Relationship between Pre-service Training and Service Delivery by the National Police Service in Bungoma County, Kenya

Service delivery is the combination of customers experience and their perception of the outcome of the services provided. In order for governments to succeed in delivery of their services to the public, they must equip their employees with among other skills, resources and values. However, in order to achieve this, there are many challenges because of having many customers. The prime objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between pre-service training and service delivery. This is training that takes place before a person is placed on the job or assignment. The study was guided by the following specific objective, to establish the relationship between pre service training and service delivery by the National Police Service. A descriptive correlational research design was used to cover all the 14 police stations in Bungoma County. Simple Random sampling was used to cover 50% of the Police Stations in Bungoma County to come up with 7 Police Stations. Purposive Sampling was carried to come with selected categories of staff from the 7 Police Stations upon whom questionnaires were administered. These officers included Officers Commanding Police Stations, Officer-in charge of Crime and officers in charge of Scenes of Crime. 5 consumers and 5 police constables were randomly selected from the service points within the Police Stations in order to come up with 35 consumers and 35 police constables respectively. This service centres are offices including those of the Officer Commanding Station, Officer Charge-Crime, Children and Gender Desk, Report Office, and Customer Desk. Primary data was collected using open and closed ended questionnaires. Secondary data was collected using Government reports, Kenya Police bulletins, Police Strategic Plans and other relevant documents from authoritative sources on the topic under study.  The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential/statistical analysis. The descriptive analysis included central measure of tendencies such as the mean, mode, standard deviation, percentages and pie charts. The analysis of inferential statistics was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and the conclusions were then drawn. The author expected that the outcome of the study will be used as a point of reference in improving police services. Police Officers will in future be kept abreast, be informed, get motivated and thereby benefit the National Police Service towards effective service delivery to the public. The government will in future be enabled to plan on organizational resources. The general public also appreciates the services rendered by the National Police Service. The research generated new knowledge and hence contributes to existing literature. The regression results also shows that 46.8 percent of the service delivery of the national police service can be explained by Pre-service training (R squared = 0.468)

Analysis of the Relationship Between Tourism and Community Development in Terms of Education in Arusha Region, Tanzania

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between tourism and community development in terms of education in Arusha Region, Tanzania. The study addressed the following specific objective: to examine the relationship between tourism and community development in terms of education in Arusha Region. The study employed the mixed research method, where both quantitative and qualitative approaches were applied. The population of the study was diverse; it included 500 respondents from the community (500 calculated by Slovin’s formula and 100 added at the researcher’s discretion to increase the validity and reliability of the findings). There were also 36 community leaders, who were important to the study because they were democratically chosen voices of the community, and lastly there were ten top officials. Since the study employed the mixed methods paradigm, the data analysed were both quantitative and qualitative, where the quantitative data were analysed by use of descriptive data analysis/statistical techniques by the aid of SPSS software version 21.  The study results revealed a statistically significant positive linear relationship between tourism and community development in terms of education. Hence, the study recommends that central government, particularly the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources, should unify efforts of improving the National Tourism Policy, which will maximise the challenge of obtaining trickle-down effects for the development of local communities

An Assessment of the Contribution of Credit Reference Bureau Regulation towards Mitigating Credit Risks in the Kenya`s Banking Industry

In Kenya, the use of Credit Reference Bureaus to mitigate credit risks is a new concept. The purpose of this study was to carry out an analysis on the contribution of credit reference bureaus in preventing credit risks in Kenya’s financial sector. This study also sought to evaluate the extent to which credit reference bureaus regulation has been implemented by commercial banks and to establish any challenges facing credit reference bureaus in Kenya. In chapter three, the case study approach using descriptive design that investigated the concept of applying credit reference bureau in the prevention of credit risks was used.  Questionnaires and interviews as instrument of data collection were used. Data was analyzed by SPSS computer program and presented by use of tables, percentages and figures. A regression relationship was generated to show the extent to which each dependent variable was influenced by the independent variable. This was shown by the coefficient of the independent variable in each case. A correlation analysis was also performed to find how the variables are related to each other in the model. The research findings in chapter four found out that the Credit Reference Bureaus concept contributes towards reduction of credit risks and that implementation of Credit Reference Bureaus regulation has gained general acceptance substantially in Kenya. The study also revealed that lack of awareness and non-compliance are currently the major challenges of Credit Reference Bureaus regulation in Kenya. In chapter five, the study recommends that the Credit Reference Bureaus regulation be extended to all sectors that handle credit transactions. There is need for our present Credit Reference Bureaus firms to link with other regional Credit Reference Bureaus firms in other countries. The study further recommends that membership to the Credit Reference Bureaus should be mandatory and enforceable and awareness campaigns to sensitize the public and companies that offer credit transactions should be carried out by the stakeholders

An Assessment of the Effect of Leadership Style on the Performance of Public Health Service Providers: A Case of Western Kenya

This study was designed to investigate the impact of leadership style on the performance of Public Health Service providers Western Region of Kenya. The study investigated the impact of Leadership style saw how it is tied to the end performance as measured in terms of the numbers reached, the quality of service provided and several other pertinent parameters listed in the Kenya Quality Model. This study was intended to generate knowledge that will enable Public Health Service Providers asses the connection between leadership style and performance of Public Health Service Providers. The study was conducted through a correlational descriptive survey design covering respondents from the Government owned healthcare facilities targeting specifically, District Hospitals in Western Kenya. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected through the use of structured questionnaires. Reliability of the selected measures was done through the use of Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient due to its ability to determine internal consistency of items in a survey. The researcher tested the questionnaires on pilot group that did not form part of the main study. The pilot study enabled removal of any ambiguities hence focus the questionnaire to collect data relevant to the study. The study collected both secondary and primary using the prescribed data gathering tools to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as tabulations, measures of central tendency and regression analyses so as to arrive at appropriate conclusions. To determine the relationships between the study variables Karl Pearson’s Coefficient of correlation was used to describe the strength and degree of the relationship. From the regression results, leadership style had significant effect on performance of Public Health Service Providers. The regression results also shows that 56.8 percent of the performance of Public Health Service Providers can be explained by leadership style (R squared = 0.568)

Assessment of the Influence of Organizational Factors on the Relationship between Pre –Service Training and Service Delivery by the Kenya National Police Service: A case of Bungoma County

Service delivery is the combination of customers experience and their perception of the outcome of the services provided. In order for governments to succeed in delivery of their services to the public, they must equip their employees with among other skills, resources and values. However, in order to achieve this, there are many challenges because of having many customers. The prime objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between pre-service training and service delivery. This is training that takes place before a person is placed on the job or assignment. The study was guided by the following specific objective, to establish the effect of organizational factors on the relationship between pre service training and service delivery by the National Police Service. A descriptive correlational research design was used to cover all the 14 police stations in Bungoma County. Simple Random sampling was used to cover 50% of the Police Stations in Bungoma County to come up with 7 Police Stations. Purposive Sampling was carried to come with selected categories of staff from the 7 Police Stations upon whom questionnaires were administered. These officers included Officers Commanding Police Stations, Officer-in charge of Crime and officers in charge of Scenes of Crime. 5 consumers and 5 police constables were randomly selected from the service points within the Police Stations in order to come up with 35 consumers and 35 police constables respectively. This service centres are offices including those of the Officer Commanding Station, Officer Charge-Crime, Children and Gender Desk, Report Office, and Customer Desk. Primary data was collected using open and closed ended questionnaires. Secondary data was collected using Government reports, Kenya Police bulletins, Police Strategic Plans and other relevant documents from authoritative sources on the topic under study.  The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential/statistical analysis. The descriptive analysis included central measure of tendencies such as the mean, mode, standard deviation, percentages and pie charts. The analysis of inferential statistics was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and the conclusions were then drawn. The author expected that the outcome of the study will be used as a point of reference in improving police services. Police Officers will in future be kept abreast, be informed, get motivated and thereby benefit the National Police Service towards effective service delivery to the public. The government will in future be enabled to plan on organizational resources. The general public also appreciates the services rendered by the National Police Service. The research generated new knowledge and hence contributes to existing literature. The organizational factors of the police station have been found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between pre-service training and service delivery hence the need to improve the organizational factors in a police station in order to improve on their service delivery

Analysis of Cost Leadership Strategy Influence on Organizations’ Competitiveness of Sugar Firms in Kenya

Due to increased competition which is brought about by liberalization and deregulation, organizations are faced with greater demands to be flexible, responsive and efficient in order to be more competitive. As a result of this, organizations are faced with a lot of challenges in their effort to remain competitive and the Kenyan sugar firms are no exemption. The purpose of the study was to analyze influence of cost leadership strategy on organizations’ competitiveness of sugar firms. The study was based on the following theories; competitive advantage, generic framework and resource based. To be able to achieve the study objective, it was essential to establish the associations between the different variables associated with the study variables in relation to the sugar firms hence descriptive cross-sectional research design was used in this study. The study’s target respondents were twenty (20) managers from every sugar firm and its affiliated farmers’ sugar cane out grower firms. In order to simplify the process of sample size determination for researchers, Krejcie & Morgan (1970) created a table based on the formula which shows the population of study and the expected sample size. According to the table, when the population is 240, then the sample size should be 148. Therefore the sample size of this study was 148. Questionnaires were the data collection instrument of this study mainly to collect the primary data and they were administered to the respondents by the researcher himself. Before the data was subjected to statistical analysis, it was subjected to factor analysis in order to prove the data suitability for statistical analysis. Correlation analysis was carried out in order to measure strength of association between cost leadership strategies. The model summary or goodness of fit model results also demonstrated that cost leadership strategy had explanatory power over organizations’ competitiveness of sugar firms’ in that it accounted for 53.2 percent of its variability (R square = .532) hence the study rejected hypothesis H01 and states that the influence of low cost leadership strategy on organizations’ competitiveness was statistically significant. The study therefore concluded that there was a statistically significant influence of cost leadership strategy on organization competitiveness therefore this study conclude that sugar firms management in Kenya should make more efforts in employing cost leadership strategies in an efforts to improve on organizations’ competitiveness.

Determinants of Financial Performance in Internet Service Providers in Kenya

Due to the increase in competition and increasing market liberalization, firms in the telecommunications industry are facing a threat to the profit sustainability. Furthermore, customers’ preferences are dangerously volatile and satisfaction of their diverse needs can prove arduous and the heightened customer awareness results in search for better alternative offerings in the market. As a result, customers may voluntarily switch from one vendor to the other. The study adopted a descriptive study design. The population was ISP firms in Kenya from which 10 large ISPs were selected. A total of 50 questionnaires were mailed to the managers of these firms. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaires. Data was analyzed using descriptive analysis and regression analysis. The study found that before customer make a decision to purchase or stay with a service provider, they considered service uptime, network coverage, and customer service. The regression results showed that product pricing, customer service, and service uptime had negative but insignificant effects on firm performance while parent shareholding and network coverage had positive effects on firm performance. The study concludes that the factors influencing customer staying in a provider were service uptime, customer service, and network coverage. The study also concludes that product pricing, customer service, parent shareholding, network coverage, and service uptime do not have a significant effect on firm performance. Thus the financial performance of ISPs in Kenya is not influenced by the churn factors.  The study recommends that Internet Service Providers in Kenya should ensure that they enhance the level of service uptime as this was a major factor that customers considered before making a decision to purchase an ISP product or to stay with the same ISP. The study also recommends that Internet Service Providers should have large network coverage and not just limit themselves to a small or specific area to cover. Third, the study recommends that Internet Service Providers should invest in a modern and efficient customer care service that can provide solutions to customers who have issues with their internet. This was an important purchase decision factor by customers. Keywords: Financial Performance, Internet Service Providers, Keny

Influence of Youth Perception on Entrepreneurship in Kenya: A Case of Uasin Gishu County

Kenya has a population of approximately 40 million with those aged 35 years and below making up over 75% of the population. In 2003 and 2005, when the national unemployment level stood at 40%, the youth accounted for about 78% and 67% of the national unemployment in the two years respectively. Most recent college and university graduates fall in this category and it is becoming increasingly necessary to get more and more of them to engage in self-employment. This requires a concerted effort to change college students’ perceptions towards self-employment. The current qualitative study focuses on the role that colleges can play in enhancing entrepreneurial intentions among the youth. The college environments and exposure to entrepreneurship experiences are found to be two malleable antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions working through self-efficacy and perceptions of desirability. It is on this background that this aimed at accessing the influence of the youth perception on entrepreneurship in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. The finding of the research will add to the knowledge and understanding of the motivation for Kenyan youth to be entrepreneurs in Kenya. This study used descriptive correlational survey design as it sought to describe and establish the relationships among the study variables. This being a census study, all the youth groups in Uasin Gishu County which were registered and licensed by the department youth and social services as at February 2014, and still in operation at the time of data collection were studied. Both primary and secondary data was used in this study. Primary data was collected through the use of key informant method and a self- administered questionnaire. Hence, all the chairmen and secretaries of every youth group was selected to take part in the study as they are perceived to be knowledgeable on the issues under study and for which they are either responsible for their execution or they personally execute them. The regression results shows that entrepreneurship largely depends on the youth perception with 71.1 percent of the County’s entrepreneurship being explained by youth perception (R squared = 0.711). The study results show that youth perception (culture, unemployment, leadership and altitude) were found to significantly and positively affect entrepreneurship. Key words: Youth perception, Entrepreneurship, Uasin Gishu County, Keny

Effect of Strategic Planning on the Performance of Savings and Credit Co-Operative Societies in Kakamega County, Kenya

The SACCOs in Kenya have experienced problems in their operations resulting from poor planning. The SACCOs have therefore resorted to doing strategic planning in order to guide its operations.  This study was designed to investigate the effects of strategic planning on the performance of SACCOS in Kakamega County.  The study was guided by specific objective to establish the effect of strategic planning on the performance of SACCOs. The study based on the assumption that the SACCOs in Kakamega County engage in strategic planning.  This was a census study that included all the 33 SACCOs in Kakamega County.  The study utilized a descriptive, and survey research design.  The data was collected from customers and employees who were the SACCO managers. This study employed simple random sampling technique on the customers and used purposive sampling on the managers.   To establish the relationship between strategic planning and organizational performance the researcher used simple regression analysis. The study found statistically significant linear relationship between strategic planning and organizational performance in SACCOs.  The research data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.  Basing on the results of this study the researcher concludes that strategic planning affects the performance of SACCOs.  The researcher recommends that SACCOs are operating in a changing environment and therefore the managers of these organizations need to stick to strategic planning that has shown to be positively related to organizational performance.  The researcher also recommends that the Ministry of Cooperative puts in place sensitization programs to educate the managers of the SACCOs on the benefits of strategic planning.  Lastly the researcher recommends that the ministry of cooperatives should hire managers of SACCOs that have knowledge in strategic planning since this is only when they can put it in practice and realize the effect it has on organizational performance.  For further research future studies should consider using larger and broader samples which will be more representative of the population of study, and should also examine other performance indicators.  Future studies should also do similar studies done in other economic sectors apart from the cooperative sector.  The study provides knowledge on SACCOs to scholars in related areas of study and also contributes to the knowledge body and adds value to the current literature on involvement in strategic planning and also stimulates a further research on strategic planning and performance in SACCOs.  It is hoped that the findings will be of value to the Ministry of Cooperatives in terms of strategic planning and will also form a basis for improving performance of SACCAs. Keywords: Strategic planning, performance, Savings and Credit Co-operative societies, Kakamega County and Kenya

Access to Savings through Micro Finance Institutions on the Growth of Micro and Small Enterprises in Nairobi Central Business District: A case of Jitegemea Credit Scheme Nairobi

Delivery of micro credit to operators of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) is increasingly being viewed as a strategic means of assisting the ‘working poor’. Several impact studies carried out on contribution of MFIs in the development of MSEs reveals different observations. There is no empirical study indicating the potential role of improved lending facilities by both formal and informal microfinance institutions in alleviating problems of access to credit to small businesses and accelerating business growth through offering of financial training and instilling financial discipline amongst the small and medium enterprises. Furthermore studies of microfinance institutions have shown that credit markets are segmented and unable to satisfy the existing demand for credit in the small business sectors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of MFIs in the growth of MSEs in Nairobi Central Business District (NCBD). This research problem was studied through the use of a causal research design. The target population comprised of 2956 owners of the MSEs in Nairobi central business district funded by Jitegemea Credit Scheme. This research study used a stratified random sampling method to select 296 respondents. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. A multivariate regression model was applied to determine the relative importance of each of the variables with respect to growth of MSEs. The study found that access to credit contribute more to the growth of MSEs followed by savings, while entrepreneurial development contributes the least to growth of MSEs. The study therefore recommends that the MFIs should be quick to measure the success rate of MSEs by considering factors like high repayment, outreach and financial sustainability and growth, but these may not be success if their activities do not reflect in the growth of MSEs. The study further recommends that Jitegemea Credit Scheme should increase access to credit by opening branches/information centres in town, reduce interest rate from the current 22% to approximately16%, increase the amount of loan offered and speed up the loan processing and loan repayment period. The MFI should also improve on client education through workshops and seminars in strategic management and financial management and should have a customer feedback mechanism. Keywords: Micro Finance Institutions, Micro and Small Enterprises, Nairobi Central Business District, Jitegemea Credit Schem