Strategic Resource Configuration and Organizational Performance in Public Institutions in Kenya a Case of Kenya Tourism Board in Kenya

Abstract

The tourism sector in Kenya has been experiencing fluctuations in tourists’ visits in the country. In addition, the country has witnessed a decline in bed occupancy and bookings in tourist lodges, hotels, and other tourism-related businesses within the country. The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) requires resources including physical assets, human resource, financial resources and technology to implement strategies meant to improve the tourism sector in the county. These strategies include addressing issues related to travel advisories issued by other countries, campaigns in different countries and improvement in service delivery. However, Kenya Tourism Board has been experiencing inadequate staff, lack of financial resources and physical assets like motor vehicles. This research therefore examined the effect1of strategic resource configuration on performance of KTB. Specific objectives in this study were to examine the effect of human resources, financial capital, information communication and technology and physical facilities on performance of Kenya Tourism Board. The study was anchored on Kaplan & Norton's balanced scorecard model, resource based view theory, pecking order theory and competency theory. The1study deployed descriptive1survey design. Furthermore, target population was all 115 employees in four directorates of the Kenya Tourism Board. Since target population was small, this study employed census study and hence the whole population was involved. This research employed both primary as well as secondary data. Secondary data was acquired from yearly reports of Kenya Tourism Board. Collection of1primary data1was done by deploying questionnaires. Semi structured questionnaire in this survey was deployed for generation of quantitative and qualitative data1which was separately analyzed1using diverse techniques. Qualitative1data was analyzed by1use of1thematic analysis1and results given in narrative form. Inferential and descriptive statistics were employed to analyze quantitative data with the support of SPSS version 22. In addition, descriptive statistics consisted of percentages, mean, frequency1distribution and1standard deviation. Inferential statistics comprising of correlation analysis and multivariate regression then followed. Tables and figures (bar graphs as well as pie charts) were employed to analyze the results. The study revealed that financial resources had significant influence on performance of Kenya Tourism Board. Human capital had significant effect on the performance of KTB and Information Communication and Technology had significant effect on performance of KTB. Also, physical facilities had significant effect1on performance of KTB. Therefore, the research recommends1that Kenya Tourism Board should release adequate funds to various departments and on time to purchase the required facilities and pay the staff. The study also recommends that Kenya Tourism Board should employ more experienced and skilled staff to cater for the shortages and improve on service delivery. In addition, the managers should adopt the modern technology and office furniture to enable faster and easy service delivery to the tourists. Further, the managers should set up frequent training programs to impact the staff with relevant communication skills, interpersonal skills, technical skills and knowledge on modern technology. Management should employ modern technology and road shows to market tourism services in order to attract tourists both globally and locally and hence improve performance of the organization.