Total Quality Management and Sustainability of Small Holder Dairy Farming Projects in Kajiado County, Kenya

Abstract

The increased level of competition resulting from globalization has forced project managers to put in place strategies of remaining sustainable. All projects including the small holder dairy farming one’s have not been left behind in pursuit of remaining sustainable with this increased level of competition. Despite the significant role of Total Quality Management (TQM) in sustainability of projects, little efforts have been made to apply TQM principles among small scale dairy farming projects. This has resulted into low quality of dairy products offered to customers that adversely affects their health. The main objective of the study was to establish the effect of TQM on sustainability of small holder dairy farming projects in Kajiado District. The specific objectives of the study were determining effect of leadership, people management, process management, customer focus and information and communication on the sustainability of small holder dairy farming projects in Kajiado County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the TQM Theory, Resource-Based View Theory and the Theory of Constraints. The study adopted a descriptive design and a total of 125 senior and middle level managers were targeted. The study used a census and thus the sample size was 125 respondents. The study collected primary data with the help on questionnaires. The collected data was analyzed using means, standard deviations and regression analysis. Presentation of findings was achieved via utilization of Figures and Tables. The study established that leadership and customer focus have significant effect on sustainability of small holder dairy farming projects. Likewise, managing people and processes have insignificant effect on small holder dairy farming projects. The study concludes that leadership and customer focus are significant TQM components influencing sustainability of small holder dairy projects. The study recommends that dairy farmers in Kenya should periodically analyze sustainability using computer systems for the sectional heads to make decision. All stakeholders in the dairy farming activity should highly observe ethics and integrity is observed when dealing with each other. Customer complaints should be used as an approach of improving current processes in the producer dairy group. Dairies should visit customers after offering the financial services. The dairy unit quality strategy should be communicated to all farmers quickly due to the use of ICT.