Effects of Human Resource Factors on Project Performance in Nairobi County in Kenya: A Case of Selected Organizations in Westlands

Abstract

Organizations are becoming project-oriented thus must continuously change their human resource management (HRM) practices in order to adapt and respond to changing and temporary work schedules. The objectives of this study were to; Determine the influence of management on project performance of organizations within Westlands; Assess impacts of staff welfare issues on project performance of organizations within Westlands; Determine the relationship between technical expertise and project performance of organizations within Westlands; and Examine the effects of HR planning on project performance of organizations within Westlands, Nairobi County. The research design used in this study was descriptive survey. The study was conducted in Westlands in Nairobi County in forty six (46) out of the five hundred and thirty two registered POOs in Kenya. About 82.67 percent (439) of them have their headquarters in Nairobi where line managers and HRM are found. This study randomly selected 46 of those operating in Westlands Nairobi which is about 10.5 percent. One HR manager and two line managers from each organization formed the respondents for this study, thus giving a total of 138 respondents. Out of 138 questionnaires that were distributed to HRMs and line managers in all the 46 POO selected only 97 questionnaires were successfully completed and returned by respondents, thus giving questionnaire response rate of 70.28%. The completed questionnaires were coded, entered into the computer, organized and analysed with a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics (percentages, frequencies and means) are used to convey the essential characteristics of the data for interpretation. Regression and correlation analysis were used to indicate whether a relation exists between these practices and performance. Cross-tabulation and one χ2 were used to analyze for variance in responses. The study established that management (R= 0.745, Pearson‟s correlation (r) =0.681), staff welfare issues (R= 0.594, R2 = 0.352 and Pearson‟s correlation (r) = 0.482), technical expertise (R= 0.84, R2= 0.706 and Pearson‟s r= 0.817) and planning (R2 = 0.713 and Pearson‟s correlation r= 0.653) have varying effects on organization performance to the extent of implementation of the practice. From the study findings it can be concluded that HRM practices have an effect on POO performance.