Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Books
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School Infrastructure and Talent Development of High Schools Students in USA
No full textThe development of children's talents can be significant in their lifetime. The early nurturing of talents enables a child to develop essential skills that can be useful to be embraced in the future. Against this background, the study sought to examine the effect of school infrastructure on the development of student's talents in the USA. The study was literature based. The study discovered that good school infrastructure positively influences students' talents. Good infrastructure improves the students' studies and ensures they are safe, healthy, and comfortable in school. The school infrastructure, such as fields, music rooms, and theater rooms, helps the students participate in different activities, which helps develop the learner physically, socially, mentally and emotionally. The location and availability of adequate playing fields and necessary equipment are necessary for talent development. Students who engage in extra-curricular activities manage to develop many essential traits that are key to their future life. The study concluded that school infrastructure contributes positively to developing students' talents in schools in the USA. Teachers' role in developing extra-curricular talents among students in secondary schools in the USA is significant. The parental role is essential in students' development in extra-curricular activities since the parental motivation for extra-curricular activities leads to increased student participation. The study recommended that education stakeholders develop school infrastructure to tap and nurture students' talents. The government and other stakeholders should increase school funding and allocate an adequate amount to every extra-curricular activity in the learning institutions. The teachers, guardians and education officers should come together and put the relevant infrastructure in place to motivate students to participate in extra-curricular activities. The government should train extra-curricular teachers to ensure learners get the best training and career guidance. Guardians should be optimistic about extra-curricular activities in learning institutions and motivate their kids to engage in them because some can make a career out of them.
Keywords: School infrastructure, talent development, students, US
Public Resource Utilization and Efficiency of Service Delivery of the County Governments in Kenya: A Case of Machakos County
No full textEfficiency on service delivery is about those with authority being answerable for their actions to the citizens, whether directly or indirectly, and managerial efficiency on service delivery is about making those with delegated authority answerable for carrying out agreed tasks according to agreed criteria of performance. The interest in efficiency on service delivery within public sector reform is a desire to make public sector staff more accountable for their decisions and actions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of public resource utilization on the efficiency of service delivery of the county government of Machakos. Specifically, the study sought to: establish the effect of equitable share utilization on the efficiency of service delivery of Machakos County Government, Kenya, determine the effect of own source revenue utilization on the efficiency of service delivery of Machakos County Government, Kenya, to assess the effect of donor funding utilization on the efficiency of service delivery of Machakos County Government, Kenya and investigate the effect of conditional grants utilization on the efficiency of service delivery of Machakos County Government, Kenya. The study additionally sought to determine the moderating effect of county service delivery principles on the relationship between public resource utilization and efficiency of service delivery of the county government of Machakos. The study was informed by Public Choice Theory of Budget, The resource-based view theory and the Rostow-Musgrave Model. The study adopted a descriptive research design and targeted all the employees of Machakos County totaling to 1,950. The study used a simple random sampling of 10% of the total population yielding 195 respondents as the sample size. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaire, while secondary data gathered using data collection sheet. The collected data was analyzed with the aid of SPSS using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study used Pearson correlation to show the association between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The results were presented in tables, charts and bars. It was established from the findings that; money set by national government wasn’t used effectively for the current expenditure and that the county government was striving to collect and prudently utilized it’s owned collected revenue. External donors were observed as the leading source of income for development and that the county rarely received the equalization funds disbursed on an annual basis. The study recommends that the central government should monitor and evaluate the utilization of funds and disburse equalization funds timely. The county government on the other hand should uphold integrity in the utilization if funds and seek to generate more funds locally.
Keywords: Public resource utilization, equitable share utilization, County own source revenue utilization, Donor funding utilization, Conditional grants utilization, Efficiency of service delivery, County service delivery principle
The Relationship between Transformational Leadership and Enterprise Risk Management Adoption by Commercial State Corporations in Kenya
No full textThe adoption of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) by State Corporations in Kenya is a mandatory requirement and yet, the information on levels of adoption amongst Commercial State Corporations, most of which continue to experience poor performance due to weak governance is scanty. The objective of the study was to establish the relationship between transformational leadership and enterprise risk management adoption. This study adopted a positivist research philosophy and cross-sectional survey design approach. Target population comprised all the 52 Commercial State Corporations in Kenya listed in the register of State Corporations Advisory Committee in January 2021. Census method was applied, and all members of the top management team were enumerated as respondents. The study achieved a response rate of 76% with the return of 276 questionnaires. The study used primary data, which was collected through structured questionnaires. The descriptive and inferential statistics was employed in the analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 22) was used in regression modeling for prediction and causal inferences between study variables. The study findings indicated that Transformational Leadership has a significant relationship with ERM adoption. The study recommends that commercial state corporations embrace and incorporate elements of transformational leadership in Enterprise Risk Management design to enhance ERM adoption.
Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Enterprise Risk Management & Commercial State Corporation
Decentralization of Discipline Management Practices and Employees Performance in Constitutional Commissions in Kenya
No full textThere are several different strategies and practices that are performed by HRM but all these practices are interrelated: planning, acquisition, development, compensation, integration, maintenance, and separation. The public sector in Kenya is under a lot of pressure to improve their performance levels and increase levels of accountability and transparency. Despite devolving of HR practices being found to be advantageous, there is little research that has been carried out to establish the impacts of devolving HR practices on the performance of employees. It’s from this background that this study aimed to determine the relationship between decentralization of discipline management practices and employee performance in constitutional commissions in Kenya. The study adopted the descriptive research design and targeted the Head of Departments and Human resource coordinators and technocrats in all the 10 constitutional commissions. Therefore the target population was a total of 206 respondents. All the 206 subjects formed the sample for the study. Data used in the study was collected using structured questionnaires. Data collected was tabulated and analyzed using SPSS Version. Qualitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, means, standard deviation and was used to show the characteristics of the variables being investigated. The study also computed inferential statistics which included bivariate correlation and multiple regression analysis and they were used to show the association between the dependent and the independent variables. Analyzed data was presented using tables and charts. The study found that decentralization of discipline management significantly affects employee performance in constitutional commissions in Kenya. Furthermore, it was established that that organizational culture significantly affect the relationship between decentralization of discipline management and employee performance in constitutional commissions in Kenya. The study recommends constitutional commissions in Kenya to embrace the strategy of discipline management. They also need to consider providing its employees with welfare activities. This includes medical insurance schemes, pension schemes and bursaries for employee’s children. Furthermore, they should ensure they have effective occupation health and safety procedures in place to improve performance of their employees. Some of these practices that can be adopted include employee wellness programs, health and safety Training & Development and health and safety policies.
Keywords: Decentralization, Discipline Management, Employee Performance, Constitutional Commissions in Keny
Managing the Performance Management Process: The Importance of Employees’ Performance in Determining the Organisation’s Viability and Efficiency
No full textMany organisations for a number of years have been placing emphasis on performance management (PM) as they have noticed the profound impact of PM on organisations’ human resource capacity and its overall productivity and sustainability. Traditionally, PM was seen as a human resource function but has now become the lifeblood of organisations and subsequently, is a joint effort of all heads of departments/units as well as employees alike. PM is predominantly about managing people and business processes and if not effectively managed can impact negatively on employees’ overall performance by lowering staff satisfaction level, decreasing staff morale and as a consequence impede productivity. Models such as the Balanced Scorecard, the European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) or the Ability Motivation and Opportunity (AMO) are crucial in determining how smoothly the PM process flows. How employees are managed throughout the performance management cycle is of utmost importance in determining the viability of any organisation. This paper is intended to discuss the extent to which the PM process can increase productivity, staff morale and job satisfaction within the organisation.
Keywords: Performance Management, Performance Appraisal, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Performance Models, Performance Measuremen
Reward Management and Employee Performance in Keystone Foods LLC, USA
No full textReward management has become a particular source of concern for human resource managers, with particular emphasis on its impact on employee performance. Hence, the study examined the effect of reward management on employee performance in the case of Keystone Foods LLC in the USA. The study was literature-based and the analysis was based on the findings from previous studies. The study found a strong relationship between reward and employee performance. Reward management is primarily about managing expectations, which are what workers expect from their employers in exchange for their contributions. Rewards are among organizations' key tools to attract, retain and encourage their employees. Reward management analyzes and controls employee remuneration, compensation and other employee benefits. Firms use a combination of financial and non-financial reward management to motivate employees. The study concluded that reward management positively affects employee performance in keystone foods LLC in the USA. Any firm that does not care about its employees' well-being is said to be working toward failure. The issue of reward management is a critical factor in employee performance. Employee performance is seen to be highly influenced by reward management, such that the more effectively a firm manages its rewards, the better the workers perform. The rewards of the employees need to be included as one of the key strategic management aimed to increase the performance level of the employees. It is recommended that keystone foods LLC in the USA should continue rewarding the employees. For high performance from employees, organizations should pay employees on time and provide the required equipment and physical working conditions in the workplace. The firms should provide adequate tools for employees who work for different organizations in order for them to concentrate on their duties. The rewards of the employees have to be included as one of the key strategic management aimed to increase the performance level of the employees.
Keywords: Reward Management, Employee Performance, Keystone Foods LLC, US
Implementation of Competitive Strategies in Textile Industries in Quebec, Canada
No full textCanada is internationally known for garment companies such as Billabong or Van Heusen. The Canadian textile industry employs approximately 36,000 people out of the 23 million in the country. Although fashion is one of the larger exports for Canada, it also provides raw goods and machinery as well. Due to the massive amount of open land in Canada, it is capable of growing a variety of natural textile fibers, such as cotton, hemp, and Banyan tree fibers. Canada's unique natural materials used for textiles make it stand out in the market. However, the textile industries have experience stiff completion both in the importation of raw material and export of finished products in the market. Because various textiles industries in Quebec, Canada still use obsolete technology, the products produced are of low quality, which are not competitive in the market. High production cost makes textiles firms to be more prone to stiff competition. As a result, textile companies as a result is exposed to a risk of losing its market share and experience high employee turnovers, diluting the workforce quality and therefore quality of services offered. Therefore, the study looked into the influence of competitive strategies on performance of textile industry in Quebec, Canada. Descriptive research design was adopted and quantitative data collected was analyzed by the use of ANOVA and inferential statistics. Based on the findings in relation to specific objective, the study concluded that competitive strategies positively lead to competitive advantage. Competitive strategies influences customer satisfaction, ensures superior quality services and products, customer oriented products, and positive feedback from customers. .
Key words; Cost Leadership Strategies, Focus Strategies, Differentiation Strategies, Export Processing Zone & Canada
Strategic Management and Performance of Commercial Banks in Turkey
No full textStrategic management is for organizations to obtain a competitive edge over their rivals. Effective strategic management constantly keeps track of and tests the firm's tasks, leading to more operational performance, market share and productivity. Thus, the study sought to examine the effect of strategic management on the performance of commercial banks in Turkey. The study was literature-based and the inferences were made based on findings of the previous studies. The study results showed that strategic management had a positive effect on performance. The strategic management process aids a company and its management to the reason of and prepares for its long-term goals, satisfying the primary obligation of a board of directors. Moreover, strategic management is for organizations to obtain a competitive edge over their rivals. Strategic management is setting goals, procedures, and objectives to make a company or organization more competitive. The stages of strategic management incorporate setting goals or objectives, analysis, strategy formation, strategy implementation and strategy monitoring. Strategic management provides overall direction by developing plans and policies designed to achieve objectives and then allocating resources to implement the plans. Strategic management is for organizations to gain a competitive edge over their competitors. The study concluded that strategic management has a significant effect on performance. The study recommended that commercial banks in Turkey ensure that strategic management practices are included in the long-term goals. The workers and all individuals need to be trained on the strategic management process. In addition, the organization should be structured to open up all the communications channels in the organization. Functions must be defined clearly to ensure that no ambiguity will certainly show up.
Keywords: Strategic Management, Performance, Commercial Banks, Turke
Competitive Strategy and Performance of Non-Governmental Organizations in Nyeri County, Kenya
No full textThere is increasing pressure on NGOs in Kenya to meet their organizational goals and objectives despite financial challenges and increased competition for resources. Application of well thought practically applicable competitive strategies is paramount to mitigate the challenges also improve NGO performance. Thus, the general objective of this study was to determine the effect of competitive strategies on the performance of Non-governmental organizations in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study employed descriptive research design. 100 participants were chosen from NGOs’ directors, project coordinators, project officers and assistant officers from the 10 registered NGOs in Nyeri County. Data collected using questionnaires was analysed using multivariate regression and Pearson correlation tests. The study found that focus strategy has positive influence on NGOs performance (B= 0.153, p= 0.003). Also, differentiation strategy positively influences NGOs performance (B = 0.210, p= 0.000). Similarly, the study established that cost leadership strategy positively affects the NGOs performance (B= 0.358, p= 0.000) while also speed strategy has positive and significant effect on NGOs performance (B = 0.199, p= 0.012). Based on the findings, the study concluded that differentiation strategy is commonly applied by the NGOs organizations with the sole objective of creating goods and services that were in demand by the customers. Also, the study concludes that focus strategy had a positive and significant relationship with NGOs performance. The study also concluded that cost leadership strategy had a positive and significant effect on NGOs performance and that NGOs in Nyeri have implemented this cost leadership structure. The study recommends NGOs to orient themselves as quick to act organizations in order to realize there objectives faster and also tap on the available opportunities of growth.
Keywords: NGO’s performance, competitive strategies, differentiation strategy, cost leadership, speed strategy, focus strategy
Effect of the High Performance Organizational Framework on the Performance of Chartered Public Universities at the Kenyan Coast
No full textInterest in creating high performance organizations (HPOs) has been growing at the Kenyan Coast and managers have been looking into practices that will help them elevate organizational performance. These organisations include Universities. Due to the changes and challenges that face the entire education system in the world, the quality of university education is a high profile issue. This research examined the effect of the high performance organizations framework in the Kenyan Coast context, particularly in the chartered public universities. The goal of the study was to evaluate whether this framework could be applied in the Kenyan Coast context and hence help improve performance of these universities. The study was based at Technical University of Mombasa, Pwani University and Taita Taveta University. Stratified random sampling technique was applied and Slovin’s formula was used to arrive at the desired sample size. The research instrument used in data collection was a questionnaire which was given to the sampled population of the workers. Only one variable had a score above 80%. The model statistically significantly predicted university performance F (5, 29) = 6.888, p (.000) < .05, R² = 0.543. Out of the five variables, only Continuous Improvement added statistically significantly to the prediction, p (.025) < .05. Individually, Technical University of Mombasa had a higher score in university performance than Taita Taveta University, even though the score was below 70%. The overall high performance organizations score (66.10%) was below the 85% score for an accepted high performance organization. This study fills the gap between high performance organizations framework and chartered public universities at the Kenyan Coast, highlighting key areas that needs improvement, to make these universities high performance organizations.
Keywords: High Performance Organization Framework, Management Quality, Long-term Orientation, Continuous Improvement and Renewal, Workforce Quality