Design Resilience Capacity and Implementation Of Intra-National Economic Regionalism Policies in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya
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Date
2025-10
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Economic regionalism has faced a surfeit of challenges globally and locally in Kenya.
Yet, the existing studies have not given much weight to how design resilience capacity
and policy visibility influence implementation of intra-national economic regionalisms
policies. For this reason, the existing research leaves theoretical, contextual,
methodological, conceptual and empirical issues unresolved in the study of the role of
design resilience capacity and policy visibility on implementation of the intra-national
economic regionalism policies. To fill this gap, the study sought to empirically assess
the degree to which design resilience capacity influences implementation of intranational
economic regionalism policies, with a reference to Lake Region Economic
Bloc in Kenya. Specifically, the research sought to determine the extent to which the
dimensions of resilience capacity of specificity orientation, contextual connectivity,
participatory scoping and distributed synchronization affect implementation of
economic regionalism policies in the Lake Region Economic Bloc in Kenya. Moreover,
the study sought to establish the mediating role of policy visibility on the relationship
between design resilience capacity and implementation of the intra-national economic
regional policies in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya. Complexity theory,
Incremental theory and the Multiple Streams Model provided the foundation to the
research. The research utilized descriptive survey research design and pragmatic
research philosophy. The total population of the study comprised of 634 individuals,
consisting of 13 members of the Council of Governors, 130 County Executive
Committee Members, 440 Members of County Assembly, 27 Economic experts and 24
members of the Lake Basin Development Authority. Proportionate stratified sampling
was used to obtain a sample of 245 individuals. The study utilized semi-structured
physical and online questionnaires and interview schedules to collect quantitative as
well as qualitative data. The Cronbach‟s alpha and Composite Reliability of the research
instruments indicated values above 0.7. Permits, informed consent and confidentiality of
the respondents were sought during the whole study. Descriptive statistics and
inferential statistics were used for the quantitative analysis. Qualitative analysis utilized
themes, patterns and trends that emerged from the responses. The quantitative data was
presented using tables, charts, figures and graphs, while the qualitative data was
presented in illustrative quotes. The response rate was 66.1% (n=162). The correlation
results indicated that there is a significant positive correlation between the dimensions
of design resilience capacity and implementation of the intra-national economic
regionalism policies. The regression results similarly indicated that the dimensions of
design resilience capacity significantly predict implementation of the economic
regionalism policies in Lake Region Economic Bloc. Moreover, the study found a
significant partial mediating effect of policy visibility on the relationship between
design resilience capacity and implementation of economic regionalism in the Lake
Region Economic Bloc. Therefore, the study concluded that the dimensions of design
resilience capacity (specificity orientation, contextual connectivity, participatory
scoping and distributed synchronization) significantly influence implementation of
intra-national economic regionalism policies in the Lake Region Economic Bloc. The
findings provided robust empirical evidence on the emerging importance of design
resilience capacity and the role of policy visibility on implementation of intra-national
economic regionalism policies. Moreover, the study recommended increased
coordination, institutionalization of the consultative processes, improving of awareness
and feedback mechanisms and enhancing policy adaptability for increased resilience
and effective implementation of the economic regionalism policies in the Lake Region
Economic Bloc as well as the other five regional economic blocs in Kenya.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management of Kenyatta University. October, 2025
Supervisors
David Minja
Wilson Muna