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Influence of Inspirational Motivation on Implementation of Human Resource Management Policies by Kakamega County Government, Kenya
Full text linkThis study aimed to establish the influence of inspirational motivation on implementation of Human Resource
Management policies by County Government of Kakamega. A descriptive research design and sample survey
method involving use of questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument was adopted. The study
population was 6,328 County Government of Kakamega employees. Simple random sampling technique was
applied to get a sample size of 154 respondents with a pilot study being conducted in Bungoma County where
the study checked for internal consistency and reliability of the instrument for data collection. Cronbach’s
coefficient alpha of 0.867 was obtained for internal reliability. Ethics governing research were accorded utmost
consideration. A 92.7% return rate was attained, good for social statistics analysis. The Statistical Package for
the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data in the study. Pearson Product Moment Correlation
Coefficient and linear regression were used in analysis within 95% confidence interval to test for associations,
relationships and independence of indicators. Study findings revealed a significant and positive relationship
between inspirational motivation and implementation of Human Resource Management Policies. Based on the
study findings, it was concluded that inspirational motivation as a construct of transformational leadership had a
significant positive influence on implementation of Human Resource Management policies at Kakamega County
Government. The study therefore stretches the frontiers of knowledge on the nexus between transformational
leadership and implementation of Human Resource Management policies and recommends the adoption of
Human Resource Management practices that harness the benefits of transformational leadership at the work
places not only at the County Government of Kakamega but in all public and private organizations in Kenya and
beyond
EFFECT OF RELATIONSHIP MARKETING ORIENTATION ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY: A SURVEY OF STAR-RATED HOTELS IN NORTH RIFT, KENY
Full text linkWith business rivalry getting fiercer, the most pressing issue that organizations must
address is how to gain customer loyalty and maximize client lifetime value. The focus of
Relationship Marketing Orientation is on building, developing, and maintaining a
positive customer relationship exchange. The fruitful relationship with customers is
expected to increase customer loyalty. Nonetheless, due to the competitive environment's
dynamics, the building and maintenance of client loyalty is becoming increasingly
difficult. As a result, it is necessary to assess the extent to which relationship marketing
approach and its parts of practice have a substantial and positive impact on client loyalty.
As such, this study sought to evaluate the adoption of relationship marketing orientation
and its effect on customer loyalty using a census of survey of fourteen (14) star-rated
hotels in North Rift Region of Kenya. The objectives included to: establish the effect of
service quality, customer emotions and customer perceptions on customer loyalty in
these star-rated hotels. It also examined whether hotel characteristics moderated the
effects of the relationship marketing orientation on customer loyalty. The study was
informed by three theories, namely Social Exchange Theory, Assimilation Theory and
Equity Theory. A cross-sectional research design was used to randomly sample 384
guests using a Multi-Stage Sampling Method from the hotel guests who visited the hotels
between January and June 2019. Data was collected using a questionnaire that was
issued to the respondents. The reliability of the questionnaire items was tested by use of
Cronbach Alpha Coefficient with a coefficient of 0.7. The validity of the questionnaire
items was evaluated using expert reviews. The findings were presented using descriptive
and inferential statitistics. Descriptive statitics entailed summarizing the data and
Multiple Linear Regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis on the effect of
relationship on Customer Loyalty. The moderating variable of hotel characteristics was
used in the moderated Multiple Linear Regression. The study found that service quality,
customer emotions and customer perceptions had a significantly strong positive
relationship with customer loyalty, with β coefficient values of 0.326, 0.248, and 0.829,
respectively, at p<0.05. The overall significance of the model was R
vii
2
=0.612, P<0.005.
The hotel characteristics (size, star-rating and location) were found to have a significant
effect in moderating the effect of Relationship Marketing Orientation on customer
loyalty. Therefore, the study concludes that service quality, customer emotions and
customer perceptions would have significant positive effect on customer loyalty and the
outcomes would vary with hotel characteristics of size, star-rating and the location of the
hotel. Therefore, the study recommends that, to gain customer loyalty, hotels need to
continuously improve on their service quality, customer emotions and customer
preceptions. Further, to gain from hotel characteristics proprietors should ensure the
hotel is easily accessible, and they should obtain favourable star-rating and continue
growing their business capacity to meet customers‘ expectations
INFLUENCE OF MARKETING MIX STRATEGIES ON SALES PERFORMANCE OF BIXA ORELLANA AMONG SMALL SCALE FARMERS IN KWALE COUNTY, KENYA
Full text linkBixa Orellana, a natural food-colour, is in high demand in both local and international
markets due to its health benefits. The sales performance of the crop remains relatively
low in Kenya despite its potential contribution towards increasing Bixa farmers‟ income.
Unlike other cash crops, the marketing efforts of Bixa remains unstructured and has been
the obligation of small-scale farmers who produce the crop. It therefore remains unclear
whether such efforts have influenced the sales performance of Bixa Orellana. The
purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of marketing mix strategies on the
sales performance of Bixa Orellana among Small Scale farmers in Kwale County,
Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to: examine the influence of product
strategy; assess the influence of pricing strategy; establish the influence of place strategy;
examine the influence of promotion strategy; and examine the moderating effect of
Government policy on Bixa Orellana value chain on sales performance of Bixa Orellana
among Small Scale farmers in Kwale County, Kenya. The study was underpinned by the
Consumer Utility Theory, Theory of Pricing, AIDA model and Distribution Channel
Theory. The study adopted a positivism research paradigm and a descriptive survey
research design. The target population for the study was 2,419 registered small scale
Bixa farmers in Kwale County. The sample size was 106 farmers who were selected
using simple random sampling technique. The research instruments were a Questionnaire
and an Interview schedule. Reliability of the Questionaire was tested and confirmed as
0.831 using Cronbach Alpha while validity was confirmed using expert opinion. Both
Data analysis which was done with the aid of SPSS version 21.0 software. Descriptive
statistical analysis involved; calculation of means, standard deviations and percentages;
inferential statistical analysis involved simple and multiple regression analysis; and
thematic analysis was used for interviews. From simple regression analyses, the study
found out that except for placement strategy, product, price and promotion strategies had
significant influence on the sales performance of Bixa Orellana among small scale
farmers in Kwale County. However, multiple regression analysis results indicated that
among the 4Ps only promotion strategy had a significant statistical influence on sales
performance of Bixa Orellana among small scale farmers in Kwale County, Kenya. The
moderating effect of Government policy on Value chain of Bixa Orellana was found to
be statistically insignificant, and not affecting the relationship between marketing mix
strategies and sales performance of Bixa Orellana. The study concuded that product and
pricing had a positive but insignificant influence on sales performance of Bixa Orellana
while placement and promotion strategies had negative insignificant and significant
influences on sales performance of Bixa Orellana, respectively. The study recommends
that; small scale farmers should adopt the appropriate 4Ps marketing mix strategies in
order to improve sales performance of Bixa Ollerana with a deeper focus on pricing and
promotion strategies. It also recommends that Kenya government through its agencies
should formulate and implement policies that will contribute towards enhancing
production and marketing of the crop in the country. This study is expected to serve as a
theoretical model for future studies in the area. It has also contributed towards unveiling
the influence of marketing mix strategies on sales performance of Bixa Orellana among
small scale farmers and has made policy recommendations towards production and
marketing of the crop in the country
HOTEL INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS IN COVID 19 PANDEMIC ENVIRONMENT IN KENYA: HOW TECHNOLOGICALLY READY ARE THE HOTELS?
Full text linkSince December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on te totel
industry leading to deep losses among industry players and forcing some to shut down
altogether. For those that would survive the crisis, their competitiveness could be at risk
unless they demonstrate strategic readiness. The competitiveness found in modern
organizations is, however, increasingly determined by the strategic readiness or
capability of it assets, notably technology. However, the strategic readiness of the hotel
industry needed to be established. Therefore, this paper explores the strategic
teachnology readiness of the star-rated hotels in Kenya for competitiveness in the Covid
19 pandemic environment. The paper is guided by the Chamberlain's theory of strategy.
A descriptive cross sectional survey design targeting 138 star-rated hotels in the country
selected through systematic random sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires
and interview schedules. Qualitative data was analyzed using content anaysis with the
aid of Nvivo software while quantitative data was analyzed using both ddescriptive and
inferential statistical analysis with the aid of SPSS version 24.0. Specifically, the study
used the bivariate regression model to assess the relationship between the variables. The
study found that technology readiness significantly influenced the competitiveness of
star-rated hotels in the Covid 19 pandemic environment in Kenya. There is need for the
hotels to adopt a more proacticve approach in setting their technological systems for an
EFFECT OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH ON ACADEMIC MOTIVATION, ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTION AMONG COUNTY CO-EDUCATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS, NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA
Full text linkA lot of scholarly research articles have lauded the positive significant contribution of
Cooperative Learning Approach (CLA) and its effect on student‟s academic
achievement. The objectives of the study were to: determine the effect of CLA on
student‟s academic motivation in English in Public Co-Educational County Secondary
schools in Nakuru County Kenya; examine its effect on Public Co-Educational County
Secondary schools student‟s perception of their classroom environment, and to establish
its effect on students‟ achievement in English in Public Co-Educational County
Secondary schools in Nakuru County Kenya. The study further sought to establish the
moderating effect of gender on the dependent variables. The study was guided by
cooperative learning integrative theories of motivation. The theoretical framework was
based on motivational theories and Slavin (2006) Research on Co-operative Learning.
The study adopted quasi experimental design, based on Solomon Four- group, Nonequivalent
Control Group Design. The target populations were students and teachers
from the four Public Co-Educational County Secondary schools of Nakuru County. The
accessible population was 766 form three students in the four schools. The study further
used simple random sampling in the selection of schools and purposive sampling to
select the form three class to participate in the study. A sample size of 242 from three
students and four teachers of English was used. The study involved two Experimental
groups, E
vii
1
and E
2
which were taught through CLA method and two Control groups, C
1
and C
2
which were taught through the Conventional methods. Three instruments were
used to collect quantitative data namely; English Achievement Test (EAT); Students‟
Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ), Student Perception Guide (SPG) of their classroom
environment while Teachers Perception Guide(TPG) and Student Interview Guide (SIG)
were used to collect qualitative data. Pilot testing of the instruments, EAT, SMQ, and
SPG was done in one Public Co-Educational County Secondary schools within Nakuru
County that had similar character traits as the sampled schools. Cronbach‟s alpha
coefficient was used to determine the reliability of EAT, SPG and SMQ. A reliability
coefficient of 0.812 for EAT, 0.801 for SPG and 0.789 for SMQ were obtained, hence
the instruments were acceptable. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and
inferential statistics using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24).
The differences between the group means was analyzed using t-test, ANOVA,
ANCOVA and statistical significance tested at alpha=0.05. The study found out that
there was statistically significant effect of cooperative learning approach on students‟
academic motivation in English in public co-education secondary schools in Nakuru,
County Kenya (F(1,126)=737.625, P<0.05). It was also found that there was statistically
significant effect of cooperative learning approach on students‟ achievement in English
in public co-educational county secondary schools in Nakuru, County Kenya
(F(1,216)=113043.974, p<0.05). The study further found that gender of the students had
a statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between cooperative
learning approach and students‟ perception of classroom environment as well as
students‟ achievement of English in public co-educational secondary schools in Nakuru,
County Kenya. The findings of the study would be beneficial to teacher training colleges
and universities, in incorporate CLA in their pre-service teacher training as they shift and
prepare teachers to the new Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) and English teachers
to adopt CLA as an instructional strategy that would help improve the performance of
the subject
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRINCIPALS’ USE OF SELECTED LEADERSHIP STYLES AND STUDENTS’ CONFORMITY TO RULES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA
Full text linkStakeholders in education in Nakuru County, Kenya have expressed great concern over
high levels of students’ non-conforming to rules in public secondary schools as
indicated by the Education Task Force (2015). The county is noted to have high number
of cases of students’ non-conformity to rules that have been handled at the county level,
compared to some of the neighbouring counties like, Baringo, Kajiado, Kericho and
Laikipia in the last four years. This shows that there is a problem of students’
conformity to rules in the county that needed to be investigated. The purpose of this
study was to investigate the relationship between principals’ use of selected leadership
styles and students conformity to rules in public secondary schools in Nakuru County,
Kenya. The objectives of the study were:- to establish the relationship between
principals’ use of autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, and transactional leadership
styles and students’ conformity to rules in public secondary schools in Nakuru County,
Kenya. The study was anchored on Hirschi’s (1969) Social Control Theory. The study
adopted a correlational research design. The target population was 338 principals, 393
deputy principals, 346 teachers and 116,374 students in 338 public secondary schools.
Stratified random sampling was used to select 100 public secondary schools purposive
sampling was used to select 100 principals simple random sampling was used to select
346 teachers and 383 students from the 11 sub counties in Nakuru County. Forty deputy
principals (40) were selected to participate in the study. Questionnaires were used to
collect data from principals, teachers and students while interviews were used to collect
data from deputy principals. Test-retest reliability revealed a coefficient above 0.70
required thresh hold, indicating that the instruments were reliable. Descriptive statistics
such as frequencies and percentages were computed from data collected. Pearson’s
correlation coefficient was used to establish the nature of the relationship between
principals’ use of selected leadership styles and students’ conformity to school rules.
The findings showed that both the principals and teachers data indicated a statistically
significant positive relationship between principals’ use of autocratic leadership style
and students’ conformity to school rules where (r =0.300:p<0.05), principals’ use of
democratic leadership style and students’ conformity to school rules (r=0.334 : p<0.05),
principals’ use of laissez–faire leadership style and students’ conformity to school rules
(r=0.310 p<0.05) and transactional leadership style and students’ conformity to school
rules (r=0.410 : p<0.05). It was concluded that there is no one leadership style that can
be used exclusively to enhance students’ conformity to school rules. These styles can
be blended in daily management activities in schools to enhance students’ conformity
to school rules. The findings of this study may help education policy makers to come
up with strategies of enhancing students’ conformity to rules by requiring principals
and deputy principals to undertake continuous in service courses on leadership and
management to handle the ever-changing behaviuor of leaners. The study may also help
the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology see the need of employing trained
counselors or psychologists to deal with some underlying issues that may lead to
students’ non-conformity to rules like drug and substances abuse, illicit relationships,
absenteeism, psychological problems among others. This study may also help
principals proactive in handling students’ misconduct by using an appropriate
leadership style in a given situation before problems escalate to indiscipline. The study
had adhered to all ethical provisions
PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF SELECTED PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS ON RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: A CASE OF EGERTON AND KABARAK MAIN CAMPUSES IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA
Full text linkPsychosocial factors may shape sexual attitudes and behaviours of young people either
positively or negatively. Risky sexual behaviours have become a challenge all over the
world and may have major negative impact on the undergraduate students‘ experiences
such as sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies, abortions, negative
academic performance, inability to progress through the university academic years,
decision to remain at university and overall psychological well-being. Therefore, the
purpose of this research mainly dwelt on the perceived influence of selected psychosocial
factors on risky sexual behaviours among undergraduate students of Egerton and Kabarak
main campuses in Nakuru County. The objectives of this study were; to determine the
perceived influence of self-efficacy on risky sexual behaviours, to examine the perceived
influence of sexual norms on risky sexual behaviours, to establish the perceived influence
of socio-economic status on risky sexual behaviours, to assess the perceived influence of
social media on risky sexual behaviours, to explore the perceived influence of substance
abuse on risky sexual behaviours and to identify the mediating role of counselling
services in mitigating risky sexual behaviours. Social Learning Theory by Albert
Bandura, Social Exchange Theory by George Homans and Person-Centred Theory by
Carl Rogers guided the study. The study was carried out among 3
vii
rd
and 4
th
year
undergraduate students from main campuses in Nakuru County. The study adopted a
correlational research design. The target population was 18570 undergraduate students.
The accessible population was 8456 3
rd
and 4
th
year undergraduate students whose sample
was 367. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The
sample included 10 peer counsellors and 2 student counsellors from the Egerton
University and Kabarak University main campuses who were selected through purposive
sampling. The total number of respondents was 379. Data were obtained using
questionnaire, focus group discussions guide and interview schedule. Validation of
research instruments was done through peer and expert review and through pilot testing
which was done in Mount Kenya University (MKU)- Nakuru Campus that was not
among the main campuses studied. The pilot sample consisted of 15 undergraduate
students, 5 peer counsellors and 1 student counsellor. Cronbach Alpha Coefficient was
used to establish reliability coefficient, which was 0.79, and was based on the threshold of
0.7. Descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages were used, and inferential
statistics of chi-square statistics was also used to analyse quantitative data using SPSS
Version 25. The analysed data was presented in tables, graphs, and narratives. The
researcher considered ethics of confidentiality and informed consent. The outcome
indicated that most of the sampled students and staffs jointly agreed that self-efficacy,
sexual norms, socio-economic status, social media, and substance abuse influence risky
sexual behaviours among undergraduate students. Further findings indicated that
counselling services have mediating role in mitigating risky sexual behaviours. The study
concluded that the selected psychosocial factors have statistically significant perceived
influence on risky sexual behaviours among undergraduate students. Therefore, the study
recommends inclusion of human sexuality as a subject in the curriculum from primary
school to university level. The study also recommends the enhancement of regulations on
use of social media in order to curb exchange of pornographic messages and videos hence
reduce risky sexual behaviours among undergraduate students
Effect of Working Capital Management Decisions on the Financial Performance of Tea Firms in Kenya
Full text linkSpecific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of the accounts
receivables period, accounts payables period, inventory conversion period, cash conversion
cycle, financing policy, investing policy and moderating effect of ownership structure on
financial performance. The study illustrated that accounts receivables collection period is
negatively related to return on assets (β = -0.1299, p=0.0160), accounts payables payment
period is negatively related to return on assets (β = -0.0843, p = 0.0070), inventory
conversion period is negatively related to return on assets (β= -0.0623, p=0.0180), cash
conversion cycle is negatively related to return on assets (β = -0.1107, p = 0.0030),
financing policy is positively related to return on assets (β = 0.1589, p = 0.0000), investing
policy is positively related to return on assets (β = 0.0291, p = 0.0000). Ownership
structure moderates the relationship between working capital management decisions and
financial performance of tea firms in Kenya
INFLUENCE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES ON THE SELF-EFFICACY OF ORPHANED CHILDREN LIVING IN ORPHANAGES IN BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA
Full text linkThe primary focus of many orphanages in Kenya is the provision of shelter and food
with little investment in mental health care provision. It presents significant
implications for the self-efficacy of children brought up in orphanages, which could
persist in their adulthood. Moreover, the orphanages offer general guidance and
counselling programs, with little effort directed to counselling services offered for
purposes of adjusting and coping with orphanhood. Research has not adequately
established the link between counselling services provision and its relationship with
orphans efficacy. This study was aimed to find out the influence of guidance and
counselling services on the self-efficacy of orphans living in orphanages in Bungoma
County. The objectives of the study were; to establish the influence of individual
guidance and counselling services on the self-efficacy of orphaned children living in
orphanages in Bungoma County, to establish the influence of group guidance and
counselling services on the self-efficacy of orphaned children living in orphanages in
Bungoma County, to determine the influence of career guidance services on the selfefficacy
of orphaned children living in orphanages in Bungoma County, to establish
the influence of guidance and counselling referral services on the self-efficacy of
orphaned children living in orphanages in Bungoma County and to determine the
influence of mentorship programs on the self-efficacy of orphaned children living in
orphanages in Bungoma County. Four theories (Adlerian theory, Systems theory, Selfdetermination
theory and the social learning theory) were used in this research. The
researcher adopted descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was
2132 orphans in the 20 orphanages within Bungoma County. Two hundred and forty
(240) of the orphans in all the 20 orphanages were purposively sampled and
interviewed. One (1) caregiver and one (1) administrator (again per orphanage) were
interviewed, totalling to 280 respondents. Questionnaires and interview schedules were
used to collect data from the respondents who included the orphans, orphanages
administrators and caregivers. The self-efficacy scale of 1-4 was converted to between
0-100. The data was prepared, coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for
Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Strict ethical considerations were observed during
the study. The study established that there was a positive and significant relationship
between self-efficacy of orphaned children and individual guidance and counselling
services, group guidance and counselling services, career guidance services, guidiance
and counselling referral services and mentorship programs. The study conclude that
guidance and counselling services significantly influences the self-efficacy. The
study‘s recommendation for a policy was that the government should come up with a
policy to guide all the orphanages in Kenya, including the process of guidance and
counselling. Recommendations for practice were that every orphanage should engage
the services of a qualified and practising guidance and counselling specialist for the
orphans. Individual guidanceand counselling services should be encouraged in
orphanages, as they are effective. Group guidance and counselling services should be
encouraged in orphanages as they create confidence among orphans. In addition,
referral, mentorship and career guidance and counselling services help the orphans
open up and focus more on their engagements for purposes of improving their lives in
the post-orphanage days. The study recommends further studies on the influence of
guidance and counselling services on the quality of life of the orphans, with special
reference to their post-orphanage lives as well as on academic performance of the
orphans living in orphanages
Financial Management Skills and Affordability of Housing in Nakuru County
No full textThis study sought to determine the relationship between financial management skills and house affordability. The study adopted positivist, cross sectional design to collect, analyze and make conclusions on the relationship between the two variables. Heads of households were identified as the respondents in this study, where us each household was considered as unit of analysis. Research data was collected through structured questionnaires and interview guides. Data was collected from 384 households in London, Kaptembwa, Kapkures, Rhonda, Shaabab, Biashara, Kivumbini, Flamingo, Menengai and Nakuru East wards within Nakuru East and Nakuru west sub-counties. Results from the study revealed that financial management skills are a significant determinant of house affordability. In fact, it was evident that financial planning, budgeting, expenditure and financial control among other skills are very critical in the journey towards house ownership. The study recommends that individuals should enhance financial management skills through trainings and seminars. Financial institutions, as well as the government can support the households by organizing training opportunities, especially for low income households. The study recommends that further study should focus on financial management areas that are key to low income households and how such skills can be used towards house ownershi