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This paper aims to evaluate the sustainable project risk and stakeholder management for pension funds projects’ performance in Kenya. This paper highlights that current project management practices of Kenyan Pension Funds do not always ensure project success that secures desired market returns on these investments. The main problem with projects management practices being mentioned as planning, project implementation, cost and time overruns and quality achievement. As the pension schemes are also expected to continue to invest in alternative assets given the broadening of the allowable investment categories and to take advantage of the public infrastructural projects under the big four agenda (RBA, 2021), it becomes paramount to identify and implement sustainable project management practices for performance of the pension funds projects. The outcome of this paper showed that integration of risk management and stakeholder management practice was one of the key project management practices that would contribute towards pension funds projects' performance.

The objective of this paper was to present a dynamic resource orchestration framework as a source of organizational resilience through blended orchestration of the firm's dynamic and static resources to generate sustained value during disruptive shocks. We adopted an integrative literature review methodology and proposed a dynamic resource orchestration framework as a managerial option to create and sustain firm value. Conceptually, a dynamic resource orchestration framework was presented as the integration of firm resources and managerial capability. We proposed dynamic resource orchestration as a model input impacting organizational resilience through the combined effects of resource accumulation, resource orchestration, and managerial capabilities. Through a thorough examination of the literature production anchored on dynamic capabilities framework and organizational resilience, we advanced a perspective that the ultimate source of combined firm resilience and sustainable competitive advantage does not necessarily accrue from the resources at a firm's disposal but by how management dynamically blends and orchestrates the existing resources, thereby creating an optimal source of capability. Our proposed conceptualization was based on the assumption that dynamic capabilities are part of firm resources and, therefore, strategic orchestration of dynamic capabilities leads to superior firm resourcefulness and consequential sustained resilience. We identified gaps and proposed directions for future research.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of online sports betting on the perceived economic wellbeing of student-athletes using the regression analysis with an interaction effect used to test the effect of demographic variables on the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between independent variables. The findings reveal that there was a positive and significant association3 between gambling severity and economic wellbeing. The study revealed that students’ sports bet online with large amounts of money to get the feeling of excitement. Sports betting leads to overspending which can disrupt home life to such an extent that it has some social effects such as the break-up of families. Sometimes due to sports betting the only deceptive course of action that seems to remain too often may lead the bettor to commit suicide.

The theory of dynamic resource orchestration explains the differentiated response of homogeneous ecosystem organizations to systemic disruptive shocks. The Covid-19 precautionary measures in Kenya have exempted some essential service providers and government agencies, resulting in a differentiated Covid-19 impact across the national SMEs landscape. This article adopted an extractive thematic analysis technique to draw insights from in-depth interviews and discussions with owners and managers of 6 broad-range SMEs considered non-essential services providers excluded from the Covid-19 cessation of movement waiver. The article advanced insights on SMEs' resilience through dynamic resource orchestration capability. It sought to establish whether the possession and orchestration of dynamic resources capabilities differentiated highly resilient SMEs from non-resilient ones. The article identified business diversification, slack finance, intra-stakeholder collaboration, self-reinvention, positive psychology, technology leverage, and cost management as precursory resilience agents within Kenyan SMEs. Research gaps were identified, and recommendations for future research were proposed.

This study aims to investigate the effect of demographic factors on the turnover intentions of teachers in public secondary schools in Murang’a county Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To investigate the association between age and education and turnover intentions; to establish the association between gender and turnover intentions; to determine the association between tenure and turnover intentions and to establish the association between educational level and turnover intentions. The study was guided by the Social exchange and Organization equilibrium theories.  This study was a cross-sectional study and adopted descriptive and explanatory research designs. The target population was 3752 Teachers Service Commission (TSC) teachers in 304 public secondary schools in Murang’a county Kenya.  The study thus used multi-stage random to select a sample size of 400 teachers and 40 schools. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the demographic data. Data were analyzed using cross-tabulation and Pearson Chi-square statistics.   The study findings indicated that age has a significant association with turnover intentions while employee tenure, gender, and educational level have no significant association with turnover intentions.

Liquidity risk is the potential that an entity will be unable to acquire the cash required to meet its short and intermediate-term obligations. Deposit-taking Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (SACCOs) face liquidity risk when they are unable to fund their operations and lending requirements to their members as and when circumstances demand. Given that liquidity is a key phenomenon on the optimal functioning and financial performance of deposit-taking SACCOs, this study critically analyzed the effect of liquidity risk on the financial performance of DT SACCOs in Kenya. The study used a descriptive survey design and employed regression methods to model the relationship between liquidity risk and financial performance of DT SACCOs. The data were analyzed at a 5% level of significance. The study findings revealed that at a 5% level of significance, liquidity risk had a statistically significant influence on the financial performance of deposit-taking SACCOs. Basing on the findings, DT SACCOs are encouraged to focus on enhancing the mobilization of deposits to ensure that an asset portfolio that minimizes liquidity risk is maintained.

This study examines the influence of service reliability on customer satisfaction in the insurance industry in Kenya. The study was anchored on the Assimilation Contrast Theory and employed a descriptive research design. Primary data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics where the mean and standard deviation were determined. Data were analyzed in two levels, the customer level, and the entity level. The study employed the linear mixed effect models of structural equation modeling (SEM) considering the multi-level structure of the data collected. Results were presented in form of tables and path diagrams for the structural equation models. Service reliability was found to have a statistically significant influence on customer satisfaction (? =0.840, p-value= 0.027). The study found that there was a variation of levels of customer satisfaction across entities but this was not attributed to service reliability. The conclusion made was that service reliability significantly influenced customer satisfaction in the insurance industry in Kenya at the customer level but did not significantly influence the variations of customer satisfaction between the insurance companies.

This study sought to establish the influence of fraud risk management practices in regard to preventive, detective and corrective controls on the level of fraud occurrence on listed firms in Kenya. This is because limited research had been conducted in the context of listed firms in Kenya and limited attention paid on how corrective controls influences fraud occurrence. A causal research design was applied. Data was obtained from a sample of 275 senior managers by using structured questionnaires. The findings revealed that only preventive and corrective controls had a profound negative effect on the degree of fraud occurrence on listed companies in Kenya. Conversely, detective controls did not considerably reduce fraud occurrence on listed companies in Kenya. The key implication of the findings noted by this study is that the proper implication of the most effectual anti-fraud measures can only be realized when the management are committed to do so. Additionally, corrective controls must be seriously looked into as an effective strategy of curbing fraud since they indeed are instrumental in curbing fraud. Future studies should be extended to the public sector in regard to the government ministries and the distinctive partitions of the private sector such as the insurance, real estate, manufacturing, automobile sectors among others respectively. Moreover, future studies can explore how firm size in terms of asset size or employee size moderates the relationship between fraud risk management practices and the level of fraud occurrence.

The importance of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) cannot be underestimated. Despite their importance, they are faced with numerous challenges among them financial distress which threatens their very existence. The current research sought to establish the role of board characteristics in the financial distress suffered by Deposit Taking SACCOs in Nairobi County. The study is anchored inter alia on Agency Theory. Descriptive research design was adopted while Nairobi County was purposively chosen and a census was carried out on deposit taking SACCOs in the county. Secondary data was collected from SASRA using a data collection sheet and a panel data analysis performed using STATA software. The findings were presented using tables. The study concluded that there was a relationship between board characteristics and financial distress of Deposit Taking SACCOs where board composition, board education and board tenure have statistically significant and negative influence on financial distress. In conclusion SACCOs need to have lean boards, Board composition should also be improved by including more women on boards, there should be more inclusion of members with high and relevant education credentials, and SACCOs should have term limits for their members while an analysis too based on the Altman’s Z score models should be adopted for SACCOs. Another research may be carried out to establish other factors causing financial distress and how to turn around the SACCOs already in distress.

Short-term debt is regarded as an important source of financing for Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is because it can be easily accessed and useful during times of emergent working capital shortage. However, short-term debt is the least researched among the components of capital structure, which explains why its contribution to the financial performance of small and medium-sized businesses still lacks empirical validation especially in the Ugandan context. This paper sought to determine the effect of short-term debt on financial performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Uganda. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design to collect and analyse the data. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select SMEs while purposive sampling technique was used to select one key respondent from each of the sampled 453 SMEs in Uganda. Primary data was collected using survey questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression analysis. The findings indicted that short-term debt had a negative and significant effect on financial performance of SMEs as measured by return on assets. The study provides empirical evidence to support the propositions in the extant literature that short-term debt significantly hampers financial performance of SMEs. The study recommends that SMEs should adopt low cost operation procedures to improve profitability. This would lead to accumulated profits that can be used for investment purposes as a means of driving growth among the SMEs without resorting to borrowing. This paper suggests that further research should be conducted to establish the justification for the negative and significant effect of short-term debt on financial performance using qualitative approaches.

Employee retention has become a key focus of the human resource professional agenda. Organizations and schools have come to the conclusion that money could be saved by reducing employee turnover. However, studies have been inconclusive on motivating factors that lower employee retention. The main objective of this study was to determine the influence of motivation on the retention of employees in secondary schools in Kenya. Based on an exhaustive review of literature, three constructs of motivation were taken into consideration namely management. The major hypothesis of the study was that motivation significantly influences the retention of teachers in private secondary schools. To test the hypothesis, three sub-hypotheses were developed; compensation significantly influences employee retention; supervision significantly influences employee retention and psychological contract significantly influences employee retention.  A mixed methodology approach was adopted and data was collected using a structured questionnaire and a structured interview guide. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, correlation analysis, and linear regression were applied to test the research hypotheses. The regression results indicate that motivation is causing a 7.0 percent variation in retention, implying a weak relationship. The weak relationship can be explained by poor salaries, authoritarian supervision, and breach of the psychological contract. 

It is through education where a foundation for growth, groundwork on which most of our social and economic well-being is developed. This study sought to establish the influence of teaching and learning materials available on the development of pupils in upper primary schools in Karunga Zone, Gilgil Sub County. Teaching and learning materials are devices and aids through which learning and teaching are done in schools. The study was anchored on the Theory of Instruction and adopted the descriptive research design. The target population was 587 teachers of primary schools in Karunga zone, Gilgil Sub County from which a sample of 100 teachers were selected using the stratified random sampling method. Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that teaching and learning materials availability (r= .652, p .000; ?= .751, p .000) has a positive and statistically significant influence on the development of pupils in upper primary. Based on this finding, the study recommends that the government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education Science and Technology should improve the availability of teaching and learning resources in public primary schools in order to promote optimal development of pupils.

Employees are the backbone of the hospitality industry, and the people in service are inseparable from the service they provide. This research investigated the influence of employer-employee relationships on service quality in the hospitality industry in Nakuru County, Kenya. Descriptive design was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data through the use of questionnaires and interview guide as the key informants. The target population was 73 respondents comprising of 55 employees’ operational employees and 18 supervisors at Nuru Palace and the Legacy Hotel in Nakuru County. The findings also reveal that coaching and mentorship as well as mutual trust between employees and their superiors affect service quality positively.  The study recommends that hospitality establishments should facilitate more on job training and provide technical support to their employees. They should also work on establishing trust between the management and the workforce.

Transformational leadership is critical because of its contribution to organizational positive outcomes such as improved performance, motivation, and employee job satisfaction. Existing empirical and extant literature confirms that there is a positive relationship between transformational leadership and employee job satisfaction. This study complemented the findings by studying the effect of transformational leadership style on employee job satisfaction in the county government of Kakamega. A descriptive research design was adopted, focusing on employees at Kakamega County. Out of the 188 questionnaires issued, 174 (81 percent) filled and returned the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and chi-square. The findings indicated that the transformational leadership style influences employee job satisfaction.
  

In spite of the rise in the global adoption of public private partnerships, developing countries have failed to attract private investments in equally measure as their developed partners. This has impacted on infrastructural financing in developing countries. The current study sought to establish how market risks influence the performance of public private partnership renewable energy projects. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and employed a mixed methods approach, correlational and descriptive survey design. Quantitative data was collected by use of a self-administered questionnaire and while an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data after piloting and reliability established. A sample size of 263 respondents was drawn from a target population of 769 using the Yamane formula. For descriptive statistics the study used the mean and standard deviation. For inferential statistics the study used Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (r) and Multiple Regression while the F-tests were used in hypothesis testing. The study established a significant influence of market risks on the performance of public private partnerships renewable energy projects F (1,204) =104.689, P=0.000? 0.05.  H0 was consequently rejected. Based on this finding the study recommends hedging measures to promote public private partnerships

In order to push development to the grassroots and ensure citizens contribute meaningfully to development, many African countries have adopted the devolved governance system.  However, it has been observed that the devolution of political powers has not translated equally to envisioned overall development. In Kenya County governments have achieved various milestones towards development demonstrated through the infrastructure, social amenities, and standards of living. However, corruption has been increasing mainly due to a lack of transparency. This paper sought to examine the contribution of transparency levels in County government service delivery.  The study adopted mixed method approach using survey and in-depth interviews concurrently.  Stratified multi stage cluster sampling was deployed. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires and qualitative data using interview schedules. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and a typological theory developed to explain the study results. The study findings showed that the level of transparency in the counties was low which affected service delivery.  The study concluded that county governments should ensure that public participation and sharing of information is bidirectional to involve both users and management so as to improve service delivery.

Taxes form a significant portion of a company’s expenses and in order to increase probable returns, tax planning is vital to financing and investment decisions of an entity. This study sought to find out the influence of tax avoidance on financial performance of all the nine manufacturing firms listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange during the period 2010-2017. The study was anchored on tax planning theory, capital structure trade-off theory, agency cost theory and political power theory. The study adopted a positivism research philosophy and an explanatory research design. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze data where both descriptive and inferential statistics was done. Multiple linear regression model was adopted to study the association between the variables while utilizing panel data. The study findings showed that there is no significant statistical association between tax planning and financial performance of the manufacturing companies listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The findings indicated that capital intensity, research and development expenditure and company size have a positive insignificant association with financial performance. Further, debt to equity ratio indicated an insignificant negative relationship with financial performance. The study points out that the manufacturing companies should invest more in non-current assets and increase expenditure on the research and development expenditure to realize significant positive impact on financial performance. They should also manage their debt to equity ratios to avoid excess financing costs that may be detrimental to their financial performance.

The study sought to examine the extent to which directive and achievement-oriented path-goal leadership styles influence employee performance of coffee trading companies in Kenya. The positivism philosophy was adopted and the design used was a descriptive correlational research design. The population for the study was 180 senior managers of coffee trading companies in Kenya. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The descriptive statistics were mean and standard deviation while the inferential statistical analysis included correlational analysis, chi-square and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that directive leadership style negatively and significantly predict employee performance, R2= 0.035, F(1, 114) = 4.141,  p? .05, ? = -0.153, p? .05. Multiple linear regression analysis further revealed that achievement-oriented leadership style positively and significantly predicted employee performance, R2= 0.161, F(1, 116) = 20.686, p ?. .05, ? = 0.391, p? .05. The study provided a unique contribution to the theory and practice of leadership by contributing to knowledge in the application of Path-goal leadership styles in coffee trading companies. The study findings led to the conclusion that the use of a directive leadership style in coffee trading companies can adversely affect performance and leaders should exercise caution if they have to use this style.

The Insurance industry is essential to the economic course of every nation attaining sustainable growth and prosperity. However, the industry continues to experience a marginal growth of 2.5% compared to the global real term growth of 4%. This study analyzed the relationship between employee empathy and customer satisfaction in the Kenyan insurance industry. The study was guided by the causal research design. The study applied the linear mixed-effect models of structural equation modeling (SEM) considering the multi-level structure of the data collected. The study concluded that a client who perceives empathy from his/ her insurer’s employees is bound to have higher satisfaction than a customer who does not perceive empathy from their insurer. Employee empathy however, does not significantly affect the variations of customer satisfaction between the insurance companies.

Contemporary employees spend most of their working lives in the workplace. Work provides economic, social and psychological experiences that promote the mental wellbeing of individuals. The work environment should be devoid of hazards as much as possible to provide healthy and decent work for the workforce. However, numerous injuries, illnesses, property damages, and process losses take place at different workplaces. It is unclear how effectively OSH programs are being implemented in Kenya’s water sector since no study has been done. The general objective of the study was to establish an influence of management commitment on Occupational Health and Safety policies implementation in Water and Sanitation Companies in Kenya, a study of water and Sanitation Companies in Nyeri County. The study was based on the theoretical foundation that comprises two theories Leader-Member Exchange theory and Bourgeois and Brodwins Five Models of Strategy Implementation. The target population consisted of 474 employees in all water & sanitation companies in Nyeri County. From this population, a sample of 243 respondents was drawn using a random sampling technique but only 188 respondents filled and returned valid questionnaires giving the study an 80% response rate. The study employed both descriptive and inferential statistics to present and analyze the data.  Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tools namely frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation while inferential statistical tools such as multiple regression were used to determine the relationship between variables. The study findings revealed that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between management commitment and implementation, the 27.9% unit change in the implementation of OSH policies was explained by the management commitment. The study recommends that the water companies’ management should be committed to the implementation of OSH.