HOTEL INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS IN COVID 19 PANDEMIC ENVIRONMENT IN KENYA: HOW TECHNOLOGICALLY READY ARE THE HOTELS?

Since 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 any eventualities as this will be less expensive and enable their users to be more acquainted with the systems in advance. Article visualizations

HOTEL INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS IN COVID 19 PANDEMIC ENVIRONMENT IN KENYA: HOW TECHNOLOGICALLY READY ARE THE HOTELS?

Since 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

International genome-wide meta-analysis identifies new primary biliary cirrhosis risk loci and targetable pathogenic pathways

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a classical autoimmune liver disease for which effective immunomodulatory therapy is lacking. Here we perform meta-analyses of discovery data sets from genome-wide association studies of European subjects (n1⁄42,764 cases and 10,475 controls) followed by validation genotyping in an independent cohort (n1⁄43,716 cases and 4,261 controls). We discover and validate six previously unknown risk loci for PBC (Pcombinedo5108) and used pathway analysis to identify JAK-STAT/IL12/IL27 signalling and cytokine–cytokine pathways, for which relevant therapies exist

Effect of Central Bank Independence on Inflation in Kenya (1966-2012)

Kenya suffered double digit inflation rates as from 1974 culminating in the highest ever recorded rate of 46 per cent in 1993. High inflation brings with it uncertainties that retard economic growth. As such, it is of paramount importance for a country to put in place mechanisms to maintain low and stable inflation rates. Among the solutions to high inflation rates is conferring independence upon the central bank. This study examined the effect of the independence of the Central Bank of Kenya on inflation in Kenya. It adopted a theoretical framework based on the time inconsistency theory developed by Barro and Gordon (1983). Empirical literature on the relationship between central bank independence and inflation is controversial with some studies showing a strong negative relationship while others find a weak relationship or none at all. This study adopted a correlational research design. Secondary time series data on annual inflation rates, budget deficit, imports, exports and the level of the Gross Domestic Product in Kenya from 1966 to 2012 was used. To contextualize the effect of CBI on inflation, a linear regression model was employed and the OLS estimation technique used to obtain parameter estimates. The results showed a strong negative relationship between CBI and inflation. Thus, increasing the independence of the Central Bank of Kenya leads to low rates of inflation. This is due to the fact that an independent central bank is better able to focus on its goals such as price stability and not defer to the changing needs of the government in place. It also means that monetary policy will dominate over the fiscal policy, which is necessary since fiscal policy changes with every new political government. Different governments have different priorities and as such stability of the Kenyan Shilling will be established through a dominant monetary policy backed by an independent Central Bank of Kenya (CBK)

Innovative Healthcare Financing and Equity through Community Based Health Insurance Schemes (CBHHIS) In Kenya

A Dissertation Report submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA)The purpose of this study was to examine innovative healthcare financing and equity through CBHIs in Kenya. Particularly, the study explored the effect of the enrolment, mix of contributions; risk pooling, strategic purchasing and the moderating effect of government stewardship on equity in healthcare in Kenyan CBHIs. Out of the 115 CBHIs that are registered with Kenya Community Based Health Financing Association, data was collected from a sample of 79 CBHIs which had complete and consistent data. Responses were sought from four members of each CBHIs management team. Data was collected by use of questionnaires and data collection sheets for secondary data. 224 usable questionnaires were collected, representing 71% percent response rate. Data was cleaned and analyzed using Excel, SPSS version 20 and SmartPLS version 3. The study used descriptive statistics, factor analysis, path analysis and multivariate regression analysis in structural modeling equation (SEM) to investigate the relationship among variables and measure the strength and direction of relationships between constructs. Empirical results revealed that there exist a positive relationship between enrolment in CBHIs and equity in healthcare in Kenya, a negative relationship between mix of contributions in CBHIs and equity in healthcare in Kenya, positive relationship between risk pooling in CBHIs and equity in healthcare in Kenya and positive relationship between strategic purchasing in CBHIs and equity in healthcare in Kenya. Government stewardship has a positive influence on the relationship between enrolment and strategic and equity in healthcare. The major conclusion drawn from the study is that CBHIs stimulates enrolment by focusing on social capital and stimulating willingness to pay in excluded segments of the population.The current mix of contributions in CBHIs does not offer an optimal mix of funds necessary for increased access to care and financial risk protection for precluded groups. The study recommends that for realization of equity goals in the healthcare in Kenya government and sectoral partners should define the place of CBHIs with the national health policy by enacting the requisite legal and regulatory framework to guide CBHIs administrative and fiscal structures. The government should also encourage the players in health financing to consolidate the pooled funds to enhance risk equalization

HOTEL INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS IN COVID 19 PANDEMIC ENVIRONMENT IN KENYA: HOW TECHNOLOGICALLY READY ARE THE HOTELS?

Since 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 any eventualities as this will be less expensive and enable their users to be more acquainted with the systems in advance. &#x0D; &#x0D; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0892/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</jats:p