2018 Research and Innovation Conference
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Theme: Looking into the future : solving tomorrow's problems with today's research
Venue: Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
Dates: 29/10/2018 - 02/11/2018
Thematic areas
Venue: Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
Dates: 29/10/2018 - 02/11/2018
Thematic areas
- ICT, Mobile Applications and Cyber-Security
- Mathematical Applications and Economics
- Tourism and Hospitality
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
- Law and Justice
- Health, Healthcare Management and Research Ethics
- Public Policy, Governance and Integrity
- Business Innovation and Management
- Food, Energy and Water (FEW) Nexus
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- Item2018 Research and innovation conference : conference booklet(Strathmore University, 2018)
- ItemAssessment in higher education: learning support or measure of achievement?(Strathmore University, 2018) Muthuma, Lydia W.Curriculum change is happening at a national level in Kenya; the 8-4-4 system is being phased out and replaced with the competency-based curriculum, CBC. This change is confined to basic education i.e. from pre-primary level to tertiary education, offered in different colleges throughout the country. University education does not form part of basic education. It is seemingly untouched by change in the national curriculum. However, university undergraduates are intellectually formed and otherwise prepared through the basic education system. Any change, therefore, in basic education will necessarily affect the content and style of learning programmes in universities. Without going into a plethora of these changes, the paper considers a salient factor: assessment. The suggested change in, and rationale behind, assessment in the CBC may signal an equivalent shift in higher education. Undergraduates joining universities, from the CBC system, will have been habituated to formative assessment. Will the traditional approach of sole summative assessment, in higher education, still be fit for purpose? And what purpose? No hard and fast rules or fixed solutions, to this situation, are offered. This is not a setting out of policy; it is rather an elucidation of the rationale and intended purpose of formative assessment –the significant change in Kenya's curriculum. It is compared and contrasted to summative assessment; nuances in both assessment methods and their intended effect on the learner are highlighted. The aim is to signal, to universities, the expected attitude of mind that future undergraduates may bring to their institutions.
- ItemBCF 3204 - Financial risk management(Strathmore University, 2023-12) Strathmore University
- ItemBCF 4102 - Banking and development(Strathmore University, 2023-12) Strathmore University
- ItemBlockchain certificates: a prototype implementation for digitizing educational certificates(Strathmore University, 2018) Otolo, Richard; Maingi, Eunice; Sevilla, JosephThe prevalence of fake academic certificates in the country is worrying. This has come to light in the media during the vetting process for different jobs such as when recruiting candidates for key public sector positions. The fraudulent use of fake qualifications is a fact that educational institutions and employers have to face. In order to curb this trend, institutions have taken measures that usually involve a third party to verify the authenticity of educational certificates. The main weaknesses of this approach include the time taken to verify certificates is too long. Additionally, the fact that there is an intermediary introduces aspects such as extra costs and the potential inaccessibility to institutions in all geographies. This research project proposes to set up a system that not only makes it easy to maintain records of academic achievement but also make the fast and effective verification of a certificate’s authenticity possible. The system will rely on distributed ledger technology also known as blockchain, to accomplish this goal. A blockchain is a trustworthy, distributed digital ledger that contains records of transactions that are replicated across many systems. The records are cryptographically guaranteed to be immutable. This research intends to leverage these and other features of distributed ledgers in order to develop a system that can address the issue of fake certificates.
- ItemThe Causal relation between art and its maker(Strathmore University, 2018) Njoroge, JothamThe aim of this paper is to show how art is a rich and valid source of anthropological, historical and social information. Human beings have produced works of art from time immemorial. Art is a constant in the history of humanity and it often gives us valuable insights into the nature, culture and worldview of the people who produced it. The main propositions in this paper are based on the causal relation between art and its maker, derived from the philosophical idea that every effect resembles its cause. I therefore wish to demonstrate the extent to which a work of art communicates the nature of its cause, the artist. Thus, by understanding a work of art from the point of view of how it comes to be, we can certainly acquire some insights into the human persons that produce them, thereby adding to our knowledge of anthropology and sociology.
- ItemA Collaborative solar energy platform(Strathmore University, 2018) Osunga, Alex; Omar, Zishan; Gitau, Christine; Gitau, Kimani; Shibwabo, BernardEnergy efficiency awareness is one of the most important steps to achieving the final goal of having a sustainable environment in the country. Together with a good energy policy and regulations, this goal can be achieved as it will help consumers make more rational decisions when it comes to new technology. The main problem nowadays is the lack of awareness and strict energy policies which then gives a channel for the counterfeit products to be shipped in and sold out at low prices. This eventually leads to a very high demand in power and later a struggling economy. The current measures put in place are not vibrant and have not gotten to a large number of people. The government regulations on the other hand are not strict and this causes the inefficient appliances to find their way into the country. The proposed project aims to improve the current status by reaching out to as many people as possible and educate them on the importance of a high initial cost which eventually leads to more savings. It also aims at building a platform where customers can verify that their appliances are energy efficient. In order to have built this platform analysis have been done through research and meeting stakeholders who have provide first-hand information in order to formulate the platform. The information gathered have been used to design a platform that meets the challenges faced in renewable energy.
- ItemA Comparison of the use of risk measures and the application of the adjustment coefficient in calculating optimal reinsurance.(Strathmore University, 2018) Wanja, Richard RodrotReinsurance is a mechanism by which an insurance company can protect itself against the risk of losses by transferring the risk to other companies. A reinsurance arrangement could be considered optimal if it minimizes the probability of ruin. When an insurer effects reinsurance, they are required to pay a reinsurance premium. Therefore, the total cost to the insurer in the presence of reinsurance is the cost of meeting the retained loss in the event of a claim and paying the reinsurance premium. The purchase of reinsurance is therefore a compromise between expected gain and security. Reinsurance reduces the cedant’s risk; on the other hand, it will reduce the expected gain of the cedant. Claims experience is assumed to follow a particular loss distribution. i.e. the exponential, pareto, gamma, lognormal, Weibull and burr distributions. This paper determines optimal reinsurance by use of risk measures such as VaR and CTE. The results are compared with the use of the adjustment coefficient in determining the optimal reinsurance strategy. Claims experience data is simulated through the Monte Carlo simulation techniques
- ItemThe Complexity of institutional logic in the context of regional economic organisations: a case study of the East African Community(Strathmore University, 2018) Gakuo, WairimuThis paper proposes an in-depth study on the institutional logics in the East African Community (EAC), one of the regional economic organizations on the continent. As countries across the come closer together to cooperate on trade, economics and security for the benefit of their populations, the organizations that are mandated to manage the integration agenda are still not well understood. The organizations are varied in their structures and strategies, and so are their outcomes. Regional economic organizations (RECs) have existed for almost a century across the world, the most well-known being the European Union (EU). Africa has a dense population of regional organizations, which has presented unique challenges to the management of the organizations. It is widely acknowledged that the continent’s integration agenda has not led to improved economic performance, with globalization and increased competition among countries weakening the integration agenda (Fawn, 2009; Söderbaum & Shaw, 2003). Institutional logics, which are the social and historical practices, assumptions, values, rules and beliefs (Thornton & Ocasio, 1999), inform actors’ and institutional intermediaries’ actions and decisions. Using the institutional logics lens, this study proposes to explore and get new insights on how regional economic organizations manage institutional complexities that affect organizational structures and strategies. The proposed in-depth qualitative case study of the EAC, will inform continuing research on institutional logics, which is a nascent field, particularly on the African continent, and will identify areas for further research. The results will provide the EAC and similar organizations, with information that helps managers better understand the institutional logics that influence the organization and how these could be harnessed and changed for more effective delivery of defined goals and objectives.
- ItemThe Curriculum for human development(Strathmore University, 2018) Atieno, Chelsea OnyangoEach year, there are steadily increasing rates of jobless youth, cases of mental illnesses and suicide among other issues that negatively impact the society. It is no surprise that even as countries become more economically developed, there seems to be a regression when it comes to the social and mental aspects of the human being. The curriculum, world over, has focused on educating students on how they can pass exams, acquire jobs and fend for themselves while it has practically ignored the most essential human needs, which are character, wellness and contentment. Hygiene is a Danish art that emphasizes on well-being and this explains why the Danes are some of the happiest people in the world. If education was fashioned to cater for the most intrinsic human needs such as well being, then some of the physical needs would be tackled simply by contentment and that would curb many social evils such as theft, corruption and fraud. This underscores that there are certain issues in curriculum review and development that have barely been addressed and even where they have been addressed, students do not understand the importance of certain arts of life due to the bureaucratic culture that they have been brought up in. This suggests that there needs to be radical changes in the curriculum in order to have a well- functioning society where peoples’ well-being is at the forefront of every subject.
- ItemDoes inflation rate convergence spur exchange rate volatility? Evidence from East Africa(Strathmore University, 2018) Mose, Naftaly G.Attaining a monetary union is an ambition for most regional economic blocks. However, the arrangement towards monetary union for the East African nations has remained indifferent. Inflation rate is critical for EAC members to achieve a level of harmonization required for establishing a stable and sustainable monetary union. Most existing studies on the relationship show conflicting results and mainly focus on developed countries. It was against this backdrop that the study sought to determine the effect of convergence in inflation rate, a panel data of 5 countries, for the period 2000-2016 was used. Secondary data was obtained from Statistical Abstracts and World Bank Report. The study was guided by the Optimum Currency Area framework. The study made use of Standard deviation and LCC to determine convergence and panel unit root respectively. LCC test established that exchange rate and inflation are stationary at level. Standard deviation test concluded that inflation and exchange rate manifested a negative relationship. This means that convergence in inflation among the EAC countries reduces exchange rate variability within the region. Thus a policy should be made towards controlling this effect resulting from Inflation as East Africa bids for monetary union.
- ItemEngaging communities: an approach to strengthen health systems in Kenya(Strathmore University, 2018) Chore, TimonaIn traditional Africa, there were lower preventable burdens of diseases and mortality because health was viewed collectively by the community. Therefore, community members worked collaboratively to prevent and manage diseases. However, a large proportion of sub-Saharan countries today, including Kenya, bear one of the highest preventable burdens of diseases and mortality in the world. Community engagement initiatives can be used as an effective means for addressing the determinants of diseases and mortality. This is best achieved through people’s active participation, especially at the community level. The aim of this paper is to stimulate debate on the significant role played by community engagement in strengthening health systems. The paper argues that communities should be an integral part of health systems and proposes that community engagement should be a subject of mainstream concern, a staple discussion in national and subnational government levels, academic forums and with policy makers. The paper will realize its objectives through literature review and a case study on the community engagement activities of the Maternal and New born Improvement project (MANI). Kenya has some of the highest rates of maternal and new born mortality in the world. Thus, the MANI project supported by the Department for International Development is working with the Bungoma county government to strengthen the local health system and increase survival of mothers and new borns in the county. Through the case study, the paper assesses the efficacy of community engagement in strengthening health systems by evaluating the impact of the projects’ community engagement activities on the health system.
- ItemThe Impact of the expansion of the big four on the legal services market and mid-sized law firms(Strathmore University, 2018) King’ori, David WanjohiThis paper is based on an article by The Economist titled ‘Attack of the Bean Counters’ published in March 2015, which advances the argument that the Big Four audit firms are the biggest underestimated threat to the legal profession today and the firms most at risk from the expansion of the Big Four in the legal services market are the mid-tier law firms. This is attributed to a number of factors, including their global reach, large client base and more importantly their efficient integration of new legal practices. To interrogate these two assumptions, this paper first examines the basis for the rise of the professions in the society, the ‘inability’ of these professions to meet client needs which led to liberalization and subsequent penetration of the market by alternative legal service providers including the Big Four. Secondly, it examines the critical success factors for their expansion in the legal market through the adoption of new legal practices, enabling them to provide cheaper integrated services. It is debatable whether the Big Four are the biggest threat to mid-tier law firms, compared to other legal service providers, but what is certain is that they are an underestimated threat. Lastly, this paper concludes that, based on the current demand gap, the Big Four, mid-tier law firms and alternative legal service providers all stand an equal chance of thriving in the legal market based on their ability to provide cost-effective, and differentiated services that solve their client problems in the long-term.
- ItemImplementation of Article 159 bit by bit: a place for online dispute resolution in the Kenyan bar(Strathmore University, 2018) Muthusi, Musau EvansThe Constitution guarantees and promises all persons access justice, reasonably and the affordably. This rightly chimes with Article 159 of the Constitution giving all persons the right to exercise judicial authority through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Internationally, with the rise of innovation in e-commerce the use of e-dispute resolution (online dispute resolution (ODR)) as form of internet-based dispute resolution has been embraced. This paper in its simplest form seeks to pose the question, “Does ODR stand a chance with the bar? Does it break the traditions of the bar?” In analyzing these questions, the discussion will first look at, the position of the advocate in the Kenyan context of the Advocates Act and the evolving practice rules. Second, the paper will delve into the use of electronic dispute resolution, placing it in the context of other jurisdictions to observe the threshold and the scope in implementation of ODR rules with a mind to exploring the position of the advocate. Third, we will bring it closer home, presenting the case for e-dispute resolution and whether it is attainable in the standards of the Constitution and what role the Advocate can play. At the same time, we will ask ourselves. “Does the Advocate really have a role in e-dispute resolution?”. Lastly, the discussion will be capped off with recommendations and possible reforms we may want to see the profession take in embracing ODR.
- ItemInfluence of financial literacy training on the performance of village savings and loan associations supported by NGO’s in Kenya: a case study of VSLA’s in Kwale county(Strathmore University, 2018) Onyango, Edward ClementStudies in Kenya largely indicate that VSLA’s have been adopted as a strategy to alleviate poverty in non-formal settlements like the slums in Mathare, Kibera, Korogocho and Kianduti villages or slums for more than 10 years now. Despite these gains there is very scanty information available on the financial literacy of the members of these groups and the impact it has on their performance. Establishment of Voluntary Savings and lending Associations has a had a great impact in ensuring there is economic empowerment of members and groups in the villages through donor fundings.It is from this background that this research intended to determine if there is an influence of financial literacy trainings on the financial performance of village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA’s) projects in supported by NGO’s in Kenya, a case study of Kwale county. The study was done on the members of the VSLA’s in Kwale County who are registered within the groups in that region. There was a total of 73 participants in the study undertaken. The hypothetical question was to establish if financial knowledge has an impact on the financial performance of the VSLA’s supported by NGO’s in Kenya. The study used stratified sampling method and questionnaires in collecting required information through interviews. The findings showed that there was a strong relationship between financial literacy and financial performance of VSLA’s. this led to a conclusion that there is need to ensure the groups are empowered properly since most of the VSLA that have not been performing well have their members not well trained on financial literacy components such as budgeting, expenditure control and savings.
- ItemThe Influence of relationship marketing on customer loyalty in the telecommunication industry in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: lessons for entrepreneurial leadership(Strathmore University, 2018) Mhidze, Robert Wende; Njuguna, James NgugiRelationship marketing (RM) refers to the process of establishing, developing, and maintaining mutually beneficial relations with consumers at a profit. The main objective of this MCOM study was to analyze the relationship between marketing and customer loyalty in the telecommunication industry in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and primary data was collected using semi structured questionnaires. A sample size of 400 was derived comprising mobile subscribers from Vodacom, Tigo and Airtel living in Dar es Salaam. The results of the study established that there is a significant positive influence between relationship marketing and customer loyalty. The study has made contribution to theory, policy and practice in relation to RM and customer loyalty, highlighting challenges and opportunities on how entrepreneurial leadership can leverage on these two variables to transform this technology sector.
- ItemMCS 8112 - Mathematics for business computing(Strathmore University, 2023-01) Strathmore, University
- ItemMST 8104 - Software laboratory experience II(Strathmore University, 2023) Strathmore, University
- ItemMST 8404 - Policy formulation and implementation(Strathmore University, 2023-01) Strathmore, University
- ItemA Normative reflection on public relations and or corporate communications practice(Strathmore University, 2018) Marube, WilfredThere has been debate among scholars, students and practitioners and in the field of communication management regarding the correct name to describe the practice of public relations and corporate communications. One of the arguments that has stuck is the debate whether these two terminologies may refer to the same practice or are distinct disciplines. Some scholars and practitioners may dismiss such limited focus on nomenclature. On the surface this may appear trivial, but it underscores different theoretical and practical perspectives brought into the field. Such disagreements, while expected in a young field such as this, are not healthy for a discipline at its infancy, fighting for acceptance and respectability in academic and industrial circles. But then, the begging question is if practitioners and academicians seem not to be in agreement whether public relations and corporate communications are one and the same, what about the students and the industry? While there have been views from an American and European perspective leading towards a normative perspective, a consensus on how to describe the discipline has not been arrived at. This paper will attempt to identify, define, describe and interrogate the perspectives that embody the two labels and ultimately state whether the two disciplines are synonymous, through the application of a normative interpretive framework derived from the review of literature.