Department of Business and Economics
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Item The Traditional Cook Stoves and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in Kenya.(2021) Biwott, carolineThe achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is hampered by slow adoptions of new technologies. The Improved cook-stove has been designed to offer many benefits that lead to the achievement of food security, and the green, renewable and affordable fuel dimensions of the SDGs. However, there is low adoption of improved cook-stoves among the rural populations in Kenya. The rural population still rely on traditional cook-stoves. This study therefore sought to analyse how the traditional cook stove is not fully contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals as it should. The Research Questions of the study were: What are the socio - economic realities of the communities in the use of cook stoves? What are the aspects in the traditional cook-stoves that do not allow it to fully contribute towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in Uasin Gishu County? The study utilised Qualitative research approach and it is a case study of U asin Gishu County in Kenya. There were 20 respondents for the study who were selected using purposive sampling technique. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data was collected using interviews and observation data generation tools. The data was then analysed qualitatively using the thematic data analysis. The study reviewed the theoretical and empirical literature on the traditional cook-stoves. The secondary data was then analysed to determine how the traditional cook-stove is a barrier to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). From the study findings, the study concludes that to a large extent the traditional cook-stove is a barrier to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) especially in issues related to poverty, health, energy, climate change and sustainable forest management. It is anticipated that the study will be significant in emphasising the adoption of improved cook-stoves and the use of Biogas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or other alternative cooking energy. The study will also have policy implications for energy and environment conservation in Kenya as well as promote the achievement of Sustainable Developments Goals.Item Communication Lapses in the Adoption of Improved Cook stoves in Kenya.(2023) Biwott, carolineThe effective improved cook stoves have been designed to offer environmental, socio-economic and health benefits that facilitates the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. However, there is low adoption of effective improved cook stoves among the rural populations in Kenya. This study therefore sought to analyse communication lapses in the adoption of improved cook stoves in Kenya. The Research Questions of the study is: What are the communication lapses in the adoption of the improved cook-stoves in Uasin Gishu County? The study was anchored on Constructivist Paradigm and Qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. The study is a case study of Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 20 respondents for the study and the Qualitative data was collected using interviews research instruments. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse data qualitatively. The collected data was presented in the form of narratives. From the study findings, the study concludes that communication lapses have led to the low adoption of improved cook-stoves. There is limited use of Participatory communication strategies and media channels have not been utilised adequately to sensitise the rural populations on the health, environmental and socio-economic benefits of improved cook-stoves. It is anticipated that the study will be significant in emphasising the importance of using effective communication strategies to educate, create awareness and campaign for the adoption of improved cook-stoves and thus lead to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.Item Importance of Ethics in Safeguarding and Ensuring High Quality Research(2023-10) Ombaka, Beatrice; Muturi, MosesThe purpose of this article is to demonstrate the important of ethics in safeguarding and ensuring high quality research. Ethics are norms or standards of behavior that guide moral choices about individual behavior and their relationship with others. Ethics has also been defined as norms of conduct that distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Research Ethics is defined as a code of guidelines on how to conduct scientific research in a morally acceptable way. The importance of Ethics in Research cannot be under estimated. Researchers world over face ethical dilemmas due to lack of adherence to ethical guidelines. Ethical lapses in research can significantly harm human and animal subjects, students, participants, researchers, institutions and the public. For example, a researcher who fabricates data in a clinical trial may harm or even kill patients. Responsible conduct of research is therefore important for safety of all involved in carrying out research. Further, prohibitions against fabricating, falsifying, or misrepresenting research data can promote the truth and minimize error. There is need for Research integrity in areas of falsification, fabrication and plagiarism. The goal of ethics in research is to ensure that no one is harmed or suffers adverse consequences from research activities. Researchers have carried out studies on importance of ethics in research. This is a desk top research study to sensitize researchers on the important of upholding high ethical standards when carrying out research. The study recommends that in order to ensure accuracy of scientific knowledge, ethics should be followed rigorously. The study recommends the need to sensitize researchers on the benefits of ethical research and that every researcher should be aware of the ethical considerations that need to be taken into account while undertaking research.Item Influence of credit risk on shareholder market value of commercial banks listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange(2020) Kiambati, KellenThis study examines the influence of credit risk on the shareholder market value of commercial banks listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange. A mixed-method approach and concurrent design were used in this study. Logistic regression was performed to ascertain the influence of credit risk on shareholder market value of commercial banks listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange as a quantitative method and processes tracing as a qualitative approach to trace the causal mechanism by which credit risk contributes to shareholder market value. This research demonstrated that (i) there is a relationship between credit risk and shareholder market value among the commercial banks listed in NSE; (ii) Wald (1) =41.475, p=.000, sig <05 2-tailed is below the permissible value of likelihood above which null hypothesis is accepted. The study concludes that there is a relationship between credit risks and Shareholders Market Value in commercial banks listed in NSE.Item “Influence of Perceived Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction amongst Dairy Milk Processors in Kenya”. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), 7, (4), 44-57. Found at https://sdbindex.com/Documents/index/00000289/00001-06310(2018) Mwangi, Anne Wairimu; Kabare, Ndung'u; Wanjau, Kenneth Lawrence https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3146-5324In today’s competitive retail market, as service quality improves, the customer’s expectation and lateral demand on service level is increased from time to time. Dairy milk processing firms in Kenya are struggling to get it right in providing service quality. This has created dissatisfied consumers and this has led to merging of some dairy milk processing firms and loss of jobs due to closure of some dairy milk processing firms. Therefore, this study aimed at filling this knowledge gap by examining the influence of perceived service quality on consumer satisfaction amongst dairy milk processors in Kenya. The study was guided by cross-sectional research design. The study population comprised of consumers who purchase processed dairy milk from major supermarket chains in Kenya. Primary data was collected from 384 respondents using a semi-structured questionnaire which was self-administered. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyse data with the help of SPSS version 21. The results showed a positive and significant relationship between the perceived service quality and consumer satisfaction. Respondents indicated that, perceived service quality was consistent to their satisfaction. The findings showed that, consumers of dairy milk products had a high rating of service quality offered to them by dairy milk processors hence high satisfaction levels. The study therefore concluded that, perceived service quality is an important predictor of customer satisfaction. Milk processors must therefore strive to match and even exceed their customer’s product-service quality with what customers expect.Item Influence of Perceived Service Quality on Consumer Satisfaction amongst Dairy Milk Processors in Kenya(2018) Mwangi, Anne Wairimu; Kabare, Ndung’u; Wanjau, Kenneth Lawrence https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3146-5324In today’s competitive retail market, as service quality improves, the customer’s expectation and lateral demand on service level is increased from time to time. Dairy milk processing firms in Kenya are struggling to get it right in providing service quality. This has created dissatisfied consumers and this has led to merging of some dairy milk processing firms and loss of jobs due to closure of some dairy milk processing firms. Therefore, this study aimed at filling this knowledge gap by examining the influence of perceived service quality on consumer satisfaction amongst dairy milk processors in Kenya. The study was guided by cross-sectional research design. The study population comprised of consumers who purchase processed dairy milk from major supermarket chains in Kenya. Primary data was collected from 384 respondents using a semi-structured questionnaire which was self administered. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyse data with the help of SPSS version 21. The results showed a positive and significant relationship between the perceived service quality and consumer satisfaction. Respondents indicated that, perceived service quality was consistent to their satisfaction. The findings showed that, consumers of dairy milk products had a high rating of service quality offered to them by dairy milk processors hence high satisfaction levels. The study therefore concluded that, perceived service quality is an important predictor of customer satisfaction. Milk processors must therefore strive to match and even exceed their customer’s product service quality with what customers expect.Item Evaluation of Factors Affecting Implementation of Green Public Procurement Governments in Laikipia County Government, Kenya.(2018-08) Ngunjiri, Elijah MwangiGreen Public Procurement has been used as a tool to achieve environmental objectives by some countries especially in Europe. Public procurement in Kenya is estimated to account for between 70 and 80 percent of the national budget. This gives the government purchasing power to influence manufacturing and supply of green products for sustainable development. County governments in Kenya are allocated between 15 and 45 percent of the total country’s income. Despite all these finances Counties possess, many of them do not fully use their purchasing power to achieve environmental objectives. Laikipia County for example, did very well on procurement activities to be ranked the best performing entity in public procurement in Kenya in 2014, yet it did not have a similar identity on Green Public Procurement. It is this research gap that this study sought to fill. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting implementation of Green Public Procurement in Laikipia County government. The study was guided by knowledge gap and buyers’ perception on green products as independent variables and implementation of Green Public Procurement as the dependant variable. Descriptive research design was applied in this study. The study targeted County governments in Kenya. The study population was 45 employees from Laikipia County government drawn from procurement and finance department. Primary data was collected by use of a semi structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was self administered. Descriptive statistics and statistical model of multiple regression were used in analysis of data .The study established that knowledge gap (0.561) and buyer’s perception on GPP (0.143) had a positive effect on GPP implementation with knowledge gap as the major one. The study recommends County governments to organize for compulsory training of its staff on GPP. They should conduct lifecycle costing of all products procured by the County governments so as to create the right perception on these productsItem Observed leverage and financial performance of listed firms in Kenya(2018) Maina, Leonard K.; Olweny, Tobias; Wanjau, Kenneth Lawrence https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3146-5324Capital structure management is one of the most crucial corporate financial management functions in a firm since appropriate debt policy is reported to maximize the value of a firm. Kenya is ranked second in Africa after South Africa in regards to financial deepness. This means that the cost of debt should not have adverse effect financial performance. This observation raises fundamental question: does debt financing leads to poor financial performance in Kenya? This research sought to investigate the role of observed leverage on financial performance of listed non- financial firms in Kenya. The study tested capital structure theories and therefore adopted a positivists approach, guided by causal research design. The study population was 35 non-financial sub-sector firms out of the 65 firms listed at the NSE, Kenya. 18 firms were excluded in this study since they belong to banking and insurance sub-sectors, which have a highly regulated capital structure. Secondary data collection sheet was used to collect data for each of the variables from audited financial statements of the listed firms for a 10-year period (2006-2015). Panel regression analysis revealed that observed leverage measured by (LDR) had a significant positive coefficient with performance metrics. However, the leverage measure using TDR showed a negative and significant role on performance metrics. This study recommends that for listed firms to improve their financial performance, they should use more long-term debts than short-term debts.Item Influence of Consumer Complaints Handling on Consumer Satisfaction in Dairy Milk Processors in Kenya(2019-02-24) Mwangi, Anne Wairimu; Kabare, Ndung’u; Wanjau, Kenneth Lawrence https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3146-5324The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of consumer complaints handling on consumer satisfaction in dairy milk processors in Kenya. The study population was 384 consumers from 15 major supermarkets chains in Kenya. Primary data was sought from consumers of processed dairy milk using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire employing a mixed methods research design. Descriptive and regression analysis and regression analysis were conducted with the help of SPSS software. Majority of the respondents disagreed that their complaints were handled so well to their expectation. Respondents also disagreed that merchandisers were receptive to their complaints as consumers to their satisfaction. The results showed a weak positive relationship between complaints handling and consumer satisfaction. The beta value of the computed (composite index) scores of consumers’ complaints handling was 0.027 with a t-test value of 1.026 and significance level of 0.306. Dairy milk processors in Kenya had poor consumer complaints handling mechanisms. However, this seemed to have no reduction in consumer satisfaction in the products in question. The study recommended that dairy milk processors in Kenya had poor consumer complaints handling mechanisms.Item Influence of Perceived Product Quality on Customer Satisfaction amongst Dairy Milk Processors in Kenya(2019) Mwangi, Anne Wairimu; Kabare, Ndung’u; Wanjau, Kenneth Lawrence https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3146-5324In today’s competitive retail market, as service quality improves, the customer’s expectation and lateral demand on service level is increased from time to time. Dairy milk processing firms in Kenya are struggling to get it right in providing service quality. This has created dissatisfied consumers and this has led to merging of some dairy milk processing firms and loss of jobs due to closure of some dairy milk processing firms. Therefore, this study aimed at filling this knowledge gap by examining the influence of perceived service quality on consumer satisfaction amongst dairy milk processors in Kenya. The study was guided by cross-sectional research design. The study population comprised of consumers who purchase processed dairy milk from major supermarket chains in Kenya. Primary data was collected from 384 respondents using a semi-structured questionnaire which was self-administered. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyse data with the help of SPSS version 21. The results showed a positive and significant relationship between the perceived service quality and consumer satisfaction. Respondents indicated that, perceived service quality was consistent to their satisfaction. The findings showed that, consumers of dairy milk products had a high rating of service quality offered to them by dairy milk processors hence high satisfaction levels. The study therefore concluded that, perceived service quality is an important predictor of customer satisfaction. Milk processors must therefore strive to match and even exceed their customer’s product service quality with what customers expect.