SU+ Digital Repository

SU+ is an online repository for the preservation and promotion of assorted digital content at Strathmore University

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Conferences / Workshops / Seminars + 474
Documents and Proceedings of Conferences, Seminars, Workshops (and more) held at Strathmore University
Digital Archives 178
Assorted collections of resources covering various subject themes contributed by Faculty and Library Staff
Reports / Policies + 10
Public reports and policy documents
Research / Researchers / Publications 4621
Researcher Profiles / Conference presentations / Published research articles / Faculty and Corporate research outputs
Strathmore Heritage Collection 41
A digital chronicle of the History of the University presented through a mix of pictures, videos and digitized publications

Recent Submissions

Determinants of fraud prevention among Small and Medium Enterprises in Nairobi County Kenya, moderating role of internal controls
(Starthmore University, 2026) Odumo, M. T.
Fraud remains a significant challenge for SMEs, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 18% of global cases and Kenya the highest in East Africa, causing revenue losses and business failures. The overall objective of the study was establishing the determinants of fraud prevention among SMEs in Nairobi County, with internal controls serving as a moderating variable with specific objectives being to establish the effects of organisational culture, organisational commitment, whistleblowing systems, and human resource competencies, and to establish the moderating role of internal controls on fraud prevention among SMEs in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was guided by the Fraud Pentagon Theory, Agency Theory, and the Fraud Management Lifecycle Theory. A post-positivist philosophy and quantitative explanatory design were adopted. Data were collected between February and March 2026 via structured questionnaires from 400 SME owners, managers, and employees across key sectors, achieving a 100% response rate, and analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression. Findings showed that all determinants positively and significantly influenced fraud prevention, with organisational commitment and whistleblowing having the strongest effects. Internal controls had a direct effect but did not moderate the relationships. The study highlights the importance of ethical organisational culture, employee commitment, whistleblowing, and competencies, recommending stronger governance and supportive policy frameworks for SMEs. The study contributes to knowledge on fraud prevention among SMEs by demonstrating that organizational culture, organizational commitment, whistleblowing systems, and human resource competencies significantly enhance fraud prevention in Nairobi County. It further establishes that internal controls have a direct positive effect on fraud prevention but do not significantly moderate the relationship between the determinants and fraud prevention. The study also extends the Fraud Pentagon Theory, Agency Theory, and the Fraud Management Cycle in explaining fraud prevention within SMEs while providing practical guidance for managers and policymakers. A key limitation was difficulty in accessing updated SME contact information from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority database, leading to the adoption of snowball sampling.
Strategic capabilities and financial performance of Islamic banks in Kenya
(Strathmore University, 2026) Salmin, K. I.
In Kenya, commercial banks, including Islamic banks, have faced challenges such as liquidity shortages, credit risk, and inefficiencies in loan management. Amid competitive nature of the banking sector, Islamic banks remain behind in terms of performance. Given the dwindling performance, this study seeks to determine the effect of strategic capabilities on financial performance of these banks in Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to determine if network, innovation, leadership and information acquisition capabilities have an effect on the financial performance of Islamic banks in Kenya. The research is grounded on Resource Based View, Upper Echelons Theory, and the Dynamics Capabilities Theory. Methodologically, the research employed a cross-sectional descriptive design approach on a sample of 113 respondents drawn from a population of 126 branch managers, finance managers, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) managers in selected branches of three Islamic banks: Dubai Islamic Bank, Gulf Africa Bank, and Premier Bank. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the participants, with data collection involving the use of self-administered questionnaires. Data was analysed and presented in form of tables and figures. The results established a substantial influence of strategic capabilities on the financial performance of Islamic banks in Kenya. Specifically, leadership capabilities had the strongest positive impact, innovation capabilities had a substantial positive effect together with network capabilities and information acquisition capabilities. The study concludes that strategic capabilities have significant effect on financial performance of Islamic banks in Kenya. To enhance financial performance, Islamic banks should focus on strengthening strategic leadership through visionary and ethical management practices, as leadership had the most significant impact on financial outcomes. Investing in innovation, including technology adoption and product development, will sustain competitiveness and boost customer perceptions. Key words: Strategic capabilities; Islamic bank; financial performance
Fraud risk management practices and operational performance of horticultural firms in Kenya moderated by firm size.
(Strathmore University, 2026) Mwadime, H. S.
Kenya’s horticultural sector is a major contributor to the economy, generating KES 136.6 billion in export earnings in 2024 and creating significant employment opportunities. However, the sector faces persistent revenue losses linked to increasing fraud risks. Fraud-related losses rose from 4.2% in 2018 to 5.0% in 2020 before slightly declining to 4.7% in 2022. Given that industry fraud losses are typically expected to remain below 2–3%, the 4–5% losses reported indicate a serious financial challenge, especially for firms operating on narrow profit margins. Therefore, this study examined the effect of fraud risk management (FRM) practices on the operational performance of horticultural firms in Kenya, with firm size as a moderating variable. Specifically, it assessed the influence of internal controls, audit and monitoring practices, legal compliance strategies, and electronic security measures on operational performance. This study was anchored on three theoretical perspectives: the Resource-Based View, Social Learning Theory, and the Fraud Management Lifecycle Theory. A positivist research philosophy guided this study, which targeted 236 horticultural firms in Kenya. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, we applied a cluster random sampling technique to select a sample of 73 firms from different regions. The study focused on key personnel within these firms, including accountants, operations managers, and compliance managers, with a total of six respondents drawn from each firm, resulting in a total sample of 438 participants in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising closed ended (Likert scale) items to generate quantitative results. Data analysis involved both descriptive and inferential techniques. Descriptive statistics, such as means, standard deviations, and frequencies, were used to summarize the data, while inferential methods were employed to examine the relationships between variables. The results of the multiple regression analysis without moderation indicated that all FRM practices (internal controls, auditing and monitoring, legal compliance, and electronic security) had a significant positive effect on operational performance. This suggests that these factors collectively contribute to variations in the performance of horticultural firms. Upon introducing firm size as a moderating variable, the findings revealed that it significantly strengthened the relationship between FRM practices and operational performance. Larger firms exhibited stronger positive effects, which was supported by the significant interaction terms between the independent and dependent variables. This indicates that firm size enhances the effectiveness of FRM in improving operational outcomes. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence on the relationship between Fraud risk management practices and operational performance within Kenya's horticultural sector and further demonstrates the moderating role of firm size, showing that larger firms are better positioned to enhance the effectiveness of FRM practices due to greater resource availability. Based on these findings, future research should explore additional moderating factors, such as technology adoption, corporate governance structures, and organizational culture, and incorporate perspectives from a broader range of stakeholders.
An Examination of the effect of internal controls on fraud mitigation among commercial banks in Kenya
(Strathmore University, 2026) Githaga, C. W.
Fraud continues to be a persistent threat to the stability and integrity of commercial banks in Kenya, notwithstanding the existence of regulatory frameworks and governance mechanisms. The Central Bank of Kenya (2024) reported a 264 per cent increase in fraud-related losses to KShs 1.5 billion in 2024, underscoring the severity and escalation of financial crime within Kenya's banking sector. This study examined the effect of internal controls on fraud mitigation among commercial banks in Kenya, focusing on four components drawn from the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) framework: Control Environment, Control Activities, Monitoring of Controls, and Risk Assessment Policy. The study was anchored on the Fraud Diamond Theory and Routine Activity Theory. Anchored in the positivist philosophy and employing an explanatory research design, the study gathered quantitative data through structured questionnaires from 91 respondents, 35 Chief Risk Officers and 56 Internal Auditors, spanning 35 commercial banks, achieving a response rate of 82.0% against a revised target of 111. The data were subjected to descriptive statistics, principal component factor analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, model diagnostic tests, and ordinal logistic regression to examine the hypothesized relationships. The findings indicate that all four internal control components had a statistically significant positive effect on fraud mitigation. Control Activities had the strongest positive effect, followed by Control Environment, Monitoring of Controls, and Risk Assessment Policy. These findings are consistent with and provide empirical support for both the Fraud Diamond Theory and Routine Activity Theory, confirming that internal controls reduce fraud opportunities and strengthen organizational guardianship. The study recommends strengthened regulatory oversight by the Central Bank of Kenya, continuous professional training in fraud detection, investment in technology-driven fraud detection systems, and the adoption of dynamic, integrated risk management frameworks to enhance fraud mitigation among commercial banks in Kenya.
Behavioral biases and crypto trading decisions among Nairobi retail traders: moderating role of financial knowledge.
(Strathmore University, 2026) Mulinge, D. M.
The rapid rise in cryptocurrency adoption in emerging markets such as Nairobi, Kenya, created a volatile trading environment in which retail traders were highly vulnerable to behavioural distortions. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of key behavioural biases, traders' overconfidence, risk aversion, anchoring, and the disposition effect on crypto trading decisions among retail traders, and to assess the moderating effect of financial knowledge on these relationships. Drawing on theoretical foundations such as Behavioral Finance Theory, Heuristic Theory, and Adaptive Market Efficiency Theory, the study achieved its objectives. The study adopted a positivist research philosophy to examine the impact of behavioral biases on crypto trading decisions among retail traders in Nairobi County. The study carried out between March and April 2026 employed an explanatory research design to examine the relationship, targeting 733,300 active cryptocurrency users in Nairobi County. 400 selected respondents completed a structured questionnaire as part of a quantitative research strategy. The suggested hypotheses were tested using inferential and ordinal regression analysis. The study established that overconfidence, anchoring bias, and disposition effect significantly increased the likelihood of cryptocurrency trading decisions among retail traders in Nairobi County. Risk aversion revealed a negative influence. The Financial knowledge revealed a moderating role between the behavioral biases and cryptocurrency trading decisions. The results explained the relationship between behavioral biases and cryptocurrency trading decision-making and offered empirical evidence on the predominant behavioral determinants influencing cryptocurrency trading decisions in the Kenyan setting. The findings provided empirical evidence on the main behavioral factors impacting cryptocurrency trading decisions in the Kenyan context and clarified the connection between behavioral biases and cryptocurrency trading decision-making. By guiding the creation of focused financial education initiatives and investor-protection measures to encourage logical, stable, and knowledgeable participation in the cryptocurrency market, the findings had practical implications for retail traders, financial advisors, legislators, and regulators. Additionally, by applying theory to the new field of virtual assets in developing economies, the study added to the body of literature on behavioral finance.