MBA Theses and Dissertations (2021)

Permanent URI for this collection

Browse

Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 5 of 56
  • Item
    Influence of succession planning on the survival of family owned Small and Medium Enterprises in Nairobi City County Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2021) Njambi, Anne
    The small and medium enterprises sector is one of the key drivers of economic growth and employment creation in Kenya. However, most firms within the sector; are faced by a myriad of challenges in their growth. One of the main challenges has been succession planning which plagues the family-owned small and medium enterprises resulting in low ch8nces of survival upon the demise or incapacitation of the founding owner. This study sought to examine the inf1uence of succession planning on the small of family-owned small and medium enterprises in Nairobi City County. Kenya. The study specifically sought to establish the effect of leadership development. Communication stakeholder involvement and stall career development on the succession and survival or family-owned small and medium enterprises. The study was guided by the hum8n capital theory. The leadership model of succession and the game theory of succession planning. The study employed a positivist philosophy. The population for the study was 490 family-owned businesses operating within the borders of Nairobi City County that have undergone 2nd", 3rd 4th generation succession. A sample of 220 enterprises was selected. This study utilized primary data that was sourced using a structured questionnaire. The collected data was analysed using descriptive correlation and regression analysis. Findings showed that I 04 of the sampled firms had a succession plan in place. The results also indicated that 125 of the firms were either in the 2nd or 3'd generation. The correlation results established that together, leadership development, communication, stakeholder involvement and staff career development had a moderate positive relationship with the survival of family-owned businesses. The regression results revealed that almost half of the variations in survival of family-owned businesses were determined by these four variables of succession planning. The research concluded that on its own leadership development had an insignificant effect on the survival of family-owned businesses. The study further concluded that communication stakeholder involvement and staff career development had a positive relationship with survival of family-owned businesses. The research recommends that on staff career development family-owned businesses should improve the capacity building among their staff and enhance the recognition schemes for their employees. Further the businesses should formulate better networking strategies and stakeholder involvement in the succession planning of the firm. Regarding communication. The study recommends that business owners initiate and communicate succession plans as a matter of formality rather than a last-ditch effort. Lastly, although leadership development appeared to haw· an in significant relationship to succession planning, it is still important for leadership teams to calculate their coaching and mentorship programs since this scam have significate impact of a company's future. The study recommends for further study on the viability and suitability of leadership development practices adopted within family owned businesses .
  • Item
    Effect of operational management practices on organization productivity of flower farms in Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2021) Nzioka, Gladys Esther Sherley
    The business operating environment is volatile, dynamic, uncertain, has scarce resources, limited opportunities and enormous risks. The market demand for high levels of efficiency standards failure to which firms will face extinction. Hence, there is need for careful optimization among all firms aiming to achieve competitive advantage. This is possible if an organization pursues control process of internal resources and capabilities. To yield this operational management practices has pivotal role in horticultural firms. Consequently, the current study sought to examine the effect of operational management practices on organization productivity of flower farming firms in Kenya. Specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of supply chain management on organization productivity of flower farms in Kenya, examine the effect of inventory management practices on organization productivity of flower farms in Kenya, and establish the effect of quality management practices on organization productivity of flower farms in Kenya. The study was anchored on agency theory, systems theory and contingency theory. The study adopted descriptive research design. Simple and stratified sampling were used to draw 164 respondents from 70 flower farming firms in Kenya will be adopted. The target respondents included agronomists, procurement, finance and operational managers of flower farms. Primary data was collected through administration of questionnaires. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in aid SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics adopted included mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentages. Inferential statistics adopted include correlation and multiple regression analysis. The study findings indicated that 78% agreed that supply chain management, inventory management practices and quality management practices have effect on organization productivity of flower farms in Kenya. Regression analysis indicated that supply chain management practices, inventory management practices and quality management practices have 78.4% positive and significant effect on organization productivity in flower farms in Kenya. It is concluded that there is need for flower farming companies to develop measures aimed at strategic supplier partnering, supplier segmentation and supplier development so as to optimize their organization productivity
  • Item
    Effects of information technology enabled logistics base stations network on operational costs of logistics companies: case of Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2021) Baojun, Wen
    Logistics operational costs are among the most critical costs of general goods. The concern of every management of logistics companies is how to manage these costs. Most logistics companies have established logistics base stations network as a means of spreading and reducing the operational costs. However, these costs are still high. The focus of the research was to determine the effect of integrating information technology into operations of the logistics base stations network on the overall operational costs of Kenya based logistic companies. The specific objectives were; to establish the implication of Information Technology enabled logistics base stations on transportation and supply chain costs of Kenya based logistic firms; to investigate the implication of Information Technology enabled logistics base stations on inventory control of a logistic company in Kenya; and to determine the implication of Information Technology enabled logistics base stations on material handling costs of a logistic company in Kenya. The research was anchored on a number of theories namely; technology acceptance model theory, operations management theory and Durkheimian theory. Descriptive research design was used by researcher. Researcher targeted 1602 Kenya based logistic companies which formed study population. Stratified simple random sampling was used to determine the sample which was 160 logistic companies. Semi structured questionnaire was utilized to collect both primary and secondary data. The respondents were the logistic managers of the companies. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized by the researcher to carry out data analysis. Research established that there exists considerable relationship between information technologies enabled logistics base stations network and operational costs of logistics companies. The results also showed that IT enabled transport, IT enabled inventory control and IT enabled material handling significantly influenced the operational costs of Kenyan logistic firms with a P-value of 0.000. It was therefore concluded that the three variables significantly influenced the operational cost of Kenyan logistics firms. From the study findings, researcher suggests that logistic firms need to continuously improve their security to meet the global standards and always adopt to the ever changing security measures like the real time and tamper proof systems that alerts them in cases of attacks, change of routes or any suspicious activity during transportation. Also logistics companies need to invest more on the inventory management software programs that lowers cost of managing inventories. The IT based inventory management can be used in both entry and at the terminus when goods are offloaded to ensure that client gets what was intended and not swapped on the way. Further, there is need for the logistics companies to introduce customers’ notification systems that can track every stage of the transit goods so as to ensure that customers can monitor the goods and therefore reduce time taken to deliver the cargo.
  • Item
    Drivers of growth in the private security industry
    (Strathmore University, 2021) Kinywa, Fred
    Due to the emerging security issues in Kenya private security services have increased over the years. While a number of reasons such as increased crime, vandalism and terrorism on the back of the state’s diminishing capacity to contain the same can be attributed to this, there hasn’t been a dedicated study to prove or otherwise disagree with such anecdotally held evidence. Given the emerging rise of the private security industry, we found it necessary to carry out a study to find out the drivers of growth of the private security industry. Using a cross-sectional design and census of the target population of registered members of KSIA, the study findings based on collected primary data from 37 firms (24 registered with KSIA and the rest either aspiring or already in the process of registration) shows that the evolution of security roles has risen beyond manned guarding to more complex services which include consulting, training, alarm response services, vehicle tracking, security systems and technology, cash management and investigative services among others. Besides, the private security firms are growing at a significant rate with increasing annual profits of more than 1 billion Kenyan Shillings on average every year. This increased profit can be attributed to a sound regulatory environment that has allowed the firms to take more of a center-stage in providing security solutions to the people. Also, dispute resolution mechanisms available in the country are helping improve consumer confidence in the procuring of private security services. The implication of these findings is that we can never take for granted the private security industry and despite the regulation of the same provided for in the Private Security Regulation Act in 2016, there are key lessons that can be forwarded for a more sustained growth within the precepts of the law. Firstly, private security firms should diversify their service provision to encompass a wider scope of service delivery. Secondly, there is opportunity to continue investing in the industry particularly in security services to individuals in their homes and offices with more diversified products to address the needs of the rising middle class. Finally, there is need for continued effort in ensuring a sustainable regulatory environment and full implementation of the dispute regulation strategies in Kenya.
  • Item
    Determinants of newspaper readership in Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2021) Kipkemboi, Andrew
    The growth, accessibility, and availability of the Internet has drastically altered the means by which individuals receive news and information. Consequently, this has affected the circulation of newspapers. Newspaper publishers are struggling to maintain their market share while also promoting newspaper readership among a younger demographic, which prefers using the Internet to get their news and information. Due to this change and amid the new realities of the Covid-19 pandemic, this study endeavours to find out the determinants of newspaper readership in Kenya. To effectively answer this question, the study was guided by four specific objectives: To determine the influence of cost on newspaper readership in Kenya; to determine how technology influences newspaper readership in Kenya; to determine how content influences newspaper readership in Kenya and; to determine how accessibility influences newspaper readership in Kenya. The study was based on Technological Determinism and Uses and Gratification theories. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach. The target population for the study was 328 newspaper readers from which a sample of 175 was calculated. This study used non-probability sampling technique. Specifically, the convenience sampling technique was applied. The questionnaires were self-distributed to participants. The data was analysed using the SPSS statistical package adopting both descriptive and inferential statistical approaches whereby data was presented in figures and tables and supported with reviewed literature. The correlation results showed that there existed positive and significant associations between content, technology, and newspaper readership whilst positive but insignificant associations were observed between newspaper readership, cost and accessibility. The regression findings indicate increase in cost and technology would result in a reduction of newspaper readership and increases in content and accessibility would yield an increase in newspaper readership. The study concludes an increase in price of newspapers and access to technology would yield a decline in print newspaper readership; an increase in content of print newspapers would result in greater readership; that greater circulation of printed newspaper results in an increase of newspaper readership. The study recommends that print media focuses on content that is targeted towards the youth to encourage readership among this age group while also enhancing circulation to increase readership. There is need for newspapers to diversify the topics and subjects that are covered in their headlines, front page, news articles, and editorials to elicit interest from readers. Lastly, media houses should consider the cost of newspapers in their strategy to improve newspaper readership. Lastly, but not least, the study contributed to knowledge in understanding newspaper readership in a digitally saturated environment while suggesting areas of future research on newspaper readership for future researchers.