Resource Management and Implementation of Projects at the Tea Research Foundation in Kericho County, Kenya
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Date
2023
Authors
Langat, Millicent Cherotich
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
In Africa, Kenya is the leading tea exporter and third in the world after China and
India accounting for over 10 percent of world’s production and over 23 percent of
export proportions. Tea exportation in Kenya is the leading foreign earner in cash
crop sector and provides employment to thousands of Kenya. The Tea Research
Institute assists tea farmers in developing tea clones and capacity for small and large
scale farmers with an aim of improving production. Such institute depends entirely on
project management to ensure implementation of their projects. However, tea industry
has encountered challenge in implementation of major research done in Tea Research
Institute leading to low prices and poor quality of tea produced in Kenya. These
include poor distribution of advance tea clones and purple tea, low funding, poor
dissemination of information and development of tea clones. These are associated
with limited ability of Tea Research Institute to improve tea productions. Therefore,
the salient purpose of the research is to establish the influence of resource
management on implementation of Tea Research Institute Projects in Kericho County,
Kenya. The specific objectives are; to evaluate the influence of financial resources
management, human resource management, physical resource management and
knowledge management on implementation of Tea Research Institute Projects in
Kericho County. Theory of project management, resource-based view theory and
capabilities theory guided the study. An explanatory and descriptive research design
was used in the research. The study targeted 54 projects in Tea Research Institute.
Census of 86 employees all employees was used were given questionnaire on the
existing projects. Whereas 54 projects done by Tea Research Institute formed the unit
of analysis. Semi-Structured questionnaires were adopted in collection of data. A pilot
of 10 questionnaires where the data collected was tested Cronbach Alpha, where a
threshold of 0.7 was reliable. Validity was investigated by the supervisor by
interrogating the questionnaires. Data was prepared screening, coding and entering for
analysis. Descriptive and inferential data analysis was utilized. Descriptive statistics
analysis utilized mean and standard deviation. Multiple linear regression as well as
correlation analysis were utilized as inferential analysis. The results revealed that cost
management, financial planning and budgeting assisted TRI project implementation.
Financial resource management had positive significant influence on the
implementation of project (β1=0.253, P≤0.05). Tea Research Institutions had
expertise, skilled and trained human resource. Human resource management had
positive relationship with implementation of project (β2=0.212, P≤0.05). The Tea
Research Institutions had sufficient land and technological resource. The findings
showed that physical resource management had positive significant relationship with
implementation of projects (β3=0.187, P≤0.05). The institution was found to have
knowledge capturing, sharing and storage that was important in organization learning
and training of farmers. Knowledge management had positive relationship with
implementation of projects (β4=0.429, P≤0.05). The research concluded that financial
resource management, human resource management, physical resources management
and knowledge management had positive significant influence on implementation of
Tea Research Institute projects in Kericho County. The research suggested
government should improve funding for Tea Research Institute. The institute should
fast-track the development of tea factory to assist in tea projects, tea processing and
improve funding’s. The study suggests more study to be done on knowledge
management resource and implementation of projects.
Description
Economics and Tourism in Partial Fulfilment of the
Requirements for the Degree in Masters in Business
Administration (Project Management Option) of
Kenyatta University
Keywords
Resource Management, Implementation of Projects, Tea Research Foundation, Kericho County, Kenya