PHD-Department of Business Administration

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Browsing PHD-Department of Business Administration by Subject "Classified Hospitality Firms"

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    Organizational Learning and Employee Performance in Classified Hospitality Firms in Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2021) Njoroge, Paul Thumbi; Hannah Bula; Rosemarie Wanyoike
    Employee performance is critical to effectiveness, competitiveness and sustainability of classified hospitality firms. Organizational learning is key in developing organization’s human capital capabilities to respond to volatile business environment. This study sought to establish the linkage between organizational learning and employee performance in classified hospitality firms in Kenya. The study examined the influence of knowledge acquisition, information distribution, information interpretation and organizational memory on employee performance. Work engagement and organizational culture mediated and moderated the relationship respectively. The theories that underpinned the study were organizational learning theory, ability, motivation and opportunity theory, Kahn engagement theory and organizational culture theory. Positivist research philosophy and descriptive and explanatory research design were adopted. From a target population of 75 firms comprising five star, four star and three star rated firms, 225 respondents were selected comprising managers in charge of human resources, food and beverage and accommodation and conferencing sections from each firm. A selfadministered questionnaire was used for data collection. A pilot study was conducted and the questionnaire was revised. The data collection tool had a high internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha of > 0.7. Data was analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistics that included mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics that included multiple regression analysis and correlation analysis. The tests were conducted at 95% level of confidence. Before subjecting data to analysis, diagnostic tests were conducted. The findings of this study reveal that organizational learning significantly predicts employee performance. Organizational learning variables, knowledge acquisition, information distribution, information interpretation and organizational memory, had a statistically significant positive correlation with employee performance. The correlation between work engagement and employee performance revealed a statistically significant positive correlation. Mediation analysis indicated that work engagement has partial mediation influence on the relationship between organizational learning and employee performance and the moderation analysis found that organizational culture has moderator effect on the relationship between organizational learning and employee performance. It is evident from the findings of the study that effective implementation of organizational learning practices and adoption and promotion of organizational contexts characterized by work engagement and values of innovation and risk taking, employee orientation and outcome orientation enhance employee outcomes in service delivery, efficiency and citizenship behaviour. The study recommends that firms should create an enabling environment for knowledge acquisition, new ideas generation and implementation, information and knowledge distribution, effective system of knowledge and skills inventory, retention of specialists and updated development programs. Formal mechanisms for knowledge sharing and cross functional projects should be implemented. Firms should ensure that employees have a shared framework of information interpretation and synthesis. A climate of collaboration and trust should be cultivated to ensure employees freely express themselves, network and share ideas. In order to create a climate of engagement, firms should focus on motivational aspects of jobs such as job autonomy and participatory decision making. To build a high performance culture, firms should seek a balance of values of innovation and risk taking, outcome orientation and people orientation rather than an extreme orientation to one cultural dimension.