Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Books
Not a member yet
2323 research outputs found
Sort by
Influence of Economic Factors and Government Initiatives on International Tourism Demand in Kenya
No full textThis study examined the influence of economic factors and government interventions on the demand for international tourism in Kenya. Using a correlational research design and data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya Tourism Board, and World Development Indicators, the study analyzes various economic indicators and tourism-related data for the period 1980-2019. The analysis includes correlation analysis, regression analysis, cointegration testing, and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) analysis. The findings reveal significant relationships between economic factors, government initiatives, and international tourism arrivals. GDP and tourism earnings exhibit strong positive correlations with arrivals, while variables such as the weighted exchange rate, trade openness, tourism product price, substitute product price, and tourism promotion funds show moderate to negative correlations. Regression analysis and VECM modeling provide insights into the relationships and dynamics among the variables, allowing for forecasting of future trends. The findings of this study suggest that government initiatives, particularly investment in tourism promotion, play a significant role in attracting international tourists to Kenya. The country's GDP and tourism earnings are also important factors influencing tourism demand. These findings can guide policymakers and tourism stakeholders in formulating strategies to further develop and promote the tourism industry in Kenya. Measures to enhance the country's political stability, diversify tourism offerings, and allocate sufficient funds for tourism promotion can contribute to sustained growth in international tourism arrivals.
Keywords: Tourism Demand, Economic Factors, Government initiatives, Tourism Promotion Fund, Product Price, Substitute Product Pric
Socio-Economic Factors and Patient’s Depression in Rwanda; A Case Study of Gisenyi District Hospital
No full textThe primary objective of this research was to explore how socio-economic factors influenced the occurrence and severity of depression in patients receiving care at Gisenyi District Hospital. The specific objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of income status on the occurrence of patients' depression, to assess the effect of educational status on the occurrence of patients' depression, and to examine the relationship between employment status and patients' depression at Gisenyi District Hospital, Rwanda. The study utilized descriptive-cross-sectional and correlational research methodologies, employing quantitative research techniques. Data was collected from 156 respondents in their homes via self-administered questionnaire. The study revealed consistent experiences of depressive symptoms associated with income status, with mean values ranging from 4.8312 to 4.870 and moderate standard deviations ranging from 0.467 to 0.63457. Strong positive correlations (r=0.775 to r=0.807) further emphasized the pronounced relationship between income status and various dimensions of depression, highlighting the vulnerability of patients with lower income levels. Similarly, the analysis on educational status demonstrated psychological challenges linked to educational backgrounds, supported by high mean values (ranging from 4.844 to 4.870) and relatively narrow standard deviations (ranging from 0.481 to 0.573). The significant Pearson correlation coefficients (r=0.693 to r=0.894) emphasized the substantial association between poor educational status and different aspects of depression, underlining the impact of educational experiences on emotional well-being. Furthermore, the investigation on employment status uncovered significant challenges related to employment, supported by high mean scores (ranging from 4.824 to 4.863) and narrow standard deviations (ranging from 0.485 to 0.584). Strong positive correlations (r=0.743 to r=0.827) underscored the potential influence of employment conditions on the emotional well-being of the patients. The study underscores the impact of socio-economic factors on depression in Gisenyi District Hospital patients. Recommendations include implementing socioeconomic support programs, integrating comprehensive mental health services, facilitating patient engagement, providing specialized healthcare training, and promoting mental health awareness to mitigate stigma and improve mental well-being.
Keywords: Socio-Economic Factors, Patient’s Depression, Gisenyi District Hospital. Rubavu District, Western Province, Rwand
Strategies South Sudanese Community Church in Kibera are Employing to Evangelize South Sudanese Nubian Muslims in the Jamhuri area
No full textThere has been an increase in the spread of Islam globally over the years. On one end, the church missions have put considerable efforts and strategies to evangelize Muslims for leading them to Christ. However, these efforts have faced numerous challenges. It is with this background that the study investigated factors hindering Muslim evangelism by the South Sudanese Community Church (SSCC) in the Jamhuri area of Nairobi. It was established that there is a correlation between the challenges that the South Sudanese Community faces in Kenya with the decline in reaching out to Muslims with the Gospel. This paper examined the strategies used by churches in Kibera to reach out to the Muslims in Jamhuri area. The design chosen was descriptive, which enabled the researcher to do in-depth interviews. The target population was 100 participants, from which a sample of 40 was drawn. Those who participated in study thirty (30). The study’s approach to data was qualitative. The findings revealed that South Sudanese Community Church members in Jamhuri have an assumption that they are not sufficiently prepared to evangelize Muslims. Besides, there was an evident relationship between this lack of preparation Missiologicaly and evangelism ministry. The study concluded that SSCC is yet to gain a strong foundation for the Christian- Muslim relationship. Therefore, the researcher recommended that SSCC members be trained and equipped in mission, particularly in Muslim evangelism. The researcher also recommended that a similar study should be carried out in other South Sudanese and Sudanese Community Churches (SSCC) within and without Nairobi County. Finally, there is a need to strengthen the South Sudanese and Sudanese Community Churches (SSCC) leadership.
Keywords: Strategies, South Sudanese, Community Church, Kibera, Evangeliz
Influence of Environmental Audit on the Performance of Large Manufacturing Firms in Kenya
No full textThe large manufacturing firms in Kenya have recently recorded a decline in performance. The study thus examined the influence of environmental audit on performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya. The specific objectives were to examine the influence of environmental checks and verification strategies, environmental management plans strategies and environmental monitoring frequency on performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya. The study utilized descriptive and explanatory research designs. The target population was 499 and a sample size of 336 was obtained using the Yamane formula. The study used questionnaires to collect the data. The findings of the study showed that environmental checks and verification strategies, environmental management plans strategies and environmental monitoring frequency can explain 41.3% of the variations in the performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya. The regression results showed that environmental checks and verification strategies are positively and significantly related to performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya (β=0.193, p=0.000). Environmental management plans strategies was found to be positively and significantly related to performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya (β=0.536, p=0.000). Environmental monitoring frequencies was found to be positively and significantly related to performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya (β =0.190, p=0.000). The study concluded that environmental checks and verification strategies, environmental management plans strategies and environmental monitoring frequency are significant in determining performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya. The study recommended that large manufacturing firms should apply environmental checks and verification strategies, environmental management plans strategies and environmental monitoring frequency as one of the strategies to achieve and reinforce performance. The environmental audit be cemented in the organization policy since it contributes to the performance of large manufacturing firms in Kenya.
Keywords: Environmental Audit, performance, large manufacturing firms, Keny
Influence of Top Management Support on Performance of State Corporations in Kenya
No full textState corporations in Kenya have undergone several scrutinizes due to their poor performances. The study thus sought to determine the influence of top management support on performance of state corporations in Kenya. The study adopted the descriptive research design method to ascertain and describe the characteristics and status of the variables. A sample size of 264 respondents selected from State Corporations in Kenya was reached, and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data. Data was analyzed using the SPSS software. The study findings showed that top management support has a positive and significant relationship with performance. The study also found out that management’s commitment determines the level of organizational success, thus performance and that the policies defined by the government in conjunction with the State Corporations influence the degree of performance. Most top leaders in State Corporations have upheld the stated visions and have been working to ensure they are achieved, thus, most corporations recorded high performance. The study recommends that the top management in organizations need to pay greater attention to the mission and vision of their corporations in order to come up with high-level strategies for their achievement. The study also recommends that the government of Kenya should re-evaluate the policies set for management of State Corporations and improve on them so that they can be able to address the changes being experienced in the management environment, as this will scale up organizational performance. The government and other the regulatory bodies should implement supportive policies for top management in State Corporations to adopt for enhanced performance
Keywords: Top management support, performance, state corporations, Keny
Strategic Management Process and Performance of Construction and Engineering Company in Rwanda: A Case of NPD Ltd
No full textThe main purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of strategic management process on organizational performance of NDP Ltd construction and engineering company in Rwanda. The research used descriptive research design with a mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative data. The results determined the sample size of 217 respondents from 500 people using Krejcie and Morgan (1970). However, only 188 respondents participated in this research with response rate of 86.6% of 217 respondents. The results of the first objective revealed that environmental scanning plays a significant and a positive effect on organizational performance in Rwanda with overall mean of 1.621 tending to high score of to a very great extent. The results of the second objective revealed that strategy formulation plays a significant and a positive effect on organizational performance in Rwanda with overall mean of 1.324 tending to high score of to a very great extent. The results of the third objective revealed that a big number of respondents strongly agreed that strategy implementation plays a significant effect in organizational performance. Lastly, the results of the fourth objective revealed that strategy evaluation plays a positive and significant effect in performance of NPD Ltd. Hence, these are supported by correlation analysis results which revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between environmental scanning and budgetary performance (r=0.717 and sig=0.00<0.01), and quality performance (r= 0.783 and sig=0.00<0.01). The strategy formulation and timely performance (r=0.647 and sig=0.00<0.01), and quality performance (r= 0.696 and sig=0.00<0.01). Another positive and significant relationship between strategy implementation and timely performance (r=0.650 and sig=0.00<0.01), strategy evaluation and quality performance (r= 0.707 and sig=0.00<0.01) level of significance. Hence, in conclusion since all the predictors of strategic management process have a positive and significant relationship with the measures of organizational performance, this implies that there is a positive and significant relationship between strategic management process and organizational performance of NPD Ltd in Kigali City of Rwanda. It is in this regard the research would like to recommend to managers, evaluators, and strategy formulators as well as implementers to ensure that strategies are well formulated, implemented and evaluated to ensure organizational performance. This recommendation is made because the results of the study indicated that strategic management process has a positive effect on organizational performance.
Keywords: Strategic Management, Organizational Performance, Construction and Engineering Company Performance, NPD ltd, Rwand
Cost Reduction Strategies and Growth of FMCG Companies in Kyoto, Japan
No full textCost reduction is a deliberate strategy to save expenses. Cost reduction is the practice of lowering expenses made by an organization in order to increase profits and ensure the business grows. Using cost-reducing strategies may help even profitable firms generate a much larger total profit from their goods or services. Cost reduction measures should be used for a company to experience growth in terms of increased profits. Many cost reduction strategies fall short because they are based on false assumptions. The study found that companies' managements are getting more and more cost-conscious nowadays, and they are always looking for innovative methods to reduce costs and cut wastages. Prices for products, raw materials, and services are steadily rising and because the producers and manufacturer's concern is to generate profit, they sometimes employ low quality materials in their production in an effort to cut costs and increase profits. Moreover, given the increased competition, majority of manufacturers have decided that it is prudent to make or package a quality product in order to raise their profit margin. Profitability and cost reduction are the cornerstones of any company and they consequently represent the bottom line for every company. The study concluded that a cost reduction approach directly affects Japan's improvement in the growth of fast-moving commodities. Every department in a firm, notably the manufacturing department, should use realistic standard cost reduction techniques, and the cost reduction plan should be effectively implemented to ensure that the quantities of produced items are accurately recorded. It is important for FMCG companies to carefully consider the impact of cost reduction strategies on their operations and ensure that they do not compromise on quality or customer satisfaction. It is recommended that manufacturing companies should use value analysis to cut and remove extra expenses related to products. Companies should regularly analyze their operational process to identify and minimize costs.
Keywords: Cost Reduction Strategies, Growth, Companies, Japa
Knowledge Culture and Employee Performance in Public Universities in Kenya
No full textThe role of university education is recognized as critical since it produces people equipped with the knowledge and skills to make strategic contributions toward the economic development of a country. Universities as ‘knowledge intensive’ organizations thrive on the production and dissemination of knowledge and rely heavily on the human resource component to facilitate, generate and disseminate it. The management of knowledge has become important to the institutions in view of its abundance and this has led to the development of several emerging issues such as the roles played by platforms created for sharing knowledge and cultural factors. Review of literature reveals that the culture of an organization affects how it is able to create a suitable environment to improve the performance of its employees. Knowledge culture represents that part of an organization in which its values, beliefs and norms influence the manner in which knowledge is utilized to attain competitive advantage. A knowledge culture that is supportive in promoting knowledge creation initiatives and sharing of the same is in a better position to build a strong knowledge base. Further review of literature shows that there are limited number of empirical studies that have been done to study the relationship between knowledge culture and employee performance in these institutions. This paper sought to contribute to this growing body of knowledge by determining the nature of this relationship in public universities in Kenya. The study was anchored on the resource-based view. Descriptive survey design was applied and descriptive and inferential statistics used to analyze the data. The target population consisted of 495 employees from 10 public universities in Kenya selected on the basis of their size and age. The study reported a significant and positive relationship between knowledge culture and employee performance when moderated with organizational structure in public universities in Kenya.
Keywords: Knowledge Management, Knowledge Culture & Employee Performanc
Analysing the Effect of Increase Factors on the Performance of Tea Companies in Nandi County, Kenya
No full textBlue ocean concept plays a critical role in strategic management in organization especially in tea industry which has led to tremendous growth over the past years. It is in regard to this strategic focus that this study sought to establish the effect of increase factors on the performance of tea firms in Kenya. The study was guided by the Value Innovation Theory and adopted a case study research design. The study population comprised a total of 99 top management staff from tea firms in Nandi County. The study used non-probability sampling design by applying a purposive sampling technique. The primary method employed for data collection was the use of questionnaires, which were self-administered by the respondents. The data collected was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Data was analysed with aid of SPSS software and linear regression model was used to determine the association between independent variable and dependent variable. The findings were presented using tables and graphs. The study found that increase factors was statistically significant to performance of tea firms (β1=0.888, p=0.000, p<0.05). The study concludes that increase factors are statistically significant in explaining performance of tea firms in Kenya. The study recommendations was to increase the factory door sales to local markets which will likely increase the domestic consumption.
Keywords: Increase factors, Performance, Tea Industry, Value Innovatio
Strategic Management Practices and Performance of Non-Profit Organizations; A Case of Care International Rwanda
No full textThe general objective of the study is to examine the influence of strategic management practices and performance of Non-Profit Organizations with a case study of Care International Rwanda. The study objectives were: To investigate the effect of strategic formulation on the performance of Care International Rwanda, to establish the influence of strategic implementation on the performance Care International Rwanda, to assess the influence of strategic evaluation and control on the performance of Care International Rwanda. The study used descriptive research design while population and sample size were 83 meanwhile census sampling technique was applied. In data collection, questionnaires will be used to collect primary data and presentation was used through tables. Data was analyzed using SPSS software to generate the needed statistics. The study performed pilot study to determine validity and reliability of data collection instrument. The findings showed that strategic formulation is correlated with performance of non-profit organization at the level of 81.6%; Further, strategic implementation correlated with performance of non-profit organization at strong positive correlation of .842. The results affirmed that there is positive correlation between strategic evaluation, control and performance of non-profit organization at 0.795. The study concluded that strategic formulation, strategic implementation, strategic evaluation and control contribute significantly to the performance of Care International Rwanda. In recommendation, research recommended that management needs to put more effort in implementation the formulated strategies to be sure that objectivities, mission and vision will be achieved as the they planned. Further, Effective utilization of resources in suitable manner contributes to the performance of non-profit organization.
Keywords: strategic management, non-profit organizations, strategic evaluation, strategy formulation