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Management Information System Usage and its Influence on Academic Processes in Mount Kenya University, Kigali Campus, Rwanda
No full textThis paper correlates MIS usage with the execution of academic processes in Mount Kenya University in Kigali City, RwandaThe study investigated how both staff and students of Mount Kenya University, Kigali used the
university’s Management Information System (MIS) to perform and benefit from academic processes
and how the functionalities of the MIS influenced the execution of academic processes. Sample size of
164 staff and 354 students were obtained in the case study from target populations of 251 staff and
3072 students respectively, using stratified random and purposive sampling techniques, with the
students sampled from the seven schools of the university. A questionnaire was used to collect data
from the staff and students, while the Coordinator of ICT and Librarian were interviewed. Findings
revealed that the MIS was considered helpful for student registration by staff (89.63%) and students
(88.18%); for information retrieval by staff (90.24%) and students (93.66%) respectively; for
documents generation by staff (91.46%) and students (86.74%); for enhancing students’ awareness of
academic programs by the students (95.39%). MIS reduced long queues for services as revealed by
staff (92.07%) and students (85.01%). Multiple regression analysis revealed a very strong positive
correlation (R2 =0.95) between MIS usage by staff and perceived effectiveness of implementation of
the university’s academic processes (R2 = 0.95), and similarly for the students (R2 = 0.901), with both
correlations significant at the 95% confidence level. Recommendations of the study included the
provision of uninterrupted Internet connectivity with adequate bandwidth to enable readier and faster
intranet and Internet access. Provision of training on MIS functionalities for staff should be offered
more frequently to minimize inefficiencies in MIS usage. Communications through the MIS should be
improved in various ways, including posting timely notifications, providing feedback facilities and
providing electronic links to the library’s Online Public Access Catalogue other information services,
and various published digital documents and learning materials of the university.Author
Vascular activity of protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol, the major saponin fractions isolated from roots of Panax notoginseng
No full textPanax notoginseng (PN) (Burk) F. H. Chen (Araliacea) is a Chinese herb commonly known in Asia for its medicinal potentials, antihypertensive included. The aim of this study was to investigate the vasorelaxant activity of protopanaxadiol (PDS) and protopanaxatriol (PTS), the major saponin fractions isolated from roots of PN, and identify the underlying mechanisms on isolated rat aortic rings. Methods: Radnoti Tissue-Organ bath instrument (ADInstruments) was used to perform Tissue-Organ bath experiments, and tensions produced on isolated rat aortic rings were recorded by the help of ADInstruments PowerLab 8/30 system (Model ML 870, Australia). Results: Both PDS and PTS (10−6−10−3 μg/ ml) induced concentration-dependent relaxations in intact rat aortic rings pre-contracted with norepinephrine (1 μM).This activity was considerably reduced after removal of the endothelium and in intact rings pre-treated with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 μM), 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-α]-quinoxaline-1-one (ODQ, 10 μM), and combination of L-NAME and ODQ. However, pre-treatment with indomethacin (10 μM) did not affect either PDS- or PTS-induced relaxations. Furthermore, both PDS and PTS (10−4 and 10−3 μg/ml) decreased CaCl2- and potassium chloride (KCL)-induced vasoconstrictions in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that both PDS and PTS produced vasorelaxant effect that was mediated by NO-cyclic guanosine monophosphate in intact rings and by blockade of calcium influx in vascular smooth muscle. Cyclooxygenase pathway, on the other hand, had no apparent role. Among these fractions, PDS showed better effect with a slight difference. Conclusion: Findings from this study showed that both PDS and PTS fractions possess vasorelaxant activity. This supports the potential use of PN in management of cardiovascular diseases, especially hypertension
Assessment of the Strategic Role of Procurement Professionalism on Ethical Sourcing in Kenya
No full textThe objectives of public procurement reforms in Kenya has been; to create value
for money, to increase public participation, ensure transparency and accountability,
ensure fair treatment of all suppliers, improve the economy and build the capacity
of local suppliers. Hence an inclination towards a more ethical sourcing centered
procurement process. The strategic role of procurement professionalism in ethical
sourcing cannot therefore be wished away since every procurement activity,
irrespective of size or scope, impacts in some way on the environment in which
the organization operates. 60% of all government expenditure is realized through
procurement. Despite the overregulated procurement operations, the public
procurement system in Kenya has received a lot of negative publicity in the recent
past. This paper therefore explores the strategic role that procurement professionals
can play in promoting ethical sourcing in Kenyan public procuring entities. The
researchers surveyed 96 procurement professionals working in Kiambu County
through use of semi structured questionnaires to collect data which was analyzed
using SPSS. An in-depth review of existing literature was carried out to give an
informed opinion on the subject matter. The study reviews that procurement still
enjoys a “back-office” position despite majority of the respondents admitting it
plays a critical role in their organizations’ operations. The researchers propose a
repositioning of the procurement function through lobbing and continuous training
so as to grow the necessary key skills and overcome the ever growing supply chain
management challenges. The study proposes that developing a strategic approach
on procurement, the public and private sector at large can increase the likelihood of
obtaining best value for money spent and foster sustainable economic developmen
Fostering Entrepreneurship in the University Context – Promotion of International Entrepreneurship
No full textSmall and medium sized enterprises (SME) are the driving force behind all
economies. Their importance can be observed in the German economy where 99%
of all enterprises fall under the classification of SME. At the same time more than
60% of all jobs originate from SME. In order to promote such an important economic
factor, many funding opportunities and trainings are available. Especially Universities
and other higher education institutions have been focusing on the establishment
of entrepreneurship education in order to stimulate the start-up scene. But in a
global business environment, where customers and competitors are no longer
bound to national borders, internationalization capabilities play an important role
for decision makers in companies. Globalization and international business relations
come with both tremendous chances and risks for SME. Accessing new markets
offers new opportunities that are often associated with increasing competitive
pressure. Experience has shown that enterprises are learning through trial and
error approaches when entering foreign markets. The goal should be to transfer the
experience from successful start-up promotion to a support system that supports the
internationalization activities of companies. On the basis of the FIT4export program,
the International SEPT Program serves as a sparring partner that accompanies and
supports SME in all phases of the internationalization process. This mission facilitates
regional economic development and strengthens the competitiveness of the private
sector. Similar to business incubators new ideas, products and business models shall
be developed and tested under a protective atmosphere up to a point that allows
successful internationalization of companie
Influence of Teacher Performance on Learning Achievement in Public Secondary Schools in Kisii County, Kenya
No full textExtant literature suggests that regular appraisal of teachers lead to progress in student learning achievement. However, the influence of teacher performance on achievement is not well documented hence the need for this study whose objectives were to (1) determine the relationship between teacher appraisal ratings and student learning achievement, (2) establish the relationship between student feedback ratings and learning achievement and (3) determine the influence of teacher performance on student learning achievement. Based on Locke’s goal-setting and Vrooms’ expectancy theories this study adopted explanatory sequential mixed methods design with population of 50,379 comprising 333 principals, 3,426 teachers and 46,620 students and a stratified sample of 397. Questionnaire reliability was .779 and .783 for teachers and students respectively. Quantitative research findings for the first and second objectives yielded Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient r (27) = -.008, p=.484 (performance appraisal ratings) and r (27) = -.085, p=.331 (student feedback ratings) showing that appraisal ratings and student feedback ratings were not significantly related to learning achievement since p-values obtained were more than the critical alpha (α) set at .05 level of significance. For the third objective, the regression analysis model constructed to test the influence of teacher performance on learning achievement yielded Persons’ R=.085 indicating a weak positive relationship between the two variables. The R-Squared (R²) computed yielded a value of .007, suggesting that teacher performance explained .7% of student learning achievement. Qualitative findings confirmed that performance appraisal contributed minimally to student achievement due to weaknesses of the appraisal policy, low teacher motivation, student characteristics, principal’s characteristics and home background factors. It is thus recommended that Teachers Service Commission should consider expanding performance appraisal for teachers in secondary schools. In addition, all stakeholders should participate in capacity building programmes to strengthen the performance management process. Finally, further research to develop a performance management model for schools is essential
Agribusiness Development through Rural Value Chain/Cluster Symbiosis
No full textTalk about business acceleration in agrarian Africa is incomplete until agribusiness
is mentioned. A 2013 World Bank report “Growing Africa: Unlocking the Potential
of Agribusiness,” says that Africa’s farmers and agribusinesses could create a trilliondollar
food market by 2030 and calls on governments to focus on agribusiness.
The report argues that these adverse trends can be reversed through, among
other interventions, good policies that support open transparent procedures and
processes along the entire agricultural value chain. The report laments that little
attention has usually been paid to the value chain through which Africa’s agricultural
commodities and products reach the final consumers within the country and abroad.
The fact is that the level of agro-processing at rural level in Africa is in most of the
cases inexistent or just very basic. The loud message of the said report is that Africa
must develop innovative approaches to rural agribusiness development. This paper
reports preliminary findings of an on-going demonstration research at Bungoma
County. Applying the C in the entrepreneurial creativity tool mnemonic SCAMPER
the author adapted the industrial ecology concept of industrial symbiosis (i.e. the
sharing of services, utility, and by-product resources among industries in order to
add value, reduce costs, prevent by-products from becoming wastes and improve
the environment) to the rural scene in relation to agricultural value chains and
clusters, hence the title. In the on-going, Bungoma County based demo- research
farmers are subcontracted to plant sunflower which they deliver to the research site
for processing into vegetable oil. The cake from the oil press is used to make fish and
animal feed. This creates opportunity for fish farming and zero dairy grazing as well as
poultry farming. The farming waste is used to produce bio-gas and organic manure.
This is a drift away from the homogeneous cluster and single based value chain to
a heterogeneous cluster based on an extended value chain. Indeed opportunities
for other chains including packaging have started cropping up. Both intended and
unintended results are being registered. Lessons are already being learnt. Partial
policy interventions can be made
The Role of Leadership Ecosystem as a Strategy for Business Acceleration: A Case of Textbook and Stationery Business in Makueni County
No full textMakueni County, situated on the eastern part of Kenya is one of the 47 devolved
county governments created by the new constitution which was promulgated
in 2010. The county has over 1200 schools which are supplied with instructional
materials by 40 registered booksellers under the Free Primary Education Program.
Despite the huge injection of direct funds from the Kenya Government, most
businesses lack the capacity to deliver on their mandates efficiently giving room
for unregistered ‘brief-case’ book/stationery sellers to invade the market. Rapid
development of these businesses is important in facilitating effective and efficient
channelling of educational materials to schools by the Kenya Government. This study
focused on evaluating the role of leadership ecosystem on business acceleration. The
specific objectives of the study included: The effect of Leadership on Profitability,
Sales Turnover, Cost Performance and Employee Performance. The study used an
exploratory design. The target population was the 40 registered book/stationery
businesses in Makueni County (Ministry of Education Orange Book). From the target
population a representative sample of 20% of the population was selected. Data
was collected through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires
were subjected to the Cronbach alpha to check for reliability. Quantitative data was
analysed by use of Regression and Correlation analyses in SPSS while qualitative
data was analysed using the Leadership Test Tool. The analysed data was presented
using frequency tables and graphical techniques. The study sought to establish
whether or not Leadership ecosystem had an effect on the business parameters
highlighted above. The finding of the study was that rapid business growth depended
on the effectiveness of the organizational leadership in place. It’s suggested that
transformational leadership be exercised in the book/stationery business in Makueni
County in order to enhance business acceleration
Transforming Africa: The Information and Communication Technology Revolution
No full textThe Internet and mobile phones are transforming the commercial landscape
in Africa. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is now
positioned to promote innovation, job creation and boost the export potential of
African companies. In recent years, a greater number of the 54 African countries
have been embracing technology as the driver. Africa is a continent in a digital
e-transition. The rise of the middle-class is fueling consumer growth and according to
a study by the McKinsey Global Institute, the Internet will generate African economic
growth and social transformation particularly in the following six sectors: Financial
services; Education; Health; Retail; Agriculture; and Government. In the Financial
sector, McKinsey pointed out that M-Pesa’s mobile money solutions have brought
millions of Kenyans into the financial grid for the first time. In the area of Health
care, remote diagnostics are expanding medical services to rural areas that have few
healthcare professionals. In Education, students are beginning to learn with new
digital education tools, and e-government initiatives are connecting citizens with
government services. Technology-related productivity gains in these, other sectors
could reach 318 billion by 2025, and large African populations stand
to benefit as a result. This presentation will discuss the progress and future of ICT in
Africa and discuss how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from different
business sectors can make use of ICT opportunities
Mount Kenya University Newsletter, 2nd Issue 2018
No full textIt is double joy as Mount
Kenya University’s (MKU’s)
law programmes receive full
accreditation. This marks an
eventful year for legal training
at the institution which a government
study ranked among
the top trainers with the highest
student pass rates in the Kenya
School of Law Bar examination
over the last ten years.
On 30 July, the Council of Legal
Education (CLE) fully accredited
Mount Kenya University’s Parklands
Law Campus and its Bachelor
of Law programme (LLB).
MKU hosted a luncheon on 3
August to celebrate this historic
milestone that made it the 11th
university in the country to attain
full accreditation.
This sets the stage for the university
to offer a Master in Law
(LLM) programme.
Then on 25 October, CLE
inspected the campus’s facilities
and resources in respect to the
university’s Diploma in Law programme.
Satisfied, CLE licensed
MKU as a Legal Education Provider
pursuant to the provisions
of Legal Education Act and the
relevant regulations, for a period
of five years with effect from 22
November 2018
Role of Handicraft Micro-Enterprises as a Catalyst for Youth Employment
No full textSouth Africa, like many other countries in the world, is faced with the difficulty of
how to create employment for the country’s young population. There is a pressing
need to equip the country’s youth with the means to develop their entrepreneurial
potential. In this context, the government has to create a support mechanism to help
integrate young people into the job market, through handicraft entrepreneurship.
Department of Art, Culture, Science and Technology asserts that, not only does
the handicraft sector provide income generation opportunities for groups which
have access to resources, but also offers employment opportunities for the most
economically disadvantaged people in South African society. However, the handicraft
sector is performing at a level far below its potential in South Africa. The study sought
to examine job creation, income generation and poverty alleviation opportunities
in developing the microenterprise-handcraft linkage, with special attention to
vulnerable sectors of society, the youths. The research used exploratory approach and
qualitative data collection method. The paper presents research findings from both
literature review and semi-structured interviews with local producers, supporters,
and buyers of handicraft products in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. Finally,
the study provides a comprehensive strategy on how to enhance the South African
handicraft sector to better meet its needs as a micro-enterprise to create a better
living for the peopl