RP-School of Business

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User charges in government health facilities in Kenya: effect on attendance and revenue
(Oxford University Press, 1995) Mwabu, G.; Mwanzia, J.; Liambila, W.
In this paper we study demand effects of user charges in a district health care system using cross-sectional data from household and facility surveys. The effects are examined in public as well as in private health facilities. We also look briefly at the impact of fees on revenue and service quality in government facilities. During the period of cost-sharing in public clinics, attendance dropped by about 50%. This drop prompted the government to suspend the fees for approximately 20 months. Over the 7 months after suspension of fees, attendance at government health centres increased by 41%. The suspension further caused a notable movement of patients from the private sector to government health facilities. The revenue generated by user fees covered 2.4% of the recurrent health budget. Some 40% of the facilities did not spend the fee revenue they collected, mainly due to cumbersome procedures of expenditure approvals. The paper concludes with lessons from Kenya's experience with user charges.
Health care reform in Kenya: a review of the process
(Science Direct, 1995-04) Mwabu, Germano
The paper looks at the process of health care reform in Kenya during the past 30 years, with a focus on implementation strategies. The data are from official documents of the government. The main finding is that development plans served as the medium through which the government announced its intentions as well as its decisions to implement reforms. A decision to implement a reform was normally accompanied by an implementation budget, whereas an announcement of an intention typically lacked such support. Some of the reforms were implemented speedily and firmly, whereas others suffered delays and reversals. Reforms were implemented with speed and firmness when research provided clear guidance on key policy issues or when political will and skill existed. Donor influence on the timing of reforms might have been excessive. Policy lessons from the process are indicated.
Research Methods. Institute of Open Learning
(2002) Ngige, L.W.; Ochola, P.B.O.
This instructional module was developed for the Master of Business Administration students with various disciplinary backgrounds in their undergraduate degrees. One of the requirements of earning a Masters’ degree in any field of study is to undertake research. This may be in form of writing a thesis or a research project. This module simplifies the research process and explains the various concepts and technical terms in a language that is easily understood and appreciated by the self-directed student, practitioner or consumer of research results. The organization of the material follows the research development process from problem formulation to research design, data collection and ethical issues, to analytical techniques and report writing. The module provides the student with the basic competencies that they need to undertake quality and relevant research as well as ability to interpret and apply research findings in their professional practice.
Contingent reward transactional leadership, work attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: The role of procedural justice climate perceptions and strength
(Elsevier, 2008-06) Orwa, B.; Walumbwa, Fred O.; Wu, Cindy
Using a sample of 212 bank employees, we developed a model in which procedural justice climate perceptions and strength mediated the relationships between contingent reward leader behavior and follower satisfaction with supervisor, organizational commitment, and rated organizational citizenship behavior, controlling for perceived supervisor support. Results from the HLM analysis showed that procedural justice climate perceptions and strength completely mediated the relationships between contingent reward leader behavior and followers' satisfaction with supervisor and levels of organizational commitment, and partially mediated the relationship between contingent reward leader behavior and supervisor rated organizational citizenship behavior. Implications for research and practice of our findings are discussed
Diversity in the top management teams and effects on corporate performance
(Prime Journals, 2011-03-10) Awino, Zachary Bolo; Muchemi, A. W.; Ogutu, Martin
The globalization process has dramatically changed the business landscape and the society in which we live. This has affected all the business organizations. As the environment becomes more complex, firms seeking to gain competitive advantage over other firms in their environment should attempt to become more innovative and proactive (Brittain and Freeman, 1980). Firms should increase experimental behaviour to find novel answers where old ones no longer work (Dutton and Freedman, 1985). Managing with uncertainties is among the most difficult tasks executives face .The challenges faced by top managers is to process many, complex, and often ambiguous stimuli when making strategic decisions under high uncertainty(Starbuck & Milliken, 1988). This is precisely the reason why the strategist must pay close attention the top management. The notion that the characteristics of senior management, or the upper echelon of an organization, can influence the decisions made and practices adopted by an organization dates back to early upper echelon theory (Hambrick & Mason, 1984). Hambrick and Mason argued that managers’ characteristics (demographic) influence the decisions that they make and therefore the actions adopted by the organizations that they lead. They suggest that this occurs because demographic characteristics are associated with the many cognitive bases, values, and perceptions that influence the decision making of managers. Admittedly, to a large extent, diversity enhances greater creativity, innovativeness and quality decision making and could create greater competitiveness (Hambrick et. al., 1996). This paper explores empirical literature and gives conceptual overview that will have its unique contribution on exploring the scope of diversity in the top management, as well as widening the application of the upper echelon theory and the implications on firm performance. It will further help organizations in identifying what characteristics they need to identify in a person who is to take a top management job.
A Critical Review of Literature on Organizational Politics and Work Outcomes
(Globeedu Group, 2012) Ndung’u, Penninah Wangui; Muathe, Stephen M. A.
There is not an organization on earth that does not have to deal with politics, only that the degree of organizational politics varies from one organization to another. It is true that organizations have some sort of internal political struggle that can rip it apart. Therefore dealing with this struggle awareness of the landscape, players and rules in which the political game is played must be taken keenly. This is because in one sphere of our life or another are we not both users and recipients of power? For instance a visit to any factory tea-break, office lunch gathering, or faculty meeting would seem to indicate that we are all familiar with office politics and bureaucratic gamesmanship. The concept of organizational politics is key social influence process that can be either functional or dysfunctional to employees and organizations. The relationship between perception of organizational politics, job satisfaction and employee turnover are of paramount importance towards overall organizational success. Social exchange theory, equity theory and theory of procedural justice theory are the different theories which have been postulated in the area of organizational politics. This paper aims at understanding employees' reaction to organizational politics and its relationship between perception of organizational politics, job satisfaction, employee turnover intentions and organizational conflicts.
Performance contracting strategy, public sector reforms and performance of public institutions in the transport sector “in Kenya”
(Center for Enhancing Knowledge, 2012) Gathungu, J. M.; Owanda, W. A.
This study seeks to examine the relationship between performance contracting strategy, public sector reforms and performance of public institutions in the transport sector in Kenya. This study uses the institutional theory. The main objective of the study was to examine the effects of performance contracting strategy, public sector reforms and the performance of institutions in the transport sector in Kenya. The population of interest in this study was all public institutions in the transport sector in Kenya. The study surveyed public sector institutions in the transport sector and collected data through personal interviews. The study used SEM analysis to show the correlation between performance contracting strategy and public sector reforms and how they impact on institutions performance. The study established that performance contracting is a vehicle to achieve reform in the new public management and its use as a strategy in the transport sector in Kenya, leading to efficiency gains, improved service delivery and competitiveness.
Labor Turnover in the Sugar Industry in Kenya
(International Institute of Science and Technology (IISTE), 2012) Bula, H. O.
This study was an exploratory study that aimed at establishing the reasons why workers leave Kenya’s sugar industry. The study further sought to establish the human resource practices in the sugar industry, assessed the extent of labor turnover, determined factors causing labor turnover and identified possible solutions to labor turnover in the sugar industry. The researcher gathered information through the use of two questionnaires, one for managers of the selected sugar firms and one for non managerial staff. Data was analyzed by use of basic descriptive statistical tools. The study revealed that labor turnover is widespread in the sugar firms and that it affects all categories of staff in these firms. The study also observed that labor turnover is spread throughout the year and that it frustrates and impacts negatively on the sugar firms. The study found that salary is a major factor causing labor turnover followed by training, promotion, performance appraisal and work condition. Other factors like recognition, job content, participation in decision making and leadership style did not feature prominently as causes of labor turnover. Participation in decision making and leadership style has a major bearing in performance of workers and productivity. It was also revealed that although lack of employee commitment and motivation can be major causes of labor turnover, they are dependent on all the other factors causing labor turnover.
Towards Understanding the Design of Human Resource Development Infrastructures for Knowledge Intensive Organizations
(Africa Management Review, 2012) Kilika, J. M.; K'Obonyo, P.O.; Ogutu, M.; Munyoki, J.M.
The design of HRD Infrastructures in organizations remains largely understudied. This paper used the existing theoretical literature to provide empirical evidence on the design of HRD Infrastructures among universities in Kenya. The study relied on the nature of the knowledge intensive organizations and the philosophy of Human Resource Development (HRD) to propose a conceptual model for the design of HRD Infrastructures for organizations in this sector. The study sampled 130 respondents from various functional units of 16 universities in Kenya to test the relationship among four components of an HRD Infrastructure for the knowledge intensive organizations. Four hypotheses were tested. The findings of the study reveal a significant correlation between Organizational Development (O.D) Needs and HRD Values and that existing between HRD Values and Organizational Learning Orientation. The findings provide an important insight into the situational positioning of HRD in Kenya and a major step towards understanding HRD Infrastructures for the knowledge intensive industries.
Structure, Conduct and Performance of Tea Marketing in Nandi North County, Kenya
(Elsevier, 2012) Ronoh, P. K.; Chepng'eno, W.; Sulo, T.; Chelang'at, S.; Kotut, S.
Performance of Women in Small Scale Enterprises (SSEs) : Marital Status and Family Characteristics
(European Journal of Business and Management, 2012) Bula, H. O.
This study discusses the family characteristics and marital status of women entrepreneurs and suggests policy options to improve performance of women operated SSE S in Kenya. It also examines the family responsibilities of the women entrepreneurs to determine if there is a correlation between the family responsibilities and the performance of women owners and or managers of SSEs. It makes an immense contribution to the literature by evaluating the direction and significance of the relationship of family characteristics and responsibilities of women in SSEs to performance of their enterprises. This study used correlation matrix and regression analysis to determine the direction of relationship and significance of the two factors to performance of the SSEs . The results of the analysis show that family characteristics and responsibilities independently have no significant relationship to performance. Marital status of t he women owners and managers of SSEs in Kenya are not significant to performance.
Environmental Factors that influence Supply Chain Management Implementation in the Manufacturing Industries in Kenya: A Case of Manufacturing Industries in Nairobi, Kenya
(Asian Business Consortium (ABC), 2012) Muathe, Stephen M. A.; Titus, Stephen Waithaka; Mburu, T. K.; Korir, J.K.
The study looked at the factors influencing the implementation of supply chain management in the manufacturing industries in Kenya. The target population was the 52 manufacturing industries in Nairobi. Data was collected using questionnaires and semi - structured interview guide. A logit model was used to draw inferences on the factors influencing t he implementation of supply chain management implementation in the manufacturing industries in Kenya. Two factors were found to positively and influence implementation of supply chain management implementation in the manufacturing industries in Kenya, while two other factors we found to hinder the implementation of supply chain management implementation in the manufacturing industries in Kenya.
National culture and organizational capabilities of IT offshoring services in Kenya
(African Journal of Business Management, 2012-01-17) Fadhili, A.; Ochara, N.M.
The pervasive adoption of outsourced information technology (IT) services has made the multi-billion dollar information technology outsourcing industry become important to individual organizations and governments as well. IT off shoring elevates the importance of country destination where services are outsourced to with increasing attention shifting to offshore destinations in Africa. African countries are emerging as offshore destinations because they are regarded as low cost regions, while the traditional ‘captive’ destinations such as India and China are becoming middle income and thus with increasing cost levels. To examine the influence of organization capability and national cultures in offshoring success, a case study was used and theoretical thematic analysis employed. From the analysis, this study recommends a framework dubbed the renewal, credibility and sensitivity (RCS) framework. The critical dimensions revolve around the need for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firms to enhance their capabilities through organizational renewal; countries to enhance their competitiveness through development of their national credibility; while global stakeholders should recognize that there is a need for development of intercultural competence, not only from vendor perspectives, but also from client organizations. The framework recognizes that the key drivers that underlie the development of offshoring success include the need to build organizational capability, positive convergence of country factor conditions and enhancing intercultural competence. Key words: IT offshoring, business process outsourcing, BPO, Africa, Kenya, organizational capability, national culture.
Evolution and Theories of Entrepreneurship : A Critical Review on t he Kenyan Perspective
(Asian Society of Business and Commerce Research, 2012-07) Bula, H. O.
This paper attempts to give a critical review of various theories of entrepreneurship and also shows how the theories can be applied in the developing countries with emphasis on East Africa but focus ing Kenya’s entrepreneurial culture and practices. All these approaches are critically analyzed and both strong sides and shortcomings are introduced in terms of their implications This paper focuses on various approaches of entrepreneurships such as clas sical theorists like Richard Cantillon - the entrepreneur who equilibrates supply and demand in the economy by bearing risks or uncertainty; Jean Baptiste Say who portrays the entrepreneur as a manager being an agent of production in the economy rather th an a risk taker; the neoclassical theories of Alfred Marshall who introduced an innovation function of an entrepreneur by continuously seeking opportunities to minimize costs and ultimately maintaining equilibrium in the economy through perfect competit ion; Schumpeterian approach as the creative destroyer of equilibrium through innovation and discovery of opportunities by introducing new products or new processes; Kirzner who introduced the entrepreneur alert and a creation of economic shock and the resp onse of the alert entrepreneur to the same; Knightian entrepreneur as a residual claimant and risk taker in the environment of uncertainty, the approach of Schutz of using information revealed to react to opportunities through change of behavior and action and other recent theorists. A review is also done on the sociological aspects of entrepreneurship with a view to solve social issues (social entrepreneurship); biological theories which brings in the gender differences in the start - up and operation of en trepreneurial ventures with an emphasis on risk taking; an analysis of entrepreneurship as a team concept rather than an individualistic issue and the benefits that arise from it due t supportive mechanisms such as culture and policies.
Savings Mobilization for Growth of Women-Owned Entrepreneurial Ventures in Kenya (An Empirical Review of the Constraining Factors)
(Centre for Promoting Ideas, 2012-08) Jagongo, A. O.
This study examined internal factors t hat affect savings mobilization for growth of women - owned MSEs. Many women - owned MSEs have received financial and other assistance from various donors to start their business, but their inability to reduce reliance on external sources to grow had remaine d unexplained. The study hypothesized that the main constraints to savings mobilization for growth of women owned MSEs arose from internal and the characteristics of the woman entrepreneurs. The target population were 3,030 women entrepreneurs who had rece ived assistance from the WEDCO project in Kisumu and Kakamega districts in Kenya. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 300 individual women participants. Questionnaires, interviews and observations were used to collect primary data. Data was an alyzed through correlation analysis, chi - square tests, ANOVA, and means. The major findings of the study were that the number of dependants; education level; cultural and religious attachments; endowed management skills; age and marital status had a signif icant relationship with the savings propensity amongst the women entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship Development, Culture and Practice: A Theoretical Analysis of Literature
(IJETAE, 2012-08) Bula, H. O.
This paper gives a theoretical analysis of literature with a view to providing more insight on entrepreneurship theories, Entrepreneurship culture and Entrepreneurship development in the developing countries with specific reference to East Africa region and Kenya in particular. This paper also suggests policy recommendations that can be used to improve entrepreneurships in these countries.
Institutionalization of Knowledge Management in Manufacturing Enterprises in Kenya: A Case of Selected Enterprises
(2012-09-24) Cheruiyot C. K.; Jagongo, A. O.; Owino E. O.
In the fast changing business environment, knowledge has turn out to be the basis of every organization in creating and sustaining competitive differentiation. This study sought to examine factors that influence institutionalization of Knowledge Management (KM) in manufacturing enterprises in Kenya. A sample of 60 senior managers in the three selected manufacturing enterprises revealed that there are two critical factors that influence institutionalization of knowledge management. These factors are organizational practices and technological infrastructure. This paper concludes that the organizational practices have the highest influence and therefore when a comprehensive view is taken in instituting knowledge management practices, organizational practices be considered first and technological infrastructure second.
Factors Influencing Employee Performance Appraisal System : A Case of the Ministry o f State for Provincial Administration & Internal Security , Kenya
(International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2012-10) Muathe, Stephen M. A.; Ochoti, G. N.; Maronga, E.; Nyabwanga, R. N.; Ronoh, P. K.
This study investigated the multifaceted factors influencing employee Performance Appraisal System in the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration, Nyamira District, Kenya. A target population of 76 employees was surveyed. A structured questionnaire was self-administered to the employees to collect data. Multiple regression analysis technique was used to explain the nature of the relationship between PAS and the factors that influence it. Results of the study showed that all the five factors: Implementation process (X1), interpersonal relationships (X2), rater accuracy (X3), informational factors (X4), and employee attitudes (X5) had a significant positive relationship with the performance appraisal system (Y). The regression results also showed that 55.1% of the variation in performance appraisal system can be explained by the changes in implementation process, interpersonal relationships, rater accuracy, informational factors and employee attitudes. With these findings, this study provides many implications for the implementation of performance appraisal systems. It shows that if these factors are taken into consideration by the ratees, the raters and the government policy makers, the PAS can be a good performance management tool.
Perceived Value of Entrepreneurship Course Content among University Students in Uganda
(Nkumba University, 2012-10) Ofafa, G. A.; Oyugi, J.L.; Mande, W.M.
This article is part of a study that focused on the contribution of entrepreneurship education to the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intentions among university students in Uganda. It reports on students’ perceived value of course content of entrepreneurship education at universities. The basic problem investigated involved the public concern that many students who study entrepreneurship at the universities in Uganda might simply not have developed self-efficacy and intentions to become entrepreneurs. Primary data was collected mainly through self-administered questionnaire, focus group discussion and in-depth interviews. A total of 255 students, selected through simple random sampling, participated in the study. Correlation matrix results showed significant positive relationship between perceived content and self efficacy (r=0.454, p<0.01), self efficacy and entrepreneurial intention (r=0.418, p<0.01) but no significant relationship between perceived content and entrepreneurial intentions. Students perceived the course content to have given them knowledge about business in general, venture creation and opportunity identification. These are necessary but insufficient for business start up. This implies that reliance on the current course content may not adequately contribute to developing entrepreneurial intentions among university students.
Analysis of Organic Products Marketing Channels in Kenya: A Transaction Costs Approach
(2012-10-04) Kyalo, Daniel; Eric, Bett; Bernhard, Freyer; Rhoda, Birech; Ngetich, Kibet
The nature of marketing of high value agricultural products such as Organic products has evolved over time, resulting into well coordinated physical, exchange and facilitating functions. However, the degree of market efficiency and effectiveness of these functions is highly influenced by the nature of interactions between the actors and their attributes. The current study aimed at offering policy options for improving marketing of organic products in Kenya through an analysis of the marketing channels. First, the study identified the actors and activities involved in marketing of organic products in Nairobi urban area. Secondly, the commodity (organic fruits and vegetables) attributes, the actors and the activities were analysed with view of determining how they influence two key outcomes: transaction costs and profitability. Primary data for the study was collected through a survey among 31 traders dealing in organic fruits and vegetables within Nairobi city. The data were analysed within the Institutions Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework. Results indicate that although transaction costs exist in the three channels identified, the nature and magnitude of such costs greatly varies across the channels depending on the number of players and their attributes. Traders incur transaction costs while searching and screening for reliable suppliers and customers, transporting the product and enforcing contracts. Furthermore, the type of transaction costs incurred within each marketing channel highly depends on the level of information asymmetry between actors, the actors’ attributes and existing institutional arrangements that are necessary to maintain transactions and counter opportunistic behaviour. The nature of activities and actors within each channel was also found to influence the transaction costs. The study draws imperative policy implications that can be used to reduce the transaction costs incurred in the business of marketing organic products. Some suggested policy options include: improving market information transmission, reforms in legal framework to facilitate contract farming and improved transport infrastructure.

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