Transfers and Job Satisfaction: Case of Nairobi City County, Kenya
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Date
2023
Authors
Ndung’u, Samwel Karanja
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Available literature on police transfers and job satisfaction indicates that little is known
about whether police transfers affect job satisfaction. The general objective of the study
was to examine the effect of police transfers on job satisfaction in the NPS in Kenya.
Specific objectives were to analyze the influence of criteria used in police transfers on job
satisfaction in the NPS, assess if the rate of police transfers affects self-satisfaction of the
police officers, examine if the rate of transfers affects social satisfaction of the police
officers, and assess if the rate of transfers affects environmental satisfaction of the police
officers. The study was informed by the work adjustment theory. An ex post facto research
design was used in this study, and the study area was Nairobi City County. The target
population was 8,508 police officers who were working in Nairobi City County by
December 2020 in the ranks of senior superintendent, superintendent, assistant
superintendent, chief inspector, inspector, senior sergeant, sergeant, corporal, and
constable. A sample of 382 officers from six subcounties was picked using simple stratified
sampling. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect the data. Research
instruments were pretested in Kiambu County. A questionnaire was administered to
respondents in the five subcounties of Kasarani, Starehe, Kamukunji, Westlands, and
Embakasi who responded to the questions in the provided spaces. Interviews were
conducted with three senior officers working in the directorates of personnel. Quantitative
data was analyzed by first finding the percentages for the officers who are very satisfied,
satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied with their work. The correlation between
rates of transfers and job satisfaction was computed to find out if there is a relationship
between the two. Qualitative data was analyzed by grouping it into themes, finding patterns
and common characteristics, and drawing insights from the observations. Results have been
presented in the form of tables, graphs, and text. The study found that transfer criteria
influence job satisfaction in the police service. The study also found no correlations
between rate transfers and self-satisfaction, rate transfers and social satisfaction, or rate
transfers and environmental satisfaction. The study therefore found that there could be
other aspects that contribute to job dissatisfaction but not the rate of transfer or the number
of times a person has been transferred. The study sets a good basis for further improvement
of transfer policies in NPS. It is recommended that the NPSC revise the transfer regulation
to reflect and accommodate both the plights of the management and those of the junior
police officers. NPSC and NPS managers should conduct a satisfaction survey on transfers
and come up with a way forward to address perennial complaints about transfers.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Leadership and Security Management of Kenyatta University, May 2023.
Keywords
Transfers and Job Satisfaction, Nairobi City County, Kenya