MST-Department of Business Administration

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Information Systems Implementation and Service Delivery in Kenya Power and Lighting Company
(Kenyatta University, 2024-10) Ogwell,Samora
The impact of information systems on service delivery is a critical area of focus, particularly in understanding how investments in information and communication technologies contribute to organizational performance. Despite significant resources allocated to information and communication technologies implementation, its role in value creation within businesses remains underexplored. A firm’s internal and external operations are profoundly influenced by the ICT infrastructure and investment level, which in turn enhances organizational structures, facilitates information sharing across departments, and improves employee efficiency. This study investigates the impact of information systems on service delivery at Kenya Power and Lighting Company, with specific objectives to assess the influence of ICT infrastructure, financial resources, management support, and organizational structure on service delivery. The research employed a cross-sectional survey design, targeting 152 Kenya Power and Lighting Company management staff as respondents. A stratified random sampling technique helped select 76 respondents, and data was gathered using questionnaires. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to derive meaningful insights from the data. The results revealed that ICT infrastructure, financial resources, management support, and organizational structure had a significant positive impact on service delivery at KPLC, with a 0.859 (p < 0.05) adjusted R-squared value. This indicates that the studied factors attribute to 85.9% of the variation in service delivery, while 14.1% may be influenced by other attributes not studied. The study concludes that effective management of ICT infrastructure enhances employee productivity by optimizing technology system performance, increasing uptime, and improving the user experience. Financial resources are crucial for sustaining organizational operations and investments. Managerial support fosters employee direction and trust, while a well-defined organizational structure is essential for effective decision-making and management preparedness. The study recommends that KPLC should continuously monitor and evaluate its digital systems' performance to identify areas for improvement, invest in upskilling financial department professionals, and promote teamwork through structured team-building activities. Additionally, it is crucial for the organization to ensure alignment among senior leaders and clearly define their roles to enhance service delivery.
Innovation Strategies and Performance of Equity Bank in Laikipia County, Kenya.
(Kenyatta University, 2024-08) Kihenjo, Samwel Chege
Banks and other financial institutions have been established from global, regional and local perspectives to have adopted various innovation strategies in an attempt to enhance performance. Commercial banks are crucial contributors to the global economy due to their essential role in financial intermediation. Majority of commercial banks are currently experiencing financial difficulties, marked by declining returns on equity and assets, primarily attributed to their limited implementation of innovation strategies. Therefore, the research intends to examine effects of innovation strategies on performances of Equity Banks in Laikipia County, Kenya. The research particularly intended to determine how product, organization, process and marketing innovations affect performance of Equity banks in Laikipia County. The research was based on balanced scorecard, evolution and innovation diffusion theories. Descriptive and causal research was utilized. Targeted population was 139 management staff from three Equity Bank branches in Laikipia County. Stratified and simple random sampling was utilized in selecting 103 participants for the study. The data was obtained through structured questionnaire. Pilot study was done to check for validities and reliabilities of questionnaire. Factor analysis was utilized for testing validity of the questionnaire. Further, Cronbach’s alpha of 0.7% internal consistency was utilized to check for reliability of questionnaire. The questionnaires were personally distributed to the management staff by the researcher. After data collection, questionnaires were recorded and questions coded for easier data entry into SPSS. Then, data cleaning was done which entailed removal of unfilled questionnaires and rectifying errors in data entry. Further, quantitative data analysis was done through descriptives such as frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics include correlation and regression analysis. The research found that the unit change in product innovation would lead to 0.797 significant changes in performance of Equity banks in Laikipia county. It was clear that a unit change organizational innovation would lead to 0.772 significant increase in performances of Equity banks in Laikipia county. It was revealed that process innovation leads to 0.807 significant increase in performances of Equity banks in Laikipia county. The study showed that market innovation would lead to 0.638 significant changes in performance of Equity banks in Laikipia county. The study concluded that innovation strategies such as product innovations, organizational innovations, process innovations and market innovations have significant effects on performances of Equity banks in Laikipia County, Kenya. The study also recommends that management of Equity bank need to come with strategies to ensure that the online banking portals are user-friendly. There is also need for Equity bank to regularly conduct customer satisfaction surveys to identify products and services that needs to be introduced. It was recommended that managers of equity banks in Laikipia county needs to initiate and implement financial literacy programs among customers and also offer refresher courses for its employees to enhance their innovative skills. The study recommends that management of Equity banks needs to formulate strategies to ensure that every branch in Laikipia county has its own active social media platforms. The study also recommends that equity banks in Laikipia county should continue investing in digital marketing by leveraging on emerging social media platforms such as TikTok.
Financial Management Practices and Funds Management in Public Secondary Schools in Kilifi County, Kenya.
(Kenyatta University, 2024-06) Kalume, Seith Baya
Effective fund management in secondary schools in Kenya and across the world contribute to the economic development of those countries. The handling of funds in many public secondary schools has encountered several obstacles, including instances of mismanagement. Therefore, this brings out the issues on fund management challenges in Kenyan Public Schools. The research was led by the aforementioned precise objective; to establish the effect of budgeting process, effect of book keeping, effect of financial control and effect of procurement process on fund management in public secondary schools in Kilifi County, Kenya. Research was underpinned by: Stewardship theory of management, Institutional theory and Contingency theory. The study utilized a descriptive research design and the target audience was 107 public secondary schools in Kilifi County. Stratified random sampling was utilized to arrive at a sample of 85 respondents. The study utilized primary data which was obtained via a questionnaire where a drop and pick method was adopted. Data collected was scrutinized using SPSS software (version 26) using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics focused on means and standard deviation and represented in terms of graphs and charts. Inferential statistics sought the relationship between the study variables by running correlation and regression analysis while multiple regression was used to express the contribution of each variable. Further diagnostic tests in terms of normality, multi-collinearity and Homoscedasticity was conducted before running multiple regression. Ethical consideration which includes guidelines governing the research was fully followed during the research. The study showed that budgeting process, book keeping and procurement process, all had the significance threshold of p< 0.05 hence all had statistically significant effect on fund management of public secondary schools. The study concluded that popular of the responders established to abundant magnitude with the fact that budgeting process, book keeping and procurement process indeed affected the fund management of public secondary schools. The study recommended that the schools should involve stakeholders in budget preparation and compare current and previous budgets. It should also ensure approval of budget on yearly basis and ensure adherence on budget estimates. It also recommends frequent monitoring and evaluation of the budget but also ensure they involve the accounting experts. The equally recommends that schools should make transaction entries in ledger books as well as maintaining school cash book, payables and receivables accounts, government disbursement accounts and prepare financial statements. It also recommends issuance of receipt for the school fees paid that should fees balances. The study further recommends that in procurement, cost of items and quality of items are considered to enhance financial control. Schools should also ensure that the staff members possess a considerable degree of expertise and familiarity with the rules and regulations pertaining to procurement and procurement plans should be established in accordance with the provisions outlined in the Procurement Act where procurement planning should be done yearly.
Sustainable Procurement Practices and Supply Chain Performance of Food and Beverage Processing Firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Wambui, Sinaida Mary
Around 40% of KAM members are in the food and beverage business, making it the largest sector within the sector. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data show that food and beverage processing firms performed poorly in their supply chains, resulting in a 7% drop in sales, a 42% drop in operating income, and a 35% drop in return on assets, despite the government's efforts to implement a variety of institutional, legal, and policy measures to control business operations with an aim to improve supply chain performance. The survey aimed to explore the influence of sustainable procurement methods on the supply chain performance of food and beverage processing companies in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to; asses the influence of green procurement practices; examine the impact of green supplier selection practices; find out the extent E-procurement practices and reverse logistics practices influence the supply chain performance of food and beverage processing firms based in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The survey adopted Resource-based, Institutional, and Diffusion of innovation theories. This research employed cross-sectional descriptive research designs. A total of 217 food and beverage processing businesses in Nairobi City County, Kenya, was the target. Stratified random sampling was used to choose a representative sample of 108 supply chain managers or procurement managers of food and beverage processing businesses in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Using a drop and pick later approach, a structured questionnaire was used to collect the primary data. 15 processing companies from nearby Kiambu County participated in a pilot study that the researcher used to evaluate the validity and dependability of the research tool. An internal consistency method with a coefficient of 0.7 or above was considered reliable using Cronbach's Alpha. A diagnostic examination was conducted. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to the data analysis. The mean, percentage, and standard deviations of the data were displayed. To analyze the data, inferential statistics were employed. Descriptive statistics findings indicated that majority of respondents agreed with statements on green procurement procedures (mean=3.561), green supplier techniques (mean=3.645), e-procurement practices (mean=3.35), and reverse logistics techniques (mean=3.51). Further, respondents moderately agreed with statements on supply chain performance (mean=2.88). Regression results showed that green procurement procedures (β=.213, P=.000), green supplier procedures (β=.372, P=.000), e-procurement practices (β=.205, P=.000), and reverse logistics techniques (β=.502, P=.000) had a positive and significant relationship with supply chain performance. The study concluded that sustainable procurement practices contribute significantly to improved supply chain performance. The study recommends that organizations should implement rules that prioritize the best green procurement practices. Suppliers to be given a chance to present new Eco-design products, the firm to establish contracts with certified suppliers who embrace green packaging and suppliers to be engaged through capacity building and collaborations to improve green image. Food and beverage processing companies to adopt E-procurement strategies that encourage value addition. Companies that prepare food and drink adopt reverse logistics techniques in order to obtain a competitive advantage and a favorable market.
Strategy Implementation and Performance of the State Department for Higher Education and Research at the Ministry of Education in Nairobi, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Obwoge, Fridah Nyamoita
The inefficiencies in service delivery by the government, and poor performance reports demand for a search for solutions. The performance of organizations is linked to strategy implementation process. Therefore, there is need for consideration of how the organization structure, practices, resources and human capital affect organization performance. This study sought to determine the effect of strategy implementation on performance of the State Department for Higher Education and Research in the Ministry of Education. The study aimed to assess how financial resources, employee competency, organizational structure, and organizational communication affect the performance of the State Department of higher education and research. The study was anchored on the balanced scorecard model, the resource-based view theory and the institutional theory. The research design used in the study was descriptive. The State Department for Higher Education and Research, that has 247 employees was the target population. The research used stratified and simple random sampling in deriving the sample size of 153 respondents. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires. A pilot test of the questionnaire involved fifteen respondents from the State Department of Higher Education and Research, who were excluded from the final sample. The questionnaire was found to be reliable since the aggregate score for Cronbach Alpha at 0.792 was higher than the threshold set at 0.7. The collected data was analyzed through descriptive analysis and showed that strategy implementation led to improved performance. Inferential statistics showed positive and significant effect of financial resources at r =0.621 and beta =0.454; employee competency r =0.685 and beta =0.867; organizational structure at r =0.903 and beta =1.224 and organizational communication at r =0.819 and beta = 0.991on performance at the State Department for Higher Education and Research in the Ministry of Education. The 63.6% change in improvement in performance at the State Department was influenced by implementation of strategies. The study concluded that organizational structure had the largest effect on performance followed by organizational communication, then employee competency and finally financial resources. The study recommended the need for mobilizing and lobbying for more financial resources to increase its availability and access and contribution towards higher performance. The study also recommends frequent trainings and educational programs to improve competencies, adopting an open and formal structure and suggestions for investing in digital communication systems to improve information flow for better performance.
Project Management Skills and Implementation of Speciality Tea Projects in Kericho County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Mithamo, Stephen Kananda
Project managers are very crucial in the design, development and implementation of a project. To work effectively on their day-to-day tasks, they have to be well equipped with skills that enable them implement projects as per the plan. Project implementation is crucial to survival of a company or organization, well-implemented projects are able to satisfy the customer and stakeholders wants and enhance competitiveness. Lack of relevant skills by the project managers has led to failed projects. Misallocation of resources, poor stakeholder managements, high costs of implementation of projects, projects running beyond their set time and poor productivity have led to many projects’ failures, and are highly attributed to how competent and skilled is the project manager. The study purposed to find out how implementation of speciality tea projects is influenced by project management skills with the reference being Kericho County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to establish how application of skills in stakeholder management, risk management, communication and monitoring and evaluation impact on implementation of speciality tea projects in Kericho County. Three theories helped guide the study and these includes; skills acquisition theory, institution theory and project management theory. A descriptive research design was embraced with target population being speciality tea projects in Kericho County where 21 projects were targeted. The unit of observation was project managers, assistant managers, engineers, general staff and supervisors working in the projects. A population of 462 individuals was targeted. The research used census to obtain a representative sample from different groups in the target population. The Statistical package SPSS was used in data analysis. Descriptive statistics which include standard deviation, frequencies, means and percentages and inferential statistics with multiple regressions were applied in data analysis. A diagnostic test was carried out which included a normality test, multicollinearity test and a heteroscedasticity test. The study established that stakeholder management skills, risk management skills, communication skills and monitoring and evaluation skills had a positive significant influence on speciality tea projects implementation in Kericho County, Kenya. The study concludes that the Tea companies should invest in frequent training of its staff on necessary skills to learn a project. Skills in risk management when well applied facilitate more informed decision-making and planning for project managers. Communication skills when utilized appropriately, makes it easy for project participants to understand what is expected of them by their superiors and the organization. Managers should frequently be trained on monitoring and evaluation and be encouraged to take short courses on the same. This will upgrade their skills in planning for; early monitoring of the project tasks and then evaluates these tasks to obtain precise and succinct information on each accomplishment made. The study found skills in stakeholder management critical in implementation of speciality tea projects. These skills assist in scanning both internal and external environment and how to communicate relevant information to different parties to ensure proper implementation of the projects.
Internal Control Practices and Financial Performance in Level Four and Five Hospitals in Kericho County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-11) Tele, Judith Chepkoech
Public sector organizations have challenges in accountability and transparency that has led to financial mismanagement and losses. Some of the public hospitals in Kenya have reported ineffective internal practices leading to loss, fraud, corruption and wastage of resources leading to inability to run operations and deliver quality health services to patients. This study envisioned that internal control practices are linked to financial performance and thus aimed at establishing the effect of internal control practices on financial performance of level four and five hospitals in Kericho County, Kenya. The specific objective was assessing the effect of monitoring practices, control activities practices, risk assessment practices and control environment practices on financial performance of level four and five hospitals. The study was grounded on stewardship theory, and supported by the agency theory and positive accounting theory and it employed the correlation, cross-sectional research design. The target population included the 6 level four hospitals and 1 level five hospital in Kericho County. The study respondents included 78 financial officers from the hospitals. Stratified sampling technique and simple random sampling techniques were adopted in the study and all the 78 financial officers formed the study’s sample size. Out of the 78 respondents, 66 filled and returned the questionnaires making a response rate of 84.6% for this study. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires that produced quantitative data. The researcher checked for validity and reliability using 8 respondents who are finance officers in level three hospitals in Kericho County. The test was confirmed using Cronbach alpha test results at an aggregate of 0.75 implying the idealness of the instrument. The data collection entailed giving the questionnaire to the respondents at their place of work and waiting for them to fill it. The quantitative data was entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences where descriptive, correlation and regression analysis were conducted. Three diagnostic tests were done including normality, auto-correlation and multicollinearity and the results validated the assumptions made in the regression model. The findings presented in tables and charts showed that monitoring practices at (β =0.668, t =3.976, p < 0.05), control activities at (β =0.423, t =1.414, p < 0.05), risk assessment at (β =0.904, t =1.187, p< 0.05), and control activities at (β =0.245, t =0.809, p < 0.05) positively and significantly affected financial performance in the hospitals. The findings showed that 58.3% improved in financial performance was influenced by the four internal control practices. Therefore, the study concluded that the reported improvement in financial performance of the level four and five hospitals in Kericho County was influenced by adoption and implementation of internal control practices. The study recommended for a clear formatted, outlined and communicated monitoring practices in county’s hospitals, and the need for verification of staff before authorization to handle funds. There was also the need to identify, categorize and set measures for handling risks, and recommendations were made to finance and human resource departments to allocate funds and conduct trainings to improve financial performance. The study also recommended the need for standards, procedures and practices to maintain high ethical conduct that creates a good work environment that ensures prudent use of financial resources and measures to avoid fraud, embezzlement and loss of funds. These efforts are set to deliver quality healthcare services to patients and alleviating pain and suffering in the hospitals.
Microfinance Practices and Growth of Small Enterprises in Busia County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-11) Egesa, Vivian Musungu
Small businesses have remained to be crucial to Kenya's economy. Promotion is an effective and dynamic method in Kenya for accomplishing national objectives like job creation, sustainable industry-wide development, and poverty reduction. All of them create the foundation for a domestic production system and national manufacturing base, both of which are essential to the government's goal of achieving industrialization. However, majority of the enterprises experience problems in firm growth. The main objective of this study was to establish the effect of microfinance practices on the firm growth of small enterprises in Busia County, Kenya. The specific objectives were: to examine the effect of management reorganization, investment, financial restructuring, and asset reduction on firm growth of small enterprises. Traditional capital structure theory, trade-off theory, and agency-cost theory served as the foundation for this study. Both descriptive and explanatory research designs were used. The target population was 220 employees of registered small businesses in Busia County. A census of every departmental employee was done due to the small number of employees. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was tested for validity and reliability. Content validity was ensured through expert review. Reliability of the questionnaire was checked using Cronbach alpha coefficients. Results indicated that all variables had Cronbach Coefficients above 0.7, thus the questionnaire was reliable. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyse data. Descriptive statistics included mean and standard deviations. Inferential statistics included regression analysis. The findings showed that management reorganization, investment, financial restructuring, and asset reduction had a positive and significant effect on firm growth of small enterprises. The study concluded that management reorganization, investment, financial restructuring, and asset reduction contribute significantly to positive firm growth of small enterprises. The study recommended that small business owners implement mergers and acquisitions restructuring to improve management effectiveness and reduce operating costs, which will ultimately promote firm growth of small enterprises. Because investment choices have an impact on growth, the study advises small business owners to regularly assess their tactics. Further, small enterprises owners should modernize assets to enhance internal operation efficiency hence growth. However, small enterprises owners should not concentrate on disposal of assets since it plays no role on firm growth. The current study is beneficial to several groups including the government, non-governmental organizations, small enterprises’ owners, general public and other scholars.
Career Management Practices and Performance of the Uniformed Employees at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Headquarters, Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-08) Obuya, Vivian Achieng
The high crimes rates and especially the major crimes such as murder witnessed in the country, indicate that there are gaps in intelligence and investigative units in the country. There is poor performance by investigative unit based on unresponsive, unsatisfactory and inefficient services. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Career Management Practices and Performance of the uniformed employees at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters, Nairobi. Specific objectives included assessing the effect of employee training, career planning, employee networking and supervisory support on performance of the officers. The study was grounded on goal setting theory and supported by other theories including human capital, network, and McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y. Descriptive research design was used in this study and 943 uniformed employees working at Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters formed the target population. Stratified sampling method was used by grouping respondents as per their ranks including senior superintendent, superintendent, inspectors, sergeants, corporal and constables. The Kothari (2004) formula was used to get the sample size of 272 Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers and from which 207 filled and returned the questionnaires, making a response rate of 76.1%. Structured questionnaires were used on collecting primary data and the instrument was piloted tested by 13 respondents who found it to be valid and reliable based on high aggregate Cronbach Alpha of 0.764 that was above the threshold of 0.7. The collected data was entered into SPSS version 28 where descriptive and regression analysis were conducted. The findings established that all the four career management practices contributed to 73.2% increment in performance of the uniformed Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers. The respondents agreed that employee training, career planning, employee networking and supervisory support with mean scores ranging from 3.57 to 3.73 led to improved employee performance at an aggregate mean score of 3.74. Based on the coefficient value findings, the study concluded career planning had the largest effect to employee performance among the Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers, followed by employee networking, employee training and lastly supervisory support. The study recommended higher budget allocation to hire and train more officers, the supervisors to support formation of an open organizational culture to share information, the employees to focus on networking and involvement and engagement of local community members to join hands in securing the nation. The study findings, drawn conclusions and recommendations will be beneficial to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and other government agencies tasked with investigations, detecting and preventing crimes and maintain law and order for socio-economic stability of the county. This research also expanded knowledge through literature on career management practices and its influence on employee performance.
Strategic Partnerships and Performance of Agricultural Finance Corporation, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Too, Cherop Winnie
Many firms across the world are refocusing their strategies on partnerships due to the realization that they help a great deal in the growth of business amid competition. Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) is one of the Kenya’s parastatals in the financial sector that has harnessed on partnerships to improve its business. Nonetheless, the institution is still being faced with challenges hence the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of strategic partnership on the organisational performance of AFC. The specific objectives were; to examine the effect of financial partnerships, business support partnerships, technology related partnerships and partnerships in product development on the organisational performance of AFC. This study was based on the transactional cost theory, innovation diffusion theory, resource-based theory, competence-based theory and Norton and Kaplan theory. The study used descriptive research design and the target populace of 550 employees of Agricultural Finance Corporation. One hundred and sixty six (166) employees of Agricultural Finance Corporation constituted the sample size which was arrived at through stratified random sampling technique. In checking validity, the study used content and construct validity. Content validity was tested by expert opinions method. Construct validity on the other hand was assessed through an examination of the concepts both theoretical and empirical A pilot research was done on 17 respondents to verify the clarity and feasibility of the research instrument. In checking for reliability, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used at the threshold of 0.7. Questionnaires were utilised in data collection while analysis was carried through regression analysis. In analyzing the data SPSS version 24 was used. From the results it is apparent that without the application of strategic partnerships at AFC, organisational performance significantly declines (r=-1.906, p<.05). Further, a unit enhancement in financial partnerships brings a significant improvement in organisational performance (r=0.874, p<.05). On business support partnerships, the study found that a unit improvement in appliance of business support partnerships brings a significant improvement in organisational performance (r=0.905, p<.05). The study also found that a unit enhancement of technology partnerships causes a significant and positive improvements in organisational performance (r=0.295, p<.05). Based on the findings a unit enhancement in product development partnerships leads to a significant increase in organisational performance (r=0.530, p<.05). The study recommends that corporation to further enhance its performance; it should consider entering into further partnerships with firms in other sectors. Secondly the study recommends that while engaging in technology partnerships it should consider using more of outsourcing since setting up technology systems can be expensive both in terms of the initial cost and long term costs. The study’s recommendation is that future studies on strategic partnerships should spotlight on other financial sectors particularly the insurance sector where fewer studies have been done.
Camel Financial Indicators and Performance of Tier Three Commercial Banks in Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-10) Ngatia, James
Tier three banks are vital to the Kenyan economy by promoting competition and ensuring efficiency in the banking sector. Despite their importance, recent statistics indicate poor performance among these banks, possibly due to their financial practices. However, limited research exists on how the CAMEL indicators affects their financial performance in tier three commercial banks. This study addressed this gap by analyzing the financial performance of Kenya’s tier three commercial banks through CAMEL factors: capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earning ability, and liquidity. The study was guided by Free Banking Theory, Agency Theory, Capital Buffer Theory, and Transactional Cost Theory. An explanatory research design was adopted, targeting 18 tier three commercial banks. Secondary panel data were collected from the banks' records over a period of ten years (2014-2021). The regression results revealed a coefficient of determination (R-squared) of 0.6918, indicating that 69.18% of the variance in financial performance (ROA) is explained by the CAMEL variables. The analysis identified that Capital Adequacy, Asset Quality, Management Quality, and Liquidity significantly affect the financial performance of tier-three commercial banks, while Earnings Ability did not show a statistically significant effect. The study further examined the moderating effect of Ownership Identity on the CAMEL-ROA relationship, but the findings indicated that it does not enhance the predictive power of the model. Consequently, Ownership Identity was ruled out as a significant moderator. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the importance of maintaining adequate capital buffers, improving credit risk management, and ensuring sufficient liquidity to enhance profitability. Future research should investigate other potential moderating variables influencing financial performance
Strategic Capabilities and Performance of Registered Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Otiso, Robert
Over the past five years, the pandemic and alterations in the business climate have presented significant obstacles to the local manufacturing sector, leading to a rise in the closure and downsizing of industry operations. Because of the industry's enormous economic impact, industry participants are increasingly concerned about the sector's declining performance. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the most effective ways to boost the industry's performance. Therefore, the purpose of this survey was to determine how strategic capabilities affect the organizational performance of Nairobi County's registered manufacturing firms. The study examined the impact of resource, innovative, marketing, and leadership capabilities on the organizational performance of manufacturing firms registered in Nairobi County. The perspective of resource-based dynamic capabilities, and balance scorecard model served as the theoretical foundation for the investigation. The survey employed a descriptive research design, with the 381 registered firms in the county serving as the research population. Senior functional unit managers were the research's unit of observation in this study which was representative by a sample size consists of 195 firms. The survey relied on quantitative data collection primarily through structured questionnaires that were developed in line with the study objectives. Data was collected for the study using a drop and pick method. The study used SPSS software to code the survey data collected, and figures and tables and presented the results of the descriptive and inferential analyses such as linear regression analysis. The study aimed to gather data to address the research questions and enhance the understanding on the effects of strategic capabilities on the organizational performance of manufacturing firms registered in Nairobi County. The study found that a moderate yet significant relationship between resource capabilities and organizational performance, though the association was not statistically strong. Innovative capabilities, marketing capabilities and leadership capabilities showed a positive and significant influence on the registered manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County Kenya. The study recommended that to enhance organizational performance, firms should invest in advanced resource planning, foster innovation, strengthen leadership through development programs, and leverage data analytics and digital marketing for effective market engagement.
Human Resource Policies and Employee Satisfaction at Retirement Benefits Authority in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-02) Mutisya, Benard Musau
Employee satisfaction is a critical component in Human Resource Management. Human Resource policies have been adopted by employers to enhance employee job satisfaction. However, in spite of these policies being in place, it is still unclear why employee job satisfaction at Retirement Benefits Authority is yet to be optimized. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Human Resource policies on employee job satisfaction at the Retirement Benefits Authority in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study specifically sought to establish the effect of; Compensation Policy, training and development policy, promotion policy and Occupational Health and Safety policy on policies on employee job satisfaction at Retirement Benefits Authority in Nairobi City County Kenya. This research was anchored on four theories: Human capital theory, Goal setting theory, Herzberg two factor theory and Vrooms expectancy theory. The study used a descriptive research design. The target population for this research study comprised of 341 employees in the functional department at Retirement Benefits Authority. 30% of the target population was calculated to arrive at a sample of 102 respondents. The technique of stratified random sampling was employed to gather data from the participants. A survey questionnaire was used to collect primary data directly from the respondents. Data, both primary and secondary, was gathered. A Likert scale along with semi-structured questionnaires was used to collect the primary data for the study. The Retirement Benefits Authority in Nairobi, Kenya provided its Human Resources publications for secondary data collection. Ten respondents, or 10% of the sample size, participated in a pilot study conducted by the researcher. The instrument's validity and reliability was ascertained through the application of Cronbach Alpha with a 0.7 threshold, content, construct, and face-to-face validity. The closed-end questions provided quantitative data. The open-ended questions provided qualitative data. The qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings were presented in narrative form. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 22) was used for quantitative data analysis using inferential as well as descriptive statistics. Examples of descriptive statistics are Frequency distribution, average, standard deviation and percentages. The results were presented in tables. The study revealed that promotion policy, training and development policy, compensation policy and occupational health and safety policy had a positive significant effect on employee job satisfaction at the Retirement Benefits Authority in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study concludes that promoting internal mobility through a promotion policy encourages staff members to apply for jobs for which they are qualified and aligned with their long-term professional goals and interests. Training and development helps organizations attract and retain top talent, boost morale and job satisfaction, increase productivity etc. Top talent is drawn to companies in any industry by a competitive salary and benefits package. The implementation of occupational health and safety standards helps organizations to reduce workplace incidents, reduce absenteeism and staff turnover. The study recommends that legal requirements for hiring and promotions should be covered in training for human resource managers and hiring decision makers. Encouraging employees to take part in training and development initiatives can guarantee that a greater number of workers are actively involved in the process. The company's payroll budget, inflation, and cost of living should all be taken into account when evaluating pay policies. It is important that organizations ensure all possible concerns are addressed in detail before finalizing and publishing the policies within the organization.
Human Resource Planning and Employee Performance at National Cereals and Produce Board in Nairobi City County Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-07) Ngea, Priscah
The issue of poor employee performance is associated with inability of mangers in public service to acknowledge and employ human resource planning. The Kenyan public service commission report showed bloated workforce, high wage bill, no succession planning, stagnation and inability to retain talented workers. For the national cereal and produce board, as a commercial corporate, they have insufficient funds to hire talented and adequate employee numbers and the hiring freeze has left the present workers overworked, demotivated causing poor performance output. Therefore, as the main study objective, it was assessing the human resource planning effect on employee performance at the NCPB in Nairobi City County and specific planning aspects included recruitment and selection, training and development, rewards and benefits and work life balance. The grounding theory was the goal setting theory and others were human capital, spillover, recruitment and equity theories. The research sample size of 198 employees of NCPB working at the headquarters in Nairobi. Stratified sampling was adopted by placing the respondents in groups as per their rank of senior manager, supervisors and junior employees and simple random sampling adopted to avoid biasness in selecting study participants. The Kothari’s sample size determination format was used to calculate and got a size of 130 respondents and 98 filled and returned the questionnaire, making a responding rate of 75.4%. The semi-structured questionnaires helped in collecting primary data that produced quantitative data after employing the five-point likert scale. A pilot study was done at Kenya Seed Company using 13 respondents to check for validity and reliability of the questionnaire. The aggregate Cronbach Alpha was at 0.765, indicating that the research tool was fit and ideal for collecting research data. Approvals, introductory letter, research permits and permission from management at the NCPB were obtained, before field data collection started. The filled questionnaires were coded and analyzed using SPSS to conduct descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated that 71.2% change in performance outcomes of NCPB’s employees was influenced by human resource planning elements. The rewards and benefits had the largest effect on employee performance at NCPB, followed by training and development, recruitment and selection and lastly work-life balance. The association between all the variables was both significant and positive. Thus, conclusions show that performance of employees of the NCPB was due to adoption of the four elements of HRP. Therefore, the researcher recommended the formulation of policies and practices to ensure a thorough recruitment and selection process to get ideal candidates. It was advised for the HR managers to plan for trainings and the finance department to allocate funds for it. There is also need for fair distribution of rewards and benefits to serve as a motivational factor and the management to consider the wellbeing of the employees. A comprehensive human resource plan enables organizations to get the right candidate to fill the vacant position, training to enhance competencies and rewarding top performers. As such human resource planning is an effective tool to increase individual and overall performance in organizations.
Strategic Response and Performance of Microfinance Institutions in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-10) Kemei, Priscah Jebet
Microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Kenya play a crucial role in providing financial services to underserved populations, particularly small-scale entrepreneurs and low-income households. However, they face a myriad of challenges that can hinder their effectiveness and sustainability such as regulatory challenges, access to capital, operational challenges client repayment issues, market competition and technology adoption. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the influence of strategic response on the performance of microfinance institutions in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study specific objectives were to examine the influence of strategic planning, product design, training and development and restructuring on the performance of microfinance institutions in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by Resource Based View Theory, Structural Contingency Theory, Ansoff Matrix and Human Capital Theory. This study employed a descriptive research design. The target population for this study was 13 Micro finance institutions in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The total number of respondents was 833 employees working with the 13 micro finance institutions. To ensure that all cases are represented, respondents were classified by the organizations they work with using a stratified sampling method. A simple random selection method was utilized in selecting the respondents. The study had a sample size of 270 respondents. The study used primary data that was collected using questionnaires. Questionnaires were piloted to 27 respondents working with momentum credit limited in Nairobi County, Kenya. The validity of research instrument was tested using in content, criterion and construct validity. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis technique and presented in narrative form. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation. The study further carried out inferential statistics that included correlation analysis and multiple regressions to determine the relationship between variables. The study findings were presented in form of tables, pie-charts and bar-graphs where applicable. The findings of this study would benefit the Microfinance Institutions in Kenya, government and policy makers and Kenyan banking industry by shedding light on how response strategies adopted by these institutions influence their performance. The study found that strategic planning, product design, training and development and restructuring had a positive and significant influence on the performance of microfinance institutions in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study concludes that strategic planning includes improving the employee onboarding process and feedback and creating a favorable recognition policy. Organizations are increasingly utilizing design to improve their efficiency, results, and market positioning. Regular training and development programs empower employees to strengthen their weaknesses and acquire new skills and knowledge. Restructuring leads to decrease in operation costs because when staff are dismissed payroll expenses will be lower and outsourcing labour can be cheaper than in house. The study recommends that the organizational management should investing plenty of time upfront to map out the strategic planning process. The organizational management need to have a clear understanding of what problem they are solving and how their product is the best solution. The management should know what their learning preferences are to show a clear demand from workers for the continuation of in-person training. The organization should identify and select leaders at each critical level of the organization who can become change champions.
Strategic Management Practices and Employee Performance in Non-Governmental Organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-08) Opar, Linda Akinyi
The growth and development of an organization are contingent upon the effective management of its human resources. However, the adoption of effective human resource management practices in many local Non-governmental organizations operating in the development sector has received insufficient attention. This aspect has the potential to transform the organization's workforce into a productive and motivated team capable of enhancing the quality of services provided by the organization. Consequently, this research aims to explore the impact of strategic management practices on employee performance within non-governmental organizations located in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The specific objectives of this study are to assess the influence of communication, objective setting, strategic leadership, and training on employee performance in non-governmental organizations operating in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The stud is guided by expectancy theory, goal setting theory, contingency theory, and human capital theory. A descriptive research design was employed. The population was five prominent Non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, namely Oxfam International, World Vision, United States Agency for International Development, Mercy Corps, and Amnesty International. The study targeted 742 respondents. Stratified sampling method was used and selection of respondents done using simple random sampling method. The sample size was 260 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires. Questionnaires were piloted to 26 respondents. Validity was ensured using content validity. In addition, Cronbach's alpha test was used to test reliability. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistical and inferential statistics. The results were presented using tables and figures. The study found that communication, objective setting, strategic leadership and training had a positive significant influence on employee performance in non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study concludes that communication in the workplace is important because it boosts employee morale, engagement, productivity, and satisfaction. Employee goal setting is the process of setting specific, measurable, and role-oriented objectives that employees work towards while at the organization. Strategic partnerships allow companies to share the costs of innovation and development, reducing the financial risk of new ventures. Training is important because it represents a good opportunity for employees to grow their knowledge base and improve their job skills to become more effective in the workplace. The study recommends that non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya should focus on the implementation of effective communication channels and tools by including the use of technology such as intranet platforms, project management software, and instant messaging systems. The non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya should ensure that goals are clearly defined, quantifiable, realistic, aligned with the overall objectives of the organization, and have a specific deadline for completion. The non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya should focus on building the skills and capabilities of current and future leaders through training in areas such as communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution, as well as opportunities for leaders to receive feedback and coaching on their performance. Create a culture of transparency and open communication within the organization. This can help to ensure that employees understand the organization's strategic goals and how their individual roles contribute to achieving those goals. The non-governmental organizations in Nairobi City County, Kenya should incorporate a variety of learning techniques and tools such as online training modules, interactive workshops, on-the-job training, and mentorship programs.
Risk Management Strategies and Performance of Non-withdrawable Deposit Taking Savings and Credit Societies in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Oluoch, Lilian Akinyi
Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) provide savings and credit facilities to their members and like other organizations in the financial sector, it undergoes several economic challenges which threaten their growth. The non-withdrawable deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies subsector have undergone performance failures leading to some collapsing, hence the necessity of a successful risk management plan in order to meet their goals. The specific objectives of this research were to determine the effect of risk avoidance, risk acceptance, risk reduction and risk transfer on performance of non-withdrawable deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Nairobi County. Variables of analysis were the risk management strategies which included risk avoidance, reduction, acceptance, and transfer. The research was grounded on modern portfolio and agency theories. For this investigation, a descriptive research design was used and the target population constituted of 132 non-withdrawable deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Nairobi County. A census method was employed to choose the Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies with a sample size of 132. The study had a total population of 132 respondents. Primary data was gathered by semi structured questionnaires, and secondary data came from documented information in regulatory bodies reports, journals, books amongst others. Research instruments were tested for validity and reliability. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the study to analyse the data. During the entire study, ethical considerations was adhered to. The results of the investigation demonstrated that risk acceptance and risk avoidance have a positive relationship with performance and a significant effect. Similarly, the findings showed that risk reduction was negatively significant in predicting the performance of non-withdrawable Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies. However, the study revealed that risk transfer was slightly insignificant in forecasting the effectiveness of non-withdrawable deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies at 95% confidence level. Therefore, the investigation concluded that risk avoidance, risk acceptance, and risk reduction are key risk management strategies that may affect how the non-withdrawable deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Nairobi city perform. Additionally, risk transfer does not significantly impact performance of non-withdrawable deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Nairobi City. The study recommends that researchers can further explore and expand upon the findings of this investigation to better understand the connection between risk management strategies, and the performance of non-withdrawable deposit taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in other counties and other financial institutions.
Corporate Social Responsibilities and Performance of Commercial Banks in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-11) Kairanya, Rose Nkirote
Most commercial banks in Kenya have struggled to maintain high organizational performance because of the country's increasingly unstable and competitive economic environment. Reduced profitability among commercial banks could be attributed to decreased market share due to increased number of other financial institutions including micro finance institutions and savings and credit co-operatives. In order to survive and enhance its performance, commercial banks need to be flexible and position themselves strategically. Corporate social responsibility is among the strategies that the commercial banks have adopted to address the problem of poor performance. Therefore, the main objective was to examine how corporate social responsibilities affects performance of chosen Kenyan commercial banks in Nairobi City County. Specifically, the study intended to examine how environmental, community, employee, and customer-based corporate social responsibility initiatives affected performance of chosen Kenyan commercial banks in Nairobi City County. The research was based on stakeholder theory, resource-based view theory, institutional theory, and agency theory. The study used an explanatory research design. The targeted population was 152 management staff drawn from human resource department and department of strategy and operations. The study sampled 91 participants. The questionnaire was used for collecting the primary data. The questionnaires were distributed using drop and pick later approach. Analysis of the data was through descriptives such as frequencies, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The inferential statistics like regression analysis was used for establish how corporate social responsibility influenced organizational performances of commercial banks. The research results were highlighted in Tables. The study established environmental based corporate social responsibility (β=0.698; p= 0.019), community-based corporate social responsibility (β=0.764; p=0.001), employee-based CSRs (β=0.846; p=0.000), customer-based corporate social responsibility results into (β=0.793; p=0.004) had substantial effects on performances of commercial banks. The study concluded that environmental based corporate social responsibility, community-based corporate social responsibility, employee-based corporate social responsibility and customer-based corporate social responsibility substantially affected the performances of commercial banks in Nairobi City County. Based on first objective, The study recommends that commercial banks in Nairobi City County should develop and implement an efficient waste management system. The study recommends that the bank needs to adopt a comprehensive strategy for managing its carbon emissions and reporting its carbon footprint. Based on second objective, the research recommended that commercial bank's management need to maintain and intensify investments in corporate social responsibility programs aimed at enhancing beneficiaries’ lives particularly in education, health and other humanitarian efforts. Based on third objective, the study recommends that commercial banks should come with strategies to ensure provision of learning and development opportunities for its employees which would foster a skilled and capable workforce. Regarding the fourth objective, the study recommends that commercial banks should implement personalized services and communication strategies that focus on understanding each client's unique needs.
Human Resource Information Systems and Employee Performance at Teacher’s Service Commission in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-09) Ndegerege, Moses Mwangi
The implementation of a Human Resource Information System at the Teacher's Services Commission was anticipated to enhance operational efficiency and therefore decrease the volume of communication and client visits to the commission at any given moment. It is noteworthy to mention that the commission implemented an information communication technology department in 2003; yet, there remains a significant amount of paperwork. Therefore, general objective was to examine relationship between human resource information systems and employee performance at Teachers Service Commission. The specific objectives were to investigate effect of payroll management systems, e-recruitment systems, e-performance appraisal systems, and e-training systems on employee performance. The study holds significance for the administration of Teachers Service Commission, the staff of Teachers Service Commission, public organizations, users of the systems, and other researchers. The study is based on Ability-Motivation-Opportunity Theory as the main anchorage. The research employed a descriptive research design. Target population for this research constituted 144 staff at Teachers Service Commission secretariat. The study used purposive sampling to determine the specific Teachers Service Commission Secretariat that primarily focuses on use of HR systems for staff management. Consequently, the sample size being manageable and being case study remained 144 respondents. The utilization of both structured and unstructured questionnaires was towards collection of primary data. The study instrument's validity was assessed using content validity, face validity, construct validity, and consultation with the supervisor and expert opinions. The reliability tests utilized Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient and established the results as follows; employee performance with alpha value of 0.801, e-payroll management systems with 0.790, e-recruitment systems with 0.792 while e-appraisal systems 0.810 and e-learning system with alpha value of 0.811. Hence, results showed they were above the minimum threshold of 0.7. Descriptive statistics, such as the standard deviation and mean, was applied. The application of inferential statistics, specifically multiple linear regressions, was facilitated by the use of SPSS software. Analysis was conducted at a significance level of 0.5. The evaluated data was presented using tables. Presenting qualitative data involved the narrative presentation of narration derived from content analysis. According to the findings, the HRIS payroll interface in e-payroll was capable of calculating salaries and providing a variety of supporting jobs when it is coupled with payroll administration. It was emphasized that online recruiting included pre-employment screening, personality evaluations, and testing. Although e-appraisal systems influence human resource information systems and employee performance at Teacher’s Service Commission performance when combined with other research variables, the management is not making the best possible use of the human resource information data supply in order to make appraisal decisions. Therefore, in order for Teachers Service Commission to properly administer their e-payrolls, they need to identify the various components of e-payroll and incorporate those components into their information systems for managing human resources. It is imperative that decision-makers at Teacher’s Service Commission continue to invest in the modernization of human resource information systems in order to enhance the organization's capacity for efficient hiring. The management of Teacher’s Service Commission has to conduct an investigation into the reasons why their e-performance management system does not increase real-time communication. The provision of users with the required communication equipment that can assist them in tracking their performance levels is one way in which this might be enhanced.
Generic Strategies and Competitive Advantage of Maize Seed Companies in Kirinyaga County, Kenya.
(Kenyatta University, 2024-11) Ndegwa, Michael Mwangi
To achieve competitive advantage, maize seed companies must navigate a dynamic and disruptive commercial landscape characterized by intense competition. This call for companies to keep on adjusting to different markets situations and employing different strategies to compete effectively. This study aimed to investigate the effects of generic strategies on competitive advantage on maize seed companies in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. The research objectives were to investigate the effect of cost leadership strategy, differentiation, distribution and channel strategy and focus strategy on competitive advantage of maize seed companies in Kirinyaga County. The study was anchored on resource-based view theory and competitive advantage theory and adopted descriptive research design. The target population was 24 registered maize seed companies in Kenya. Samples were drawn from all middle level managers from sales and marketing, finance and strategy, research and development and production departments. Four staffs from every company making a total of 96 respondents, which formed a sample size and was purposively sampled. Questionnaires were used to collect data. A pilot study was done on 10 participants from 2 managers each from 5 maize seed companies in Embu County and necessary corrections done to research questions to ensure validity and reliability of data met the required standard. Data collected was analyzed by both descriptive analysis such as mean, standard deviation, frequencies, and inferential analysis such as correlation and regression model. Information derived was latter displayed in tables and figures. The key finding of the study showed that cost leadership strategy, differentiation, distribution, and channel together with focus strategy were widely used by maize seed companies in Kirinyaga and they had a positive influence on competitive advantage of these firms with regression coefficient of r=0.612, r=0.244, r=1.008 r=0.043 respectively. The findings revealed that distribution and channel strategy had greatest influence on competitive advantage of maize seed companies with a regression coefficient of r=1.008 while focus strategy had the least influence with r=0.043.The study recommends that maize seed companies explore their evolving cost economics and makes use of various methods to differentiate their products and services while strengthening their distribution network ensuring they obtain much information on their customers to understand their needs when and where required.

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