Change Management Practices on Organization Performance: A Case Study of Mandera Kenya Prisons Service

In the last decade Kenya Prisons Service has been implementing changes. The widespread perception is that the reforms process has lost momentum. Some reports reveal that prisons in Kenya have problems touching on financial mismanagement, poor governance, and congestion and overcrowding, rights buses, emerging technologies putting pressure on the organization and warders are still living miserably in ramshackle houses across the country, as reforms started in 2003 are painstakingly slow. Therefore the study sought to determine influence of change management practices on organization performance of prisons service in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To determine the influence of communication, stakeholder’s participation, management skills and finances on organization performance in Mandera Kenya Prisons Service. The study used descriptive research design. This design involved gathering data that describe events and then organizes, tabulates, depicts, and describes the data. The study target population included 100 prisoners, 28 Kenya Prisons Officers and 5 professionals who work in Mandera Kenya Prisons Service making the total target population of the study to be 133. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used. A sample of 85 respondents was considered. The study used quantitative data analysis approaches.Quantitative data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics with an aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Data was then presented in graphs and tables. Further, a multiple regression analysis was used to establish the relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. The study concluded that the mostly commonly used mode of communication used was face to face communication. Further from the findings the researcher concluded that communication is very effective in delegation of duties, forwarding of grievances and enacting disciplinary procedures. Inadequate and less effective communication is a major factor that impacts on the change management process. The researcher recommended that Communication should be done to the entire workforce, it must also occur frequently and the organization should encourage its executives and middle level managers to initiate change. Keywords: Change, implementation, performance

EFFECT OF ENTREPRENEUR CHARACTERISTICS ON PERFORMANCE OF NONTIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN KENYA

Limited literature is available on the relationship between entrepreneurcharacteristics and performance of non-timber forest products small and medium enterprisesraising debate whether the link is tenable with such firms. Thus, a study covering 314 small andmedium enterprises in nine counties in Kenya was conducted to explore the relationship. Thecoefficient of determination, F statistic, and the t-value and their significance levels were used inpresenting the relationship between entrepreneur characteristics and firm performance. The resultsshow that that firm performance is significantly affected by entrepreneur characteristics of age,managerial skills, industry experience and social skills. Thus, it is concluded that entrepreneurcharacteristics and performance of non-timber forest products small and medium enterprises areempirically related. Firms run by relatively young, well-experienced and skilled entrepreneursregister better performance. It is necessary, therefore, that the non-timber forest products small andmedium enterprises match their strategic decisions with characteristics of owners/managers toenhance their competitiveness and performance. The implications of this study are that specificpolicy measures are necessary to encourage the many well trained but unemployed young people toengage in businesses. Additionally it also implies that specific training programmes are necessaryto equip the practitioners with necessary theoretical and practical capacities to enhanceperformance of their firms

Simulation model for solar energy harnessing by the solar tunnel dryer

Models were developed to predict global solar radiation and the energy harnessed by a solar tunnel dryer, and simulated in Visual Basic 6.  In addition, the simulated data were compared with actual data.  Using a 10% absolute residual error interval, the developed model achieved 78.4% and 83.3% performance for global solar radiation and energy harnessing, respectively.  Further, the relationship between global solar radiation and the ten years mean satellite solar radiation, and that between the actual and simulated plenum chamber temperatures were linear, with coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.788 and 0.962.  Thus, it shows that there is the existence of strong correlation between satellite and predicted global solar radiation, and between predicted and actual plenum chamber temperatures.  Furthermore, Student’s t-test did not show any significant difference between simulated and actual data for solar radiation and energy harnessing.  Finally, this study shows that the developed model can be used to predict solar radiation and the energy harnessed by the solar tunnel dryer.Keywords: modeling, tunnel-dryer, global, direct, solar-radiation, plenum-temperature Citation: Kituu G. M., D. Shitanda, C. L. Kanali, J. T. Mailutha, C. K. Njoroge, J. K.Wainaina, and J. S Bongyereire. Simulation model for solar energy harnessing by the solar tunnel dryer.  Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal, 2010, 12(1): 91-98

Associations between Common Variants in Iron-Related Genes with Haematological Traits in Populations of African Ancestry.

BACKGROUND: Large genome-wide association (GWA) studies of European ancestry individuals have identified multiple genetic variants influencing iron status. Studies on the generalizability of these associations to African ancestry populations have been limited. These studies are important given interethnic differences in iron status and the disproportionate burden of iron deficiency among African ancestry populations. METHODS: We tested the associations of 20 previously identified iron status-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 628 Kenyans, 609 Tanzanians, 608 South Africans and 228 African Americans. In each study, we examined the associations present between 20 SNPs with ferritin and haemoglobin, adjusting for age, sex and CRP levels. RESULTS: In the meta analysis including all 4 African ancestry cohorts, we replicated previously reported associations with lowered haemoglobin concentrations for rs2413450 (β = -0.19, P = 0.02) and rs4820268 (β = -0.16, P = 0.04) in TMPRSS6. An association with increased ferritin concentrations was also confirmed for rs1867504 in TF (β = 1.04, P = <0.0001) in the meta analysis including the African cohorts only. CONCLUSIONS: In all meta analyses, we only replicated 4 of the 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms reported to be associated with iron status in large GWA studies of European ancestry individuals. While there is now evidence for the associations of a number of genetic variants with iron status in both European and African ancestry populations, the considerable lack of concordance highlights the importance of continued ancestry-specific studies to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of iron status in ethnically diverse populations

From community to assemblage? : ICT provides a site for inclusion and exclusion in the global south

The role of information and communication technology (ICT) in development has been discussed from two distinctly different perspectives: some view it as a means for opening new alleys for the facilitation of development and democracy, while others assess it as counterproductive. Furthermore, it has been emphasised that people in cities and rural areas utilise ICT in different ways, as do people with wealth and education compared to poor people. In Africa, Kenya has declared itself an ICT hub. The state has emphasised ICT in promoting services, much less freedom of expression. This article discusses ICT and development via the filter of assemblage, a key concept developed by Deleuze and Guattari (2004/1980. A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. London: Continuum.). They emphasised fluidity as well as micro- and macro-level dichotomies. When communities based on sharing and consistent social order meet new technology, the change goes deeper than that of improved services. The basic difference might be the fact that a community is constructed on cultural ties developed over time, which strengthens immobility and stability, while an assemblage is characterised by mobility and fluidity. Thus, a system of values, hierarchies, and inherited traditions is challenged, mixed with ‘new’ problems brought about by individualised behaviour.Peer reviewe

Advances in Crop Improvement and Delivery Research for Nutritional Quality and Health Benefits of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Groundnut is an important global food and oil crop that underpins agriculture-dependent livelihood strategies meeting food, nutrition, and income security. Aflatoxins, pose a major challenge to increased competitiveness of groundnut limiting access to lucrative markets and affecting populations that consume it. Other drivers of low competitiveness include allergens and limited shelf life occasioned by low oleic acid profile in the oil. Thus grain off-takers such as consumers, domestic, and export markets as well as processors need solutions to increase profitability of the grain. There are some technological solutions to these challenges and this review paper highlights advances in crop improvement to enhance groundnut grain quality and nutrient profile for food, nutrition, and economic benefits. Significant advances have been made in setting the stage for marker-assisted allele pyramiding for different aflatoxin resistance mechanisms—in vitro seed colonization, pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination, and aflatoxin production—which, together with pre- and post-harvest management practices, will go a long way in mitigating the aflatoxin menace. A breakthrough in aflatoxin control is in sight with overexpression of antifungal plant defensins, and through host-induced gene silencing in the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway. Similarly, genomic and biochemical approaches to allergen control are in good progress, with the identification of homologs of the allergen encoding genes and development of monoclonal antibody based ELISA protocol to screen for and quantify major allergens. Double mutation of the allotetraploid homeologous genes, FAD2A and FAD2B, has shown potential for achieving >75% oleic acid as demonstrated among introgression lines. Significant advances have been made in seed systems research to bridge the gap between trait discovery, deployment, and delivery through innovative partnerships and action learning

The Effectiveness of Contract Farming for Raising Income of Smallholder Farmers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: a Systematic Review

Contract farming is used by an increasing number of firms as a preferred modality to source products from smallholder farmers in low and middle-income countries. Quality requirements of consumers, economies of scale in production or land ownership rights are common incentives for firms to offer contractual arrangements to farmers. Prices and access to key technology, key inputs or support services are the main incentives for farmers to enter into these contracts. There is great heterogeneity in contract farming, with differences in contracts, farmers, products, buyers, and institutional environments. The last decade shows a rapid increase in studies that use quasi-experimental research designs to assess the effects of specific empirical instances of contract farming on smallholders. The objective of this systematic review was to distill generalised inferences from this rapidly growing body of evidence. The review synthesised the studies in order to answer two questions: 1: What is known about the effect size of contract farming on income and food security of smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries? 2: Under which enabling or limiting conditions are contract farming arrangements effective for improving income and food security of smallholders

Gender security, gendered violence and social justice: the rights of protection through the education of urban youth in African cities

Paper presented at the Engendering Empowerment: Education and Equality Conference (UN Girls' Education Initiative), 17-20 May, Dakar, Senega