3673 research outputs found
Sort by
CTW - 22 June 2018
No full textA Campus Weekly Magazine by the Marketing and Communications Department of USIU- Afric
Value of consultants against internal team
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaConsultants here, consultants there, consultants everywhere. Many pundits suggest that Kenya has the highest number of management consultants per professional worker in the world. Consulting comprises big revenue in the world. Management consulting in the United States alone represents a Sh19.9 trillion industry.
In developing nations, The Boston Consulting Group estimates that emerging market cities, like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, represent 67 per cent of global GDP growth increasing roughly one per cent each year against rural areas and developed cities.
We can expect the management consulting business in Kenya to flourish as a sector as our economic growth remains one of the highest in the world.
But what drives Kenya’s insatiable demand for management consulting services? Businesses here love to spend money on two ubiquitous types consulting services: business plans and team building
Tackling cheating scourge in varsities
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaIn continuation of the Business Talk miniseries on Kenyan education, we delve into solutions to the endemic scourge of cheating in Kenyan universities.
Business Talk highlighted the prevalence, statistics, and causes of cheating at the university level in the June 7 edition whereby a staggering 82 per cent of Kenyan public university students admit to cheating.
One of the most dismal examples of cheating revolves around master’s degree theses and projects. Graduate students should ideally develop a research study to solve an industry or theoretical problem. Graduate-level projects help prepare students for future problem solving when they become industry executives in the future.
Sadly, cheating permeates even these would-be seminal momentous life-changing projects and we instead get more half-baked post-graduates. Some universities employ no reasonable method to crack down on master’s project or even PhD dissertation cheating
A strong university champions transparency student feedback
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaThe ability to think critically, examine phenomena, build confidence to adapt, boost economic resiliency, and contribute towards community empowerment all form reasons for prospective students to pursue undergraduate education. However, not all university education is created equal.
In continuation of Business Talk’s mini-series on tertiary education in Kenya, last week this column investigated selection criteria that every student and parent should utilise to choose a university for undergraduate studies. Today, we delve into part two of selecting an undergraduate programme.
First, how much does the university collect, evaluate, and modify programming based on undergraduate student feedback? The tertiary education sector stands as a famous example of an industry slow to respond to market demands and customer feedback. Unfortunately, since undergraduate students consume service but others, such as parents, often pay for the education, then the low elasticity demand for bad lectures, slow administrative services, or dismal campus environments builds complacency.
Prospective students should ask admissions personnel for concrete examples of when undergraduate student feedback forms following a course actually changed something in the classroom. Universities should remove poorly evaluated faculty from lecturing responsibilities
Challenges Faced By Female Entrepreneurs and Strategies Adopted To Ensure Business Growth - A Case of Selected Micro Enterprises in Juja- Kenya
No full textA Research Project Submitted to the School of Business in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)This research aims to determine the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs, strategies adopted to ensure business growth a case of micro enterprises in Juja, Kenya. The specific objectives were to determine: the challenges that face female entrepreneurs while growing their businesses; the strategic management practices that address challenges faced by female entrepreneurs while growing their businesses and the impact of adoption of strategies on the growth of female owned entrepreneurs’ business.
The study adopted a descriptive research design to determine the strategic management challenges that female entrepreneurs face while growing their businesses in Juja- Kiambu County. The target population was the 364 owners of female businesses in Juja town and simple random sampling was used to obtain 191 female owners of businesses in Juja town. To calculate the sample size of the respondents, the study used the Yamane’s formula. The study used open and closed questions to gather primary data. The researcher selected a pilot group of 7 women from the target population to test the validity of the research instrument. Analysis was done quantitatively and qualitatively by use of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics in form of simple regression was used.
Results show that female entrepreneurs in Juja Sub County encountered various challenges in effort to grow their SMEs, among the challenges include lack of capital, limited awareness of markets while growing their business and that majority face problems of access to credit. Domestic commitments deter women from making effective entrepreneurial decisions and that lack of managerial training and experience is among the key challenge leading to closure of women own SMEs in the first two years after opening. Also, business challenges diminish women’s ability to contribute effectively to sustainable development of their business. The organisation values help in women’s business growth and strategic management tools offer an opportunity for women to analyse their position in the industry. Finally, it was established that the adoption of strategies had enhanced the growth of business in terms of increased profitability, revenue growth, cashflow growth and increase in the number of customers which in turn enhanced their competitiveness.
The study concludes that women in Juja area had adopted strategies to enhance businesses growth, among them included use of business plan with clear assignments of responsibilities regarding detailed implementation activities of the business, ensuring that responsibilities are clear and well assigned. Women in Juja area had adopted SWOT analysis tools to offer them an opportunity to analyse their position in the industry in terms of strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. Women entrepreneurs should be sensitised on the available credit access facilities, this should be done by the county government in close liaison with local financial institutions. The county government should organise for business training targeting women. This will help in ensuring that entrepreneurs are equipped with right skill that are a prerequisite to in ensuring business growth. Women entrepreneurs need to develop strong daily program that takes care of business operation hours and domestic commitments. Other alternatives may also be employed to salvage valuable time that is lost on domestic commitments. Cultural values that do not allow women to own property that can be used as collateral in bid to securing credit facilities should be discouraged.
This study recommended that county government need to lay down clear process and encouraging regulations that promote women entrepreneurship in the county. Women owned business should have in place a clear proactive business strategies in place that outline the business core activities, prospects and a very clear workable formula towards the achievement of the stated goals. There is need to periodically conduct business strategies assessment in order to evaluate the business performance course. SME’s should be encouraged to building stronger internal structural base such that funds will be adequate to enable them function more effectively and compete favourably. The county government should come up with more institutionalize laws that will ensure adequate protection of SME’s from any form of exploitation in a bid to access funds or ensure expansion and growth of their businesses
Political Risk Factors Associated With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among Internally Displaced Persons in Post- Election Violence of 2007/2008 in Kenya: Case of Mai Mahiu Camps in Nakuru County
No full textThesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in International RelationsPost-election violence (PEV) witnessed in Kenya in the year 2007 - 2008 mostly in the informal settlements of major towns. The violence peculiarly created a traumatic event that increased risk for post trauma stress disorder (PTSD) among other many psychiatric conditions and psychological disorders. PTSD is influenced by a number of risk factors that are demographic or external. This study sought to establish current levels of PTSD and associated political risk factors among the post-election violence internally displaced persons (IDPs). This study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey design incorporating both qualitative and quantitative research methods in a case of Mai Mahiu Camps in Nakuru County. Yamane (1967:886) formula was used to compute the sample of 145 internally displaced persons sampled using stratified and simple random sampling methods to complete researcher administered questionnaires containing Impact of Events Scale. Data tools were pretested and Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.7 used to ascertain validity and reliability in the study. Quantitative data collected was coded, processed and cleaned off any inconsistencies and outliers. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 21) software was used to analyze the quantitative data using descriptive and inferential statistics. Factor analysis was carried out to reduce dimensions of multidimensional variables. Chi square tests of association, correlation and multiple linear regression models were used to determine the relationship between variables. Qualitative data was analyzed through content analysis and results presented in verbatim. Findings were presented in the form of text, charts, graphs and tables. The findings indicated that all the internally displaced persons had symptoms of PTSD. PTSD was influenced by political factors and social demographic characteristics. Political risk
x
factors included oncoming elections supporters’ activities; while social demographic factors included age, gender, level of education completed, and marital status. The study recommended that the government should prioritize on their resettlement and guarantee their security and provision pre and post-election periods. Law should be enforced to ensure law, order and respect for humanity in conducting political activities including addressing both supporters and non-supporters. Politicians should be advised to spread messages of peace and prosperity. The public should be sensitized on tolerance, cohesion and integration. Internally displaced persons should be given education, support and therapy to reduce prevalence of PTS
The Relationship between K.C.S.E Examination Scores and Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression and Suicide Ideation among Adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in Clinical PsychologyThis study examined the relationship between the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination scores and the symptoms of anxiety, depression and suicide ideation among the adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya. The study was conducted at various churches in Eastlands, Southlands and Westlands. A target population of 100 boys and girls were randomly selected. The inclusion criteria for this sample were participants aged 16, 17, 18 and 19 years who had taken their KCSE examination in October and November 2015. The study commenced on 3rd March 2016, after the results for this examination were released by the Kenya Ministry of Education. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Beck’s Anxiety Inventory and the Columbia Suicide Severity Scale (Screener version) were administered to each participant in addition to the researchers own questions targeting the participants’ attitude towards this examination. Pearson-product moment correlation method was used to analyze the data and the results presented in tables. The study found that in regards to participants’ KCSE scores: 41% reported moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety; 64% reported depressive symptoms; and 11% reported suicide ideation. In the population studied, there was no significant correlation between KCSE scores and psychological symptoms of depression as evidenced by the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.133 at a significance level of 0.186. There was also no relationship between KCSE scores and symptoms of suicide ideation as evidenced by the Pearson correlation coefficient of -0.07 at a significance level of 0.49. There was however a correlation of 0.238 between KCSE scores and anxiety symptoms as evidenced by a significance level of 0.017
What research tells us about participative leaders
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaSome employees get shocked when their department makes an announcement. They perhaps never knew that any inclination that a major change was in the pipeline. Ever worked for someone who makes all office decisions themselves without including your feedback? Ever experienced a boss who seemingly did not factor you or your opinion into changes that impacted your job?
Many employees in Kenya crave a boss who includes them in important workplace decisions. Staff desire to feel included, listened to, and not only incorporate their input in verdicts but actually make some or most of the decisions on their own.
Charles Manz and Henry Sims’ groundbreaking research found that participative leaders differ from other types of leaders because they delegate decision authority to their employees. Participative leaders foster shared leadership development within workplace teams.
The United States International University of Africa in collaboration with Durham University, Global Communities, and USAid, surveyed 19 agricultural co-operatives in 12 Kenyan counties in order to ascertain, among other goals, the impact that participative leaders have on desirable organisational and community outcomes
The Role of Porter’s Generic Strategies in the Growth of Public Universities in Kenya
No full textA Research Project Report Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)The purpose of this study was to establish the role of Porters’ strategies on the growth of public universities in Kenya. The study sought to determine the role of cost leadership strategy on the growth of public universities in Kenya, to examine the role of differentiation strategy on the growth of public universities in Kenya, and to determine the role of focus strategy on the growth of public universities in Kenya.
This study used a descriptive survey that endeavored to show the relationship that exists between study factors. The population of the study consisted of KU employees who were 5486. The sample frame for this study was acquired from the human resource department and the population was divided between academic staff and administrative staff. Stratified sampling technique was used to select respondents, the sample size of the study constituted of 5% of the total population between the academic staff and administrative staff of KU bringing the sample size to 274 respondents. Data gathered was analyzed through descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The researcher used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze the data. Results of the study were presented using tables and figures. Inferential statistics involved the use of correlation and regression analysis.
The study showed that analysis of internal association of KU and its assets in view of its end goal was significant to its competitive advantage, and the university operates within a great fit between itself and its outer market setting and its inner abilities/ capabilities. The cost leadership strategy of the university is to provide learning services at the most minimal cost and the institution has the capacity to work at a lower cost compared to other public institutions.
The study showed that the institution has built a solid personality or brand that separates it from its competitors within the same market, and it has a solid innovative work skills and leadership capabilities that facilitate its capacity to create differentiation within the market. The university differentiates its services through having a responsive customer service, technological innovations and engineering design, and its embeddedness and interconnection provides its competitive advantage since it impacts its behavior in seeking a social and economic fit. The study showed that the institution utilizes differentiation strategy in view of product benefit to customers, and it has selected a market niche where its customers have distinctive preferences for services provided. The study revealed that the institution knows the overall dynamics and forces in its marketplace, and understands how these forces impact its business, and it has the zeal to make its service better, and its strategy revolves around differentiation tied to product superiority.
The study concludes that the institution had the ability to ensure its overheads were low through establishment of a cost effective culture, formed partnerships with expert organizations, and other providers in order to fence on cost abuse. The institution used differentiation strategy by focusing on putting resources into growth strategies and things that were discernable for clients to see, and its focus strategy differentiation depended on its buyer segment demanding unique service attributes.
The study recommends KU’s management to comprehensively understand its capability to ensure that it adopts viable focus strategies. The management should understand that, as its market becomes vigorous and vibrant, it will need the university to position itself to effectively and efficiently satisfy these needs