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Item Mechanisms Used by Academic Libraries in Kenya to Enhance Webometrics Ranking(2023-04) wamahiga, George M.Libraries essentially provide equal and fair access to information. Thus, they have a significant influence on the Webometrics ranking of universities across the world. Academic libraries affect Webometrics ranking through the generation of scientific publications and other scholarly resources. The purpose of this study was to examine mechanisms used by academic libraries in Kenya to enhance Webometrics ranking and to analyse the extent to which Webometrics ranking mechanisms in place in university libraries in Kenya have been successful. This study adopted a mixed research design. The target population included staff members of the University of Nairobi, Chuka University, and Kirinyaga University. A total of 73 staff members from the library, ICT, and research departments involved in Webometrics ranking were selected purposively. Semi-structured questionnaires were used as the data collection instruments. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively while qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The study established that mechanisms put in place to enhance the participation of university libraries in Kenya in the Webometrics ranking include improved us and submission of e-resources as well as promotion of high-quality research in the institutions. Webometrics ranking mechanisms currently in place at the university libraries in Kenya have only been moderately successful. The findings of this study may be used by other institutions of higher learning on the mechanisms they can adopt to increase the capacities of their academic libraries so as to improve the contribution of these libraries to Webometrics and consequently to the overall ranking of the individual universities nationally and internationally.Item Influence of Flexible Work Practices on Employee Performance in Institutions of Higher Learning in Kenya: A Case of Selected Universities in Nyeri County(AJEST, 2023-04) Dikirr, Sammy N.; Omuya, JacquelineWork flexibility offers employees a balance between their professional and personal lives, leading to job satisfaction and high performance and an overall improvement of the organization as a whole. Work flexibility is very important, and with digital advancements and improved technology, employees are able to continue their work anywhere they wish, provided they have an internet connection. The general objective was to examine the influence of flexible work practices on employee performance in institutions of higher learning in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study was anchored on Self-determination theory, Three Stage Model for Talent Management and Spill Over Theory. This study employed a descriptive research design. The target population for the study was 1300 staff of Karatina University and Dedan Kimathi University. The study applied stratified random sampling to sample 260 staff. The study used questionnaires to collect data. A pilot was conducted with 10% of the sample size hence 26 staff. Content validity was tested using factor loadings. Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient method was used to check reliability. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean,) and inferential statistics (correlation and regression) with the help of SPSS version 28. Data was tabulated and presented in tables. Ethics were observed before, during, and after data collection. Findings show that; there is a strong significant relationship between flexi time and employee performance (r=0.467, p=0.005), a moderate significant relationship between leave and employee performance (r=0.348, p=0.000), a weak significant relationship between tele working and employee performance (r=0.240, p=0.000), and a strong significant relationship between job sharing and employee performance (r=0.511, p=0.022). The study recommends that; the institutions should embrace flexibility in relation to the work schedules of the staff, the institutions should come up with policies that will guide on how to compensate staff who are recalled to work while on leave, the institutions should organize training for the staff especially on use of technology, the management should also establish a culture that promotes sharing and have proper plans for conducting orientations and inductions to ensure effective onboarding of new personnel.Item The Quest for Quality in University Education in the Post COVID-19 Era: Do Anti-plagiarism Tools Still Matter?(KLISC, 2023-09-27) Kavulya, Joseph M.Plagiarism is a major global challenge to quality assurance in higher education. Various efforts have been made to overcome the menace including the use of anti-plagiarism tools. At the same time, many questions have been raised about the efficacy of the current generation of tools in detecting, preventing plagiarism, and guaranteeing the quality of education. This paper examines the limitations of plagiarism detection tools in enhancing the quality of academic outcomes and proposes measures for improvement. The paper argues that while anti-plagiarism software has a role in preventing plagiarism in academic writing and academic integrity, they are not the panacea to the plagiarism pandemic, especially in the COVID-19 era. It proposes that there is a need to reform methods of assessment and implement forward-looking policies to address the underlying causes of plagiarism, provide students with appropriate information literacy skills training, and above all cultivate a culture of academic integrity in higher education institutions (HEIs).Item The Quest for Quality in University Education in the Post COVID-19 Era: Do Anti-plagiarism Tools Still Matter?(Research Gate, 2022-06) Kavulya, Joseph M.; Kiilu, Vincent Bob; Kyengo, Bernadetta N.Plagiarism is a major global challenge to quality assurance in higher education. Various efforts have been made to overcome the menace including the use of anti-plagiarism tools. At the same time, many questions have been raised about the efficacy of the current generation of tools in detecting, preventing plagiarism, and guaranteeing the quality of education. This paper examines the limitations of plagiarism detection tools in enhancing quality in academic outcomes and proposes measures for improvement. The paper argues that while anti plagiarism software has a role in preventing plagiarism in academic writing and academic integrity, they are not the panacea to the plagiarism pandemic, especially in the COVID-19 era. It proposes that there is a need to reform methods of assessment and implement forward looking policies to address the underlying causes of plagiarism, provide students with appropriate information literacy skills training, and above all cultivate a culture of academic integrity in higher education institutions (HEIs).Item SURVEY OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS PERCEPTION OF LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE AND INTEGRITY IN UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA(International Journal of Management and Leadership Studies, 2020) O Kello, Jacklyne AlariWhen the New Constitution was promulgated in 2010, the hope among Kenyans was that it would promote integrity,responsibility and accountability among State and public officers, and especially leaders at all levels. Despite the provisions of the Constitution on leadership, the number of questionable leaders seems to be on the rise. Kenya like manyother African states is at a point the citizens are feeling the effects of unethical practices like, corruption at various levels,abuse of office, murder, theft and misuse of public resources among others. It seems as though the moral fabric of societyis not only torn but rather nonexistent. At such times we are forced to ask retrogressively though, what is the values of oureducation system? Education is meant to be transformative in nature. Often, those who engage in unethical practices insociety are not the least educated, or uneducated. They are people with the best education, no wonder they employ the besttactics in siphoning and finding sophisticated means to hide the vice. The paper was guided by the following researchquestions: What is the undergraduate student understanding of leadership, governance and integrity? Does the universityleadership impart values in students by their way of operation? Does the student experience at university model themtowards being ethical leaders, good governors and persons of integrity? The core mandate of universities is not only toteach, conduct research and community service but also to impart sound social and moral values on the students. It is paramount to note that developing young leaders is an investment for the future. Helping students develop as ethicalleaders involves more than just helping them acquire skills. It is a process that involves helping them develop theirleadership identity, practice the process of leadership, and advance their intellectual and skill development. Mixedresearch methods were used. A survey was conducted using digital questionnaire with both open ended and closed endedquestions to collect data. Quantitative data collection and analysis was done using the digital google forms applicationwhile qualitative data analysis was summarized, themes generated and a narration developed that was integrated in thewrite up of the paper to enrich the quantitative findings. The findings indicate that majority of respondents have a goodunderstanding of leadership, governance and integrity. Although the findings revealed that for a vast majority ofrespondents the university experience is modelling them to persons of integrity. A good number of respondents hadconcerns on leadership and integrity in the University. The researcher recommends that universities to consider anchoringand laying emphasis on key aspects of ethical leadership, good governance and integrity in the curriculum as they trainstudents. They are to uphold and maintain best quality practices in their service delivery. This is because sustainabledevelopment is not only anchored on academic excellence but also on ethical values and the society's moral developmentItem Innovative use of technologies to enhance knowledge management(Emerald, 2020-06-03) Anduvare, Everlyn M'mbone; Holmner, MarlenePurpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a new model to show how continuous joint learning of participant organisations improves project performance. Performance heterogeneity between collaborative infrastructure projects is typically examined by considering procurement systems and their governance mechanisms at static points in time. The literature neglects to consider the impact of dynamic learning capability, which is thought to reconfigure governance mechanisms over time in response to evolving market conditions. Design/methodology/approach – There are two stages of conceptual development. In the first stage, the management literature is analysed to explain the standard model of dynamic learning capability that emphasises three learning phases for organisations. This standard model is extended to derive a novel circular model of dynamic learning capability that shows a new feedback loop between performance and learning. In the second stage, the construction management literature is consulted, adding project lifecycle, stakeholder diversity and three organisational levels to the analysis to arrive at the collaborative model of dynamic learning capability. Findings – The collaborative model should enable construction organisations to successfully adapt and perform under changing market conditions. The complexity of learning cycles result in capabilities that are imperfectly imitable between organisations, explaining performance heterogeneity on projects. Originality/value – The collaborative model provides a theoretically substantiated description of project performance, driven by the evolution of procurement systems and governance mechanisms. The model’s empirical value will be tested in future researchItem Influence of Intellectual Inspiration and Performance of the National Police Service in Nyeri County, Kenya(Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 2020-12-07) Mulli, David Kavyu; Kiiru, DavidThe study determinedthe Influence of intellectual inspiration and performance of the National police servicein Nyeri County, Kenya.The specific objectives of the study were to establish the intellectual inspiration and on organizational performance. Descriptive research approach was adopted. The population of the study was 30 National police service stations selected from six constituencies in Nyeri County which included: Kieni, Mathira, Mukurweini, Nyeri Town, Othaya and Tetu Constituencies. The respondents of the study comprised of police officers from top, middle and lower level ranks. Structured questionnaires were used tocollect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical. Data was presented using Table and figures. The study established a positive and significant influence on intellectual inspiration on organizational performance. The study concluded that the organizational leadersattendto each employee needs and act as a mentor, coach or guide them. They listen to the concerns and needs of each employee and provide support and are empathic of each employee’s situation and background. The leadership articulates an appealing vision that inspires and motivates others to perform beyond expectations. They have high standards and expectation for their employees. The leadership recognizes employees through stimulation, creativity and innovation. They support and collaborate with the employees as they try new approaches and develop innovative ways of dealing with organizational issues and leadership become role models for their employees by engaging in high standards of ethical behavior whereby the employees identify with their leaders and desire to emulate them. The study recommended that the leadership of the organization should show willingness and ability to provide nurturing support for each employee as it leads to higher levels of engagement and motivation within the organization. The leadership should set goals so as to give employees meaning in their day-to-day roles through establishing what is expected of them. Provide meaningful feedback to theemployees so as to help them grow and develop. The leadership should make learning a requirement whereby both the leadership and junior staff need to know that learning is their responsibility, both as individuals and as teams and that the leadership should analyze the current work environment and the existing organization values, mission, goals and ethical policies. It should solicit the input of each employee about any ethical issues he or she feels,faces or that others may face.Item Information Organization Activities in the Knowledge Management Setting(Journal of Digital Information Management, 2021) Masinde, Johnson Mulongo; Otuoma, SanyaThis study examines information organization activities in the knowledge management environment. The investigation commences with the long-drawn debate on the concept of Knowledge Management and the literature that has hitherto reviewed it. Furthermore, the study delves into how conventional bibliographic information retrieval techniques and expert search systems have heretofore been applied in the organization and retrieval of digital resources and if they can be employed in the Knowledge management setting. It is contended that though the procedures, tools, and techniques are effectual and productive, they cannot be utilized in a knowledge intensive environment. Accordingly, the study puts forth a generic knowledge management framework that can be applied in a knowledge management setting. In addition, it proposes novel research gaps in the context of information organization.Item Intellectual Property Rights in Digital Libraries: Status, Interventions, Challenges, and Opportunities for Academic Libraries in Kenya(International Journal of Information Studies & Libraries, 2020) Chepchirchir, Sally; Limo, Jonathan; Kwanya, TomThe management of intellectual property rights in digital contexts is increasingly becoming complex. In spite of its benefits, digitisationincreases the vulnerability of digital works, thereby exposing them to violation. This paper discusses the intellectual property rights regime in Kenya; examines intellectual property rights issues academic librarians encounter in the digital information universe; examines how librarians currently safeguard intellectual property rights; and analyses the challenges that hamper the librarians’ efforts to manage intellectual property rights effectively in digital contexts. Data for this paper was collected using the Delphi approach in which a group of 18 purposively-selected academic librarians participated by responding to an online questionnaire. The authors, acting as facilitators, analysed the responses and identified areas for further discussion or clarification, leading to another round of responses. Three rounds were held before consensus was reached. Additional data was obtained through documentary analysis. The findings of the study indicate that there are both local and international legal frameworks for handling intellectual property rights in Kenya. In spite of these, intellectual property violations in the form of plagiarism, piracy, freebooting, and parody are experienced in digital academic library contexts in Kenya. Librarians are making efforts to safeguard intellectual property rights through plagiarism testing; sensitisation of library users on intellectual property rights through comprehensive information literacy programmes; enforcement of citation and referencing styles; and tracking the use of protected information materials. However, these efforts are hampered by versatile technologies making intellectual property infringement easy, lack of landmark convictions in Kenya, inadequate intellectual property rights policies, presence of orphaned works, limitations of anti-plagiarism checkers, as well as lack of coordination and standardisation in violation of intellectual property rights. This is an original study which may contribute to the on-going discourse on how best to manage intellectual property rights while enhancing the access of digital content in libraries.Item Organization’s Human Resource Practices: Determinants of Employees Retirement Preparedness in the Context of Kenya(Science Publishing Group, 2020-07) Gathiira, Githaiga; Muathe, Stephen; Kilika, JamesThe premise that human resource (the people) is the most valuable of all organizational resources presupposes the need for organizational strategies to secure the future of both the organization and employees. The role played by employer organizations in employee separation planning is imperative in providing insight into the human resource practices geared towards employees’ eventual retirement. However, separation decisions are ignored in theory and practice, and even the little attempts made has inherent weaknesses. This has left employees’ retirement planning being a concern of individuals just about to retire or otherwise plunging into retirement life without planning at all. Separation planning predicts higher levels of individual’s postretirement adjustment across various occupational settings in both public and private sectors. There is therefore need for judicious management of retirement transition by individual employees and employers through promotion of sound human resource practices. The human resource practices should intentionally influence individual employee’s retirement behaviours by triggering planning for the eventual separation and hence retirement preparedness. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of organization’s human resource practices and retirement preparedness among public secondary school teachers’ in Kenya. The target population was 1,238 teachers aged 50 years and above, employed in public secondary schools by the Teachers Service Commission in Kirinyaga and Murang’a Counties by 2017. A representative sample of 334 respondents was selected using multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using semi structured questionnaire and interview guide. Logit regression was used to establish the relationships between variables in the study and to test hypotheses at P ≤ 0.05 at 95% confidence level. The study found that human resource practices influence retirement preparedness positively. The study therefore concluded that sound HR practices should be put in place by the employer organizations to offer conducive environment that make employee separation planning and retirement preparedness possible. The study recommended the government through its agencies and/or Commissions to enact frameworks that enforce, monitor and evaluate diversified human resource practices for employer organizations to establish policies and guidelines that facilitate employees’ engagement in programmes that ensure a continuous process of separation planning for successful retirement preparedness.