Browsing by Author "Muathe, Stephen M.A."

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    Gender of Respondents and Performance of Functional Areas of Milk Processing Firms in Kenya
    (International Journal of Economics, Commerce & Management, 2020) Kimiti, Paul G.; Muathe, Stephen M.A.; Murigi, Elishiba M.
    Milk processing firms have significant economic and nutritional contribution to the economy. The industry’s performance is however impended by high costs resulting in low profitability, declining output as well collapse and retarded growth of some firms. Firms in the industry have resorted to cost leadership strategy to address performance challenges through adoption of economies of scale, economies of scope and operational efficiency. Studies done in other sectors suggest a correlation between cost leadership strategy and firm performance. Resource Based View theory posits that decisions on strategic orientation are made by the firm’s human resources of which gender is an important aspect. This study therefore was an investigation of whether gender is associated with the functional areas involved in making decisions on costs among milk processing firms in Kenya. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from the firms and analysis done using contingency tables and Chi-square test. The study concluded that males were a majority in most of the functional areas but the association was not statistically significant. The study thus recommends that milk processing firms exercise liberty in employing males or females subject to other factors like legislation on workforce gender distribution.
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    Nexus between Cost Leadership Strategy and Performance: Fact or Fallacy in Milk Processing Firms in Kenya
    (The Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2020) Kimiti, Paul G.; Muathe, Stephen M.A.; Murigi, Elishiba M.
    Milk processing firms as a constituent of the food processing sector play a crucial function both economically and nutritionally. However, performance in the industry continues to be impended by high costs leading to low profitability margins, decline in output and collapse of some firms while others show stunted growth. It is hypothesized that this situation can be remedied by pursuing cost leadership strategy through economies of scale, economies of scope and operational efficiency. Extant literature however is scanty on how this strategy is employed by milk processing firms in Kenya with studies done failing to focus on how the firms manage costs as a driver for better performance. This has made it difficult to determine whether the hypothesized effect is a fact or fallacy. This study thus was an investigation of the effect of cost leadership strategy on performance of milk processing firms in Kenya. It was anchored on the balanced scorecard model complemented by the resource based view and capability based view theories. The study empirically examined the relationship using data from milk processing firms in Kenya obtained from a sample of 168 key respondents. The findings showed that cost leadership strategy had a positive and significant effect on performance of milk processing firms in Kenya. The study recommends that milk processors improve their performance by cutting costs through measures to increase their scale of operations, expand into related business areas and improve operational processes. The government and other the regulatory bodies should implement corresponding supportive policies and reforms.
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    Perceived HRM Practices and Employees’ Retention: The Importance of Job Embeddedness and Job Satisfaction in NonGovernmental Organizations in, Kenya.
    (European Journal of Business and Management, 2025-04) Olweny, Odhiambo Fredrick; Muathe, Stephen M.A.; Bula, Hannah
    This study examined the relationship between perceived human resource management practices and employee retention in non-governmental organizations in Nairobi County, Kenya. The primary goal of the study was to investigate the impact of human resource management practices on employee retention within non-governmental organizations in Nairobi County in Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to determine the influence of leadership style, work environment, and career development on employee retention or intention to leave. The study also explored the mediating role of job satisfaction and the moderating effects of job embeddedness on employee retention. The research was enriched by the theoretical foundations based on Mixed Model of Employee Retention, Trait Theory, Hierarchy of Needs Theory, and Job Embeddedness Theory. The research adopted an explanatory research design. The study targeted 201 non-governmental organizations operating within Nairobi County. The study sample was selected using stratified and random sampling, which included 69 nongovernmental organizations based in Nairobi County of Kenya. The study employed questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted with 7 employees from the non-governmental organizations, who were subsequently excluded from the final study. The data was analysed using logit model to test the effect between the independent variables and the dependent variable. In addition, the model was also used to analyse the mediation and moderation relation effect. The findings established that leadership style, work environment, and career development opportunities had a positive and significant effect on employee retention in Non-Governmental Organizations in Kenya. Furthermore, job satisfaction was found to play a key role in moderating the relationship between human resource management practices and employee retention in non-governmental organizations. Additionally, the study found that job embeddedness mediated employees’ attachment to their organizations. Based on these findings, the study recommended that organizations adopt effective human resource management practices that harmonises with both the needs of the organization and the employee to improve retention and enhance organizational performance.