TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration ............................................................................................. i

Approval. ............................................................................................. .ii

Dedication ............................................................................................ iii

Acknowledgement. ................................................................................... .iv

Table of contents .................................................................................................. v

List of tables ......................................................................................... vii

CHAPTER ONE

l .O introduction ............................................................................... 1

1.1 Background of the study ................................................................ I

1.2 Problem statement. ..................................................................... .4

1.3 Purpose of the study .................................................................... .4

1.4 Research objectives ...................................................................... 5

1.5 Research questions .............................................................................. 5

1.6 Significance of the study ....................................................................... 5

1. Limitations ................................................................................. 6

1.8 Scope of the study ....................................................................... 6

1.9 Conceptual frame work ................................................................. 7

CHAPTER T\-VO

2.0 Introduction .............................................................................. 9

2.1 Types of business partnering ........................................................... 9

2.2 The rational for stakeholder partnering .................................................... 11

V

2.3 Challenges faced by the business people

In establishing partnerships ............................................................... 14

2.4 Factors to consider when selecting Suppliers to partner with .................... 15

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Introduction .................................................................................. 19

3.1 Research design ......................................................................... 19

3.2 Population of the study and sampling size .......................................... 20

3.3 Sampling and design procedure ....................................................... 20

3.4 Method of data collection ............................................................. 21

3.5 Instrumentation ......................................................................... 21

3.6 Data analysis ............................................................................ 22

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 introduction ............................................................................ 23

4.2 Quantitative analysis .................................................................. 23

4.2.1 Response rate ........................................................................ 24

4.2.2 Gender analysis ...................................................................... 25

4.2.3 Level of education ................................................................... 27

4.2.4 Working experience ................................................................. 28

4.2.5 Category of respondents ............................................................ 30

4.3 Qualitative analysis .................................................................... 34

VI

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Introduction .......................................................................... 36

5.2 Summary of findings ................................................................ 36

5.3 Research Question One .............................................................. 37

5.4 Research Question Two ............................................................. 39

5.5 Research Question Three ........................................................... .42

5.6 Conclusion ............................................................................ 45

5.7 Recommendations .................................................................. .46

REFERENCES ................................................................................. .48

QUESTIONNAIRE ........................................................................... . 52