Browsing by Author "Thomas, Agnes Nailantei"

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    Influence of Stakeholder Identification on the Performance of Healthcare Projects in Machakos County, Kenya
    (International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research, 2024-06) Thomas, Agnes Nailantei; Iloka, Kenneth
    The health sector in Kenya has been on turmoil for years orchestrated by inadequate focus on the sector by the relevant stakeholders. The projects in this sector are instrumental in steering it success. However, even after the devolution, the sector has seen minimal progress as key projects aimed at enhancing access to quality healthcare remain incomplete. Machakos County has also faced key challenges in its healthcare, as most of healthcare projects carried out remain incomplete. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of stakeholder identification on the performance of healthcare projects in Machakos County, Kenya. A descriptive method was employed, with emphasis on project managers of important healthcare projects in Machakos County. Machakos, chosen as one of the counties to pilot UHC, had the most beneficiaries. There was a focus on a total of 341 healthcare projects in the county. The projects were distributed in the 8 sub-counties, namely Machakos Town, Yattaa, Mavoko, Kangundo, Masinga, Matungulu, Kathiani, and Mwala sub-counties. A total of 184 participants were selected using a sampling formula. The participants were selected through a method called stratified random sampling, with the sub-counties serving as the different categories. A questionnaire was used to gather data, which was then analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. By utilizing a descriptive approach, the study analyzed quantifiable data using SPSS. Furthermore, inferential analysis was used to examine statistical connections between predictor variables and predicted variables. The findings were displayed using both frequency tables and bar graphs. The research found that recognizing stakeholders as part of project stakeholder management practices greatly impacted the outcomes of healthcare projects in Machakos County. It was clear from the study that most healthcare projects surveyed did not effectively prioritize stakeholder identification by recognizing project stakeholders, analyzing them, and documenting their information. The research suggests that project managers and other leaders of healthcare projects in Machakos County must prioritize identifying key stakeholders linked to the projects, whether directly or indirectly, to understand their requirements and determine the most effective way to engage them in project implementation.
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    Stakeholder Management Practices and Performance of Healthcare Projects in Machakos County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Thomas, Agnes Nailantei
    The health sector in Kenya has been on turmoil for years orchestrated by inadequate focus on the sector by the relevant stakeholders. The projects in this sector are instrumental in steering it success. However, even after the devolution, the sector has seen minimal progress as key projects aimed at enhancing access to quality healthcare remain incomplete. Machakos County despite being one of the counties selected for piloting the universal healthcare coverage programme, has also faced key challenges in its healthcare, as most of healthcare projects in the county remain incomplete. Available empirical evidence shows that managing stakeholders is integral in enhancing success of projects. However, this has inadequate evidence in Kenyan context, particularly in healthcare projects in Machakos County. This motivated the study’s main objective to assess the influence of stakeholder management practices on performance of Healthcare projects in Machakos County in Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to establish Stakeholder identification, stakeholder communication, stakeholder engagement, and stakeholder monitoring and evaluation on performance of healthcare projects in Machakos County. This study was anchored on stakeholder theory, systems theory and theory of change. A descriptive approach was utilized. The study’s target population comprised of project managers drawn from 341 healthcare projects in Machakos County. The projects were spread across the 8 sub-counties which include Machakos Town, Yattaa, Mavoko, Kangundo, Masinga, Matungulu, Kathiani, and Mwala sub counties. Using a sampling formula, 184 respondents were sampled. The respondents were picked using a stratified random sampling, where the sub-counties were the strata. A structured questionnaire was utilised for data collection, which was analysed using descriptive and inferential approaches. Descriptive statistics included mean scores, standard deviation, percentages and frequencies. Inferential statistics included Pearson correlation coefficients, R-Square, regression coefficients, t-values and p-values. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used as the analysis tool. Through frequency tables and bar-graphs, the results were captured. The findings revealed that stakeholder identification significantly influenced performance of healthcare projects in Machakos County. Stakeholder communication was also found to significantly influence performance of healthcare projects. The study further revealed that stakeholder engagement had a significant influence on performance of healthcare projects. The results portrayed that stakeholder monitoring and evaluation had a significant influence on performance of healthcare projects in Machakos County. The study concluded that stakeholder identification, communication, engagement, monitoring and evaluation were not effectively embraced in most of the healthcare projects at the County, and this affected the projects’ performance. It is recommended that project managers upholds managing stakeholders through effective identification of stakeholders, and engagement of stakeholders through effective communication, and monitoring the stakeholders to strengthen projects’ success. The study suggests that future studies expands the scope to healthcare projects in other counties. The results from this study can be significant to key stakeholders in the health sector like devolved governments, central government, project management practitioners and future researchers and academicians.