MBA Theses and Dissertations (2023)
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- ItemA Heuristic approach in examining the factors influencing additional voluntary contribution in the public sector in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Mugi, C. W.There is prevailing confusion on the machinations of, and thus subscribership to pension funds in Kenya. The need for additional pension fund contributions is however apparent given insufficient funding towards catering to the aging population in the country. The current study aimed at shedding light on the factors affecting employee additional voluntary pension contribution in Kenya’s civil service. The objectives were as follows - to assess the effect of macroeconomic factors on employee additional voluntary pension contribution in Kenya's civil service, to assess the effect of industry-specific factors on employee additional voluntary pension contribution in Kenya's civil service and to assess the effect of personal factors on employee additional voluntary pension contribution in Kenya's civil service. A positivist approach employing a descriptive-correlational research design was applied. Data were collected, through a sampling approach, from all 22 ministries. Data on variables were collected through a structured questionnaire. An exploratory factor analysis was then performed on the data after which an ordinal logistic regression approach was employed in determining the impact of macroeconomic factors, industry-specific factors, and personal factors, on additional voluntary pension contribution in Kenya’s civil service. Personal factors were deemed impactful to employee additional voluntary pension contributions whereas industry-specific factors and macroeconomic factors were not considered impactful at the 95% confidence level. Study findings on the first objective indicate that macroeconomic factors should not be considered in shaping incentive packages to bolster additional voluntary contribution to pension schemes. Findings from the second factor indicate a need for further investigation into potential context-specific attributes that account for the lack of impact of industry-specific factors. Finally, personal factors, as indicated in the third objective, should be considered as an isolated subgroup to create effective additional voluntary contribution incentives that leverage short-term thinking and financial factors.
- ItemA Study on the effect of Environmental Social and Governance adoption and bank characteristics on the financial performance of commercial banks in Uganda(Strathmore University, 2023) Awuor, L.Recent changes to corporate external reporting have sparked discussions around the need to evolve the practice. Reports by influential organizations suggest a need to incorporate forward-looking, nonfinancial, and soft information in financial reports for the benefit of all stakeholders, hence the emergence of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure requirements. In Uganda, the law does not require institutions to disclose ESG matters; this has, however, not deterred its voluntary adoption by players in the commercial banking sector. Most banks are, however, likely to face hurdles in compliance, and the lack of guidance on ESG disclosures makes it difficult for stakeholders to compare results across early-adopting organizations. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of ESG adoption and bank characteristics on financial performance in Uganda. Data from published financials and structured questionnaires was used to collect data from all the licensed commercial banks between 2012-2021. By employing a multivariate regression analysis, the study established that ESG has a slightly positive effect on ROE and a slightly negative effort on ROA. However, both relationships are not statistically significant. Therefore, this study has not approved or disapproved of any of the theoretical expectations of the two hypotheses that ESG positively or negatively affects financial performance. The relationship with bank characteristics has also shown that profitability positively and significantly affects ROE and ROA. Finally, the findings indicate that having ESG adoption enforced by regulatory bodies (both financial sector regulators and accounting bodies) would be the most effective way to ensure that banks in Uganda observe sustainable practices. Future studies could extend the investigations to longer periods to establish whether the current findings hold over time. Future research could also examine specific ESG factors in isolation, say environmental, social, and governance, to investigate their individual effects on the financial performance of Ugandan commercial banks. Keywords: Environmental, social, ESG reporting, sustainability disclosure, sustainability reporting, bank-specific characteristics, and financial performance.
- ItemAn Assessment of the factors affecting the achievement of turnaround strategies at Kenya Airways(Strathmore University, 2023) Wanyama, E.By December 2019, the turnaround strategy at Kenya Airways had shown improved revenue. There was an increase in number of revenue passengers and new routes were opened to Geneva and Rome with connections to Malindi. Just as the turnaround strategy was gaining success, the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in suspension of flights and government lockdowns which severely impacted the achievement of the turnaround strategy. These factors forced Kenya Airways to implement significant cost-cutting measures. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that affect the achievement of turnaround strategies in airlines, with a focus on Kenya Airways. The specific objectives were; to examine the effect of strategic alliances, competitive strategies, leadership and Covid-19 pandemic on the achievement of turnaround strategies at Kenya Airways. The study was grounded on the strategic turnaround theory. Descriptive research design was adopted for this study and the researcher probed for information from employees using survey methodology. The unit of observation was managers at Kenya Airways from the following departments: Strategy and Finance department, Human Resources, Technical Operations, Ground Services and Flight Operations. The unit of analysis was 155 employees drawn from senior level, middle level and lower level of management at Kenya Airways. The sample size for the study was 112 employees drawn from the 4 departments. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Simple random method was applied on respondents earmarked for participation in the study then descriptive and inferential statistics were finally used to analyze and interpret the data. The researcher ensured that the study complies with research quality standards including validity, objectivity and reliability. The study was able to obtain 78% response rate which is adequate when conducting quantitative analysis. Correlation tests showed strategic alliances, competitive strategies and leadership have a positive effect on competitiveness and profitability of Kenya Airways. The study concluded that achievement of turnaround strategies within Kenya Airways is positively related to the execution of strategic alliances, competitive strategies, leadership and Covid-19. Independently the research concluded that strategic alliances, competitive strategies and leadership do have a significant positive effect on achievement of turnaround strategies. The research further concluded that Covid-19 had a negative and insignificant effect on the achievement of turnaround strategies at Kenya Airways. The research recommended that the airline should cooperate more with other major airlines globally that will help in enhancing the diversification of the services offered by the airline. The study recommends that management should consider more hybrid strategies that are more practical when operating in a fluid environment. This will help in avoiding any corrosive effects to the profitability and competitiveness of the airline. The study also recommends that management should implement better recruitment and retention of a highly qualified and diversified workforce which will enhance the effective execution of strategies which can lead to better performance.
- ItemAnalysis of the effectiveness of utilization of health information technologies in COVID-19 management in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Ljukunye, A. L.Locally, the country has struggled to manage the COVID-19 pandemic due to the weak healthcare systems and the limited number of specialized health facilities. Further, insufficient testing capacity and public sensitization have resulted in the increasing spread of infections in the country. However, evidence from developed countries has shown that extensive application of health information technologies has been critical in the management of COVID-19 pandemic. There has minimal investigation of how these health information technologies were adopted in the country over the last two years of the pandemic. And more so, if they had an influence on COVID-19 management. The current research sought to fill this gap and establish how health information technologies; health information exchange, electronic surveillance and digital connectivity influenced COVID-19 management. The research was informed by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. A positivism study philosophy was used in the survey with a descriptive research approach being considered. The study population was the health facilities in the country that utilized health information technologies since the pandemic began in the country. The study applied purposive sampling to target 86 senior hospital personnel drawn from Kenyatta National Hospital, Ministry of Health, ICT Authority Kenya, County Referral Hospitals, Private Referral Hospitals (Nairobi), and Research Institutions (KEMRI & KHF). This was followed by stratified sampling for Kenyatta National Hospital. The study applied a structured questionnaire in the data collection. The collected study data was analysed using statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation, correlation coefficient and regression tests. The analysed data was presented using figures, charts and tables. Correlation tests established that the independent variables; adoption of health information exchange, adoption of electronic surveillance and digital connectivity had a positive relation with COVID-19 Management in Kenya. The regression findings revealed that 52.2% of the variations in COVID-19 management in the country are determined by the adoption of health information technologies in the health sector in Kenya. The analysis conclusions were that the three independent variables have been employed in Kenya and have improved their ability to effectively manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare centres used health information exchange technologies, electronic surveillance technologies and digital connectivity in reducing the spread of the corona virus. The study recommends that regular staff training be carried out to make them capable of utilizing new technologies and improvising existing ones to serve current needs. The study recommends that data security and surveillance laws be regularly updated to address the loopholes that emerge when new technologies are introduced. The study also recommends better legislation around cyber security to ensure protection of user data and guide on best practices to protect patient data.
- ItemCompetitive strategies for enhancing business performance: a study on electric motorcycle companies in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Elle, A. K.This study was conducted to quantitatively investigate the link between porter’s generic strategies on the performance of electric motorcycle businesses in Kenya. This is against the backdrop of an empirical gap on the influence of porter’s generic strategies on the performance of electric motorcycle businesses. Literatures on the influence of Porter’s generic strategies are available but limited to already established businesses and also lack of literature that quantitatively links the generic strategies to business performance of new products like electric motorcycles may lead to business pursuing the wrong strategies. Therefore, to fill these gaps the study was guided by the following research objectives; to establish the effect of differentiation strategy on the performance of electric motorcycle business in Kenya; to establish the effect of cost leadership strategy on the performance of electric motorcycle business in Kenya; to establish the effect of focus strategy on the performance of electric motorcycle business in Kenya. To measure the relationship between the dependent variable (organizational performance) and the independent variables (focus strategy, differentiation strategy, and cost leadership strategy), this study employed an explorative research design and a positivism research philosophy to achieve these objectives. The research used simple random sampling technique to collect data from the target population of all the electric motorcycle businesses in Nairobi County, adopting a sample population of 73. Further, the study adopted a descriptive model and the data gathered using questionnaires, through both online and physical quantitative surveys. The data was analyzed using SPSS statistical software and presented using tables, graphs and charts for both descriptive and inferential statistics using regression and correlation analysis. Individually, all the generic strategies had a positive significant effect on the business performance of electric motorcycle dealers in Kenya. The study found the degree of correlation between focus strategy and business performance was highest at 81.93% and variation in business performance as a result of Focus strategy employed is 0.6713. The study also found that cost leadership strategy led to 51.86% increase in business performance whereas differentiation strategy led to 39.97% increase in business performance. Due to the infancy stage of the electric motorcycle business in Kenya and industry size, the study recommends a longitudinal approach to achieve a further conclusive result. It also guides the industry players to explore a hybrid approach in designing their business strategies because there are other factors that impact the electric motorcycle business performance in Kenya like government policies, consumer knowledge and mindset. Keywords: Focus strategy, differentiation strategy, cost leadership strategy, business performance, electric motorcycles.
- ItemDeterminants of patients’ choice for over the counter medicine among private pharmacies in Nairobi County, Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Wanjiru, R. W.The goal of the study was to assess the determinants of patients’ choice for over the counter medicine among private pharmaceuticals in Nairobi County, Kenya. The following research goals served as the study's direction and helped the study in achieving its overall goal: (i) to determine the effect of patients’ level of understanding of originality of the medicine, on the patients’ choice for over the counter medicine; (ii) to establish the effect of pattern of choice of pharmaceutical facility on the patients’ choice for over the counter medicine; and (iii) to examine the role of pharmacy technician on the clients’ choice for over the counter medicine. To answer the “what” and “how” of the study questions, descriptive research design was applied for this study. 3170 retail pharmacies registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (Cytonn 2021) within Nairobi County made up the target population. In addition, the study applied systematic sampling approach to survey 200 customers from the 36 pharmacy stores. The study used descriptive and inferential statistics for the analysis of data with the help of Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. To ascertain the relationship between the independent factors and patients' choice of medication, a multiple regression model was used. The study made theoretical contributions because the findings contributes to the corpus of knowledge already available. Regarding the role of pharmacy technician competence, the results revealed a positive significant relationship between the role of pharmacy technician competence and the clients’ choice for over the counter medicine. This was perceived to imply that the more the capability of drug store expert improved (regarding great relational abilities and administration quality) in the review region, the more the decisions for over the counter medication was probably going to be seen despite the negligible impact. The study concluded that there is a significant correlation between patients’ level of understanding of originality of the over the counter medicine, the pattern of choice of pharmaceutical facility, the role of pharmacy technician competence; and the clients’ choice for over the counter medicine. The study recommends pharmacy technicians and other pharmaceutical professionals in the study region to be knowledgeable with non-prescription medicine needs to pass something very similar to clients as this will upgrade a decent relationship and rehash buy. Further, the pharmacy technicians are recommended to continually self-assess their ability particularly relational abilities in order to serve the clients capability as this will advance client-drug store relationship. It is also recommended that future examination center around a bigger scope to draw significant discoveries since this study focused on non-prescription drug.
- ItemDeterminants of successful delivery of Public-Private Partnership renewable energy projects in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Mathu, L.This research aimed to identify determinants of the delivery of PPP-renewable energy projects in Kenya and propose a framework for improving project success. The research objectives were to establish the significant determining factors (both internal and external) necessary for the successful delivery of PPP renewable energy projects in Kenya, and the extent to which they impact successful project delivery; to develop a framework for the management and delivery of renewable energy (RE) public-private partnership (PPP) projects in Kenya; and to evaluate the impact of the proposed framework on the successful delivery of RE PPP projects in Kenya from a project management and societal benefits perspective. It employed a mixed-methods approach, including questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, to collect data from renewable energy stakeholders. Thematic analysis and statistical methods were used for data analysis. The study revealed that lack of government support and commitment, political, financial, management, and operational factors, and poor project management were key factors influencing the successful delivery of PPP renewable energy projects in Kenya. Political stability and support, financing access, reliable infrastructure, strong project management, skilled workforce, and clear regulatory framework were identified as critical for large-scale PPP-RE project success. The recommended framework includes policy development, effective project and program management, stakeholder engagement, project control, and continuous improvement. The findings were validated through stakeholder interviews, confirming the usefulness, effectiveness, and implementability of the proposed framework, with the suggestion to anchor it in law for operationalization. Keywords: Public Private Partnership, Project success, Project management, Renewable energy projects, Project failure, Public participation, Kenya.
- ItemEconomic factors affecting the performance of paper industry in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Kogi, V. M.The Paper industry in Kenya has declined over the years despite having a high growth potential. There are many factors stunting the growth of the sector which was once flourishing. This study was undertaken to establish the economic factors affecting the performance of paper industry in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of taxation, import logistics, production cost and technological changes on the performance of the paper industry in Kenya. The study aggregated the variables of import duty and taxation, import logistics, production costs, and technology. There was an assessment of which factors affect the paper industry the most and quantify the outcome. The study adopted a descriptive design in its approach. Descriptive statistics helped to develop a better understanding of the data collection in the research investigation and simplify large amounts of data sensibly. The target population for the study was the paper manufacturing firms and those enterprises involved in the paper industry value chain. The study targeted the enterprises in Nairobi region and its outskirts. The study targeted a total population of 81 and achieved 61, representing a 75% response rate. The heads of businesses of the enterprises were targeted in the study. The study revealed that only production costs were found to have a positive and significant effect on company performance. This is a result of a general global decline in the supply of wood bi-products, of which the paper commodity falls under this category and which impacts on availability of the materials, and their affordability. The study revealed that taxation and technology had a negative and insignificant impact, while imports logistics had a positive and insignificant impact on company’s performance. Taxes are statutory payments and are mandatory, meaning businesses do not have leeway to negotiate amounts payable or when to pay. Trading is not significantly deterred by higher transport costs and Kenyan companies have no option than to import all their required raw material. Hence companies will still import paper whether there is an increase in import logistics costs or not. Size of the firm and scale of production are the key determinants of a firm’s performance and not technology. To enhance the performance of the paper industry in Kenya, the recommendation from the study is to have interventions to lower production costs. This research focused on specific factors that can impact business performance i.e., taxes, import logistics, production costs, and technology. However, there could be other intervening factors, e.g., market accessibility, social factors, and legislation, among others, that can affect business performance. Future research can include other intervening factors to assess their effect.
- ItemEffect of audit quality characteristics on client satisfaction of audit firms in Nairobi County(Strathmore University, 2023) Kamau, J. G.Providing confidence in the quality of financial reports is a central role of an auditor. To fulfil this purpose, audit quality is key, given the role of financial reports in the financial markets and to the investors. The study aimed to examine the effects of audit quality characteristics on client satisfaction of audit firms in Nairobi County. The study focused more specifically on auditor independence, audit documentation, and code of conduct as audit quality characteristics and their impact on client satisfaction scores as a measure of audit firm performance. Agency and policeman theories formed the theoretical framework upon which the study was based. The study followed positivist research paradigm and quantitative descriptive research design adopted to fulfil this objective. Target population consisted of 600 registered audit firms in Nairobi County. Simple random sampling technique was used to create a sample size of 240 respondents and structured questionnaires used as method of data collection. Out of the 240 respondents, 216 completed and returned questionnaires on time, meaning a minimum requirement of 75% response rate was attained. The collected data were analyzed using quantitative data analysis techniques with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The findings suggest a positive but weak relationship between the variables. However, out of the three variables, the code of ethics has a stronger positive impact on client satisfaction (β = 0.143, t = 1.809, p < 0.05). Audit documentation had a positive impact on audit client satisfaction but the impact was not significant (β = 0.048, t = 0.546, p > 0.05) as well as auditor independence (β = 0.030, t = 0.320, p > 0.05). Therefore, the study concluded that apart from the code of conduct, documentation and independence are not significant predictors of client satisfaction of audit firms in Nairobi County. However, since the research focused only on three attributes, there’s a need for research that looks into other attributes. Also, the study only reveals the extent to which the qualities affect client satisfaction, it does not answer the “how” of the relationship which creates a gap for further research. Key words: Audit quality, Client satisfaction, Audit documentation, Ethical conduct, Audit independence
- ItemEffect of behavioural factors on the investment risk profile of investment schemes members in Nairobi County(Strathmore University, 2023) Omoding, A. I.Studies conducted in behavioral finance science provide diverging and inconclusive results with respect to how behavioral biases blur investment decision making. Additionally, behavioral science studies have provided differing results compared to arguments of traditional finance theories, which suggest that investors are rational and make investment decisions after keen analysis of all available information. Behavioral finance suggests that investment decisions are greatly affected by irrational, emotional and psychological factors. It is against this background that the current study was premised to examine the effect of psychological biases and heuristics on the investment risk profile of members of investment schemes in Kenya. The study sought to respond to the following objectives: to assess the effect of heuristics on the investment risk profile of investment group (chama) members in Nairobi County and to examine the effect of psychological biases on the investment risk profile of investment group (chama) members in Nairobi County. The study was guided by behavioral finance theory and employed an explanatory research design. The study targeted all the 121 registered Chamas in Nairobi (Kenya Association of Investment Groups (KAIG) database). The study targeted three employees drawn from each of the chamas. The data analysis phase applied both descriptive and ordinal regression analysis. The survey was able to obtain an 81% response rate with only 19% of the considered sample respondents not able to present their questionnaires within the provided timeframe. Findings pointed out that most of the groups 48% had 11-30 members, 29% had 31-60 members with 18% having less than 10 members. The correlation results revealed that there was a weak positive and significant association between psychological biases, demographic factors and the investment risk profile of investment groups in Nairobi County. The correlation tests also revealed a strong positive and significant association between heuristic biases and the investment risk profile of investment groups in Nairobi County. Based on the study’s first objective, the study concluded that psychological biases and heuristic biases have a positive and significant effect on investment risk profile of investment groups in Nairobi County. Finally, the study concluded that demographic factors had an insignificant control effect on the investment risk profile of investment groups. The study recommended for oversight and supervision of investment groups to ensure that they comply with relevant laws and regulations. This can help to protect investors and promote a fair and transparent investment environment. Further individual groups should also establish a rigorous investment appraisal process that incorporates multiple perspectives and considers all relevant factors. The study also recommends that Chamas adopt a diversified investment strategy across different asset classes and industries to mitigate the risk of loss associated with concentration risk. This can help to minimize the impact of any single investment's performance on their overall portfolio.
- ItemEffect of budgeting process on the operational performance of freight forwarding firms in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Njomo, F. W.Freight forwarders are an integral part of international trade facilitation and their performance is key to national growth and economic development, contributing up to 7.1% of the country’s GDP. However, their contribution has declining in recent years with increased competition, increasing transport costs, poor infrastructure and slow reforms in customs regulations impacting the sector’s overall performance. This has resulted in dismal operational performance which necessitated this study to seek to examine the relationship between budgeting process and the operational performance of Freight Forwarding Firms in Kenya. The survey specifically analyzed the effect of budget planning and formulation, budgeting control and evaluation, participatory budgeting and firm characteristics effect on the operational performance of Freight Forwarding Firms in Kenya. The research was grounded on theory of budgeting and the stakeholder theory. A positivist research philosophy was used in this study with a descriptive research design applied in solving the research problem. The population for the study was the 1676 firms operating within Nairobi County in the FWA service provision. A sample of 399 firms was selected for inclusion in the study. Both structured and open-ended questions was utilized in the collection of research data. The research applied physical and electronic data collection techniques. Collected study data was analyzed using a mix of descriptive and inferential analysis. The findings were presented in charts and tables. Out of the sample firms the research obtained 77% responses which was considered sufficient and representative for quantitative analysis. The research overall findings led to the conclusion that budgeting process has a positive and significant relationship with the operational performance of the firms. Further, the research concluded that there was a significant moderating effect of firm characteristics on the relationship between budgeting process and operational performance. Independently, the study found out a significant effect of budget planning and formulation as well as budgetary control, monitoring and evaluation on operational performance of the firms. The study concluded there was no significant effect of participatory budgeting on the operational performance of the firms. Recommendations are that firms should adopt new standards, formulating new policies that are aligned to the firm’s goals and ensuring there is an overall understanding of the budgeting process within the firm. The study recommends that the companies should leverage on the prior annual budgetary planning reports to make sensible forecasting on the capacity of the firm which is key to attainment of firm goals. The study also recommends that firms should look at setting up budgeting committee at functional levels as a way of ensuring the various departments have a harmonious participatory role in the budgeting process as this can significantly improve firm performance.
- ItemEffect of competitive strategies on the performance of oil marketing companies in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Gichuhi, L.Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have been critical for the fuel industry cost as they are the ones who buys the fuel from the offshore suppliers, finances the import and ensure delivery to supply the country. Oil marketing companies play an important role in a country’s economy, and thereby the well-being of these businesses is a necessity for that country’s future success. This study aimed to determine the effect of competitive strategies on the performance of oil marketing companies in Kenya. It aims to evaluate the effect of cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and focus strategy on performance of oil marketing companies in Kenya. The study was anchored on Porter’s competitive advantage and resource-based view theory. Positivism was the philosophical foundation for this study. The research design that was used in this study is the descriptive cross-sectional design. The target population for this study was the 71 registered oil marketing companies in Kenya. The study applied census in targeting all the 71 companies due to the small population. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaire. The descriptive and inferential statistics was used in data analysis. Descriptive statistics comprised frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations. The correlational analysis was used to determine the strength of the association between dependent variable and independent variables. The regression analysis was used to determine the effect of competitive strategies on the performance of oil marketing companies in Kenya. To present the findings, tables, graphs and charts were used. The respondents participated in the study voluntarily and their anonymity was ensured. The researcher ensured the respondents that the data was treated with privacy and confidentiality. The findings of this study showed that cost leadership, differentiation strategy and focus strategy have a positive and significant relationship with performance of oil marketing companies in Kenya. The study showed that Oil Marketing companies in Kenya have adopted these strategies to enhance their performance. The study suggests that the oil companies should study the market continuously. Further, the companies should be aware of what their competitors are up to. This would help the companies to make use the low-cost strategy without making loses by setting lower prices than those of competitors. Understanding the market would help the oil companies to differentiate its products better than competitors and the companies would know where to sell its products that is focus strategy.
- ItemEffect of institutional factors on public procurement performance in commercial and manufacturing state corporations in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Mathias, K.Empirical studies have shown that there is considerable evidence that public procurement performance in the country is deficient, as evidenced by poor allocation of resources, inefficiency in the process, gross negligence, non-adherence to procedures, untimely deliveries, unqualified personnel and incompetence of public administrators in Kenyan corporations. This study sought to examine how institutional factors influence procurement performance in parastatals. The study examined the impact of structure, management style, systems and staff on public procurement performance. The study was anchored on the Higgins model and institutional theory. The study was based on a positivist research philosophy with a descriptive research design. The population for the study was the 33 commercial and manufacturing state corporations in Kenya. The unit of observation was 165 respondents drawn from the strategy managers, finance managers, IT managers, human resource managers and procurement managers of each of the institutions. The study used a census survey of all respondents. The study used a structured research questionnaire. The research data was collected using physical questionnaires and Google forms. The research data collected was analysed using quantitative approaches such as descriptive and inferential analysis. The analysed research data was presented using graphs and tables. The findings revealed that there was a response rate of 95% (n= 114) between April and June 2022.Most of the respondents were procurement managers (26%) and finance managers (23%) in the companies. The results indicate that there was a statistically significant weak and positive association between structure, leadership style, staff and procurement performance within the state corporations. The correlation also showed a statistically significant moderate and positive association between system and procurement performance within state corporations. The results of the regression showed an R2 = .531 which indicates that at least 53.1% of the changes in the dependent variable (procurement performance) are determined by staff, leadership style, system, structure. The study also concluded that structure, system and staff of state owned commercial and manufacturing enterprises have a significant and positive effect on public procurement performance. The study further revealed that leadership style has a positive but insignificant effect on public procurement performance. Therefore, the results of the study indicate that institutional factors are key determinants of public procurement performance. Accordingly, a major focus should be placed on internal issues based on the factors examined in this study. However, more explanation is needed to further identify the specific issues in each organisation and possible structural patterns of problems. Key words: institutional theory, public procurement performance, Kenyan state corporations, Higgins model.
- ItemEffects of counterfeiting on the financial performance of local generic drug manufacturers in Nairobi County, Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Bosire, B.Counterfeit drugs pose a serious threat to the credibility and finances of the pharmaceutical industry as a whole, and to drug manufacturing companies in particular. The purpose of this research was to assess the effects of counterfeit drugs on the financial performance of drug manufacturers in Kenya, focusing on the generic drug manufacturers in Nairobi County. In order to achieve the aim of the research, the study sought to meet the following specific objectives: to examine the supply chain systems of counterfeits on the financial performance of local generic drug manufacturers; to examine the effects of pricing strategy of counterfeits on the financial performance on local generic drug manufacturers; to examine the effects of the legal and institutional framework on the financial performance of local generic drug manufacturers. The study was grounded on the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Balanced Score Card. The study employed a cross sectional descriptive research design in order to paint an accurate picture of the impact counterfeit drugs have had on Kenyan generic drug manufacturing companies. There are 15 local generic drug manufacturers operating in Nairobi County registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and the unit of analysis was the heads of departments in the local generic drug manufacturers. The study was based on a sample size of 75 respondents. The study used purposive random sampling to select the respondents in the study. The research adopted a well-structured questionnaire to collect data from Quality Assurance Manager, Quality Control Manager, Regulatory Affairs Manager Sales Manager and Director or C.E.O of all the local generic drug manufacturers in Nairobi County. The collected responses were analyzed in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 22.0) using descriptive and inferential techniques. The descriptive analysis findings revealed that respondents agreed with an overall mean of counterfeit drug supply chain systems of 3.86, an overall mean of pricing strategy of counterfeits 3.77, an overall mean of the legal and institutional framework of 4.01 and an overall mean of the effect of counterfeiting on the financial performance of local generic drug manufacturers of 3.72. Multiple regression analysis was run to test if counterfeiting significantly predicts the financial performance of local generic drug manufacturers. Through the consistency of the regression coefficients on the model predicators the study concludes that pricing strategy of counterfeits and the legal and institutional framework are significant factors that influence the financial performance of local generic drug manufacturers. The study recommends the collaboration between drug manufacturers and government to review the existing supply chain, improve transparency in sale and distribution of drugs in Nairobi County and access the effectiveness of the existing drug control laws to positively impact the financial performance of generic drug manufacturers in Nairobi County.
- ItemFactors affecting demand forecasting accuracy in shoe manufacturing companies in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Narandass, K. H.The general objective of this study was to assess the factors that affect demand forecasting accuracy in shoe manufacturing companies in Kenya. The specific factors examined in this study included consumer characteristics, product characteristics, competitor activities, external factors, macro-environment factors, forecasting resources and forecasting methods. This study sought to examine the extent to which considering these factors in demand forecasting affects accuracy. A descriptive research design was applied to a target population directly related to the supply chain and forecasting and this constituted employees working in the following departments; sales, marketing, production, procurement and logistics in all shoe manufacturing companies in Kenya. Structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents by the researcher and the collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and presented in tables and charts. The findings from the analysis revealed that factoring consumer characteristics, product characteristics, marketing activities and competitor activities were significant predictors of demand forecasting accuracy. The positive coefficients of these factors mean that considering them can increase the accuracy of demand forecasting. The results also showed that considering explanatory and macro-environment factors predicted demand forecasting accuracy by positive regression coefficients; thus, enhance the accuracy of forecasting. Additionally, the results suggest that forecasting methods can be used to enhance the accuracy of demand forecasting for shoe manufacturers in Kenya. Lastly, the findings demonstrated that demand forecasting resources partially mediates the association between demand forecasting methods and demand forecasting accuracy. Therefore, demand forecasting resources explain the positive impact of demand forecasting methods on forecasting accuracy.
- ItemFactors affecting value addition in the floriculture industry in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Ng'ethe, A. I.This study focused on investigating the factors affecting Value Addition in the Floriculture Industry in Kenya. A conceptual framework that highlights on the factor conditions, Demand conditions, Related and supporting industries, firm Competitive strategy, Governance and natural endowments as the independent variables guided it. The study adopted a Descriptive research design. It obtained both primary and secondary data. Primary data collection was in form of questionnaires to a population of Eighty-Five (85) flower farms registered by the flower council of Kenya. The research employed the Census survey to collect data in form of questionnaires to the target population. Secondary data was generated in form of literature survey from leading floriculture publications on world trends in the floriculture industry. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics to generate the required frequencies and percentages to interpret and test the research question. To achieve the Research objectives on the relationship between the various independent variables and the dependent variable, multiple Non-linear regression analysis was conducted. The findings revealed that demand conditions, firm Competitive Strategy and governance and natural endowments significantly influences value addition of floriculture industry in Kenya. Based on the above findings, the study recommends concerted efforts by both the Government and the Private Sector to increase Value Addition to Kenyan Floriculture Products in order to increase their Competitive Advantage in the International Market. Key Words: Competitive Advantage, Floriculture, Product Differentiation, Value Addition
- ItemFactors influencing consumer adoption of news paywalls in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Auma, C. M. S.The advertising-dependent revenue model that has supported news publishers thus far has come under significant pressure due to digital disruption. This has led publishers across the globe to embark on new models, especially reader revenue, with paywalls being the most tried. The purpose of the study was to assess factors influencing the consumer adoption of the paywall revenue model by news media organisations in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were; to establish the influence of economic factors on news users’ decisions to subscribe to news paywalls in Kenya; to determine the extent to which availability of alternative news sources affect consumers’ decisions to adopt news paywalls; to establish influence of user characteristics on the adoption of news paywalls; and to determine the influence of media house characteristics on the user adoption of news paywalls. The study was anchored on Uses and Gratification Theory and the Reinventing Your Business Model, and adopted a descriptive survey design as well as a correlation research design. The study targeted news consumers of which 400 online news consumers in Nairobi County were sampled through simple random sampling approach. The study collected quantitative data using questionnaires, which were then analysed through descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, percentages, means and standards deviations, while the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient technique was utilized to test the relationship between the variables. The analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The study found that the rate of adoption of paywall news was still low in Kenya, and that news consumers did not see much distinction between news from mainstream publishers and those from social media and blogs. Most of the news consumers would purchase online news so long as the paywall was affordable. Moreover, comprehensive and inclusive coverage of news would also encourage adoption of paywall news among the consumers. Quality of news was also a major determinant. The study established that economic factors, availability of alternative news sources, users’ characteristics and media house characteristics significantly influenced the adoption of paywall news at 95% confidence level. Media houses can partner with internet service providers to first boost access and awareness regarding paywalls. This would allow new users of the internet, for example, at a subsidized data cost, access unique news content. Key words: news media, paywalls, audience revenue, business models
- ItemFactors influencing insurance uptake among the youth in Nairobi County, Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Aketch, N. A.The study general objective was to examine factors influencing insurance uptake among the youth in Nairobi County, Kenya. It was guided by the following objectives: to establish the influence of product-related factors on the uptake of insurance products among the youth, to determine the effect of service-related factors on the uptake of insurance products among the youth and to examine the effect of demographic factors on service-related factors, and product-related factors on the uptake of insurance products among the youth. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design which targeted 1,791,550 youths aged between 18-34 years within the 17 sub-counties of Nairobi County. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample. The sample size of this study was 400 respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The data was analyzed using both inferential and descriptive statistics. Findings on the influence of product-related factors on the uptake of insurance products among the youth showed that uptake of insurance products had a statistically significant relationship with product related factors (r=.725, p<.01). It was determined that product-related factors account for 52.6% uptake of insurance product among youths in Nairobi County (R2=0.526; F=330.075; p<.01). Findings on the effect of service-related factors on the uptake of insurance products among the youth showed that uptake of insurance products had a statistically significant relationship with service-related factors, (r=.708, p<.01). Service related factors accounts for 50.1% uptake of insurance product among youths in Nairobi County (R2=0.501; F=298.826, p<.01). Findings on the effect of demographic factors on the uptake of insurance products among the youth the uptake of insurance products was also positively related to demographic factors including gender (χ2=88.646; p<0.01), marital status, (χ2=43.279; p<0.01), and employment (χ2=20.032; p<0.01). Key Words: Insurance Uptake; Youths, Product-Related Factors, Service-Related Factors, Demographic Factors.
- ItemFactors influencing the uptake of online distribution platforms among horticulture producers and exporters in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Waweru, G. K.In Kenya, the agricultural value chain has been negatively affected by the low digital literacy levels among small-scale farmers which have resulted in low adaptation and integration of modern technologies. Despite several studies focussing on the adoption of technology in agricultural activities, there has been minimal investigation of the uptake of distribution platforms such as Twiga foods which link farmers to the consumer thus eliminating the middle-men which is key to enhancing the benefits to farmers. This study focused on conducting an analysis of the factors affecting the uptake of online distribution platforms among horticulture producers and exporters in Kenya. The study specific objectives evaluated the effect of technological factors, market factors and resource factors on the uptake of online distribution platforms among horticulture producers and exporters in Kenya. The study was grounded on the technology acceptance model. The research adopted a positivist philosophy with a quantitative research design utilized in guiding the examination of the relationship between the research variables. The study population was the 36 operating in the Flower Member Company and 136 firms in the Fruits & Vegetables Company. The study conducted a survey among a sample of 122 firms that are currently registered by horticulture producers and exporters in Kenya. The research obtained a response rate of 85% which was considered adequate representation for the overall research; hence was used in the current survey. The findings revealed that 54% (n= 56) were using the platforms with 46% not using any online distribution platforms. The results showed that 28% very often used the platforms, 43% used the platform sometimes. The regression findings led to the conclusion that the uptake of online distribution platforms among horticulture producers and exporters is determined by technological, market and resource factors. Separately, market and resource factors have a significant and positive effect on the uptake of online distribution platforms among horticulture producers and exporters, while technological factors had a negative and insignificant effect. The study recommends increasing safety measures to ensure that customers data is protected and secure. With assured safety of their personal information, farmers uptake into online distribution systems will increase. The study recommended that the online distribution platforms should diversify their services offering to increase the uptake levels. The study further recommended increased market training and integration for the users of the online distribution platforms. With focused training on the market and its characteristics, farmers will appreciate the use of the platform and increase their uptake.
- ItemInfluence of career development programmes on employee performance in commercial banks in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2023) Shamala, D.The commercial banking business environment is replete with turbulence from changing consumer demands, economic and financial fluctuations, and changing technological trends. The navigation of this environment is dependent on the capability of its workforce to match or adapt their skills to these changes and prepare for future demands of the workplace. This study examined the influence of career development programmes on employee performance in Kenya’s commercial banking sector. Skill development practices, mentoring practices, and goal-setting represented the independent variables while employee performance was the dependent variable. Social exchange theory, social learning theory, and goal-setting theories were used as the study’s theoretical framework. A positivist research philosophy was adopted while a descriptive research design was implemented. The 2,498 secretarial and other categories of employees in commercial banks as categorised by the Central Bank of Kenya made for the target population from which a sample size of 344 respondents was calculated. A structured questionnaire developed from an empirical literature review was used to collect data after determining its reliability and validity using Cronbach coefficient alpha following a pilot of the instrument among ten participants. Data were collected from 344 respondents from thirty-nine commercial banks. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyse Likert scale data, frequency distribution was used for analysing demographic data, and multiple regression analysis to determine direction and effect of independent variables on employee performance. Skills development and mentoring had positive and significant effects on employee performance while goal-setting did not. The study recommends continuous employee training to match the future demands of the commercial banking sector due to the changing dynamics of this workplace. This can be done by onboarding new jobs, additional skills for employees in their present job, and providing training for emerging roles for employee jobs. There is further a need for commercial banks to support continuous mentoring programmes to include systematic and formal processes for personal development. Managers and supervisors can attain this to set higher goals for employees. The study suggests further research using qualitative methods to gather information on role of career development on employee performance among commercial banks. Based on the findings, there is a need for further study to examine the role and use of goal-setting as a means to enhance the performance of employees in the commercial banking sector. Third, the current study focused on management training programs that focus on entry-level careers. Further research that focuses on career development programs for a high cadre of staff may reveal other perspectives of career development that were not covered in this research. Keywords: Career development programmes, skill development practices, mentoring practices, and goal-setting, employee performance.