MST-Department of Sociology

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Browsing MST-Department of Sociology by Author "Achola, P. P. W."

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    Performance in the printing industry and determinant factors: a case of two firms in Kenya
    (2012-02-27) Opondo, D. O.; Rono, H. K.; Achola, P. P. W.
    Over three and a half decades the policy of the government has been to increase the role of indigenous entrepreneurs on the economy. While the efforts that have been made have led to remarkable progress, there are persistent observations that local entrepreneurs have continued to experience considerable difficulties with respect to profitable and competitive operations. Similarly Ikiara (1988) observed that past efforts toward industrialization have failed and argued that it was necessary to put a new strategy in place. The aim of this study was to examine factors that have influenced performance of indigenous entrepreneurs in Kenya. It focused on two firms in the printing industry, one owned by an Africa entrepreneur and the other owned by an Asian entrepreneur. The principal objective of the study was to compare the performance of two firms over a period of five years in order to identify changes that occurred and factors that influenced those changes. The study aimed to identify the contribution of investment, experience, and the educational background of the entrepreneurs, and training in enhancing performance in the two printing firms. Subsequently, four hypotheses were examined in the study. One of the theoretical perspective adopted was that besides policy intervention measures that have been implemented by the Government, characteristics of the entrepreneurs in terms of investment, experience educational background and training would enhance performance in business development. Data for this study were collected using questionnaires and interview schedule. In addition, primary data were also obtained through management records. More data were obtained from Department of the Registrar of Industries, presently under the Ministry of Industrial Development. The study found that the characteristics of the entrepreneurs notably investment, experience, education and training, influenced performance in the two printing firms. It was observed that the nature of investment influenced the levels of production and development of infrastructure in the two printing industry influenced the difference in the management and operations of the two printing firms. It was observed also that the years of experience of the entrepreneurs in the printing industry influenced the difference in the management and operation of the two printing firms. Further, it was observed that educational provided capacity to entrepreneur and workers for adoption of production and management techniques printing industry and enabled them to take advantage of the available opportunities for competitive and sustainable operations. Similarly training of the workers enabled the entrepreneur, and employees to carry out appropriate management, production and marketing activities. It was noted that capital accumulation through loans and savings played a considerable role in business initiation and development. The study recommends that intervention measures be directed to enhancing access to capital, training on management, and technical operations and business counseling.
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    Preferences and utilization of health services by slum residents: A case study of Mathare, Nairobi
    (2012-01-11) Owino, George Evans; Achola, P. P. W.; Isaac Mwanzo
    Health-seeking behaviour is a very important variable in understanding the health conditions of the urban slum dwellers. This study was conducted in the Mathare Valley slum in Nairobi. Mathare Valley was selected purposively because it is reputed as one of the largest, most well known and the most favoured of the slums due to its closeness to the city centre and industrial area and since it is one of the oldest, it is expected that the impact of the location will have an impact on the behaviour of the people. The main objective of the study was to find out the health facility preference and utilization patterns of slum residents in Mathare with the specific objectives being to: identify the health care services they prefer and utilize; establish the relationship between health facility preference and health facility utilization; determine the factors that are significantly related to the preference for and utilization of health facilities among slum residents; and finally, draw up relevant policy recommendations arising from the study. The study was guided by three theoretical models; the sociological interactionist theory, the health belief model and the social learning theory. The study was a cross-sectional social survey and it sampled 220 households. The respondents were the heads of households, male and female, single and married. Simple and systematic random sampling methods were used to draw the sample and the research instrument was an interview schedule. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Frequencies were used for univariate analysis whereas cross tabulations were used to represent bivariate relationships. The two-way chi-square, also known as test of indepedence was used to establish statistical independence with the contingency coefficient being used to test the strength of relationships between independent and dependent variables. Two-Way Chi-square, the test of independence is the procedure used when data consists of frequencies of subjects belonging to categories in each of two variables (Heiman, 1996). The findings of the study revealed that the residents of Mathare valley slums mostly prefer and utilize private health facilities (over 50%) followed by public health facilities (about 23%) and finally mission health facilities (about 17%) in that order. The relationship between health facility preference and utilization was found to be statistically significant (X2 = 208.72, Df.=9, p<.OOI) and a strong association (Contingency Coefficient=O. 71, p<.OO1) was identified. Several socio-economic, demographic and socio-cognitive factors were found to be significantly related to and associated with health seeking behaviour. Income (30.42, Df=12,p