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The study sought to examine the effect of Accounting Information and Communication control on the financial performance of Sacco’s in Kenya. The study employed a mixed research design targeting 175 Sacco’s with 875 respondents. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the CEOs, Finance Managers, Risk Managers, ICT Managers and Internal auditors. Data were collected by the use of both primary and secondary techniques. Primary data collection was using questionnaires, while secondary data detailed document analysis of audited accounts to capture information on financial performance. A pilot study was conducted in Nairobi County. Content and construct validity were tested at a KMO value of 0.870, which signified that factor analysis was appropriate. Cronbach Alpha was applied to establish reliability, ranging from 0.859 for accounting information and communication control to 0.916 for financial performance. Data were analyzed by use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive analysis included; frequencies, Mean, Standard deviation and percentage, while inferential analysis involved regression analysis. The results showed a significant positive relationship between Accounting Information and Communication control and financial performance (r=0.661, P=0.000). Accounting Information and Communication control explained 43.7% (R2 =0.437) of variance in financial performance; the beta value for Accounting Information and Communication control from the regression model was 0.551 at p< 0.05.  The study concluded that Accounting Information and Communication control has a significant positive effect on financial performance. The study recommended that SACCOs conduct periodic reviews of the effectiveness of its accounting information and communication system to ensure management receives timely, relevant, and reliable reports for decision-making.

Tour operators have ensured the success of the Kenyan tourism sector, poised to contribute to achieving key government economic policies like the Tourism Agenda 2018-2022, the National Tourism Blueprint 2030, and the Big-Four Agenda. However, due to the volatility of the tourism industry, stiff competition, rigid tourism policies, and pandemics, tour operators’ performance has recorded a 2% steady decline since 2011. Therefore, this paper explores the upscaling of performance using a differentiation strategy among tour operator companies in Nairobi City County. The study followed a descriptive design approach, with the balanced scorecard and Porter’s generic strategies forming the theoretical basis. Fifteen (15) company owners and 210 managers participated in the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and interviews. Stratified simple random sampling was used to sample respondents from the companies while purposive sampling was used to select company owners. Data collected were analyzed in SPSS (Ver.26) using descriptive statistics to infer variable characteristics. Inferential statistics; Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and simple linear regression were used to detect the strength of the relationship and test the hypothesis. Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between differentiation strategy and organizational performance (r=0.77, P=0.000), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Regression analysis revealed an adjusted R2(0.602) indicating that differentiation strategy explains 60.2% of organizational performance’s variation (b=0.594, P=.000). The study recommends that tour operator companies should develop innovative packages based on place and price and significantly invest in R&D to enhance a strong brand for optimal performance. This study provides policymakers with an avenue to scrutinize levels of organizational performance using a strategic management approach.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of public sector financial information disclosure on the quality of financial reporting in public secondary schools in Kakamega County. This study was premised on a theoretical foundation based on legitimacy theory. The study employed a descriptive research design. The study targeted 419 public secondary schools, from which a sample of 205 public secondary schools was obtained using a stratified random sampling technique. The study used Primary data, which was collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using version 26 of the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive and inferential methods of data analysis were used. The analyzed data was presented using tables, models, frequencies and percentages. The study found that public sector financial information disclosure was significant at (? = 0.790, t = 15.488 at p<0.01) on quality financial reporting. From the R Square, it accounted for 54.7% of the variance in quality financial reporting (p = 0.000). The study concluded that disclosure of public sector financial information significantly affected the quality of financial reporting in public secondary schools in Kakamega County. The study recommended that there is a need for financial information and reports to be made available to the users in a timely fashion and in the correct format and language that can make it easy for them to analyze and interpret. This would ensure that there is adequate disclosure of going on concern information which is more comprehensive, integrated and more helpful in decision-making process.

Sustainable tourism has emerged as a growing tourism facet in recent years, gaining acceptance among tourism developers and stakeholders; as a tourism development model that is economically viable, socially acceptable, and environmentally friendly. Nonetheless, tourism development faces numerous challenges, including displacement of people, cultural commercialization, organic dilapidation, and economic dependency resulting from social-economic development. As a result, many countries have begun to embrace long-term sustainable tourism development goals, an essential component of achieving Vision 2030. Therefore, this paper propagates the discussions surrounding corroboration approaches, tourism infrastructure, stakeholders' role, and government policies' influence on sustainable tourism development. To support its thesis, the paper develops a conceptual framework to guide tourism practitioners and other stakeholders in understanding and dissecting sustainable tourism models and knowledge. The findings emphasize stakeholders’ collaboration framework, the need for adequate and supportive tourism infrastructure, and the foundational basis of public-private initiatives to enhance tourism growth.

This study sought to determine the influence of service assurance on customer satisfaction in the insurance industry in Kenya. The latent variable assurance was measured using four manifest variables namely, Employees instill customer confidence; Customers feel safe to transact with the company; Employee Politeness and Provision of adequate information on service requested. A descriptive research design was adopted and a multi-stage sampling technique was used to sample 400 policyholders from 19 composite insurance companies in Kenya. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire. A pilot test was conducted to check the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using inferential statistics. R-Gui was the leading statistical software. The study applied linear mixed-effect models of structural equation modeling (SEM) considering the multi-level structure of the data collected. Multi-level analysis was adopted to determine whether service assurance contributed to the variation in levels of customer satisfaction across insurance companies. A significant fixed effect coefficient estimate of 0.696 was established, implying that increasing the levels of Service Assurance as perceived by a customer by one unit would increase the level of Customer Satisfaction by 0.696. The study concluded that a client who perceives Service Assurance from their insurer is bound to have higher satisfaction than a customer who does not perceive it. Employee Assurance, however, was found not to significantly affect the variations in customer satisfaction across the insurance companies. The study recommended that insurance firms invest in service assurance to achieve maximum customer satisfaction.

Although donor funding has helped to boost the education sector, questions have arisen regarding the sustainability of donor-funded schools. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of management skills on the sustainability of donor-funded schools in Kiambaa Constituency, Kiambu County, Kenya. Resource Dependency Theory and Agency Theory guided the study. The study employed the descriptive survey design and targeted the population of 122 stakeholders of the White Cottage Schools and the Bridge International Academies comprising 100 parents, 2 managers, and 20 teachers. The systematic sampling method was used to select a sample of 50 parents and 10 teachers while both managers were included in the study sample making a sample size of 62 respondents. Quantitative data were collected from parents using questionnaires, while qualitative data was obtained from the teachers and managers using interview guides. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test, while qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis technique. Results showed that more than half of the parents believe that their children’s schools would not operate optimally without donor funds. Results further showed that the sustainability of donor-funded primary schools was significantly associated with managerial skills, including creativity, flexibility, and networking. The study concluded that managerial skills are a significant determinant of donor-funded schools' sustainability. The study recommends that school managers improve their creativity, flexibility, and networking skills.

The public health sector is affected by various challenges, such as operational inefficiencies and poor service delivery. These challenges affect public hospitals' delivery of quality services that meet client expectations. As a result of these issues, public hospitals have adopted the total quality management approach to deal with these challenges. The general objective of this research was to determine the effect of total quality management application on the quality-of-service delivery across public hospitals in Kenya. The study was anchored on a resource-based view, dynamic capabilities, and system approach theories. The research applied a descriptive approach to the target population of 1718 respondents. The sampling approach for the study was a stratified random technique that selected a sample of 250 participants. The findings indicated that employee involvement, technology adoption, continual advancement, and client focus affect service delivery across various public hospitals in Kenya. The research concluded that applying total quality management practices is essential and influences service delivery across various public hospitals. Therefore, the national and county governments are supposed to ensure management’s commitment to the implementation of TQM practices across the county’s healthcare facilities.

This study aims to determine the influence of work specialization on realization of superordinate goals in selected NGOs in Naivasha sub-county, Kenya. The study was underpinned by the systems-thinking and McKinsey’s 7s models. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The target population consisted of 120 managers and members of the board of directors of eight NGOs in the Naivasha sub-county, Kenya. Using the Krejcie and Morgan formula and the stratified sampling technique, 92 respondents were selected to participate in the study. The research instrument was a self-administered questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended questions. The thematic analysis method was used for qualitative data analysis, presented using narratives, while quantitative data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics analysis involved Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analysis in establishing the relationship between work specialization and the realization of superordinate goals. The data was presented using tables. Research ethics were upheld when carrying out the study. This study found that work specialization had a statistically significant relationship with realization of superordinate goals in selected NGOs in Naivasha Sub-county, Kenya. Also, work specialization had a statistically significant influence on the realization of superordinate goals in selected NGOs in the Naivasha sub-county, Kenya, with a p-value of (p<0.05). This study recommends that a similar study be conducted to get other employees' and NGO beneficiaries’ perspectives on work specialization and realization of superordinate goals. The findings of this study will help NGOs to understand the cruciality of work specialization elements in realization of superordinate goals.

Mental health is an important developmental aspect of any society. This study sought to assess the effect of the county legal framework on the implementation of mental health programmes in Nakuru County. The study was guided by the General Systems Theory. A descriptive survey design was used which involved a mixed-methods approach. The target population was the 80 respondents who are directly associated with the implementation of mental health programmes in Nakuru County. Due to the small population, a census procedure was utilized. Primary data was collected through the use of a questionnaire and interview guide. Quantitative data was analyzed through the SPSS software (v25). Descriptive statistics were analyzed through the use of frequencies and percentages while inferential statistics were analyzed through the Pearson Correlation and linear regression analysis and the findings were presented in form of tables. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented through narratives. The study found that the county legal framework had a positive relationship with the implementation of mental health programmes in Nakuru County, Kenya (r=0.428; p=0.000). The county legal framework positively and significantly affected the implementation of mental health programmes in Nakuru County, Kenya. Also, improving the county's legal framework would have a positive impact on the implementation of mental health programmes in Nakuru County, Kenya. This study recommends that a study should be conducted on the implementation of mental health programmes focusing on the service-users of mental health services and programmes in county governments in Kenya. It is hoped that the findings of this study will increase awareness of mental health services in the county as well as help policymakers formulate effective policies and strategies on mental health programmes, services and public service delivery in Nakuru County.

Project cost control aims at controlling changes to the project budgeted cost in the contract document. Available data shows that the area of project management is riddled with project failure and cost overruns. This study sought to establish the influence of cost control on the realization of NG-CDF projects in Kikuyu Constituency, Kiambu County, Kenya. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for this study. National Government Constituencies Development Fund projects in Kikuyu Constituency were the unit of observation, while members of the project management committees were the unit of analysis. A sample of 259 respondents was used. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive and chi-square analyses were used to analyze data with the help of SPSS. The majority (62.9%) of the respondents indicated that the project they were involved in was incomplete. Slightly half (58.5%) of the respondents indicated that the project was not on a budget. Results showed that 37.5% of the respondents cited inadequate money, 35.5% cited disbursement challenges, and 31.5% indicated price fluctuations as challenges experienced in the cost control of the projects. There was a significant relationship (p=0.021) between cost control on the realization of NG-CDF projects in Kikuyu Constituency, Kiambu County, Kenya. The study concluded that cost control influences the realization of NG-CDF projects in Kikuyu Constituency, Kiambu County, Kenya.  There is a need for CDF committees to conduct research for products and services needed in the planning stages of NGCDF projects. This will enable better cost control which ultimately leads to higher project realization.

The purpose of this study was to assess the cultural beliefs influencing access to maternal healthcare in East Pokot Pastoral Communities, Baringo County, Kenya. The study was founded on the choice-making model and the theory of access. The research methodology was directed by the descriptive survey design. The target population was 5720 women of reproductive age between 15 and 49 years and their partners, community leaders, government health facilities administrators, traditional birth attendants and community health workers from the pastoralist communities in East Pokot in Baringo County, Kenya. A stratified purposive sampling technique included stratified and purposive sampling techniques were used to sample 146 participants. Data was collected using Focus Group Discussions and in-depth interviews. Using the Nvivo software, the data were coded and tracked and the findings were presented using narratives with quotations. The study found that the cultural beliefs that the community members held at times barred the women from accessing maternal healthcare services in the East Pokot sub-county.  

This study aimed to test the effect of leadership strategy on the organisational resilience of banks listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The study was anchored on Full-Range Leadership Theory (FRLT) complementarily with meta-leadership as relevant theoretical lenses. The study sampled 277 respondents holding senior managerial positions such as Chief Risk Officers, Managing Directors, Directors of Strategy, Internal Auditors, Heads of Marketing, Heads of Operations and Branch Managers. Data was collected using a self-administered Likert-type online questionnaire. Structural equations modelling was employed for statistical analysis. Partial Least Squares was performed with SmartPLS 3. Results showed that the relationship between leadership strategy and organisational resilience was statistically significant at t-value of 31.665 (p<0.05), with leadership strategy explaining 68.5% of the variance in the organisational resilience of listed banks in Kenya (R2=0.685). The study concluded that leadership strategy significantly predicted bank resilience. The study has affirmed leadership strategy as a novel theoretical concept for explaining organisational resilience to systemic disruptive shocks. Multiple future research directions are proposed. This study advanced leadership strategy as a distinct paradigm in leadership thinking by examining its predictive power on organisational resilience by using systemic disruptive shocks as testing grounds within the context of Kenya’s banking sector.

Digital marketing practices have had explosive growth in the past decade, especially in the insurance sector of developing countries. In particular, the internet has been instrumental in providing digital marketing services to customers from the insurance sector. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to assess the effect of digital marketing practices on the performance of the insurance sector. A desktop literature review was used for this purpose. Relevant seminal references and journal articles for the study were identified using Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria entailed papers that were not over ten years old. The study found that the use of digital marketing strategies has a positive effect on the insurance sector's performance. Profitability improved, market share grew, and they expanded their market share. Increased customer loyalty and access to new markets are benefits of internet marketing for insurance companies. According to the findings, insurance companies should make IT infrastructure investments and implement technology-enhanced processes. Employers require adequate training on the use of e-business platforms, as well as collaboration with providers of digital services to enable them to store and market their products and services online. Aside from using traditional marketing methods (such as direct mail), the study advises general insurance companies to be innovative by implementing new strategies, such as digital marketing, to gain a larger share of their target market. This is because strategies for digital marketing have a positive impact on the overall performance of the insurance industry.

The primary intent of this study is to establish the role of transformational governance on millennials’ dedication to level - 5 private hospitals in Kenya. A mixed methods study was applied using a cross-sectional exploratory survey design with quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample comprised millennials and their leaders working in level - 5 private hospitals. The sample size was 415 respondents. Five-level multi-stage cluster sampling and purposeful sampling were used. The study findings indicated that individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation influenced millennial dedication. This study has provided actionable insights into leading millennials to safeguard millennial engagement in Kenyan healthcare. Furthermore, to be dedicated, millennials require close monitoring and support. The millennials’ values differ from those of other generations, and they prefer challenges when they get bored with routine work. However, there are two categories of millennials; the older millennials are more responsible and resilient than the younger millennials, who are not dedicated.

The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of marketing innovation on the performance of coffee cooperatives in Kenya. A descriptive research design was applied. The target population of this study was 525 coffee cooperative societies in Kenya registered with the Commissioner for Cooperatives and licensed by AFFA (Coffee Directorate) as of 30th of October 2016. The sample size was 227 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the selected respondents. The results revealed that marketing innovation and performance are positive and significantly related (?=0.674, p=0.001). This implied that significant changes in product design and packaging led to a positive change in the performance of coffee cooperatives. The study affirms that to improve performance by targeting the customers, constant improvements in how the company promotes its new products to capture the attention of new customers is a key aspect to be considered. The study recommends the management employ skills in developing clear operating procedures to run the business successfully, coordinate different areas of the business to achieve results and the ability and design jobs to suit staff capabilities and interests.

The purpose of this paper is to establish the effect of the ease of access to mobile credit on the financial prosperity of MSEs. The ease of access describes the simplicity and easy way of enabling the provision of credit to a mobile money subscriber. Mobile credit means the credit offered through mobile phones whether from mobile phone operators in conjunction with banks or non-bank financial institutions or stand-alone mobile finance companies as per AFI - Global (2020) definition. This study tries to analyze whether there is a relationship between ease of access and the financial prosperity of an entrepreneur. Financial prosperity on the other hand is the economic well-being of a person or institution. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population for this study was 271,365 Licensed Small and Micro entrepreneurs in Nairobi County as per the Nairobi City County Licensing Database as of 16th November 2020. The sampling design employed a stratified sampling design to achieve a representative sample of the respondents. The sample size was 400 MSEs from each MSE, and the owner or key member was picked to participate. Overall, it was found that ease of access to mobile credit had a positive influence on financial prosperity. This implies that improved access to mobile credit leads to improved financial prosperity. An increase in Ease of access has a significant positive relationship (1.741432) with the financial prosperity composite. An increase in ease of access by one unit leads to an increase in financial prosperity by 1.741 units. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that mobile lenders should offer mobile credit with affordable terms. The mobile credit lenders should maintain a short period of the mobile money application process and approval to enhance the profitability and leverage of businesses. With good use of mobile credit, increased liquidity would increase financial prosperity for micro and small entrepreneurs.

Knowledge management is becoming indispensable in organizations since it is a powerful weapon for achieving competitive advantage. However, there is still a dearth of literature for employees and managers in organizations to link their investments in knowledge management and the value the organization gets in terms of employee engagement. This study was designed to assess knowledge management and employee engagement in the hospitality industry in the North Rift region of Kenya. An explanatory research design was adopted with a target population of 580 employees from star-rated hotels in the North Rift region out of which a sample size of 234 respondents was picked. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 25.0 for quantitative data and thematic analysis of interview data. From findings, knowledge management explained a 50.4 percent variation in employee engagement. A coefficient of .728 indicated that a unit change in knowledge management leads to .728 units of positive change in employee engagement. Knowledge management significantly affects employee engagement thus the rejection of the null hypothesis. The hospitality business should invest in proper employee knowledge-sharing initiatives to enhance employee competence and motivation, resulting in high levels of engagement. The finding of this study can help major stakeholders in the hospitality industry to strengthen knowledge management for employee engagement.

The Kenyan banking sector is categorized into three tiers, tier I, II and III based on bank size. The profitability of tier II and III has been declining begging the question as to whether the size of the bank has any influence on the performance of the banks. This study determines the influence of internal equity capital on the financial performance of lower-tier commercial banks in Kenya. The study employed a descriptive and explanatory research design. The study population was 26 commercial banks in Tier II and III commercial banks in Kenya from 2016 to 2020. The average internal equity for lower-tier commercial banks in Kenya was .364 in 2016 and .400 in 2017. In 2018, the internal equity sharply rose to 8.299, which was followed by a small decline to 7.782 in 2019 signifying that in 2018 and 2019, lower-tier commercial banks in Kenya employed more internal equity financing to finance their operations. Through the hierarchical regression, it was established that internal equity has a positive and significant influence on the financial performance of lower-tier commercial banks in Kenya. Bank size does not moderate the effect of internal equity on the net profit margin of lower-tier commercial banks in Kenya (p = .202>0.05; R2 change of 0.07). The study recommends that lower-tier commercial banks need to encourage its shareholders to re-invest back their earnings rather than consuming them as dividends as internal equity is affordable and readily available when the bank is in urgent financial need.  

Team diversity management helps to improve the cohesion of a team and ultimately, organizational development is enhanced. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of team diversity management on team cohesion at St. Martin Catholic Social Apostolate, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population for the study was 115 employees at the St. Martin Catholic Social Apostolate in Kenya. Stratified and simple random sampling procedures were used to sample 92 employees. Data was collected using a questionnaire and the collected data was analyzed through the use of the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 21. Descriptive statistical analysis involved the calculation of percentages and frequencies while inferential statistical analysis involved Pearson correlation in establishing the association of the variables under investigation. and Chi-square tests. Data was presented in the form of tables and charts. Qualitative data were analysed thematically and presented in the form of narratives. The study ensured that ethical considerations were adhered to. The study found a statistically significant relationship between team diversity management and team cohesion (p<0.05). The study concludes that each team member is held accountable for their activities and the decisions they make regarding the team and is included in team activities. The study recommends that the team leaders ensure that all team members are included in all team activities. This can be achieved through creating environments and opportunities that allow the team members to provide their opinions openly.

This paper aims to develop a critical approach to the conceptualization of start-ups in emerging markets from a Kenyan perspective. This study used a theoretical route to conceptualize start-ups in emerging markets like Kenya. From the findings, it is important to note that the conceptualization of start-up is based on western concepts and might be flawed and poorly applicable to businesses in Kenya. Hence in the Kenyan context, a start-up should be viewed as an innovative business entity, which is scalable and has survived up to 3-5 years. To support the growth of the start-up ecosystem in Kenya, policymakers should promote start-ups through the formation of relevant legislation and provide incentives that stimulate their survival and growth. The study has brought out some interesting findings which can generate more debate. The study used an exploratory research design which is not conclusive in nature therefore future research should consider using a research design that is conclusive in nature and robust.