Master Theses and Dissertations

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A balanced scorecard approach to measuring performance of five star hotels in Nairobi, Kenya.
(Kenyatta University, 2015-07) KUIRA, JOB
Performance measurement is a term that refers to the process of quantifying the efficiency and effectiveness of past actions. Traditional models for determining the performance and effectiveness of employees rely heavily on financial accounting indicators. However, this study shifts the perspective of how performance measurement can be conducted. In today‟s competitive environments, hotels are competing in terms of non-financial measures like product quality, delivery, reliability and customer satisfaction. None of these variables are measured by traditional financial measures despite the fact that they represent major goals of hotel operations. The purpose of this study was to measure performance using the balanced scorecard. This study sought to measure the performance of five star hotels in Nairobi County using the balanced scorecard approach; to compare selected indicators in five star hotels in Nairobi according to perceived performance; to establish if there is a relationship between performance of hotels using the balanced scorecard with selected variables such as age, gender, professional qualification and experience of the managers. The study was a complete census of five star hotels in Nairobi. The research design was a cross sectional survey and purposeful sampling method was utilised. Research instruments comprised of semi structured questionnaires which were administered to the respondents who were the departmental managers in the hotels sampled. Research instruments were pretested so as to establish their validity and reliability. The research had fifty-five respondents. Data was analysed both qualitatively and using descriptive statistics. One way ANOVA was used to compare the performance of the selected indicators in successive years. Chi-square test and Correlations were also used. The findings of the study revealed that 20 (36%) of the respondents used a balanced scorecard as a method of measuring performance, while 16 (29%) used key performance indicators (KPI). The use of a balanced scorecard for measuring performance in five star hotels resulted in improved quality of guest profiles for 40 (73%) of the managers in five star hotels in Nairobi County whereas 37 (67%) of the managers experienced an increase in training hours per employee. From the analysis of variance (ANOVA), there were significant differences in the mean performance of financial (p=0.000), learning and growth (p=0.014) and internal process (0.000) indicators at 5% level of significance. The study recommended that employees in the five star hotels in Nairobi County through the departmental heads should be enlightened on the value of performance measurement especially using a balanced scorecard approach.
Developing a Knowledge Management Strategy for The Marist International University College, Nairobi - Kenya.
(University of South Africa, 2015-02) Anduvare, Everlyn Mmbone
Marist International University College, Nairobi – Kenya is challenged with problems like duplication of work due to lack of a central repository for knowledge, loss of knowledge through expertise leaving the institution without knowledge being captured and over reliance on a few known subject experts as others have not been identified. This research thus set out to address these problems. The aim of the study was to conduct a knowledge management assessment at the Marist International University College (MIUC) in order to identify and recommend a suitable strategy for the institution. The study employed a concurrent triangulation mixed methodology approach which encompassed a questionnaire and an interview schedule to collect data from 33 academic staff and 9 members of the MIUC management respectively. These two groups were purposively selected as the target population for the study as they play the key role in knowledge creation at MIUC. All 33 copies of the questionnaires that were distributed to the teaching staff were returned by respondents and all the 9 MIUC members of management were successfully interviewed. Data transformation analysis was applied during which qualitative data from open-ended questions and interviews were quantified using content analysis. Quantitative data in the questionnaires was descriptively analysed using SPSS. The study revealed a variety of informal knowledge management structures and resources at MIUC and the challenges of managing knowledge at Marist. The main challenge was that there was no uniformity and consistency in the management of knowledge. The study hence, formulated a KM strategy for MIUC that would help leverage its knowledge assets.
Assessment of Language Shift among the Youth in Nairobi County, Kenya
(Karatina University, 2019-09) Kimani, Rosemary Wamaitha
Language shift among multilingual societies is an issue of global concern. Kenya, a multilingual society, is gradually losing her indigenous languages especially among the youth in towns and cities. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent of language shift among the youth in Nairobi County. The study was guided by the following objectives: to explore the domains in which the youth in Nairobi County use their ethnic languages; to establish the attitude the youth in Nairobi County have towards ethnic languages; to assess the influence of the gender variable on language shift among the youth in Nairobi County; and to determine the effect of ethnicity on language shift among the youth in Nairobi County. The study was based on the Domain Theory. The study employed the ex-post facto research design. The study targeted students and language teachers in public day secondary schools in Nairobi County. Simple random sampling was used to select the schools and the students to be studied. Ninety eight (98) students and seven language teachers participated in the study. Questionnaires were used as the tools of data collection. Descriptive statistics in form of frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse findings. Chi-square tests were conducted to establish the relationships between gender, attitude and ethnicity and the use of mother tongue in social and formal domains. The study found that the youth use their mother tongue sparingly and in very limited contexts such as at home or when their parents visit their schools. Students had negative attitudes towards mother tongue as they did not find it very useful. The study found that there was a significant relationship (χ2=18.143, p<0.05) between gender and the language used by students in communication with friends of the same sex. The findings also show that there was a significant relationship (χ2 =13.144, p<0.005) between gender and the language used at school. However, there was no significant relationship between ethnicity and any of the indicators of language shift. The study concludes that although majority of youth are conversant with their mother tongue, the extent to which the youth use mother tongue in social and formal domains is very low. The findings of the study would inform linguists on the current trend of indigenous languages in Kenyan urban centres and cities. The findings would also inform both the policy makers and curriculum developers on the challenges threatening the survival of the indigenous languages.
A Cognitive Semantics Analysis of Selected Ekegusii Pop Songs
(Karatina University, 2019) Ondara, Ntabo Victor
Pop songs convey social messages in different perspectives. Studies on pop songs reveal that composers employ metaphors to express their subjective feelings. The meaning of the metaphors in Ekegusii pop songs need to be interpreted to understand the message of the composers.The purpose of the study was to undertake a cognitive semantics analysis of Ekegusii pop songs. The study was guided by the following research objectives: to identify the metaphors in the Ekegusii pop songs using the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit; to analyse the metaphors in the Ekegusii pop songs using the Conceptual Metaphor Theory; and to determine the influence of the demographic variable of sex in the conceptualization of the metaphors in Ekegusii pop songs. The Conceptual Metaphor Theory was employed to map the metaphors in the Ekegusii pop songs into different corresponding conceptual mappings.The study employed the mixed methods research design. The target population was the Ekegusii speakers. An interview was conducted among the 36 participantsselected based on sex. The Ekegusii pop songs were purposively sampled using the criterion of richness in metaphoricity. The qualititative data were analysed thematically by classifying the identified metaphors into four conceptual domains using the principle of Great Chain of Being metaphor. Four annotators, including the researcher, collected 54 Metaphor Related Words basedon the criterion adapted from the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit. The identified metaphors were translated into English and presented in a table which containedthe metaphor value and the level of the metaphor in the principle of Great Chain of Being Metaphor. Three lexical units were marked as Discard From Metaphor Analysis. The study further classified the Metaphor Related Words as direct, indirect and possible personifications. The quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences in which Chi square at a significance level of 0.05 was employed to test the statistical relationship between sex and metaphoric conceptualization. The study found that sex significantly influences the conceptualization of the conceptual domains of: A HUMAN BEING IS A HUMAN BEING, A HUMAN BEING IS AN ANIMAL and A HUMAN BEING/EDUCATION IS AN OBJECT. However, Chi square test analysis showed insignificant association between sex and the conceptual domain ofA HUMAN BEING/EDUCATION IS A PLANT in the negative metaphor value.The research concludes that metaphor is a useful cognitive tool of conceptualizing human beings and the concept of education in Ekegusii pop songs. The study recommends that language researchers should employ the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit in metaphor studies.The findings of the study will benefit the audience of the Ekegusii pop songs, ethnographers and metaphor theorists to conceptualize Ekegusii pop songs and culture.
Influence of Youth Enterprise Development Fund Efficacy on the Financial Performance of Youth-Owned Enterprises in Kirinyaga County
(Karatina University, 2018-10) Maina, Runyora Jackson
Youth development funds play a great role in availing resources to the youth so that they can start their own enterprises with an aim of being self-reliant. The government of Kenya through the youth Enterprise Fund finances viable youth enterprises in the country. Despite the effort made by the government in provision of funds, the youth owned enterprises continue to perform poorly. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of Youth Enterprise Development Fund efficacy on financial performance of youth owned enterprises in Kirinyaga County. Specific objectives were to determine how the, access to credit, loan repayments conditions, and financial literacy, financial planning relates to profitability of youth-initiated enterprises. The significance of the study is to generate knowledge and data on the influence of youth enterprise development, assist the policy makers and program implementers, useful to students in this field of business as the findings will form bankable empirical literature and also bring to the surface the efficacy of YEDF on enhancing performance of youth owned enterprises. Two main theories were used as a base for this study: permanent income theory and portfolio theory. The target population was 525, a sample size of 227 was chosen. Stratified sampling method was used to achieve a representative sample from the chosen geographical areas of the study. Data was analyzed on the SPSS software for both descriptive and inferential statistics. The chisquare test was done at 95% level of confidence and a significance level of 0.005. The findings showed a p-value of 0.11 for variable credit access; for the loan repayment was 0.134 the financial literacy variable had a p-value of 0.0185 and financial planning had a p-value of 0.0165. This indicated a significant association between all the independent and dependent variable. Data presentation was done using charts and tables. The recommendations are that there is need to enhance access to credit by the youth owned enterprises so there is enhanced efficacy on the financial performance of youth enterprises.
Efficacy of Alternative Methods of Enforcing Learners’ Discipline in Primary Schools in Nyeri-Central Sub-County, Kenya
(Karatina University, 2018-10) Ruirie, Kagoiya Patrick
Following the ban on corporal punishment in schools, various alternative methods enforcing learners discipline have been tried. This study sought to survey the efficacy of alternative methods of enforcing learners discipline in primary schools in Nyeri Central Sub-County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: to examine factors contributing to indiscipline; to examine the alternative method of managing learners’ indiscipline; and, assess the effectiveness of the alternative methods of instilling discipline. Planned Behaviour Theory guided the study by exploring guidance and counseling, good classroom management, effective teaching methods and the children’s government electing their leaders as a guidance tool in learner management. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population of the study consisted of 616 respondents comprising of 572 teachers, 43 head teachers and one Sub County Quality Assurance and Standards Officer (SCQASO) from Nyeri Central Sub County. Simple random sampling was employed to select 91 teachers from 13 schools. Purposive sampling was used to select 13 head teachers and one (SCQASO). The employed research instruments were the Head Teachers’ Questionnaire, Teachers’ Questionnaire and SCQASO’s Interview Guide. A pilot study tested the validity and reliability of the research instruments. Research supervisors input was sought to improve the content and construct validity of the instruments. Cronbach Alpha formula was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire and a coefficient of 0.76 was obtained confirming the instruments reliability. The data acquired from the questionnaire, was coded and analyzed qualitatively using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 19). Presentation of data was done by use of charts, tables, percentages and frequencies. Qualitative data from the interview schedule was presented in expository form. The study revealed that a huge number of the teachers (55%) used guidance and counseling in discipline enforcement in schools though 7.1% still used corporal punishment as a disciplinary procedure. The study also found out that absenteeism and lying were prevalent in many schools. The study recommended that parents should play a greater role in the management of learners’ discipline. It also recommended that teachers need to be trained and sensitized to embrace alternative methods of enforcing discipline. The findings of the study may benefit education policy makers and practitioners in developing and enforcing effective and acceptable disciplinary policies in schools.
Leadership Dynamics Facing Principals in Managing Schools within Devolved Government Structure in Mbeere South Subcounty, Kenya
(Karatina University, 2018-09) Mwangangi, Musyoka Moshe
Leadership dynamics that face principals while managing educational institutions in the world and Kenya in particular are not clearly understood. The situation is compounded further when the context in which principals’ function is fundamentally changed as it happened in Kenya upon promulgation of constitution of Kenya 2010. The constitution of Kenya 2010 introduced devolution in the governance of the republic of Kenya which radically and fundamentally introduced different structures and chains of command in the management of state affairs including education. During this dispensation, principals have found themselves faced by leadership challenges brought about by the new political and administrative system. Mbeere South Sub-county has had a fair share of challenges in the provision of education during the dispensation of the devolved government structure. This study sought to evaluate leadership dynamics that face principals while managing education within the devolved government structure in Mbeere South Sub-county in Embu. The objectives of the study were to; establish leadership dynamisms with regard to decision making function that the principals faced while managing secondary schools in the devolved system of government in Mbeere south sub-county in Kenya; find out leadership dynamisms with regard to delegation function that the principals faced while managing schools in the devolved system of government in Mbeere south sub-county in Kenya; determine leadership dynamisms on time management function that the principals faced while managing schools in the devolved system of government in Mbeere south sub-county in Kenya and analyze resistance to change by principals while managing schools in the devolved system of government in Mbeere south sub-county in Kenya. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. A sample of 60 principals, 3 QASOs and 38 teachers was selected from the target population that comprised of three education officials, 60 principals and 381 teachers. Purposive sampling was used to select the education officials and principals while Stratified random sampling was used to select teachers. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data. A pilot study was conducted to assure validity and reliability. The reliability of instruments was ascertained by test-retest method. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in frequency counts, means and percentages. Qualitative data was transcribed and coded in thematic clusters. The study established that pprincipals were not effective decision makers, teachers (52%) felt that principals leave school programs stagnated when they attend official duties; 66% and 58% of principals observed that they did not avail and maintain timetables and use diaries and programs of events due to excess demands from the devolved structures (Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEST). The Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASO) report indicated resistance to change by principals. In conclusion, there were mixed reactions regarding the influence of decision making, delegation, time management and resistance to change on principals’ secondary school management in the devolved structures. It is recommended that harmonization of TSC and (MoEST) policies could help streamline operations.
Influence of Youth Enterprise Development Fund Efficacy on the Financial Performance of Youth-Owned Enterprises in Kirinyaga County
(Karatina University, 2018-10) Maina, Runyora Jackson
Youth development funds play a great role in availing resources to the youth so that they can start their own enterprises with an aim of being self-reliant. The government of Kenya through the youth Enterprise Fund finances viable youth enterprises in the country. Despite the effort made by the government in provision of funds, the youth owned enterprises continue to perform poorly. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of Youth Enterprise Development Fund efficacy on financial performance of youth owned enterprises in Kirinyaga County. Specific objectives were to determine how the, access to credit, loan repayments conditions, and financial literacy, financial planning relates to profitability of youth-initiated enterprises. The significance of the study is to generate knowledge and data on the influence of youth enterprise development, assist the policy makers and program implementers, useful to students in this field of business as the findings will form bankable empirical literature and also bring to the surface the efficacy of YEDF on enhancing performance of youth owned enterprises. Two main theories were used as a base for this study: permanent income theory and portfolio theory. The target population was 525, a sample size of 227 was chosen. Stratified sampling method was used to achieve a representative sample from the chosen geographical areas of the study. Data was analyzed on the SPSS software for both descriptive and inferential statistics. The chisquare test was done at 95% level of confidence and a significance level of 0.005. The findings showed a p-value of 0.11 for variable credit access; for the loan repayment was 0.134 the financial literacy variable had a p-value of 0.0185 and financial planning had a p-value of 0.0165. This indicated a significant association between all the independent and dependent variable. Data presentation was done using charts and tables. The recommendations are that there is need to enhance access to credit by the youth owned enterprises so there is enhanced efficacy on the financial performance of youth enterprises.
Factors Influencing Provision of Quality Education in Newly Established Secondary Schools in Mathira Constituency, Kenya
(Karatina University, 2018-10) Njagi, Maina Sammy
In the last ten years, there has been an establishment of new secondary schools across Kenya, rising out of increased demand for secondary education, government policy to enhance access of education and provision of resources through Constituency Development Funds. However, quality issues in these schools are a point of concern for educational researchers. In view of this, the purpose of this study was to assess the factors influencing quality education provision in the newly established secondary schools in Mathira Constituency, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: To assess the status of learning resources in the newly established secondary schools, analyse the entry behaviour of students in the newly established secondary schools, assess teachers’ competency level in the newly established secondary schools and to evaluate the challenges facing newly established secondary schools in Mathira Constituency. The study employed Context, Input, Process Product (CIPP) theory as postulated by Stufflebeam and Coryn. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population comprised of 85 teachers and 10 principals. Simple random sampling method was used to select 70 teachers and then 10 principals were selected purposively for the study. The research instruments used open-ended questionnaires, interview schedules and observation guides. The instruments were tested for reliability and posted a correlation coefficient of 0.72 and 0.71 for principals and teachers questionnaires respectively. Data was coded, analysed and presented using descriptive statistics such as percentages. Qualitative data was thematically arranged and patterns established which are presented in form of statements. The finding of the study revealed that newly established schools lacked the necessary infrastructure for provision of quality education. The study also established that the majority of the newly established schools lacked adequate resources, were highly understaffed and admitted learners with low entry behaviour thereby compromising the provision of quality education. The study therefore concludes that the newly established schools have gaps that need to be filled if the quality agenda is to remain paramount. The study further recommends that there should be concerted efforts to elevate the profile of those schools through increased funding, provision of teachers and enhance teachers’ capacity which will ultimately raise the quality education provision in these schools.
Influence of Non-Conventional Reporting on Sustainability Accounting in the Tea Sector in Mount Kenya Region
(Karatina University, 2018-10) Sylvester, Onyango
Conventional Accounting has continued to dominate the field of accounting among theorists, ideologists and practitioners for as long as the age of accounting. Emphasis has been laid in reporting of high profits that befit suppliers of capital and the shareholders of the organization. The focus on high profit means more scarce resources are drawn from the environment without due regard on social and environmental aspect of accounting except on economical aspect alone. Sustainable Development Goals and Kenya’s Vision 2030 advocate for concern to the environment. Some researchers have endeavored to demonstrate how accountancy need to respond to the social and environmental concerns beyond its traditional goal of profit maximization that singles out shareholders from the many stakeholders. However, these studies have been deficient in addressing the sustainability accounting from the point of stakeholder interests on social and environmental accounting and reporting supported by going concern concept and IAS1, 8, 16, 36 and 37. This study therefore aimed at establishing the influence of social reporting and environmental reporting on sustainability accounting in the tea sector in Kenya. Study objectives included establishing the relationship between methods of reporting; stakeholder interests in social accounting; stakeholder interests in environmental accounting; on sustainability accounting as moderated by the stakeholder knowledge on social and environmental accounting and reporting. These objectives built a conceptual model that was guided by shareholder theory, stakeholder theory and legitimacy theory on sustainable borrow-use-return model. The study adopted Mixed Methods Research of survey design. The target population comprised of the factory unit managers and accountants as the key informants, drawn from tea factories of Mount Kenya region. The sample was obtained by simple random and stratified sampling techniques. Questionnaire was the main data collection instrument which was tested in pilot study for reliability using Cronbach’s alpha and for validity using adjusted Kappa index. Other research instruments included interview schedule and observation list. Data analysis entailed simple binary and hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis using SPSS. Study results was presented in frequencies, percentages and skewness for descriptive and binomial regression output for inferential statistic. The study found out that tea factories practice social activities and environmental activities that they incur costs which were treated as overhead costs and benefits were derived by tea factory in terms long term financial gains and by stakeholder in terms of social and environmental gains. The study also found that there was a statistically significant influence of methods of reporting, social reporting and environmental reporting, both individually and simultaneously, on sustainability accounting; but which was insignificantly moderated by stakeholder knowledge. The study findings were of significance to organizations’ strategies to respond to externalities which in accounting terms affect the organizations profits in the long run; also, expanding knowledge of social and environmental accounting. The study recommends tea factories adopt an integration of social reporting, environmental reporting and financial reporting with minimal focus on stakeholder knowledge while the academic field incorporate such reporting in scholarly research in order to strengthen sustainability accounting.

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