Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Books
Not a member yet
2323 research outputs found
Sort by
Lean Human Resource Initiatives and Employee Performance of Selected Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Nigeria
No full textSmall and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in terms of growth and development of an economy. Despite this ostensible relevance of small and medium scale enterprises, it is observed that employee performance level especially in Nigeria is low compared to that of other nations. This is evident in declining workforce productivity, inefficiency, and decreased commitment. These challenges have been attributed to a variety of factors, including poor hiring approach, irregular improvement, and poor teamwork. The impact of lean human resource initiatives on employee performance in selected SMEs in Lagos State, Nigeria, was explored in this research. The survey research design was used in this study. In Lagos State, Nigeria, there were 8,396 small and medium-sized businesses. Sample size of 481 was ascertained using the Research Advisory Table. The participants were identified using a simple random sampling approach. Data was collected from the participants using an adapted and validated questionnaire. Construct ranged from 0.74 to 0.89 for Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficients and study found that 85% of participants responded. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (multiple regression). According to the findings, lean human resource initiatives had a significant impact on employee performance in Lagos, Nigeria.. Employee performance was significantly affected by lean human resource initiatives (Adj.R2 = 0.095; F (5,401) = 9.509, p 0.05). The study concludes that lean human resource initiatives had significant effect on employee performance of SMEs in Lagos Nigeria. The study recommends that small and medium scale enterprise owner/managers should embrace Lean Human Resource initiatives such as selective hiring, continuous improvement, mentoring, cross-functional team, and flexible information system which is geared towards human capital development to improve employee performance and boost their contribution to the organization.
Keywords: Continuous Improvement, Employee Performance, Lean Human resource initiative, Mentoring, Selective Hiring
Service Diversification Strategies and Performance of Hospitality Industry in Rwanda: A Case of Centre National d’Education Transformatrice (CENETRA)
No full textIn current competitive, changing business world, with the aim to increase performance firms are constantly struggling to satisfy various needs of customers and maintain a competitive advantage in the market. As a strategic alternative, diversification is used by business organisations targeting to outpace new entrant and or existing firms. The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of service diversification strategy on organisational performance of hospitality industry in Rwanda. From the main objective the researcher derived three concise targets pointing to three types of diversification strategy. The targets were to determine consecutively the influence of concentric, horizontal and conglomerate strategies on the performance of CENETRA Hotel. Findings of this research are useful to hotels and other accommodation establishments owners who intend to gain a competitive advantage, sustain and grow their businesses diversifying their services. The research results will inform the Private Sector Federation (PSF) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) on priorities to be considered in developing hospitality business sector. Moreover it will broaden research field and the domain of diversification strategies where influence of a variety of services can have on firm’s performance. Descriptive design also known as statistical design and analytical design was used by the researcher. This study targeted 54 staff members, 4 management team members CENETRA Hotel and 47 permanent customers at CENETRA. It adopted probability stratified, random and purposive sampling technics. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect primary information and documentary review was applied to collect secondary data and SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics with the mean, standard deviation, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were utilised and inferential statistics with regression analysis were applied for data interpretation. Findings revealed that concentric diversification strategy is very highly correlated with organisational performance with Pearson’s correlation value= 0.935, p value=0.001<0.05. Moreover results uncovered that horizontal diversification strategy is significantly positively correlated organisational performance. A mean of 38% of total respondents strongly agreed, 57% agreed, with presented statements with a correlation coefficient value of 0.929 p=0.004<0.05. Conglomerate diversification strategy is positively correlated to organisational performance as quantified by Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.725 p=0.002<0.05. These statistical figures were supported by four managers answers of interview who affirmed that service diversification strategies has a positive influence on performance of hospitality industries in Rwanda. Thus the research established that service diversification strategy highly influence the performance of hospitality industries in Rwanda. It is recommended to hospitality organisations to diversify their services implementing concentric, horizontal and conglomerate diversification strategies, to PSF and RDB to consider service diversification strategies in policy making in order to strengthen more hospitality industry in Rwanda.
Key words: Service Diversification Strategy, Hospitality, Organizational Performanc
Effect of Skill Acquisition on Entrepreneurship Development among Students in China
No full textEntrepreneurship growth is regarded as a critical linkage to the total economic development of a country through its positive influence on economic development, particularly at the lower levels. The study sought to determine the effects of skill acquisition on entrepreneurship development among students in China. The study depended on the preceding findings to make the inferences. The study findings indicated that skill acquisition significantly impacts entrepreneurship development. Entrepreneurship education provides essential abilities, skills, motivation and awareness to learners. Entrepreneurship education is crucial to restoring stagnated economics, promoting growth and lowering joblessness by offering new job opportunities. Entrepreneurship skill acquisition programs in learning institutions provide the knowledge required to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities, which usually assists economic growth. The China government has implemented numerous entrepreneurship development programs by bringing in entrepreneurship training courses and developing various departments dealing with entrepreneurship in numerous tertiary institutions to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with relevant skills. The study concluded that entrepreneurship skills spur development. The study recommended that tertiary institutions intensify entrepreneurial skills acquisition and training and more graduates will begin new sustainable businesses/ventures. The government, multinational firms and non-governmental organizations should work together and take on a comprehensive method that would undoubtedly result in the acquisition of relevant entrepreneurship skills in technical and vocational education that are likely to boost economic growth. Moreover, up-to-date training and re-training opportunities should be availed to the tertiary institutions in the Whole of China.
Keywords: Skill Acquisition, Entrepreneurship Development, Students, Chin
Influence of Public Participation in Implementing Development Projects in Kasarani Constituency in Nairobi City County
No full textProject execution has a great impact on the sustainability of growth and expansion of projects inthe world. Several studies have been conducted to examine the project implementation success in different ways, including a time limit, money, client satisfaction, and effectiveness. The core objective of this study was to assess the influence of public participation in implementing development projects in Kasarani constituency in Nairobi City County. The study was guided by two theories public participation theory and project management theory. The study employed a descriptive research design and a random sampling method. A sample size of 254 respondents were used. Data collection was conducted using semi-structured questionnaires on online forums and others provided phyisially to the respondents. Data was captured in Excel for longevity and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 21.0. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data. From results, the study established that there was a statistically significant influence of public participation on project implementation, implying that an increase in public participation leads to an increase in project implementation. The study concludes that a positive increase in public participation leads to an increase in Project Implementation. It was recommended that the government should also increase the accessibility of project implementation information to the public to facilitate the accountability claims from the public to the people responsible.
Keywords: Public Participation, Project implementation, development projects, Kasarani Constituency, Nairobi City Count
Place of Kinyarwanda Language in Banks in Rwanda: A Case of Equity Bank Rwanda
No full textThe study aimed to determine how languages cohabitate in the Equity Bank Rwanda bilingual community. The study focused on secondary and primary data collection and analysis. The data was collected from a small group of Equity Bank customers and service providers who represented other beneficiaries of banks operating in Rwanda. A simple random sampling technique was used to get the sample size. The researcher collected primary data using questionnaires. The results showed that ninety point three percent (90.3%) of Equity documents were written in English. Only Nine point seven percent (9.7%) of the Equity bank Rwanda official documents appear to be written in Kinyarwanda. French and Swahili seem to be out of use. Assessing the perception of the beneficiaries of Equity Bank Rwanda on the services provided in foreign languages, it was found that only 13.9% of Equity Bank Rwanda customers are happy with the services provided by this Bank in its preferred language (English), while 63.4% of them were dissatisfied with the fact that most services were in English. The study recommends that the bank should comply with the Law no 017/2021 of 03/03/2021 relating to financial service consumer protection stipulates, in Article 9, that a financial service consumer contract, a disclosure document or any other document to be issued to the financial service consumer as prescribed by this Law or regulation, must be written in one of Rwanda’s official languages as chosen by the financial service consumer. The government should follow up the implementation of the Law, in its articles 9 and 13. Kinyarwanda terminologies should create for banks to serve their customers in a language they are comfortable with.
Keywords: Kinyarwanda Language, Cohabitation of languages, bilingual community, Equity Bank, Rwand
Influence of Head teachers’ Instructional Supervision Practices on Teachers’ Classroom Performance in Rwanda
No full textThe school head teachers are responsible to make effective instructional supervision for the purpose of enhancing performance of both teachers and school in general. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the influence of head teachers’ instructional supervision practices on teachers’ performance in public primary schools in Gasabo district-Rwanda. The target population was 289 respondents. A sample size of 168 obtained using Yamane formula was used in the study. Interview guide and questionnaire were used as data collection instruments. Correlation research design was employed. The findings revealed there is a significance high degree of positive correlation between head teachers’ instructional supervision and teachers’ performance where Pearson coefficient (r) was 0.913 with the p-value=0.000<0.01. The study concluded that checking teaching methods, checking the availability and use of pedagogical documents and providing pedagogical guidance can improve teachers' classroom performance. The study recommended the ministry of education should provide head teachers with instructional supervision training in public primary schools in Rwanda to improve teachers' performance. Educational planners should make an effective setup to enhance teachers' performance to make up for effective instructional supervision implementation in Rwanda's public primary schools. School head teachers should carry out regular supervision to improve teachers' performance and ensure that teachers effectively use instructional materials.
Keywords: Head teacher, instruction supervision, classroom performance, teacher performanc
The Impact of Homeschooling on Students’ Social Skills and Psychological wellbeing: Perspective from Afghanistan
No full textThe modern homeschool movement began in the 1970s when John Holt, an educational theorist and supporter of school reform, began arguing that formal schools' focus on rote learning created an oppressive classroom environment designed to make children compliant employees. There is strong evidence that homeschooling has made noteworthy gains in absolute numbers as well as percent of the school-age population in countries as diverse as Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Scotland, and also Russia. Home education's rejuvenation after regarding a century of calm has surprised lots of teachers, sociologists, political scientists, chroniclers, and also theologians, and also has actually captured the creative imagination and also interaction of numerous countless households. One of one of the most typical and extensively approved methods to evaluate the knowing of pupils as well as the performance of their instructional environments is through scholastic achievement as measured by standardized examinations. Homeschooling is an alternative to education and learning for youngsters that do not readjust well. While homeschooling allows pupils to concentrate just on what is necessary to them, it makes finding out more delightful, given that they are learning at their very own rate, as well as at the same time impacts their scholastic success in many ways. The study established that since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, secondary school education has been banned for girls but, despite the risks, teenage girls in Afghanistan have set up schools in their homes to educate their younger peers. The study also noted that homeschooled children In Afghanistan had better social skills compared to their counterparts in public or private schools. Through the customized curriculum, their parents were able to adequately address the developmental needs of a child since learning is interactive.
Keywords: Homeschooling, Learners’, Academic, Achievement, Afghanistan
Influence of Organizational Structure on Performance of Teacher Training Project in Good Neighbors International Rwanda
No full textActive organizational structure improves the performance of various project and institutional activities effectively. The purpose of this paper therefore, was to examine how influence organizational structure affects the performance of the Good Neighbors International teacher training project in Rwanda. This paper employed explanatory research design. The target population was 129 people including 99 training participants and 30 project management. The sample size was 109respondents. Questionnaire was used as data collection instrument. The analysis of data was done using Microsoft Excel. The methods of analysis used were descriptive and inferential analysis. Findings show that job design has no significant influence on the performance of the teacher training project (β1=0.001; p>.05) in the period covered by the study. However, organizational hierarchy has a statistically significant influence on project performance (β2=0.180; p<.05) as it contributes up to 18% of the project performance variation. Similar observation is noted that departmental design has a statistically significant influence on project performance (β3=0.100; p<.05) since it contributed up to 10% of the variation in project performance. The study concludes that organizational hierarchy contributes more than job design and departmental design in enhancing performance of the teacher training project in Good Neighbors International Rwanda in 2019-2022. The research recommends that top management should improve staff autonomy, eliminate bureaucracy, improve human resource communication and coordination across departments, institute participatory decision-making, and ensure that all job tasks are aligned with the project’s objectives.
Keywords: Project Performance, Organization Structure, Teacher Training and Organizational Hierarchy
Corporate Governance Situation in Kenya: An Appraisal in the lens of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010
No full textCorporate governance and in this case, good corporate governance, is a key and critical enabler to the development of any nation and its institutions economically, socially and even in the context of environmental development. As such, the growth of any nation in both of these aspects requires good corporate governance. The story of Kenya’s corporate governance before the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, has not been anything much to be celebrated about but rather one characterized by corporate governance shortcomings. With the coming into force of the Constitution in 27th August 2010, there has clearly been a phenomenal and paradigm shift with notable aspects of good corporate governance in the country and/or its institutions. Buoyed by the progressive and purposeful interpretation of the Constitution and passage of news laws to give effect to the various provisions of the said Constitution, the situation is definitely better than it was before. Kenya has done fairly well in enacting laws towards improved governance of parastatals, especially after enacting the Constitution, 2010. The key purpose and objective of this article is to appraise this paradigm shift and ultimately give a verdict for an improved corporate governance situation in the country. A fair verdict is that there is a paradigm shift and, in this case, towards better corporate governance. Regrettably, little has been done in terms of enforcement.
Keywords: Corporate Governance, Governance, Constitution of Kenya, Paradigm Shif
Influence of Non-Financial Rewards on Performance of Employees in JPMorgan Chase & Company in USA
No full textThis paper aimed to examine the influence of non-financial rewards on the performance of employees in JPMorgan chase & company in the USA. The study was literature based. The study relied upon prior studies to make the inferences. The reviewed literature was extracted from various references to give a comprehensive synopsis. Studies conducted in the USA and outside were considered valuable to make inclusive inferences. The study findings indicated that non-financial reward has a positive effect on the performance of employees. The non-financial rewards include rewards and recognition, career opportunity, promotion, participation of employees in decision-making and responsibility to identify their impact on employee motivation. Non-monetary rewards have an intrinsic motivational impact on employees. These types of rewards increase employees' motivation to work by raising their self-esteem and can satisfy employees' professional ambitions and personal fulfillment. The performance of the employees is stimulated after realizing they are more appreciated and recognized by the organization's management. The non-financial rewards may be attained through job promotions, awards and acknowledgment, flexible job arrangements, career development and flexible job schedules. The study concluded that non-financial rewards such as rewards and recognition, career opportunity, promotion, participation of employees in decision-making and responsibility could increase the performance of employees in JPMorgan Chase & Company in the USA. The study recommended that management at JPMorgan Chase & Company should have to work extra on increasing non-financial reward practices to have a much better level of worker performance. Also, the management in the bank should adjust the time working schedules to make it easy for workers to select their productive hours hence improving their performance. The policy frameworks should include the significance of non-financial rewards in the organization.
Keywords: Non-Financial Rewards, Performance, JPMorgan Chase & Company, US