Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Books
Not a member yet
2323 research outputs found
Sort by
Hostility in the Workplace and Ethical Discrimination against Minorities in Indonesia: A Case Study of Unilever Indonesia
No full textHostility is a state of being unfriendly, aggressive, or antagonistic towards someone or something. Hostility can create a negative and stressful environment and may lead to harmful consequences for individuals and communities if left unchecked. Ethical discrimination goes against basic principles of fairness, justice, and respect for diversity and can have significant negative impacts on individuals and society as a whole. Ethical discrimination against minorities in Indonesia is a pervasive issue that impacts many different groups, including ethnic and religious minorities. Addressing hostility in the workplace and ethical discrimination against minorities is essential for creating a more just, equitable, and inclusive society in Indonesia. The study has found that hostility in the workplace and ethical discrimination against minorities is a significant issue in Indonesia. Discrimination against minorities in Indonesia is prevalent in various sectors, including employment, education, and social services. The study concluded that employers and policymakers should take active steps to combat hostility and discrimination in the workplace, including implementing diversity and inclusion training, enforcing equal opportunity policies, and promoting diverse representation in leadership positions. It is also important to address cultural and societal biases that may contribute to discrimination and to promote a culture of acceptance and respect for all individuals. It is essential to recognize the importance of ethical leadership in preventing discrimination and creating a positive workplace culture. Ethical leaders prioritize fairness, respect, and inclusivity and create a culture that values diversity and promotes collaboration and teamwork. The study recommended that the government can enforce laws that prohibit any form of discrimination and provide training to organizations on how to promote diversity and inclusivity. Also, it can create awareness campaigns and educational programs to promote tolerance and understanding among the population. Organizations can provide diversity and inclusion training to their employees to create awareness and educate them about the importance of diversity and inclusion. Organizations should support victims of discrimination by providing them with resources such as counseling, legal assistance, and emotional support.
Keywords: Hostility, Workplace, Ethical Discrimination, Minorities, Indonesi
Organizational Design: Formalisation Verses Specialisation
No full textThe study provides a comprehensive, literature-based review of organisational formalisation and specialisation. The objective was to provide insights into striking an optimal balance between these two critical aspects, maximising both benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls. The study was founded on thoroughly examining academic literature, industry reports, and case studies. It investigates the relationship between formalisation and specialisation and their implications and strategic utility for various organisations. The study also makes ten actionable suggestions for organisations attempting to strike a balance between the two constructs. These include everything from periodic reassessment and continuous learning to fostering communication and collaboration and utilising technology and feedback mechanisms. It emphasises the importance of leadership styles and organisational culture in striking this balance. The research findings broadly apply to organisations seeking to improve operational efficiency, employee satisfaction, and overall competitiveness. Organisations can better navigate the complex interplay between formalisation and specialisation by implementing these recommendations, fostering a flexible yet structured environment conducive to innovation and consistency.
Keywords: Formalisation, Specialisation, Organisational, Desig
Employees’ Capacity Building and Performance of Non-Governmental Organizations in Rwanda: A Case of Free Methodist Church in Rwanda, Kigali City
No full textThe general objective of this study was to assess employees’ capacity building and performance of non-governmental organizations in Rwanda. The research was guided by the following specific objectives; to analyze the leadership training, technical skills training and organizational culture on performance of Free Methodist Church in Rwanda. The population of this study was 270 employees of Free Methodist Church. The sample size of this research was selected using the formula of Slovene (1970) formula as 84 respondents. The researcher used to collect both primary and secondary data. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Pearson Correlation approach was used to assess relationship between the variables while regression model was used as a way of assessing effect of employees’ capacity building on organisational performance. The outcomes showed that that 70% of the respondents agreed that management develop morale and maintain discipline of the employees for their better performance of the organisation while 30% disagree with the statement. This implied that management develop morale and maintain discipline in the church. In this case, correlation matrix Table 4.10, the outcomes show that there is a very high correlation between leadership training (X1) and organisational performance as Pearson correlation is .906** with the p-value of 0.000, which is less than standard significance levels of 0.05. This signifies that, out of the considered other factors influencing organisational performance in Rwanda, only leadership training has statistical significant and high positive effect on the organisational performance of the church and the influence is very high due to r=0.906. Table 4.13 shows the value of R-square in this study is .878 means that the fraction of organisational performance (dependent variable) is explained by the independent variables (Employees’ Capacity Building) at 87.8%. This indicates that the model is very strong, as the independent variables highly explain the dependent variable. The adjusted R-square is used to compensate for additional variable in the model. In this case, the adjusted R-square is 87.3% for organisational performance in Free Methodist Church in Rwanda. Basing on ANOVA Table 4.13.2, p-value is 0.000 which is less than the 0.05, set as standard significance levels with fit level of 158.705. The study rejected the null hypothesis and supported the alternative hypothesis, emphasizing the significant influence of employees' capacity building on the Free Methodist Church's performance in Rwanda. The recommendations include promoting self-awareness and confidence among employees, implementing a unified operating system, and facilitating individual career management for enhanced performance.
Keywords: Employees’ Capacity Building, Performance of Non-Governmental Organizations, Free Methodist Church, Kigali City, Rwand
Training-Based Activities and Employee Performance in Rwanda
No full textEmployees are a company's most valuable asset. They cannot be overestimated in their contribution to a company's success. As a result, to enhance work performance, these unique assets must be equipped through appropriate training. The purpose of this study therefore, was to determine the extent to which group discussion activities affect employee performance at ISON business process outsourcing in Kigali in Rwanda. This study employed a descriptive research design. The study was supported by 40 respondents. Questionnaires and documentation reviews were used as data collection instruments. IBM SPSS version 26 was used in data management. The findings revealed that there is an extent to which group discussion activities affect employee performance, the overall mean of the results was 4.46 that was between agree (4) and strongly agree (5), it presented that significantly group discussion in organization affect employee performance. The findings resulted that the relationship between group discussion and employee performance was .880** which indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between between training-based activities and employee performance. The results indicated that the variables were statistically significant with regression mean square of 4.946 and P-value =.000b which concluded that training-based activities affect employee performance in ISON Business Process Out-resourcing (ISON BPO) Kigali, Rwanda. The study recommended that the Ministry of Public Service and Labour should enforce the public and private companies to integrate in their agenda the programs of training-based activities for developing employee performance and skill & knowledge development. The study recommends the Ministry of Public Service and Labor should enforce the public and private companies to put in their agenda the programs of training-based activities for developing employee performance and skill & knowledge development. ISON Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) in Kigali, Rwanda, should prioritize and intensify its focus on group discussions as a primary tool for employee development and engagement. Furthermore, the establishment of clear, measurable performance metrics is essential. This will allow the company to effectively assess and continually refine the impact of these training programs, thereby ensuring a workforce that is not only highly skilled but also deeply integrated and aligned with the organization's objectives and vision.
Keywords: Training, Role playing, Job rotation and Employee performanc
Outsourcing Strategies and Human Resource Performance in Tea Manufacturing Companies in Rwanda: A case of Ekaterratearwanda Limited
No full textThe objective of this research was to study the human resource outsourcing practices among tea manufacturing companies in Rwanda. With specific objective being, To determine the influence of outsourcing strategies and recruitment process on human resource performance at Ekaterra Tea Rwanda Limited, to assess how outsourcing strategies on employee benefits management influence human resource performance at Ekaterra Tea Rwanda Limited and To establish how outsourcing strategies influences employee relations and human resource performance at Ekaterra Tea Rwanda. All the tea manufacturing companies were targeted population of 100 respondent from the factories. The research design to be used was description survey and data was collected from one of the tea manufacturing company operating in Rwanda called Ekaterra Tea Rwanda Ltd. The respondents were comprised mostly of Management team and supervisors with experience in various departments. Questionnaires using semi structured questions were used to collect data. Primary data were collected from the respondents and were supplemented by secondary data from journals, magazines and supplements and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, mean scores, standard deviations and percentages. The findings were presented in form of tables. The sample population of 80 determined using Slovin‘s formula were used. Simple random sampling were used to identify the people to answer questions. At Ekaterra tea manufacturing company, study used purposive sampling method to interview top managers of the project in order to get detailed information of the subject matter. Data were collected by using questionnaires, interviews and documentary sources. Using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), the collected data was presented using tables and figure while interpretation and analysis were done based on percentages, mean and frequencies of respondents views. The data was also analyzed using correlation techniques and regression technique. In summary, the information provides key statistics to assess the performance of a regression model. The R² value indicates that the model explains approximately 28% of the variance in the dependent variable, and the adjusted R² adjusts for the number of predictors. The standard error of the estimate provides information about the typical prediction error in the model. These statistics help in understanding the model's goodness of fit and its ability to explain the variation in the dependent variable.
Keywords: Outsourcing, Human resource management, Outsourcing Strategies, Recruitment process, Employee’s benefits, Employee’s relations
Influence of Technology and ICT Policies on Hotel Guest Satisfaction in the Hotel Industry: A Case of 4 and 5 Star Rated Hotels in Nairobi City County
No full textThe adoption of ICT in the hospitality industry is important in the development of business, minimizing costs and the generation of revenue as well as to reach more customers. Across the world, the use of technology and information and communication technologies (ICT) in the hospitality industry has significantly impacted the way hotels operate and the way they provide services to their guests. In the wake of turbulence in the hospitality industry especially as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic that reduced disposable income as well as crippling travel and tourism around the planet, hotels need to lower their operation costs, find ways of increasing their revenue as well as enhancing guest satisfaction. The study sought to establish the effect of technology and ICT policies on 4 and 5 star hotels in Nairobi City County. Specifically, the study sought to establish the effects of property management systems on guest satisfaction in 4 and 5 star hotels in Nairobi Kenya; to examine the effect of online booking platforms on guest satisfaction in 4 and 5 star hotels in Nairobi Kenya; to determine the effect of in-room technology on guest satisfaction in 4 and 5 star hotels in Nairobi Kenya and to establish the effect of customer relationship management systems on guest satisfaction in 4 and 5 star hotels in Nairobi Kenya. The study was guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Resource Based View Theory. The target population was 4583 staff from 24 four and five star hotels in Nairobi. Stratified random sampling was used to choose a sample size of 368 employees. The data was collected using structured questionnaires for the employees. The questionnaires were administered through google online questionnaire. Regression analysis was conducted to establish the relationship between the variables. The results were presented in graphs and tables. The study used a multiple regression model to show the relationship between the study variables. The findings revealed an R squared coefficient of 0.643 and adjusted R squared of 0.618 at 95% significance level, implying that the technology and ICT policies adopted in the study (Property Management Systems, Online booking platforms, In-Room Technology, Customer Relationship Management Systems) jointly explained 64.3 percent of the variation in guest satisfaction in four and five star hotels in Nairobi City County. The study also found that property management systems had a positive and significant effect on guest satisfaction in four and five star hotels in Nairobi City County (β =.357, p=.013<.05); online booking platforms had a positive and significant effect on guest satisfaction in four and five star hotels in Nairobi City County (β =.427, p=.005<.05); in-room technology had a positive and significant effect on guest satisfaction in four and five star hotels in Nairobi City County (β =.322, p=.003>.05) and finally the study found that customer relationship management systems as an aspect of technology and ICT policies had a positive and significant effect on guest satisfaction in four and five star hotels in Nairobi City County(β =.383, p=.000<.05). The study concluded that technology and ICT policies had a positive and significant effect on guest satisfaction in four and five star hotels in Nairobi City County. The study thus recommended that four and five star hotels in Nairobi City County should consider adopting technology and ICT policies such as Property Management Systems, Online booking platforms, In-Room Technology, Customer Relationship Management Systems and others as ways of enhancing guest satisfaction.
Keywords: Technology, Guest Satisfaction, ICT Policie
Influence of Hotel Green Energy Practices on Competitive Advantage of Hotels in Nyeri County, Kenya
No full textThe hotel industry is one of the major economic segments to achieving the Kenya Vision 2030. The hotel sector is a significant contributor to GDP and a source of employment for thousands of Kenyans. However, many hotels have relied much on the quality of products as an avenue to achieving competitive advantage, disregarding the role of green energy influence on competitive advantage in the hotel sector. This study aimed to determine the influence of green energy practices on the competitive advantage of tourist hotels in Nyeri County. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to guide the study. The study population was 170 tourist hotels and nine government officers concerned with tourism. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. A reliability test was employed to measure the questionnaire's consistency and adequacy by using the Cronbach alpha coefficient technique with only items of 0.70 and above selected. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. A p-value of 0. 005 determined the overall significance of the study. The study revealed that green energy conservation practices and competitive advantage are significantly and positively related (β= 0.838, p=0.000). The study found that every unit change in energy conservation practices leads to an increase in competitive advantage. The study concluded that green energy practices reduce hotel operation costs, leading to a competitive advantage. The study recommends that hotels consider implementing energy conservation practices and using renewable energy, such as solar power.
Keywords: Green energy practices, Competitive advantage, Hotels, Nyeri County, Kenya
 
Sporty Moments and Tourism Development: The Involvement of Local Community in Sports Events Hosting
No full textIn the 21st century, sports events hosting has emerged as a strategic tool for enhancing tourism sectors in various destinations, including Kenya. Despite this, academic research on the viability of sports events hosting as a tourism product in Kenya has been limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the influence of local community involvement in sports events hosting on tourism development in Uasin Gishu County, with a specific focus on the urban area of Eldoret and its metropolitan regions. The study's theoretical foundation is based on social exchange theory. The research design adopts a cross-sectional approach, with 552 respondents. The sample includes 384 locals, 152 sports tourists, six event managers, eight hotel managers, and two tourism county officials. Data collection involves questionnaires and interview schedules. Quantitative data is analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), employing descriptive and inferential analyses. Qualitative data undergoes text/content analysis, and its integration with quantitative findings is presented during the discussion. The study's findings reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship between local community involvement in hosting sports events and tourism development (r=0.723, p=0.000). Impressively, local community involvement accounts for 52.2% of the variability in tourism development. Based on these results, the study concludes that local community involvement significantly influences hosting sports events and is associated with regional tourism development. To optimize the benefits derived from hosting sports events, the study recommends adopting a local community-centered approach in managerial, policy, and marketing aspects. By incorporating macro-level involvement through community groups and individual participation, a more equitable distribution of benefits can be achieved, fostering tourism development.
Keywords: Local community involvement, Sports events, Hosting, Tourism Development, Uasin Gishu County
Fostering Market Penetration Strategies for Sustainable Conservation of Heritage Sites in Nyeri County, Kenya
No full textSustainable conservation has become popular in tourism, accepted by developers and stakeholders as an economically viable, socially acceptable, and environmentally friendly model for heritage tourism development models. However, heritage tourism encounters challenges like cultural commercialization, deterioration, development pressure, marketing gaps, and insufficient maintenance. Consequently, Kenya has prioritized long-term heritage tourism development goals to realize Vision 2030. This paper examines how market penetration strategies can leverage the sustainable conservation of heritage sites in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, targeting the local community members, tourists visiting the heritage sites, key informants from the local government of Nyeri, officials from the National Museums of Kenya, and site supervisors. The sample size was 762 respondents, 11 were interviewed, and 752 were administered questionnaires. The results of correlation analysis revealed that market penetration strategies exhibited a positive and statistically significant relationship with sustainable conservation (r=0.620, P=0.000), explaining 38.4% of heritage sites' sustainable conservation variations. The study concludes that market penetration catalyzes the sustainable preservation of heritage sites. The study recommends integrating heritage sites into the County's economic plans and employing a comprehensive approach that engages the local community at all stages. This approach should encompass these sites' social, cultural, and economic importance for the local population. Furthermore, the findings highlight the need for a collaborative effort involving multiple government levels and diverse agencies to develop, expand, and market heritage products, with due consideration for biodiversity conservation.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Heritage Sites, Market Penetration Strategies, Nyeri County, Sustainable Conservation, Tourism
Psychopharmacology: Examine the Emerging Pharmaceutical Treatments for Mental Health Conditions and their Effectiveness Compared to Traditional Medication
No full textStudy background: Mental health poses health, economic, and social burdens worldwide. The existing pharmaceutical interventions against mental diseases produce undesirable adverse effects, creating the need for the exploration of new treatments for more effective medications that do not yield adverse effects. Methods: The present review involved a literature search from electronic databases, including PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, eb of science, and PsycINFO, and was conducted based on the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Studies (PICOS), protocol, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Two independent reviewers were assigned study selection and data collection processes that included 16 studies in the review. Results: A review comparing the effectiveness of emerging pharmaceutical interventions against mental illnesses found that the psychedelic class of medications and cannabinoids are emerging effective medications against mental illnesses, including Major Depressive Disorders (MDD), patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). However, the medications produce mild adverse effects.
Keywords - Emerging mental health treatments, Effective medications, traditional medicines, mental health, Psychomarmacology treatment, Psychopharmacology efficacy