Effect Of Strategic Evaluation And Control On Financial Performance Of Small And Medium Entreprises In Juba, South Sudan

Abstract

The SMEs play a fundamental role in economic growth in East African region with inclusion of South Sudan contributing around 70% of the country’s GDP that employed almost 63.6% of the workforce. The adoption and implementation of the strategic planning practices like strategic formulation, implementation, evaluation and control by these SMEs has been inadequately addressed. The main drive of this research paper is to. To evaluate the effect of strategic evaluation and control on financial performance of SME’s in Juba, South Sudan. The research design used was the cross sectional method. The target population of this study consisted of 4,951 registered companies as per the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of the Republic of South Sudan, 2019.This study used the formula by Krejcie and Morgan Table to select a sample size of 381- registered company from a target population of 4,951 of small and medium enterprises in Juba, South Sudan. Data was collected using the structured questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted on 39 respondents from Tereka County which is outside Juba City to verify the reliability of the data instrument. Content, construct and face validity were done and reliability of the research instruments was achieved through conducting reliability analysis which yielded a Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.805. Strategic evaluation practice had a statistically significant impact on the financial performance of SME's in Juba. Effect of strategic evaluation on the financial performance of the SMEs in Juba, South Sudan reduces with increase in the strangeness of the government regulations imposed on the SMEs. Recommendations of the study were: owners and managers of SMEs in Juba South Sudan should examine and progressively implement strategic plans being in mind the strategic implementation indicators like organizational tasks, strategic vision and mission statements which should be well incorporated and implemented. The government of South Sudan should lessen their regulations towards the SMEs operations in Juba, South. This would improve the financial positions of the SMEs and their effect would be felt in the running of the economy. The results of the study would be useful especially in providing additional information to current and future establishments of strategic planning practices in organizations if implemented and to allow them to remain competitive. Other beneficiaries would include planners, academicians, finance experts the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the people of South Sudan in general.