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Kenyatta University Institutional Repository is a digital archive that collects, preserves and disseminates scholarly outputs of the Institution
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Organizational Resources and Performance of Deposit-Taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Kirinyaga County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-09) Murage, Nancy Waithira
Deposit-accepting SACCOs in Kirinyaga County continue to face notable operational challenges, including low profitability and turnover growth, high retrenchment rates, slow technological adoption, and low returns on shareholders’ equity. These constraints limit their financial stability and overall efficiency. This study examined how organizational resources specifically human capital, financial assets, and technological infrastructure affect SACCO performance. The study was guided by the resource-based theory, the slack resources theory, and the balanced scorecard (BSC) model. The study sought to determine organizational resources on SACCO performance. A descriptive mixed-methods research design was employed, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A pilot study was conducted to test the reliability and validity of the research instrument before the main data collection exercise. The target population consisted of all deposit-taking SACCOs in Kirinyaga County. The unit of analysis was the SACCO institution, while the unit of observation comprised SACCO managers and employees. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires, complemented by secondary data from financial reports. A stratified random sampling design was used to ensure proportional representation across SACCO managerial and staff categories, resulting in a sample of ten SACCOs for detailed analysis. Statistical methods were applied to examine the relationship between organizational resources and SACCO performance. The findings indicate that human capital, particularly well-trained and skilled staff is the most significant determinant of improved SACCO performance. Although financial resources and technological infrastructure also positively influence operational efficiency, their effects were comparatively moderate. Resource sufficiency demonstrated a strong association with improved financial stability and service delivery. The study concludes that strategic investment in human capital, modernization of technological infrastructure, and prudent financial resource management is critical to strengthening SACCO performance. It recommends prioritizing continuous staff training and development, enhancing technological systems to streamline operations, and adopting sound financial management practices to maintain competitiveness. These insights offer a practical roadmap for SACCOs seeking to enhance efficiency, sustain growth, and reinforce their contribution to economic development
Risk Management Strategies and Organizational Performance of General Insurance Firms in Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-12) Gakuo, John Karori
Organizational performance in insurance depends on metrics such as viability, customer happiness, and market share, with risk management being essential. Effective risk mitigation strategies improve monetary success and consumer confidence by diminishing the detrimental impacts of insurance risk. The research general objective was to examine the influence of risk management strategies on the organisational success of general insurance corporations in Kenya. The explicit goals were to examine the effect of risk identification, risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk monitoring on the organisational success of Kenyan general insurance companies. The research was underpinned by the contingency theory of enterprise resource management, agency theory, and stakeholder theory. The study employed a descriptive approach. The target audience for the research was the 280 staff of the firms. The study employed the Yamane (1973) formula to obtain a sample of 165 responders. Stratified sampling was utilized to determine the number of responders per category. Simple random sampling was then utilized to ascertain respondents in each category. A semi-structured questionnaire was utilized to gather data. A pilot test was done at Jubilee Insurance, where 15 pilot test responders were selected. The study used expert judgement to measure content validity. Reliability was ascertained through Cronbach’s alpha, where a value of 0.7 and above was considered adequate. Data cleansing and analysis were performed by editing, coding, and tabulation. The analysis of data employed SPSS. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, means, and percentages, were utilized. The research employed inferential statistics to ascertain the impact of risk management strategies on the success of insurance companies. Thus, a multivariate regression model was employed to demonstrate the connection among the variables. Results suggested that there is a favourable and substantial effect of risk identification on the organizational success of general insurance firms. Results revealed a favourable and substantial effect of risk assessment on the organisational performance of general insurance firms. Risk mitigation had a favourable and substantial effect on organizational success of general insurance firms. There was a favourable and substantial effect risk monitoring on the organizational success of general insurance corporations. The research concludes that environmental scanning and assessing risk nature improve organizational performance by identifying external threats and opportunities, developing effective responses, and proactively mitigating risks. Insurance companies improve performance by identifying risk events and assessing risks, ensuring thorough evaluations and informed decision-making. Insurance companies ought to enhance risk detection via consistent environmental scanning and a robust risk identification matrix. The IRA ought to advocate for thorough risk assessment technique.
Strategic Entrepreneurship and Commercialization of Agri-Biotechnology Crop Innovations in Selected Organizations in Nairobi City County, Keny
(Kenyatta University, 2025-12) Odhiambo, Antony Benard Kodiwo
Commercialization is the process of translating ideas into product development using technology to release the products into the market. Despite the huge potential presented by Agri-biotechnology crop innovations, there has been limited commercialization of these innovations in the Kenyan market. The government has taken several steps to support the growth of Agri-biotechnology crop research and development. The Kenya National Biotechnology Development Policy was developed in 2006, and the National Biotechnology Authority has been set up to regulate biotechnology products. Despite an active pipeline of Agri-biotechnology crop innovations seeking regulatory approval, Bt cotton remains the only product approved for commercial cultivation and human use since 2019. The industry players have not been able to translate their Agri-biotechnology crop research and development into products in the market. Therefore, this study sought to investigate how strategic entrepreneurship can influence the commercialization of Agri-biotechnology crop innovations in selected organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Specifically, the study examined the effects of entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial culture, strategic entrepreneurial leadership, and strategic resource management on the commercialization of Agri-biotechnology crop innovations in selected organizations in Nairobi City County. The study was founded on four theories: Technology Commercialization Theory, Strategic Entrepreneurship Theory, Knowledge Spillover Theory, and Theory of Traditional Agriculture. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population was 15 organizations involved in Agri-biotechnology research and development in Nairobi City County, as identified from the National Biosafety Authority website. Proportionate stratified and random sampling techniques were used. Data was collected from 46 scientists distributed among the three strata. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the respondents. Construct validity of the data collection instrument was tested through a pilot study of two organizations from two different strata. Advice was sought from the supervisor on the validity of the questionnaire. The overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.898, hence acceptable. The data was coded, categorized, and then analyzed through descriptive statistics and inferential analysis using SPSS version 30. The results demonstrated that strategic entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial culture, strategic entrepreneurial leadership, and strategic resource management all had a positive and statistically significant effect on the commercialization of Agri-biotechnology crop innovations. The qualitative data identified bureaucracy, funding gaps, knowledge gaps, regulatory barriers, poor public perception, and market access barriers as the significant challenges hindering the practical commercialization of Agri-biotechnology crop innovations. The study concluded that strategic entrepreneurial practices can enhance the commercialization of crop innovations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study recommended that organizations include strategic entrepreneurial practices in their strategic plans to enhance the commercialization of their research outputs. It also recommended that private organizations pursue strategic partnerships to strengthen their capacity and that the government allocate additional budgetary resources to support Agri-biotechnology research
Macroeconomic Factors and Profitability of Domestic Commercial Airlines in Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-10) Kaki, Nduku Nelius
The airline industry contributes to a country's economy by facilitating trade, tourism, revenue generation, and job creation. Thus, it is an essential sector of a country's economy. However, the industry has faced financial challenges as most companies have recorded a negative Return on Assets in consecutive years. Evidence from other sectors has linked macroeconomic factors to profitability. However, there is insufficient evidence on macroeconomic factors effects on Kenyan domestic airlines' profitability. The problem the study sought to address is the declining trend in Kenyan domestic commercial airlines' profitability, whereby they have been recording negative returns on assets. The purpose of the study was to examine macroeconomic factors' impact on Kenyan domestic commercial airlines profitability. The objectives were to investigate the effect of inflation, interest, and exchange rates on Kenyan domestic airlines profitability. The project is significant to the management of domestic commercial airlines in understanding how changes in the macroeconomic environment influence the financial performance of the companies to enable them to adopt relevant strategies. The theories that support this study are agency, deflation, Fisher's, and purchasing power parity theories. This research project used descriptive design. The research targeted the 13 domestic commercial airlines in Kenya, which were actively operating from 2019 to 2023. Census approach was used to gather the sample. Secondary data on profitability were obtained from the 13 companies' websites. The Central Bank of Kenya website provided macroeconomic data. A data collection sheet aided in data collection. The researcher conducted descriptive and inferential analyses. Diagnostic tests such as multicollinearity, stationarity, homoscedasticity, autocorrelation and normality tests, were conducted before the inferential analysis. Panel data regression and correlational analysis were then conducted using SPSS. The researcher adhered to ethical standards by collecting secondary data from valid and reliable sources. The results showed that inflation rates had a significant positive effect on the profitability of the airlines. Interest rates had a positive insignificant effect on the return on assets of the airlines. Exchange rates had a significant negative effect on the profitability of the airlines. This is because the p-values of the exchange and inflation rates were less than the significance level of 0.05, while the p-value for interest rates was greater than 0.05. The study recommends that the management of the airlines should implement proactive measures and develop risk management strategies to protect the companies' profitability from potential risks. They can implement dynamic pricing algorithms and diversify revenue streams such as loyalty programs, cargo operations, and premium services to minimize reliance on the sale of tickets only. Policymakers in Kenya should implement regulations and policies that make macroeconomic factors predictable and stable. They should provide a conducive environment for stable macroeconomic factors to help the companies strategize effectively. Future studies should explore other macroeconomic factors such as money supply, Gross Domestic Product growth and taxation and profitability of the airlines; other factors that influence the profitability of the airlines to provide a more comprehensive profitability determinants model; incorporate mediating variables such as operational efficiency or management practices or moderating variables such as company size or competition or focus on international airlines operating in Kenya.
Socioeconomic Determinants of Child Protection Services in Igembe Central, Meru County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Kimathi, Ivy Gatwiri
The topic of study is socioeconomic determinants of child protection services in Igembe central in Meru County. There have been persistently low levels of effective child protection services in Igembe Central, Meru County, Kenya, driven by socio-economic challenges such as household poverty, neglectful parenting, low parental education, and cultural practices like female genital mutilation, resulting in high rates of child maltreatment, school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and substance abuse. According to the Kenya Violence Against Children Survey (2019), 45.9% of female and 56.1% of male children experience violence before age 18, while the Meru County Youth and Adolescents Survey (2021) highlight unreported issues like child labour and early marriages. Despite government and civil society efforts, these issues persist due to administrative laxity, lack of awareness of existing services and cultural persistence. Three research objectives guided the study. They were to examine the influence of household income levels, to analyze the influence of parenting styles and to determine the influence of cultural norms and practices on child protection services in Igembe central. Ecological Systems Theory guided the study. Descriptive research design was used, and the target population was 52086, which included a children officer, primary school headteachers, assistant chiefs, head nurse pediatric department, OCPD and household heads in Igembe Central subcounty. The sampling methods used were purposive sampling and simple random sampling where a sample of 381 was used. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data and a response rate of 70.18% was achieved. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data and descriptive statistics and regression analysis on the quantitative data. A pilot study was carried out in Igembe Central. The researcher obtained a research authorization letter from the Kenyatta University graduate school and NACOSTI. Confidentiality and Anonymity was adhered to. The findings showed that household income had a dual effect: while higher income and education supported child welfare, child labour, especially in miraa farming remained common. Parenting styles were the strongest predictor of child protection outcomes (β = 0.563, p < 0.001). Neglectful and permissive parenting exposed children to exploitation, early pregnancies, and substance abuse, whereas authoritative parenting enhanced safety and wellbeing. Cultural norms, including FGM and child marriage, persisted despite legal prohibitions, reinforced by patriarchal structures such as Njuri Ncheke, though regression results showed a weaker predictive effect (β = 0.063, p = 0.159). The study concludes that child protection services in Igembe Central are weak and under-resourced, relying heavily on NGOs and schools. It recommends stronger law enforcement, community sensitization, and parenting support programs to align local practices with child rights.