Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Books
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Effects of Miraa (Khat) on Socio-Economic Outcomes in Wajir County
No full textMiraa (khat) consumption poses significant socio-economic challenges in Kenya, particularly in Wajir County, diverting household income, exacerbating poverty, and reducing productivity. Approximately 4.1% of Kenyans aged 15-65 years are current khat users, with higher prevalence in Eastern and North Eastern regions. The habit affects not only individuals but also the broader workforce and community, leading to reduced economic output, increased poverty, and social inequality. This literature review examines the socio-economic negative effects of miraa consumption, highlighting its impact on household income, productivity, and mental health. The Wajir County Miraa and Other Substances Control Act, 2025, is a critical intervention aimed at regulating miraa trade, promoting responsible consumption, and providing rehabilitation services. Recommendations include regulating miraa trade, banning muguka, promoting alternative livelihoods, and conducting awareness campaigns to mitigate the socio-economic consequences of miraa consumption
The Role Played by Women in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding and Reconstruction in Molo Sub-County of Nakuru County, Kenya
No full textWomen play a critical role in preserving order and normalcy during and after violent conflicts, yet they remain largely excluded from formal peacebuilding and reconstruction processes. This study examined the roles of women in post-conflict peacebuilding and reconstruction in Molo Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya, an area affected by 18 years of recurring ethnic conflicts. Guided by Rational Choice Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study employed an ex post facto research design with a sample of 384 respondents selected through a multi-stage sampling process. Data were collected using interview schedules and analysed using SPSS. Findings reveal that 86% of women actively participate in grassroots community peacebuilding initiatives, demonstrating strong engagement in peace efforts. However, their representation in formal decision-making remains critically low, with over 80% reporting participation of 0-10% in political leadership and decision-making bodies, and 77% reporting complete exclusion from formal peace negotiations. Major barriers identified include marital and occupational status (70%), low education levels, restrictive cultural norms, and inadequate training opportunities. The study recommends legally mandating women's inclusion in local peace committees, implementing UNSCR 1325 at the county level, and developing targeted capacity-building programs to enhance women's agency in reconstruction processes. These interventions are essential for achieving sustainable peace and inclusive post-conflict recovery in the region.
Keywords: Women's participation, post-conflict peacebuilding, reconstruction, gender inclusion, decision-making, UNSCR 1325, Molo Sub-County, Keny
Sustainable Public Procurement: Integrating Environmental Standards into Global Supply Chains
No full textThis review examines "Sustainable Public Procurement: Integrating Environmental Standards into Global Supply Chains," which explores how public procurement can be leveraged to advance sustainability goals and address environmental challenges. The book analyzes how governments, as major purchasers of goods and services, can influence market behavior and drive the adoption of sustainable practices in global supply chains. The author provides a detailed examination of the challenges in integrating environmental standards into procurement policies, addressing regulatory, economic, and operational barriers. The work highlights the tension between cost-effectiveness and sustainability, noting how procurement officers often face pressure to prioritize short-term cost savings over long-term environmental benefits. The book explores innovative strategies and tools for implementing sustainable procurement policies, including the role of certification systems, eco-labels, and sustainability standards. It critically examines the proliferation of competing certification systems while advocating for harmonization of sustainability standards and greater transparency in certification processes. A significant focus is placed on the role of digital technologies like blockchain and data analytics in improving supply chain traceability and accountability. The author also emphasizes the importance of leadership and institutional commitment in advancing sustainable procurement, highlighting the need for specialized training and capacity building for procurement professionals. The work examines the interplay between public procurement and private sector innovation, demonstrating how government purchasing power can stimulate technological advancement and sustainable practices. It addresses the challenges of enforcing environmental standards across diverse jurisdictions in global supply chains and emphasizes the importance of international cooperation. The book concludes by examining emerging trends and technologies shaping the field, including artificial intelligence and circular economy principles. It serves as both a theoretical framework and practical guide for leveraging public procurement to drive environmental and social transformation while maintaining economic efficiency
Cross-Border Procurement Challenges: Harmonizing International Supply Chain Regulations
No full textThis review examines "Cross-Border Procurement Challenges: Harmonizing International Supply Chain Regulations," which provides a comprehensive analysis of the complexities surrounding international procurement systems and the need for regulatory harmonization in global supply chains. The book explores the fragmented nature of current procurement frameworks and their impact on international trade and business operations. The author analyzes the political, economic, and institutional factors driving regulatory disparities across countries, critiquing how protectionist tendencies and varying institutional capacities create barriers to effective cross-border procurement. The work examines the role of regional trade agreements and international frameworks, such as the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement, while highlighting their limitations in achieving comprehensive regulatory alignment. The book addresses operational challenges faced by governments and businesses in navigating multiple regulatory regimes, particularly focusing on the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises. It explores how digital technologies like e-procurement platforms and blockchain can streamline processes and enhance transparency, while emphasizing that technology alone cannot solve fundamental governance challenges. The author examines enforcement and compliance issues in cross-border procurement, highlighting how varying institutional capacities between countries can create loopholes and compliance challenges. The work analyzes the role of international organizations in fostering regulatory alignment and providing technical assistance to nations with limited capacity. Special attention is given to the political economy of cross-border procurement, examining power dynamics between developed and developing nations in shaping regulatory frameworks. The book advocates for a more inclusive approach to regulatory harmonization that actively involves developing countries in decision-making processes. The work concludes by exploring how harmonized procurement regulations can contribute to broader goals of economic resilience, sustainable development, and ethical business practices. It serves as both a critical assessment of current challenges and a roadmap for achieving a more cohesive global procurement system
Influence of Cost Resource Planning on Implementation Outputs of Greenhouse Projects in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya
No full textImplementation of greenhouse projects has recently, attracted the attention of government agents. The concern is attributed to the failure rate among investors in the greenhouse projects. Therefore, this study sought to determine the influence of cost resource planning on implementation of greenhouse projects in five sub counties in Trans-Nzoia County. This study was guided by Control Theory. This study adopted descriptive survey design. The target population was 394 and the sample size of 118 respondents was used. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented using tables and graphs. Cost resource planning positively and significantly impacted the implementation outcomes of greenhouse projects (β=0.213; p<0.05). Interview schedule results show that cost resource planning assisted greenhouse farmers to allocate resources to the projects at the time. The study concludes the cost resource planning is a critical component in greenhouse project implementation. The study suggests that the Ministry of Agriculture should ensure the provision of sufficient extension officers to support greenhouse projects, focusing on effective project cost resource planning for the successful implementation.
Key words: Cost Resource Planning, Implementation Outputs & Greenhouse Project
Disability Demographics Factors and Employment Inclusivity: A Study of Persons with Disabilities in 4-5 Star Hotels in Mombasa City County, Kenya
No full textWorld Health Organization statistics indicates that the average employment rate for PLWDS is 44%. The hospitality business faces difficulties in hiring PWDs because it is a labour-intensive sector that requires able-bodied human resources. This study's goal was to evaluate the impact of disability demographic factors on employment inclusivity of PWDs in hotels in Mombasa city county Kenya. A mixed research design was used. The study was underpinned by the theory of change, social oppression theory and the resource-based theory of competitive advantage. The target population was 106 participants from selected hotels and organizations in charge of disability persons;16 general managers, 16 HRM managers, 32 F&B managers, 16 executive housekeepers, 16 front office managers,1 county PWDs regional coordinator, 1 skills development and placement officer from the MLSP, Mombasa county and 8 PWDs. The population was eventually sampled using a combination of purposive, stratified and census sampling methods. The sample size comprised of all the 106 participants. Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews and observation methods. The results were analysed using content analysis, descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation and multiple regression. Moderation was tested using Process Macro Hayes model 1. The results produced insignificant results that indicate that demographic factors (B=.141, p=.102) had not been able to positively and significantly influence the employment inclusivity of PWDs in Kenyan hotels. The most underlying factor that contributed to these findings is the lack of knowledge, awareness, and skills to develop an inclusive work environment, implement by employers. Therefore, this study recommends that stakeholders such as training institutions, policy and regulatory frameworks and industry should build capacity by carrying out intensive sensitization campaigns.
Keywords: Disability Demographics, Employment Inclusivity, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Hospitality Industry, Mombasa City Count
Time-Locked Contracts; Supply Chain Obligations Across Temporal Jurisdictions
No full textThis review explores Time-Locked Contracts: Supply Chain Obligations Across Temporal Jurisdictions, a critical examination of the legal, regulatory, and technological challenges of enforcing long-term supply chain contracts in a world of shifting jurisdictions. The book introduces the concept of “time-locked contracts”—agreements bound not only by geography but also by evolving legal timelines—and investigates how businesses and governments navigate contract enforcement amid changing laws, geopolitical pressures, and sustainability mandates. Through an incisive analysis of doctrines such as frustration, force majeure, and hardship clauses, the author illuminates how temporal legal uncertainty threatens contractual stability. Drawing on global case studies, the text reveals the inadequacy of rigid contract structures in today’s dynamic regulatory environment and advocates for the incorporation of renegotiation clauses and regulatory-change safeguards. The book also engages critically with technological innovations such as smart contracts and blockchain, weighing their potential to enhance contractual predictability against their limitations in adapting to unforeseen legal changes. In doing so, it questions the sufficiency of algorithmic enforcement and underscores the continuing relevance of human judgment in legal adjudication. The book broadens the discussion to encompass corporate governance and ethical supply chain management, arguing for contract models that can accommodate both evolving compliance demands and global sustainability expectations. Ultimately, the book offers a compelling roadmap for modernizing contract law and enhancing supply chain resilience through legal adaptability, making it an essential resource for legal scholars, policymakers, and corporate practitioners navigating the complexities of temporal jurisdiction in global trade
Procurement Ecology: Living Systems Theory Applied To Public Purchasing
No full textThis review analyzes Procurement Ecology: Living Systems Theory Applied to Public Purchasing, a groundbreaking work that reconceptualizes public procurement as a living, adaptive system rather than a rigid bureaucratic function. Drawing on living systems theory, the book frames procurement as an ecosystem shaped by dynamic interactions among policies, stakeholders, and market forces, advocating for resilience, flexibility, and feedback-informed governance. It critiques traditional compliance-driven models for their inability to cope with regulatory volatility, technological disruption, and sustainability imperatives. Instead, the book proposes an ecological approach where procurement policies evolve alongside shifting political, economic, and environmental contexts. Key themes include the need for diversity in supplier ecosystems, the integration of sustainability and circular economy principles, and the embedding of adaptive legal and institutional mechanisms. The work highlights procurement’s role as a driver of sustainable development, emphasizing that purchasing decisions have far-reaching social and ecological implications. It also underscores the value of feedback loops, data analytics, and continuous learning in fostering responsive procurement systems. Through vivid metaphors and real-world case studies, the book offers a visionary model for aligning public procurement with long-term societal goals, serving as both a critique of existing paradigms and a roadmap for more ethical, transparent, and sustainable public purchasing frameworks
Effects of Tax Management Skills on Financial Performance of SMEs in Mombasa County, Kenya
No full textSmall and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are pivotal to Kenya's economic landscape, providing self-employment opportunities to numerous households. However, a significant proportion of these enterprises face sustainability challenges, with many collapsing within the first three years of operation, and 70% of the survivors failing to surpass the five-year mark. This high attrition rate is predominantly attributed to low profitability levels, leading to financial distress. A critical factor contributing to this phenomenon is the skills gap among proprietors, particularly in areas such as debt management, bookkeeping, tax management, and cash flow management, which culminates in operational inefficiencies and diminished business returns. A study was conducted to assess the effects of tax management skills on the financial performance of SMEs in Mombasa County, with net profit margin serving as the key performance indicator. The research was anchored on decision usefulness theory, which emphasizes the importance of financial information for effective decision-making, including tax planning and compliance. Employing a descriptive research design, the study targeted a population of 54,245 registered SMEs in Mombasa County, focusing on proprietors and managers. A sample size of 132 SMEs was selected through stratified random sampling, and primary data were collected using structured questionnaires tailored to address the study's objective. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that tax management skills had a significant positive effect on the financial performance of SMEs in Mombasa County, with a correlation coefficient of 0.509 (p=0.000) and accounting for 26.2% of the variance in net profit margin. The regression results demonstrated that for every unit increase in tax management skills, net profit margin increased by 0.414 units. The study concludes that tax management skills have a significant positive effect on the financial performance of SMEs in Mombasa County. The study recommends that SME owners and managers in Mombasa County should undergo comprehensive financial literacy training specifically focused on tax management skills, including tax planning, understanding of regulations, and strategic settlement of tax obligations. The County Government of Mombasa, in collaboration with the Kenya Revenue Authority, should establish accessible tax advisory services tailored specifically for SMEs to provide simplified guidance on compliance procedures and available incentives. Local universities and training institutions should partner with county authorities to offer regular workshops on tax management tailored to the needs of SME owner/managers, ensuring practical application of tax knowledge in business operations.
Keywords: Tax management skills, financial performance, SMEs, Mombasa County, Keny
Resource Planning and Community-Based Project Performance in Africa; A Systematic Literature Reviews
No full textResource planning is a key determinant of the success of community-based projects, yet there is limited consolidated evidence on how its core practices influence project performance. This systematic literature review examines the relationship between resource planning and community-based project performance, focusing on three central constructs: resource identification, resource distribution, and scheduling and budgeting. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies from African contexts, the review examines how effective identification of human, financial, material, and informational resources ensures alignment with community needs. Resource distribution is analyzed in terms of equitable and efficient allocation across project activities, which enhances implementation effectiveness and community satisfaction. Scheduling and budgeting practices are examined for their role in ensuring timely project execution, cost control, and long-term sustainability. Project performance is conceptualized as a multi-dimensional construct encompassing efficiency (time and cost), effectiveness (achievement of project objectives), and sustainability (enduring project impact). The review further highlights the moderating role of community participation, local partnerships, and transparency in planning, which strengthen the relationship between resource planning and project outcomes. Theoretical perspectives from the Resource-Based View, Contingency Theory, and Stakeholder Theory are integrated to explain the mechanisms through which resource planning influences performance. The findings indicate that community-based projects with structured resource planning processes, supported by active stakeholder engagement, demonstrate higher levels of efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability. A conceptual framework linking resource planning constructs to multi-dimensional project performance under the influence of moderating factors is proposed, providing a foundation for future empirical research and practical decision-making. This review contributes to knowledge on resource management in community-based projects and offers practical guidance for project managers, policymakers, and development practitioners.
Keywords: Resource Planning, Community-Based, Project Performance, Afric