 Scope of the study 4

1.6.1 Concept Scope! subject 4

1.6.2 Geographical scope 4

1.6.3 Time Scope 4

1.7 Significance of the Study 5

1.8 Conceptual Frame Work 5

CHAPTER TWO 7

LITERATURE REVIEW 7

2.0 Introduction 7

2.1 Supplier development techniques 7

2.2 Factors affecting product quality 11

2.3 Relationship between supplier development and product quality 13

CHAPTER THREE 16

METHODOLOGY 16

3.0 Introduction 16

3.1 Research Design 16

3.2 Study Population 16

3.2.1 Sample Size 17

V

3.2.2 Sampling Procedure .17

3.3 Data Collection methods 17

3.3. 1 Research Questionnaire 17

3.4 Sources of data 18

3.4.1 Primary Data 18

3.4.2 Secondary Data 18

3.5 Validity and Reliability of the study 18

3.6 Data processing and Analysis 19

3.6.1 Data Processing 19

3.6.2 Data analysis 19

3.7 Ethical Considerations 19

3.8 Limitations and De-lirnitations 19

CHAPTER FOUR 20

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 20

4.0 Introduction 20

4.1.1 Gender of Respondents 20

4.1.2 Age distribution of respondents 21

4.1.3 Academic Qualifications of respondents 21

4.2 Supplier development techniques applied within Bidco Uganda Limited 22

4.3 Other factors that affect product quality in Bidco Uganda Limited 25

4.4 Relationship between supplier development and product quality in the organization 28

CHAPTER FIVE 31

DiSCUSSIONS, CONLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 31

5.0 Introduction 31

5.1 Discussion of findings 31

5.3 Recommendations 33

5.4 Areas of further study 34

REFERENCES 35

Appendix i: Research Questions 39

Appendix ii: Table for determining the sample size 42