MBA Theses and Dissertations (2024)

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/11071/15481

Browse

Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 5 of 41
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Affordable housing delivery and economic revival in the post COVID 19 era- a case of family homes fund in Nigeria
    (Strathmore University, 2024) Gambo, M. M.
    Africa is facing an unprecedented population growth and urbanization rate, coupled with the social and economic effects of the COVID pandemic; making it necessary to enhance mechanisms for social support such as housing. This study’s aim was to establish the role of affordable housing delivery and economic revival in the post COVID-19 era using a case study of the Family Homes Fund in Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to analyze the different approaches to affordable housing delivery adopted and their impact on economic revival post COVID -19; determine the skills set of affordable housing delivery affecting economic revival in the post COVID-19 era in Nigeria; and to establish the critical success factors of affordable housing delivery affecting economic revival in the post COVID-19 era in Nigeria. The study was anchored on the Keynesian economic theory and the public interest economic regulation theory. A quantitative explanatory research design and a stratified random sampling technique were utilized. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. Reliability of the data collection tool was determined through Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient, while the data was analyzed by relevant statistical tools using the SPSS 24 package. Correlation results revealed that there was a positive but insignificant relation between the approaches to affordable housing delivery and economic survival in the post COVID-19 era in Nigeria. Further, skills set for affordable housing delivery had a statistically significant moderately positive correlation with economic survival in the post COVID-19 era in Nigeria while critical success factors had a significant weakly positive correlation. Regression analysis revealed that there a positive and significant relation between affordable housing delivery and economic survival in post COVID-19 era in Nigeria. The study also determined that there was no significant effect of the various approaches used in predicting economic revival in the post COVID-19 era in Nigeria. The analysis further found that there existed a positive and significant relation between the Skillset for Affordable Housing Delivery applied as well as Critical Success Factors for Affordable Housing Delivery and economic revival in the post COVID-19 era in Nigeria. The study recommends that the relevant bodies establish and strengthen skills development programs for professionals involved in affordable housing delivery. Additionally, the study recommends exploration of innovative financing models to support the development and implementation of affordable housing projects thereby enhancing the affordability and accessibility of housing options, leading to economic revival. Lastly, the study recommends adopting an integrated planning approach that considers affordable housing as a key component of broader economic revival strategies. Key words: Affordable Housing Delivery, COVID pandemic, Economic Revival, Nigeria.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Impact of hybrid working systems on employee wellbeing in professional services firms: a case study of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Nairobi, Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2024) Nyambego, O. R.
    The maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment for all the employees and the organization itself, as well as the people working for the organization, contributes to sustainability of organizations. Organizations that have embedded employee wellbeing at the workplace have chronicled the business success as well. For individuals, workplace wellbeing stands for a full, non-stop duty for both the employer and employees. Hybrid working system is an adaptable mode of implementation that, besides working in an office environment, also gives the option of working remotely. Flexibility is different depending on the hybrid working environment, thus giving rise to a different range of schedules. Companies may design their hybrid work model to create a more comfortable working environment that gives a better work-life balance to the employees. It becomes a source for new ideas and active dialogue which in turn lead to productivity and employee engagement at work. The study was to assess the impact of hybrid working systems on employee wellbeing in professional services firms: A case study of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Nairobi, Kenya with specific objectives being; To establish the influence of hybrid working systems of professional services firms: a case of PwC in Nairobi, Kenya; to investigate the effect of building flexible infrastructure on employee well-being in professional services firms in Nairobi Kenya, PwC; to establish the impact of physical working environment on employees wellbeing of professional services firms in Nairobi Kenya, PwC; and to establish the impact of remote working on employees well-being of professional services firms in Nairobi Kenya, PwC. Through the assessment of this topic and the variables there was fulfillment of the mission aligned with hybrid work practices such as infrastructure building, tie-in of human resource and information technology, the creation of a correct work environment, and connecting offsite and onsite employees. The study adopted Job Demand resources theory and Self-Determination theory constituting, of the basis upon which the study was grounded. The study targeted all the employees of PwC in Nairobi, Kenya as the target population. The study applied a research philosophy of positivism and a descriptive cross-sectional survey was used as the research design. Data collection instrument used was questionnaires which consisted of both open and close questions, and the procedure adopted was a handed out in a drop and pick technique. Collected data was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics analysis, while qualitative research was gathered using interviews which was further analyzed using NVIvo using thematic approach. In establishing the relationship between the variables the study used multiple regression model. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative data approaches to help identify the key findings. The results, after careful analysis and examination, revealed that flexible work environment, physical work environment, and remote working impact on employee well-being within professional service firms. The results yielded crucial insights into optimizing workplace conditions for enhanced employee satisfaction and productivity. The findings underscore the multifaceted nature of employee well-being, elucidating how various aspects of the work environment contribute to overall satisfaction and fulfillment. With a notable portion of the variability in employee well-being explained by these factors, it becomes evident that organizations must prioritize creating conducive work environments that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of their workforce. The study suggested a future research to be conducted in the same area but employing a longitudinal or experimental designs, utilize multi-source data collection methods, incorporate qualitative approaches, conduct comparative studies across industries and geographic regions, implement intervention studies to evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions, and explore mediation and moderation analysis to uncover underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions influencing the relationships under investigation. Addressing these limitations and pursuing further research in these areas would contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between work environment factors and employee well-being in professional services firms.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Determinants of FinTech adoption and the moderating effect of preparedness on the relationship between determinants and FinTech adoption by commercial banks in Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2024) Omamo, S. O.
    FinTech has been described as the future of banking due to its disruptive effect. However, the adoption of FinTech by banks in payment, lending and personal banking is low. The purpose of this research was to examine the determinants of FinTech adoption by commercial banks in Kenya. The specific objectives were to examine the effects of cost-related factors, customer-related factors and technology-related factors on Fintech adoption by Kenyan commercial banks. Additionally, this study sought to examine the moderating effect of banks’ preparedness on the relationship between the aforementioned factors and FinTech adoption. The theories that anchored this research were the diffusion of innovation theory and the technology acceptance model. Positivism philosophy guided the methodology for this study. The cross-sectional descriptive research design was adopted – this study was observational and collected data from participants at a single point in time. Respondents in this study were recruited using judgmental sampling. The sample needed for this research was respondents from the 34 commercial banks in Kenya. Data was gathered using structured questionnaires, which was distributed to multiple respondents from each bank including marketing, operations, information technology, human resources and finance managers working for banks based in Nairobi County using a drop and pick method. Validity of the study was improved using a pilot study to assess the understandability of the questionnaire and an expert review. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26. A multiple linear regression was used to determine if cost-related, customer-related, and technology-related factors predicted FinTech adoption by banks. For the first objective, the results also showed a significant negative effect of cost-related factors on the adoption of FinTech by commercial banks in Kenya. Regarding the second objective, the result from this study showed insignificant positive effect of customer-related factors on the adoption of FinTech by commercial banks in Kenya. For the third objective, the results showed a significant positive effect of technology-related factors on the adoption of Fintech by commercial banks in Kenya. Regarding the fourth objective, the findings also indicated that preparedness for Fintech does not have a moderating effect on the relationship between determinants of Fintech adoption since no significant interaction effects were observed. Overall, in the final model for predicting FinTech adoption by commercial banks in Kenya, only cost-related factors and technology-related factors were included with negative and positive effects respectively. The implication of these findings is that reducing cost-related factors can improve the adoption of FinTech by commercial banks in Kenya. These results also suggest that improving technology-related factors can improve the adoption of FinTech by commercial banks in Kenya. In this respect, FinTech adoption can be improved by reducing reliance on legacy systems, making FinTech compatible with banking systems and processes, and developing secure FinTech. Additionally, the findings from this study suggest that enhancing preparedness can improve the adoption of FinTech by commercial banks in Kenya. Preparedness can be enhanced by adopting digital innovation strategies, improving technical capabilities and human resource capabilities, being agile and adaptable, and partnering with FinTech companies.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Examining the financial effect of net zero carbon emissions goal on Kenyan airlines
    (Strathmore University, 2024) Obara, S.
    Despite the adverse effects of aviation on the environment caused by the increase in global air traffic, there has been limited policy locally to mitigate carbon emissions. This was discussed on a global platform in October 2022 that culminated in an adoption of a long-term global aspirational goal (LTAG) of achieving a neutral carbon emissions goal by 2050. The roadmaps to net zero address two key points: reducing the amount of energy needed to fly and substituting the fuel used in aviation. Unfortunately, current national plans are behind schedule on achieving these milestones. This study specifically examined the impact of the LTAG net-zero goal on the local aviation sector and the effect of technological advancements, operational changes and implementation of sustainable aviation fuel on an airline’s overall costs. This study was anchored on the Porter hypothesis which defines the impact of environmental regulation on business performance and the contingent resource-based theory that defines the correlation between a firm’s strategy for managing how its activities interface with the environment and its competitive advantage. It was based on a pragmatic research philosophy in examining the relationships between the study variables while integrating qualitative and quantitative research methods to glean various perspectives on the research problem. The current research used on a mixed research approach with structured and semi-structured questionnaires that was instrumental in examining the causal link between ICAO LTAG recommendations and airline costs by gathering data from questionnaires and interviewing key experts in aviation management. The study population was drawn from the 69 local airlines. The sample study was 138 respondents who hold senior management positions in the airlines. A combination of primary and secondary data was utilized in this research. The secondary data was obtained from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), KCAA, aeronautical business reports and journals. The study employed standard deviation, means, regression and correlation analysis. The correlation analysis showed that technical improvement, operational improvement and SAF implementation all had a weak positive significant relationship with the airline costs in Kenya. Results from the regression analysis revealed that net zero carbon emission goal explained 36.7% of the airline costs in the Kenyan aviation industry. The study further found that technological improvement positively and significantly contributes to improved airline costs. The analysis also revealed that operational improvements had a positive and significant effect on airline costs in the Kenyan aviation industry. Lastly, the findings on the third variable revealed an insignificant effect of sustainable aviation fuel implementation on the airline costs in the Kenyan aviation industry. The study recommends that airlines should consider aviation emissions when undertaking fleet upgrades, aiming to incorporate more environmentally friendly technologies. The study also recommends continued investment of resources in optimizing operational processes as improvement of these operations lead to an increase in the airline's margin. The study further recommends an increase in government support and incentives which may be necessary to facilitate the transition to SAF and alleviate the financial burden on airlines.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Influence of institutional factors on access to education for children with learning disabilities in public primary schools in Nairobi County
    (Strathmore University, 2024) Mwangi, V.
    In Kenya, basic education is an equal right meant to be enjoyed by everyone. However, most children with disabilities are unable to access this right. This study focused on establishing the influence of institutional factors on access to education for children with learning disabilities in public primary schools in Nairobi County. Based on institutional theory, the study specifically analysed the effect of infrastructure, human resource, management and curriculum factors and how they affect the access to education for children with learning disabilities. A descriptive correlational research design in this study. The sample respondents for the study were 225 principals drawn from public primary schools in Nairobi County. Structured questionnaires were applied in the data collection process with quantitative techniques adopted in the analysis through descriptive and inferential tests. The findings revealed that institutional factors including infrastructural factors, human resources factors, management factors, and curriculum factors had positive correlation with the access of education by the children with disabilities. The study recommends for development and implementation of strategies to improve teacher-student ratios, such as hiring additional staff to provide more individualized support to children with learning disabilities. The study also recommends a strengthening of school management structures to ensure effective coordination and support for initiatives aimed at promoting inclusive education. Finally, the study recommends provision of training and resources for teachers to effectively implement personalized and inclusive teaching methods that accommodate the diverse learning styles and abilities of children with learning disabilities. Keywords: Physical Disability, Education Access, Curriculum, Human Resource, Infrastructure, Management