EFFECTS OF MANAGEMENT OF ICT INFRASTRUCTURAL RESOURCES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TPAD POLICY IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TRANS NZOIA COUNTY, KENYA

This study sought to find out the effect of management of ICT infrastructural resources on the implementation of TPAD Policy in Public Secondary Schools in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. The study was guided by ‘goal-setting theory. Concurrent triangulation design was used to sample 342 Principals and teachers from a target population of 2340 respondents comprising of 242 principals and 2098 teachers from 242 public secondary schools. Stratified and random sampling methods were used to select respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect information and opinions from Principals and teachers. Expert judgments from supervisors were used to improve content validity. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the study were presented using frequency tables and percentages. From the linear regression model, the study revealed a positive significant effect of teachers’ perception on implthe ementation of TPAD policy. From linear regression model, (R2 = .206) showed that ICT infrastructure resources account for 20.6% variation in the implementation of TPAD policy. There was a positive significant effect of ICT infrastructure resource (β3=0.700 and p value<0.05) on implementation of TPAD policy. Therefore, an increase in ICT infrastructure resources leads to an increase in the implementation of the TPAD policy. The null hypothesis (Ho1) was rejected. ICT infrastructure resoresources a significant influence on the implementation of TPAD policy. This implies that for each increase in the ICT infrastructure resource, there was more implementation of the TPAD policy. The study concluded that the management of teaching staff affects the implementation of TPAD in public secondary schools in Trans Nzoia County. Head teachers with better staff management skills helped teachers to shift to the new paradigm of an appraisal system which has openness, reliability, and accountability as its hallmarks. The Ministry of Education and TSC should improve ICT infrastructure especially in sub-county schools and continuously capacity build teachers and school administrators on emerging trends in education management information systems. There is a need for the ministry of education to provide ICT infrastructural resources in every public secondary school in Trans Nzoia County in order to enhance the implementation of TPAD policy.  Article visualizations

Antecedents and consequences of customers’ complaining behaviour in Kenya using social media

This study seeks to investigate the nature, antecedents and consequences of customer complaining behaviour (CCB) using social media in retail industry in Kenya. The study will use a multi–method research strategy. To address the research questions, both qualitative (netnography non-participatory and scenario-based methodology) and quantitative (exploratory and descriptive) research design will be employed. The netnography non-participatory approach will be used at the exploratory stage of the study to inform the survey research. The qualitative data (from the netnography and scenario-based) will be analyzed thematically. A narrative approach will be used to develop a scenario that will serve to provide a detailed insight into the experience of a customer. This study will contribute to the existing CCB literature in the following ways: the study will provide an understanding of CCB via social media channels where three psychological theories will be used to help in identifying relevant factors that motivate customers to complain about a product/service failure using social media. The findings will also help the service managers to develop appropriate intervention strategies that will enable then to effectively deal with customer complaints made through social media

A human rights assessment of a large mental hospital in Kenya

Introduction: globally, human rights violations of persons with mental health conditions are rampant, and the quality of mental health services below that for general health services. The aim of this paper is to document the findings of an assessment of the quality of mental health services at the largest mental hospital in Kenya, and offer recommendations useful for service transformation. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study. Assessment was conducted guided by the World Health Organization (WHO) QualityRights Tool Kit, which assesses for compliance with five human rights themes drawn from the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Trained assessors collected data through document review, observation, and interviews with hospital staff and service users at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital. The sample was composed of 64 interviewees. Results: overall, the facility was scored as “achievement initiated” indicating that there was evidence that steps had been taken to fulfil the five human rights themes but significant improvements were necessary. Five key gaps emerged: 1) the buildings and infrastructure were in a state of disrepair; 2) staffing was inadequate; 3) patients had no right to legal capacity; 4) there was gross neglect of patients as well as physical and verbal abuse; 5) there were no strategies in place to support community reintegration and independent living. Conclusion: significant improvements to infrastructure, staffing, and the quality of services are needed before the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital meets the requirements of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities

Assessing Factors Associated With Survival Among Cervical Cancer Patients in Kenya: A Retrospective Follow-up Study

Background: Cervical cancer ranks as the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. In Kenya, cervical cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer after breast cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in women. It is estimated that by the end of 2018, cervical cancer will be responsible for 5,250 (11%) new cases and 3,286 (11.84%) deaths in Kenya.   Methods: We conducted a retrospective follow-up study to estimate the overall survival of women treated for cervical cancer in Kenya. Medical records were reviewed to extract information for generating a quantitative data set, and the chi-square test was used to test for associations between patient outcomes and various sociodemographic and clinical factors. To estimate overall survival after treatment, we used Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, the logrank test, and Cox proportional hazards regression.   Results: A total of 481 patient records were included in this study. From the bivariate analysis, 4 factors demonstrated a statistically significant association with survival: access to care (P=.049), stage of disease at diagnosis (P<.001), type of treatment received (P<.001), and whether or not treatment was initiated and completed (P<.001). The overall 5-year survival estimate for women with cervical cancer was 59%. However, 396 (82.3%) women were lost to follow-up; with no deaths observed after the first year, the overall survival estimate is only accurate for the first year.   Conclusion: The high rate of loss to follow-up appears to be characteristic of cancer care in Kenya and highlights the difficulties in conducting survival studies in low-resource settings with low coverage of vital registration and a lack ofcentralised national administrative systems. Despite the study’s limitations, the results support evidence whereby late-stage diagnosis, deficiencies in cancer management, and limited cancer care services, in particular, have been found to contribute to poor patient outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa

Influence of celebrity endorsements on young consumers’ brand recall behaviour in Kenya : a case of Nairobi County

Paper presented at IAABD Conference, 2015Celebrity endorsement has become a major form of advertising and Kenyan companies are increasingly using it to promote and position their brands targeting different market segments. The purpose of this study was to examine the Influence of Celebrity Endorsements on Young Consumers’ Brand recall behaviour in Kenya. Researcher-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of 167 youth drawn from Nairobi County. A multi-stage non-probability sampling was employed and the data analyzed using descriptive and factor analysis. The main findings revealed that celebrity endorsement generally influenced young consumers’ brand recall behaviour. When used as endorsers, celebrities were found to add an appeal to the endorsed brand making it easier for consumers to correctly remember it as having been previously seen or heard in the crowded market. The findings will provide guidance to marketing and advertising practitioners on how to improve the effectiveness of celebrity-based advertising by way of aligning their brand with a celebrity that resonates with the target market. To future researchers, this study will act as a catalyst and help them in defining future research agendas. Replication of this study using larger samples, different age groups and in different geographic settings is suggested for cross-validation purposes

Pyrethrins In Soil and Water From Selected Pyrethrum Growing Areas In Nakuru County, Kenya

Introduction: Pyrethrum also known as Chrysanthemum is a plant from which compounds known as pyrethrins are derived. The pyrethrins have  been used for many years as insecticides. Incidentally due to their high instability they have slowly been replaced by synthetic pyrethroids.  Pyrethrins are generally regarded as safe compared to the pyrethroids. However, the amounts released into the environment have not been well documented especially in pyrethrum growing regions.Objective:  The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of pyrethrins that come from pyrethrum plants and released into the  environment through their use as insecticides, thus, into drinking water and soil, in pyrethrum growing regions in Kenya.Methodology: Quantification to amounts of pyrethrins from pyrethrum plants, in soil and water bodies in and around pyrethrum farms in Kiambogo and Naivasha (Nakuru County). The study was carried out using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Water samples (0.5L) were collected from the following water bodies: rivers, streams, dams, wells and boreholes near or within pyrethrum farms.Conclusion: It was established that, the quantity of pyrethrins present in water and soil samples werebelow detectable levels within the WHO recommended range. Hence safe for the environment,more so for the farmers and the people living around pyrethrum farms. Key words: Pyrethrum, pyrethrins, chromatography, water, soil