RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POWER SUPPLY INTERRUPTIONS AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN MACHAKOS COUNTY

The importance of power supply to economic development of any nation cannot be overemphasized. Availability and access to reliable electricity supply has a rippling effect on productivity of manufacturing firms. Power supply in Kenya is generally known for its unreliability and high disruption costs that affect production efficiency and competitiveness. Unreliable power leads to disruptions in production, loss of perishable goods, damage to sensitive equipment and loss of orders. According to Economic Survey 2017, the number of power interruptions in Machakos County sector rose from an average of 7 cases a month in 2015 to an average of 13 cases a month in 2016. The study examined the relationship between power supply interruptions and manufacturing companies‟ financial performance in Machakos County. The research objectives were to determine the effect of scheduled maintenance, effect of equipment vandalism, the effect of response time and effect of interruption repair cost on financial performance of the manufacturing companies. The study was guided by Control Theory, Transaction Cost Theory, Resource Dependence Theory and Modern Theory of Cost. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population constituted the 69 manufacturing firms in Machakos County. The study used census approach to sample production manager from each manufacturing firm. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 to generate both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. A multiple regression model was employed to depict the relationship between independent variables and dependent variable. The statistics generated included both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics included frequency tables, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics included correlation analysis and multiple regressions. The results were presented in form of tables. The study found that scheduled maintenance and financial performance are positively and significantly related (r=0.243, p=0.001). The results indicated that equipment vandalism and financial performance are negatively and significantly related (r=0.211, p=0.021). It was also established that response time and financial performance are positively and significantly related (r=-0.155, p=0.012). From inferential statistics it was also clear that repair costs and financial performance are negatively and significantly related (r-0.128, p=.022). In conclusion, electricity is necessary for the operation of any manufacturing company and any interference with electricity supply makes manufacturing companies run into serious losses. From the results of this study, it is clear that companies suffer a great deal anytime there is power outage. As reported in this study, the financial performance of manufacturing companies in Machakos County are always affected by; scheduled maintenance by power utility, vandalism of electrical equipment, the response time by power utility staff to restore power and the cost the companies incur in terms of paying losses as a result of damage caused by power outage. Due to the important nature of electricity in the manufacturing industry, there is need to create clear policy framework protecting manufacturing companies from regular power outage which has an adverse effect on the operations of the manufacturing companies in the country. Scheduled maintenance by should be done in such a way that it does not interfere with the normal operations of manufacturing companies. The government and the utility company should ensure that there are vigilant groups formed to safe guard power equipment and power lines against vandalism which has become a major setback to the utility company in its attempt to maintain constant power supply

DETERMINANTS OF EMPLOYEES’ PERFORMANCE IN PARASTATALS IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF THE POSTAL CORPORATION OF KENYA

The management of a corporate invests in motivating employees so as to improve their performance. The main purpose of the study was to establish the determinants of employee performance in parastatals in Kenya; A case study of the postal Corporation of Kenya. The specific objectives were; to determine how employee motivation affects employee performance in parastatals in Kenya; to investigate how leadership styles affect employee performance in parastatals in Kenya; to establish the effects of working conditions on employee performance in parastatals in Kenya and to determine the effect of Job satisfaction on employee performance in parastatals in Kenya. The study was anchored on Hertzberg theory, Equity theory and Bargaining theory. The research adopted a descriptive research. The target population was 536 from which a sample of 107 employees was selected using stratified random sampling method. Primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaires were edited and cleaned for completeness, accuracy and consistency. The research used statistics package for social sciences version 22 (SPSS) computer package for analysis. The data was analyzed for frequencies, percentages and regression analysis. The findings were presented in the form of tables and figures. The study found out that if employees are motivated, their performance will be high. The inferential results on effect of employee motivation on employee performance show R=0.697 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.486 and there was a significant effect between employee motivation on employee performance. (t=9.726, p<0.05). The inferential results on leadership styles on employee performance R=0.355 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.126 and there was a significant effect between leadership styles on employee performance (t=0.3793, p<0.05). The inferential results on effects of working conditions on employee performance show R=0. 355 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.126 and there was a significant effect on working conditions on employee performance (t=9.207, p<0.05). The inferential results on effect of job security on organization performance show R=0.477 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.228 and there was a significant effect between job security and organization performance (t=4.067, p<0.05). From the study results it is was concluded that employee motivation increases the employee morale and thus increases performance. Training of the staff also has a higher role as a motivator in influencing employee productivity in the Postal Corporation of Kenya. Results of this study will increase the existing body of literature on employee performance and would enable future scholars to use this study to get information on their various research topics on this field. The findings of the study are important to government agencies in Kenya. The study will also benefit the Human Resource professionals. Most importantly, the study will benefit the Postal Corporation of Kenya‟s management. The emphasis should be on employee motivation by ensuring the employees are recognized so that their motivation is high. Employees at PCK should be given freedom to make decisions and they should also be involved in making decisions. PCK should ensure that proper communication channels are put in place, there is quality leadership from top management, the occupational health and safety measures that are already there should be followed and PCK should ensure the physical working conditions are conducive for working. Employees should be compensated for the overtime worked, they should enjoy the work they do at PCK, and also management at PCK should ensure that their employees have a sense of worth in accomplishing their work. PCK needs to ensure that employees are trained regularly so as increase their knowledge and skills

SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS AND PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES OPERATING IN KAMUKUNJI AREA OF NAIROBI CITY, KENYA.

The Internet has significantly changed the world and so has social media. Social media has offered a free for all stage for using social network and friends to create awareness and SMEs can leverage on this and advance their business. The general objective of the study was to analyze the effect of social media networks and SME performance, a case of SMEs operating in Kamukunji Area of Nairobi City, Kenya. The study aimed to achieve the following specific objectives; to assess the influence of use of social media networks in customer relations on SMEs Performance; to analyze the influence of use of social media networks while sourcing for inputs on SMEs Performance; to determine the influence of use of social media networks while doing marketing research on SMEs Performance and to assess the influence of use of social media networks in brand creation on SMEs Performance. Theories underpinning this study included; Marketing Equities Theory, Chaffey‟s Theory, Resource Mobilizing and Resource Based View Theory. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The population of this study comprised of 838 SMEs firms operating at Kamukunji in Nairobi City. Since the study population was large, the study considered 10% of the population. The researcher interviewed 84 respondents from the shops selected. Questionnaires were used to obtain important information about the population. Data collected was both quantitative and qualitative in nature. Descriptive statistical tools helped the researcher to describe the data and determine the extent used. Analysis was done quantitatively and qualitatively by use of descriptive statistics. This included percentages, mean and standard deviation which were presented using tables, bar charts to give a clear picture of the research findings. Results show that social media platforms have the potential to promote customer relations, sourcing for inputs, marketing research and brand creation. Utilization of social media platforms enhanced SMEs performance. The study concludes that customer relations (β=0.740, p=0.000)., sourcing for inputs (β=0.428, p=0.000), marketing research (β=0.372, p=0.000) and brand creation (β=0.570, p=0.000). all have significant effects on SMEs performance. To promote SMEs performance in global arena, SMEs must invest in building stronger customer relationships especially through utilization of social media platforms. SMEs need to continually embrace the use of social media marketing platforms in order to promote supplier relationship. SME marketers need to stretch further in familiarizing themselves with promotional tools presented by these platforms in order to ensure that they reap maximum benefits. Further SMEs should seek to learn and adopt social media tools that provide an opportunity for growth of the business through increased sales, profits and providing employment for Kenyan

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF ORGANIZATIONS IN THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SECTOR IN KENYA: A CASE OF TILE AND CARPET CENTRE

Across the globe, most organizations fail to deliver as expected due to poor human capital management. Given this scenario, it is apparently more important than ever for such organizations to come up with multi-faceted strategies such as Human Capital Management (HCM) to strengthen employee engagement and enhance organization performance. The current study aimed to investigate relationship between Human Capital Management and Organizational Performance at Tile and Carpet Centre (T&C). The study sought to determine the effect of employee training, employee motivation, employee creativity and teamwork development on performance of Tile and Carpet Centre. The study was of importance to management of T&C, other companies in the building and construction sector, management staffs across all sectors, HR practitioners, scholars and academicians. The human resource management theory and goal setting theory anchored the variables of the present study. The study adopted descriptive research design. The study population was 750 staff working in 3 T&C locations while stratified random sampling technique was used to sample 100 respondents. The pilot testing was conducted using the questionnaire on 10 staff from ICD warehouse, Nairobi County. The measure of reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha at 0.7. The study was a descriptive research and primary data was collected using a questionnaire. Frequency distribution tables and figures were used to present the findings where interpretation was done in prose form. The researcher conducted simple and multiple regression analysis in order to find out the relationship between HCM and organizational performance of T&C. The inferential results on effect of employee training on organization performance show R=0.660 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.435 and there was a significant effect between employee training and organization performance (t=8.286, p<0.05). The inferential results on effect of employee motivation on organization performance show R=0.608 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.370 and there was a significant effect between employee motivation and organization performance (t=7.232, p<0.05). The inferential results on effect of employee creativity on organization performance show R=0.588 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.346 and there was a significant effect between employee creativity and organization performance (t=6.866, p<0.05). The inferential results on effect of teamwork development on organization performance show R=0.623 indicating a strong positive correlation and R2=0.389 and there was a significant effect between teamwork development and organization performance (t=7.522, p<0.05). Therefore, the study recommends that T&C and other organizations in the building and construction sector need to ensure they utilize effectively the untapped labour force resource within their disposal. Every employee joins the organization with several different skills set and experiences that can be successfully tapped by the management to increase overall productivity, maximize employee performance, increase overall cost efficiency, enhance market share, new market product introduction and profitability. Furthermore, the study recommends that T&C needs to make adjustments on employee matters such as working time, self-confidence, responsibility and own initiative which will eventually eliminate poor work attitudes, ethics and practices the affect organizational performance. Finally, the study recommends that human capital practitioners need to apply proper management of human capital in organizations and incorporate the way human capital is applied in work processes; scholars and academicians need to utilize the research analysis and findings on human capital thereby adding critical knowledge and literature for future reference and research studie

Common External Tariffs and Trade Efficiency: Lessons for Cross-listed Firms in the East African Community

The East African Community’s trading bloc has attracted a lot of investment from the member countries yet it has not lived to its expectations. Some of the region’s members have fallen out in the past and even re-considered their membership in EAC. Among other areas of focus on the region’s integration is the implementation of common external tariffs and protection of the region’s members in regional and global market spheres. However, trade efficiency still lags behind in the region compared to global benchmarks. There exists flimsy evidence in literature on whether the implementation of common external tariffs revitalizes trade efficiency in the region. This paper, therefore, propounds the relationship between the implementation of common external tariffs and cross-border trade efficiency within the EAC considering experiences from other regional blocs and the implications for cross-listed Kenyan firms. The paper analyzes secondary data for Kenyan imports and exports from World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) and the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) as well as Economic review reports from the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and EAC. The analysis covering the financial years: 1995 to 2017 shows a number of factors, other than tariffs, that drive trade and trade efficiency. The study also reveals non-tariff barriers, inward-looking trade policies, protectionist policies, redundant trading rules across border, increasing cost of trading among other shortcomings to regional trade that arise from implementation of common external tariffs. Statistical evidence also indicate that trade efficiency is independent of the implementation of common external tariffs. In addition, empirical evidence shows prolonged trade deficit not only in the developed countries, but in the developing world as well. The study concludes that tariffs are good for trade regulation to the detriment cross-border trading even beyond the regional bloc. However, besides macroeconomic correlates, factors other than common external tariffs influence regional and cross-border trade efficiency. This calls for comprehensive in-region trade policy review, revitalization and commitment by the member states even as individual trading entities pursue advanced competitiveness in the regional and global markets

Leadership Style, Culture and Service Delivery in Public Health Sector: A Case Study of Mbagathi District Hospital, Nairobi City County

The study investigated the influence of leadership style and leadership culture on the quality of service delivery in public hospitals. The target population for this study comprised of 273 employees and 10,000 patients in Mbagathi district hospitals within Nairobi City County. Simple random sampling was used to select 398 employees and patients while census was done on the 8 management staff. This study used primary data, both quantitative and qualitative. Primary data was obtained from the original sources using a structured questionnaire and captured through a 5-point type Likert scale. A Likert scale questionnaire was preferred as it makes it possible to convert responses into quantitative format for ease of data analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Interview guide was also used to obtain information from the management of district hospital. The questionnaires were self-administered using the drop and pick later method. A pilot study was undertaken on 5% of the sample population. Findings indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between leadership style, leadership culture and service delivery in public hospitals in Kenya. The study concluded that good working relationship between the management and staff, members of staff being conversant with their facility roles and goals, members of staff being well acquainted with their duties and responsibilities influenced service delivery in hospitals. It was recommended that leadership style should involve decision making process, and action oriented decision, performance appraisal and professionalism influenced service delivery in hospitals