Abstract
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This paper presents the key issues and the effects of an autocratic decision-making approach by the unit managers on the work performance of the academic staff in three typical Ugandan public universities. The research was prompted by persistent complaints and reports from different key stakeholders regarding the deteriorating quality of teaching, research, and community engagement in public universities in Uganda. The objectives of this paper are to explain the issues, processes, and consequences of an autocratic approach to decision making by academic unit managers on the regular work performance of academic staff in the public universities; examine the role of academics’ in promoting the competitiveness of universities for better ranking at national, regional, or global levels, and establish the incentives for different types of academics’ work performance. A cross-section survey with mixed quantitative and qualitative methods in addition to the in-depth interviews and self-administered were used to collect data. The study findings revealed low work performance levels as a consequence of the practice of an autocratic decision making employed by the academic unit managers in Uganda. The study concluded that autocratic academic unit managers are instrumental in demoralising academic staff hence resulting in low-performance levels. Academics’ work performance is vital for university competitiveness for high institutional ranking. This is because Universities have a critical role to play for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number four for national progress towards education for sustainable development in Uganda.