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Influence of Human Resource Practices on Inclusion and Diversity in Commercial Banks in Nairobi- a case of Stanbic Bank, Nairobi.
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectThis research proposes to study the influence of HR practices on Diversity and inclusion at commercial banks in Kenya. The study will focus on Stanbic Bank, Kenya. The integration of HR practices is an integral part in fostering inclusion and diversity in the workplace. The general objective is to look at how the HR department practices, such as recruitment and selection, diversity training and organizational culture, influence inclusion and diversity at Stanbic Bank. This paper makes use of the Optimal Distinctiveness Theory and Institutional Theory which explains the relationship between fitting in and standing out and the external forces that foster inclusion and diversity. Descriptive research design will be used to measure the influence of practices on inclusion and diversity
Effect of anti-fraud mechanisms on motor insurance fraud and the moderating effect of corporate governance in Nairobi County, Kenya
No full textFull - text thesisThe study was motivated to establish the effect of anti-fraud mechanisms on the motor insurance fraud and the moderating effect of corporate governance in Kenya, Nairobi County. This was specifically addressed by ascertaining how the preventive and detective anti-fraud mechanisms impact the motor insurance fraud among the insurance firms located in Nairobi County, Kenya and the moderating effect of corporate governance. This study was underpinned by the Fraud Management Lifecycle and the Fraud Triangle theories. Descriptive correlational design involving the collection and analysis of primary data was used to show how motor insurance fraud among the insurance firms in Nairobi County is influenced by the preventive and detective anti-fraud mechanisms. The target population of the study was 35 insurance firms in Nairobi County licensed by IRA. The units of observation consisted of 5 claim assessors and 5 insurance underwriters in each given insurance firm. This summed up to 350 respondents and census methodology was employed to study all the given respondents. Structured questionnaires was used by the researcher to suitably obtain primary data that was in quantitative form from the respondents in order to address the study objectives. Descriptive and multiple linear regression tools were used to analysis. The regression results observed that the implementation of the most effective preventive and detective antifraud mechanisms significantly reduces motor insurance fraud among the motor insurance firms in Nairobi County, Kenya. The results also observed that corporate governance considerably moderates the negative relationship between preventive anti-fraud mechanisms and motor insurance fraud among motor insurance firms in Nairobi County, Kenya. The management should invest in fraud training programmes to the employees and to the general public through one-one sessions, social media advertisements and through their websites. This will help deter fraudsters from falsifying claims such as editing digital insurance certificates or stage-managing accidents. The policy makers through the IRA and the Parliament of Kenya should create laws which will ensure that each motor insurance firm has an internal audit department, conduct fraud awareness training programmes at least 4 times every quarter of the year especially to the new employees and conduct serious background checks of both the employees and the insured motorists in order to discourage motor insurance fraud from being perpetuated. Moreover, the IRA should ensure that all the motor insurance service providers have registered with the IMIDS and frequently updates it with the relevant information claimants since it plays an important role in flagging down fraudulent claims before a fraud loss is experienced
Huduma Namba Season 2? assessing the adequacy of Kenya’s legal framework in protecting children’s privacy in the Maisha Card digital identity system
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectThis study examines the implications of Kenya’s digital identity systems, particularly the Maisha Card or Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), on children’s right to privacy. It highlights the inadequacy of Kenya’s legal framework in addressing risks such as identity theft, profiling, and mission creep. Key research questions include the potential consequences of failing to protect children’s privacy, the adequacy of Kenya’s legal protections, and lessons from the EU’s GDPR. Using a qualitative approach, this study analysed Kenyan laws, including the Constitution, the Data Protection Act, and the Children’s Act, alongside case law and GDPR provisions. The findings reveal that while Kenya’s legal framework provides foundational protections, it lacks critical child-specific safeguards, such as Children’s Rights Impact Assessments (CRIAs) and detailed provisions for protecting children’s biometric data. The study also highlights gaps in institutional coordination between the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and child protection bodies, which hinder a unified approach to safeguarding children’s privacy. The study recommends legal reforms to align Kenya’s framework with international best practices, including child-specific data protection measures and promoting data literacy. These reforms are critical to ensuring digital identity systems uphold children’s privacy rights and mitigate risks associated with datafication.
Keywords: Digital identity, children’s privacy, data protection, GDPR, Kenya
Management control systems, firm size and financial sustainability: the case study of microfinance banks in Kenya
No full textFull - text thesisThis thesis examines how management control systems support financial sustainability in Kenyan Microfinance Banks (MFBs), particularly focusing on fourteen licensed microfinance banks (MFBs) in Nairobi. Driven by increasing public demand for accountability and responsible business practices, the research explores the roles of planning, organizational culture, administrative, and cybernetics controls on financial sustainability. The research adopts a positivist philosophy, emphasizing objective measurement and hypothesis testing through quantitative methods and was conducted in the month of May 2024. Grounded in the Resource-Based View and Contingency theories, the study employed an explanatory research design, surveying 182 managers through semi-structured questionnaires and analyzing data using multiple regression. The findings reveal that planning management has a statistically significant positive impact on financial sustainability. Other factors, such as administrative control, a strong organizational culture, and cybernetics control, also contribute to financial sustainability. The study finds that the impact of these management controls is moderated by the size of the organization, underscoring the need to tailor control systems to the specific context of each MFB. The study concludes that by strengthening the management control systems and adapting them to their organizational environment, MFBs can enhance their financial sustainability. The study is limited by its focus on only licensed Microfinance Banks in Nairobi, which may affect the generalizability of the findings to other regions or unlicensed institutions. Additionally, the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data from managers introduce potential response bias and limit the ability to establish causality
Kenya’s seed legislation and its role in shaping farmers’ rights and national food sovereignty in Kenya
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectFood security in Kenya remains a critical concern, with over 70% of the country's food produced by smallholder farmers. These farmers rely heavily on informal seed systems through practices such as seed saving, exchange, and bartering all which have sustained communities for generations. However, the 2012 amendments to Kenya’s Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (SPVA), aligning closely with the UPOV 1991 framework, impose restrictions that undermine these traditional practices. The Act criminalizes the use and sharing of protected seeds without breeder authorization, posing threats to food sovereignty, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. This study critically analyzes the SPVA within the broader international and national legal context to determine its impact on indigenous seed practices and food security. It draws on the food sovereignty theory to frame the analysis, emphasizing farmers’ rights to determine their own agricultural systems. The research highlights key legal conflicts between Kenya’s obligations under international treaties and the constitutional protections for indigenous knowledge and food rights. A comparative study of India’s Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001, reveals a more balanced approach that upholds both breeders’ and farmers’ rights. India’s integrated seed system model offers vital lessons for Kenya, showcasing how legal recognition of farmer-saved seed can support agricultural sustainability and national food security. The dissertation concludes that Kenya's current legal framework disproportionately favors commercial interests over local farming traditions. It recommends legislative reforms that recognize the value of informal seed systems and calls for an integrated seed sector approach that harmonizes formal regulation with traditional practices. Such reforms are essential for safeguarding food sovereignty and achieving long-term food security in Kenya
Public-private development partnership : a rights-based approach
No full textThis policy brief was authored by Dr David Chiao, Dr Peggy Ngila and Jane Mugo (Centre for Biodiversity Information Development, Strathmore University); Mumbi Wachira, and Linet Mukami (Strathmore Business School, Strathmore University; Titus Kuria and Jackson Obare ( ForumCiv, Kenya).In its First annual report, the Public- Private Partnership (PPP) Directorate indicated that since commencement of the PPP programme in 2023, the Government of Kenya (GoK) mobilized Sh90 billion in form of private capital investments, with Sh80 billion realised in 2021/22. Despite this enactment and the ongoing PPP projects, many local communities in Kenya are yet to realise the full impact of such projects, since they still lack life’s essentials (rights-based needs) such as clean water, quality healthcare, and education. The PPP Act has gaps in the application of rights-based principles. Some of the weak areas include accountability, inclusivity, community participation, climate action, community empowerment, and rights protection. Beyond PPP projects meeting feasibility criteria, there is need for a clear framework and guidelines to hold PPP projects accountable to ensure development outcomes that meet the needs and expectations of communities. Therefore, good development should be anchored on human-based principles to effectively impact community development. This gap highlights the need to strengthen the PPP Act (2021) by embedding rights-based, inclusive, and climate-responsive principles through a Public-Private Development Partnership (PPDP) model, an inclusive rights-based approach to development, as evidenced in a study carried out in Narok and Nakuru counties.ForumCiv, Kenya
A Model for estimating the state of health of retired lithium-ion EV batteries based on machine learning
No full textFull - text thesisThe electric vehicle market is growing rapidly and with it comes subsequent growth in the number of lithium-ion batteries that reach end of life in electric vehicle applications. Instead of being discarded in landfills, these batteries can be used in other applications such as energy storage since they still retain about 70% to 80% of their original capacity. This is known as battery repurposing, and it helps to manage battery waste. To repurpose batteries, their state of health must be tested to determine if they are adequately safe and reliable to use in second life applications. Current testing methods are time-consuming. Long testing times inhibit the scalability of repurposing operations to match the rapidly increasing number of electric vehicles, hence retired electric vehicle batteries. In this study, a machine learning model was developed to determine the SOH of used batteries. The model was based on quantum particle swarm optimization-support vector regression (QPSO-SVR) and used partial discharge data from differential capacity curves to estimate SOH. It was trained on data obtained from cycling used battery cells. The model achieved best MAE of 0.6139, RMSE of 0.7875, and R2 of 0.8481
The Effect of marketing mix elements on customer satisfaction in the LPG industry in Nairobi County, Kenya
No full textFull - text thesisThe liquid petroleum gas (LPG) industry is experiencing unprecedented growth as the world shifts towards clean energy options. Therefore, as the market expands, competition is expected to intensify. The dynamics of LPG business are not far different from conventional business models, meaning customer satisfaction, as a source of strategic competitive advantage, also applies to the trade of LPG products and services. The concept of the marketing mix as a driver of customer satisfaction has long been established. However, there is limited empirical evidence highlighting how the elements of the marketing mix influence the satisfaction of consumers in the LPG industry, especially in low- and middle-income countries. As such, this study sought to fill this knowledge gap by examining the effect the marketing mix has on customer satisfaction in the LPG industry of Nairobi County. The study focused on product, price, promotion, and place elements of marketing mix which also constituted the independent variables and their effect on customer satisfaction which constituted the dependent variable. The study was underpinned in the consumer decision-making theory as the anchoring theory and the expectancy disconfirmation theory which provided the additional supporting framework. The study adopted positivism philosophy as the research philosophy and followed a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The target population for the study was households using LPG in Nairobi County from whom a sample of 400 respondents was drawn using a simple random sampling technique. Primary data was gathered using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics via SPSS software. Findings of descriptive statistics suggest respondents remained neutral regarding customer satisfaction and perceptions towards product mix, promotion mix, and place mix. However, they were dissatisfied with the price mix. Inferential statistics indicate the 4P’s of marketing mix account for 75.9% of customer satisfaction in Nairobi County’s LPG market. The product mix (β=.668, p<.05), price mix (β=.117, p<.05), and place mix (β=.220, p<.05) had significant positive effect on customer satisfaction whereas the effect of promotion mix (β=.063, p>.05) was nonsignificant. Therefore, this research concludes that out of the 4P’s of marketing, product, price, and place elements are significant predictors of customer satisfaction in Nairobi County’s LPG sector. Based on the finding, this research recommends industry players and regulators to formulate strategies and policies on around these elements in order to drive customer satisfaction and subsequently promote the uptake of LPG. In addition, since this research focused only on the 4P’s of marketing, further research on the rest of marketing mix elements would be instrumental.
Keywords: Marketing mix, customer satisfaction, LPG, product, price, place, promotion
The Feasibility of the implementation of the Twin-Peaks model of financial regulation in Kenya
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectThis study investigated the inefficiencies of Kenya’s fragmented sectoral financial regulatory system and its vulnerability to systemic collapse, hypothesizing that adopting the Twin-Peaks model, which features two specialized regulators, could enhance stability and consumer protection. The sectoral model, where regulators oversee specific institutions regardless of industry, suffers from overlap and confusion, undermining its effectiveness amid potential economic crises. The research explored whether the Twin-Peaks model could address these flaws by examining its application elsewhere. Key research questions included: how does Kenya’s sectoral model impact financial stability; what benefits has the Twin-Peaks model delivered in other jurisdictions with a similar financial sector history; and is transitioning to this model feasible for Kenya? Data was collected by applying the doctrinal legal research method in the performance of a comparative analysis; reviewing the Twin-Peaks model’s implementation in a similar jurisdiction, alongside Kenya’s financial performance metrics and regulatory reports. Findings revealed that the sectoral model’s inefficiencies heighten risks of instability, while the Twin-Peaks model, with its streamlined dual-regulator structure, fosters transparency, competition, and resilience, as evidenced in the selected jurisdiction. The study recommends Kenya adopt the Twin-Peaks model to eliminate regulatory overlap, strengthen oversight, and safeguard against economic shocks. A phased transition, supported by stakeholder collaboration and capacity building, is advised to ensure successful implementation
An Analysis and forecast of the motor private insurance claim amounts in Kenya using the ARIMA model
No full textFull - text undergraduate research projectGeneral insurance companies that offer motor private insurance packages face the need to hold enough reserves in order to meet any future claims liabilities. This involves carrying out a forecast of the future possible claims experiences to get an idea of the expected outflow of money from the business. In an attempt to achieve this, actuaries in Kenya turn to the commonly used actuarial forecasting techniques, which are the Chain Ladder Method and the Bornhuetter-Ferguson method. In as much as these methods are deemed simplistic and straightforward, they are not flexible and may be prone to distortion if at all the claims reporting pattern changes. By utilizing time series analysis and forecasting techniques, particularly the ARIMA model, the study seeks to offer a more flexible and accurate approach to forecasting insurance claims. This study explores the use of the ARIMA model as one of the methods that can be used to forecast motor private insurance claims in Kenya specifically focusing on the motor private claims amount data for the top five general insurance companies by market share: Old Mutual General Insurance, APA General Insurance, GA Insurance, CIC General Insurance, and Britam General Insurance. Using secondary data from the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) spanning 2013 to 2022, the study gives the descriptive characteristics of the data and identifies an optimal order of the ARIMA model for each of the five companies: UAP with ARIMA(1,1,1), APA General Insurance with ARIMA(1,1,2), GA with ARIMA(0,1,1), CIC General Insurance with ARIMA(0,1,1), and lastly Britam General Insurance with ARIMA(0,1,1).The test for the accuracy using the Ljung-Box test after the forecast is generated for the period 2023 to 2027 reveals that the optimal order of the ARIMA model for each of the companies is indeed a good fit for the respective data. This suggests that actuaries can adopt time series analysis and forecasting techniques, most especially the ARIMA models, when performing forecasts of claim amounts within the actuarial space