Indexing

Abstract:This paper develops a simple methodology to determine the best times to trade stock market prices using both time series and trading rule methods. Firstly a best model is fitted to the observed time series data set relating to closing prices of a single stock using auto-regressive integrated moving averages (ARIMA) and artificial neural network (ANN) approaches. Secondly this paper uses short and long term moving averages to determine a best trading rule over “sell, buy or no trades”. A classification procedure of isolating a best trading rule (BTR) among a set of possible trading strategies is formulated and implemented in three data sets.  The performances of ARIMA and ANN methods are compared.  The measure of performance is taken to be the expected net-profits that can be realised using each strategy when applied to actual and fitted data sets. ANN is found to provide a better fit to the original series as well identify strategies that lead to higher returns.  

Abstract:Procrastination is the act of putting forward the work which has to be done at the present. It affects whatever a person does and wherever the person is. It is caused due to lack of time management skills, fear of failure, perfectionism, lack of motivation and several distractions. It leads an individual to experience the worst in life. It impacts the person’s personal and professional life. Personally it leads an individual to face the consequences of health, misunderstandings in the family, stressful life and so on. Professionally it affects the career growth, productivity, self-esteem and the overall development of the individuals and the organizations. One can get rid of the evil act of procrastination by avoiding multi tasking, enhancing of time management skills, dropping the fear of failure and perfectionism, planning and prioritizing the work to be done. In this article the researchers have made an attempt to gather the opinions of the respondents on how procrastination is caused, how does it affect the life of an individual and the ways to overcome it through this study?   

Abstract:This was a study on the relationship between turnaround strategies and the performance of state owned Sugar Companies in Kenya. Two specific objectives formed the study and these were: to assess the relationship between re-organization strategies and modernization strategies respectively on the performance of state owned sugar companies in Kenya. The total target population was 406 managers cutting across all the management levels in all the selected companies from which a sample of 197 respondents were randomly selected after having employed the stratified and random sampling techniques. Descriptive Survey research design was employed for the study with closed ended questionnaires as data collection instruments. One questionnaire was administered to each sampled respondent. The strata earmarked for questionnaires were the top management, middle level management and the operational level management as they are all involved in organization turnaround process. Data analysis and interpretation was done quantitatively based on descriptive statistics such as measures of location (mean) and measures of dispersion (standard error mean) as well as inferential statistics mainly, the bivariate Pearson correlation, multi-linear regressions and the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The hypotheses was tested at 95 percent confidence level (level of significance, α = 0.05). Modernization strategies presented insignificant results to organizational performance though the correlation studies showed moderate positive relationship to organizational performance for all the two independent variables. Modernization strategy also proved not to be a good strategy during turnaround. There was a recommendation that the government should support these companies by coming up with policies that can support the structures of these companies and resources to fund modernization and diversification as these may require funds that the companies might not have during turnaround. Future researchers were encouraged to look at the hidden hand of the government in determining the success levels of the turnaround strategies.

Abstract:The current global financial crisis emerged during 2008. The adverse impacts of the crisis and of the subsequent recession on Zambia were first observed during the third quarter of that year, manifested as an external shock to the economy. Studies carried out in early 2009 aimed to explore the impact of the crisis and recession in 10 developing countries, among them Zambia (Ndulo et al., 2009). In the Zambian case, taking trade, official development assistance (ODA), remittances and private capital flows as the main transmission mechanisms, the study observed that the crisis had its primary effects in the trade sector, producing macroeconomic imbalances in the economy resulting in rising interest rates, depreciation of the kwacha against the major currencies, inflation and falling stock market prices. In addition, most exporters, principally mines, tourist enterprises and non-traditional export producers, scaled down investment and production, and some units were closed, resulting in massive job losses in the mining sector. On the whole, the crisis threatened the country’s growth prospects, risking a reversal of the gains made during the preceding eight years (Ndulo et al., 2009).

Abstract: Banking industry plays an important role in economic growth and environmental protection by promoting environmentally sustainable and socially responsible institutions. Change is the need for survival in all spheres. Green banking is a form of banking from which the country and nation gets environmental benefits. A conventional bank becomes a green bank by directing its core operations towards the betterment of environment.  Green banking has become a buzz word in today’s banking world.  Adopting green banking practices will not only be useful for environment but also benefit in greater efficiencies, lowers manual error, fraud, and cost reduction in banking activities.
This paper focuses on green banking activities, concepts, impacts, challenges, benefits and suggestions of implementing green banking in banking sector in Indian economy.

Abstract:This study assesses the financial feasibility and risk bearing ability of black pepper production. A nine year (2008-2016), cost and return data was collected from large-scale commercial farms. The economic performance measures such as, net present value, benefit cost ratio and internal rate of return were used for data analysis. Black pepper was found to generate the first revenue after five years of cultivation. Results of economic performance indicators revealed that black pepper farming generated a total discounted revenue of birr 416,024.4 per hectare with benefit cost ratio of 5.7 and internal rate of return of 61%. The finding also indicated that harvesting cost accounted for higher share (about 51%) of the total cost of black pepper production. The break-even yield and break-even price were found to be 213.7 kg per hectare (63.9% below the current minimum yield level) and birr 26.5 per kg (81.2% below the current minimum price level), respectively, indicating the likelihood that black pepper could remain profitable at such considerable yield and price fall. The findings in general reveal that, in spite of high initial investment cost and long gestation period, black pepper farming is a financially viable and a less risky enterprise.

Abstract:The purpose of the study was to analyze the influences of micro finance on poverty reduction strategies among women in Trans Nzoia County. The objectives of the study were; to determine the effects of women empowerment on poverty reduction among women in Trans Nzoia County, to evaluate the influences of training on poverty reduction among women in Trans Nzoia County, to examine the effects of financial management on poverty reduction among women in Trans Nzoia county and to identify the outcomes of standard of living on poverty reduction among women in Trans Nzoia county. The theories that were employed in this study include women empowerment theory, training theory and contingency theory. In research methodology a descriptive research design was employed, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative in order to acquire the best results. The study employed stratified sampling design to put the population into different categories. The study also used survey research design because it gave in depth information of the study area and wanted information of which the researcher is looking on. The target population includes banks customers and credit officers of microfinance institutions in Trans Nzoia County. Questionnaires were used to collect data, after data collection, the data was analyzed using qualitative and quantitative data analysis and it was be coded, organized and presented using frequency tables and percentages. This study was of significance to the society as a whole and microfinance institutions to find out the best measures and methods by micro finances in their effort to reduce poverty among women and how these institutions can make their services better. The research findings confirmed that microfinance provisions play a significant role in reducing poverty among women in Trans Nzoia County.

Abstract: The main objective of the study was to find out the influence of strategic planning on project performance in Trans Nzoia. The study objective being effect of strategic plan identification on project performance. Descriptive research design was used in this study.  The study targeted 216 employees drawn from 7 agriculture project in the Trans Nzoia county. Random sampling was used to select 110 employees. The researcher used questionnaire to collect the data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistical method. Inferential statistic such as ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients r and multiple regression models. Study findings showed that strategic plan identification has a positive and significant effect on project performance. Thus, the study concludes that strategic plan identification, strategic plan personnel and monitoring evaluation plays a key role in the success of a project.

Abstract: Growth has been used as a simple measure of success in business. Moreover, growth is an important precondition for the achievement of other financial goals of business. From the point of view of an SME, growth is usually a critical precondition for its longevity. Young firms that grow have twice the probability of survival as young non-growing firms. It has been also found that strong growth may reduce the firm’s profitability temporarily, but increase it in the long run. Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) employ between 1-99 people each and the sector is characterized by small scale level of activity, self-employment, with high proportion of family workers and apprentices, little capital and equipment, labor intensive technologies, low skills and low level of access to organized markets. The growth of SMEs is believed to be a desirable end as the key drivers of employment and economic development. Small and medium scale firms play important roles in the process of industrialization and economic growth. Apart from increasing per capita income and output, SMEs create employment opportunities, enhance regional economic balance through industrial dispersal and generally promote effective resources utilization considered critical to engineering economic growth. Microfinance in Kenya is carried out by institutions with varied forms including companies, cooperative societies, trusts, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) state corporations and informal operators such as moneylenders. There are over 100 organizations in Kenya including 50 non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) which practice some form of microfinance. In this research, the researcher focused on the four variables, that is, facilitation, training, efficiency and the growth of business. This will aid in assisting SMEs to gain financial traction together with the required skill set so as to navigate the sector properly. The main purpose of the study was observed as to analyze the impact of MFI’s on the growth of small and medium enterprises in Trans Nzoia County. The specific objectives were: To determine the effects of growth on small and medium enterprises performance in Trans Nzoia County, to evaluate the effects of efficiency on small and medium enterprises performance in Trans Nzoia County, to examine the effects of training on small and medium enterprises performance in Trans Nzoia County and to identify the effects of facilitation on small and medium enterprises performance in Trans Nzoia County. The theories used were: agency theory, Provisional Theory of Consistency, pecking order theory and trade off theory. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression, presented in tables and charts extracted from both MS Excel and Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) software tools version 20. The general findings of the research were that Micro-finance banking institutions like Faulu does indeed play a role in the growth of SMEs in Trans Nzoia County.

Abstract: Working capital management plays a significant role in improved profitability of firms. Firms can achieve optimal management of working capital by making the trade-off between profitability and liquidity. The purpose of the study was to establish the determinants of working capital management periods on profitability of the SMEs in Trans Nzoia County. The analysis was focused on the respondents of the target population of the study. The study was guided by the Four research objectives namely: to determine the effect of average collection period on profitability of the SME’s in Trans Nzoia County; to evaluate the effect of inventory conversion period on profitability of SME’s in Trans Nzoia County; to find out the effect of cash conversion cycle on profitability of SME’s in Trans Nzoia County; and to find out the effect of average payment period on profitability of SME’s in Trans Nzoia County. The study was guided by the Liquidity Theory; Corporate Risk Management Theory and Finance Theory. A descriptive survey research design was adopted with a structured questionnaire that covered both qualitative and quantitative data, as a tool for  data collection. The target population comprised of 98 small and medium enterprises within Trans Nzoia County. The survey employed census method since the target population was less than one hundred respondents. Data sorting and analysis was carried out by both the regression tools and ANOVA using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. A multiple correlation coefficient and regression analysis together with the ANOVA test was used to establish, make conclusions and recommendations on the relationship between the study variables from the findings. The findings, through the F calculated (F =25.652), at > 5% level of significance, revealed that the regression effect was statistically significant between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The researcher concluded that average collection period and cash conversion cycle were the major determinants of working capital management periods on profitability of the SMEs, while Average payment period had a negative but significant effect on profitability. Recommendations included the need for a more restrictive credit policy that gives customers shorter credit periods, a reduction in the number of days the inventory are held in stock, SME management to negotiate for longer average payment periods and that the SMEs to reduce their cash conversion cycle to its minimum. The study will assist the management of financial institutions to understand some of the WCM practices in the SME’s sector which will then guide their lending financing decisions to the SMEs. The findings of this study will also benefit the Ministry of Trade by providing insights to the kind of regulations they should have in place as regards to SME’s and advice on whether there is need to revise the already existing Laws and Regulations. To the scholars, this research will add to the existing field of knowledge of working capital management and provide scholars with the necessary literature review to carry out further research.

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to investigate the determinants of digitization in retail banking in Trans nzoia County. The focus was on the following specific objectives; to find out the effect of E-Security on digitization of retail banks in Trans nzoia County, to determine the effect of financial liquidity on digitization of retail banks in Trans nzoia County, to establish the effect of financial electronic budgeting on digitization of retail banks in Trans Nzoia County. To determine the influence of government policies as a moderating factor on digitization of retail banks in Trans nzoia County. My independent variables were E-security, Financial liquidity, Financial budgeting while our indicators of dependent variables included; profitability, dividend payout and deposit accumulation. The target population was the employees and branch managers of the retail banks within the county. The theories that supported the study were Constraint-Induced Financial Innovation theory, Transactions cost innovative theory and Merton’s market efficient theory. The study adopted descriptive design where the researcher asked a few respondents who dealt directly with the users of the system to identify and describe the issues related to digitization. To carry out this research, an interview guide targeting senior managers, bank employees and also customers of the bank was employed to collect data. Both primary and secondary data was sourced and used for analysis. The study adopted a census of the whole population to collect data. The findings were analyzed by use of content analysis. The researcher used questionnaires and interview schedules which was administered to the employees and branch managers, approximately 20 questionnaires for each bank. Assessment of validity and reliability, data analysis and presentation was done using SPSS which includes Cronbach’s Alpha, Correlation and Regression. Presentation was in the form of p-charts, tables and graphs. The study revealed that most of the retail banks are majorly using mobile banking, internet banking and use of visa cards to penetrate the highly competitive retail market and enhancing its brand image. This research however helped to establish how these determinants of digitization positively affect performance of the retail banks and how best they can be used to improve service delivery to the public.

Abstract:The main objective of this research work was to determine how access to inputs influences performance of dairy enterprises in Trans Nzoia County. Descriptive research study design was employed based on a target population of approximately 696 milk bars/milk traders in Trans-Nzoia County. Cluster and simple random sampling was used to select a sample size of 245 dairy enterprises from the 5 sub counties in Trans-Nzoia County. Semi-structured questionnaires were employed to collect data and t-test, Pearson correlation as well as multiple regression analysis used to analyze the data. The F-test was employed to test the hypotheses of the study. The findings of the study show a significant positive linear correlation between access to inputs and dairy enterprise performance. Recommendation is made to the dairy industry players and the government take a more proactive approach especially in training the SSMVs on value addition of milk into higher value added dairy products. The study proposes that other counties known to be large producers of milk should be investigated in order to have a holistic picture of the entire country as well as a study done on total product diversification strategy by the milk bars with regard to performance.

Abstract: The purpose of this research study was to assess the factors influencing the growth of shariah compliant banking in Kitale town, Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; To determine the effects of financial support on growth of Shariah compliant banking in Kitale town, to evaluate the effect of financial technology on growth of Shariah compliant banking in Kitale town, to assess the effect of customer awareness on growth of shariah compliant banking in Kitale town and examine the effect of financial accessibility on growth of Shariah compliant banking in Kitale town. The study adopted a census using questionnaires to collect data. The questionnaire was given to 50 members of staff from the two branches in Kitale town. The collected data was first coded statistically and then analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel enabled the researcher to compute descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies, and ranges. Assessment of validity and reliability, data analysis and presentation was done using SPSS which includes Cronbach’s Alpha, Correlation and Regression. Presentation was in the form of p-charts, tables and graphs, the presentation of the results was done by use of graphs, charts, tables, cross-tabulations and pie charts for clarity and ease of understanding of the findings.  The findings and results are as follows on the issue of financial support the majority of the respondents agreed that the bank supports its projects and that the staffs are well motivated and trained. The study concluded that shariah banking has made a remarkably successful entrance into the Kenyan financial market.  People from different religions appreciate this form of banking that is free from the uncertainty of interest rate fluctuations that is transparent, and offers caring partnership. The study highlighted concerns about the familiarity of bank staff with the concept of Islamic banking.   In addition to the training of personal qualified in Islamic finance, Sharia compliant banks will need to conduct promotion and marketing activities. The study recommended the establishment of a National Sharia Board of Kenya consisting of Muslim and non-Muslim scholars to work with the central bank in overall overseeing of Islamic finance, Implementation of international Islamic finance standards in Kenya to ensure uniformity in provision and development of products, the central bank of Kenya to consider pushing through a full roll out of sharia compliant banking in all banks through Islamic windows and services, having qualified personnel, adequate and proper training of staff handling sharia compliant products and services and positive publicity for sharia compliant banking through corporate responsibility activities.  For a future research activity, the studies recommended the investigation into the implementation of international Islamic finance standards (IIFS) in Kenya and also investigate the difference in growth levels of sharia banking between fully fledged Islamic banks and Islamic windows of conventional banks.

Abstract: Quality management is a recent phenomenon but very important for an organization. Advanced civilizations that supported the arts and crafts allowed clients to choose goods meeting higher quality standards rather than normal goods. Implementing quality standards in projects can significantly improve the performance of an organization. Faulty projects can highly be minimized through the improvement of quality. Most public organizations have not been in a position to efficiently improve the quality of their projects .The general objective of the study was to determine the factors affecting the quality of projects in the National Government Constituencies Development Fund. The specific objectives were; To determine the effect of Procurement process in CDF  in ensuring quality projects in the National Government constituency development fund; To investigate the extent to which Financial Management affect the quality of projects in the National Government Constituency Development Fund; To examine the effect of Risk management capabilities on the quality of projects in the National Government Constituency Development Fund; To establish the extent to which Monitoring and Evaluation affects the quality of projects in the National Government Constituency development fund. Literature review was conducted to establish the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and empirical review. The study also established the research gaps hence leaving room for other researchers to add on what others have done. The study employs a case study design of Constituencies within Machakos County. Open and close ended Questionnaires were administered to respondents as the data collection instruments and were tested for validity and reliability. Data analysis and presentation was done to help establish the factors affecting the quality of projects funded by the NG-CDF within Machakos County. The study found out that the Procurement process in CDF, Financial Management, Risk Management and Monitoring and Evaluation plays an important role in enhancing the quality of projects funded by the CDF. The study recommends that Constituencies accord importance and relevance to holistic Total quality Management in all their procedures to ensure the realization of Value for money and quality projects.

Abstract:The objective of the study was to analyze the factors influencing the performance of agribusiness enterprises in Trans-Nzoia County. This was broken down into the following four objectives; to examine the role of access to entrepreneurial finance on the performance of agribusiness enterprises, to find out the role of technological innovation on the performance of agribusiness enterprises, to establish the effects of Entrepreneurial skills on the performance of agribusiness enterprises and to Examine entrepreneurial marketing on the performance of agribusiness enterprises in Trans Nzoia County. In this Study, a combination of both qualitative and quantitative techniques was used for data analysis and visualization. Data was coded and analyzed using SPSS and visualized using Microsoft Excel. Descriptive statistics including percentages, frequency distribution tables were employed. Tables were also used for to stratify variables. The research and statistics available looked only at the positive elements in the sector, and sidelining the challenges, which are in fact real, and a major obstacle to the growth of agribusiness.

Abstract:The study objective is to establish the effect of microfinance institutions lending on the growth of Small and Medium Enterprise in north rift. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select a total of 60 SMEs that constituted our sample size from infinite population of small and medium sized enterprise. Data collected from the questionnaire was analysed, summarized, and interpreted accordingly with the aid of descriptive statistical techniques such as total score and simple percentages. It was found out that MFIs lending affect the growth of small and medium enterprise in North rift and have positive relationship. The study recommends that there is a need for the government and other partners to facilitate the accessibility of credit in Small and Medium Enterprises to the Microfinance Institutions.

Abstract: Public project procurement is an important and expensive business activity for the Kenyan taxpayers. This is because a large portion up to 70% of the revenue collected is spend on operational budget on purchasing goods and services. Public project procurement is generally the process of acquiring goods and services. The study was focused on analyzing the influence of public project procurement procedures on customer satisfaction in public sector in Kenya. Specific objectives of the study were to evaluate the influence of the documentation for the condition of evaluation on customer satisfaction in Trans Nzoia County, to assess the influence of the evaluation criteria on customer satisfaction in Trans Nzoia County, and lastly to establish the effect of the awards of tenders on customer satisfaction in Trans Nzoia County. The study adopted Descriptive Research Design. The target population was 2635 contractors in Trans Nzoia County. These are pre-qualified contractors doing business with the county supply chain management sector which is in charge of public project procurement in Trans Nzoia County. Simple random sampling technique was employed in the selection of a sample of 96 respondents. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data and 69 respondents responded giving a response rate of 71.88%. Quantitative methods of data analysis were used to analyze the gathered data. The quantitative data generated were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics feature in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate information which were presented using tables, charts, frequencies and percentages and inferential statistics to make inferences about a population from observations and analyses of a sample. The regression model was used to show the relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variables.
The results indicated that documentation, evaluation criteria and award of tenders accounted for 55% of the variation in customer satisfaction. The regression analysis results indicated that an increase in documentation, evaluation criteria and award of tenders by one unit would increase customer satisfaction of the units respectively. The study concluded that there has been poor adherence to the set public project procurement procedures in Trans Nzoia County leading to low customer satisfaction. There is need for the County government and the entire supply chain management sector to look into the entire project procurement process in relation to documentation, evaluation criteria and award of tenders.

Abstract:E-procurement plays an important role in achieving a firm’s goals. It is more than just a system for making purchases online. It provides an organized way to keep an open line of communication with potential suppliers during a business process. This study was investigating the Effects of E-Procurement on organizational performance of Public organizations focusing on Bungoma County Government. The study was guided by the following specific research objectives: To establish the effects of E-Tendering on the performance of Bungoma County Government, to establish the effects of E-Auction on the performance of Bungoma County Government, To establish the effects of E-Purchasing on the performance of Bungoma County Government and to establish the effects of E-Invoicing on the performance of Bungoma County Government. The study utilized a case study research design and targeted employees of Bungoma County Government in the departments of procurement totaling to 150. The study employed simple random Sampling and purposive sampling.  The main research instrument that was used was questionnaires which were administered personally by the researcher after getting authorization from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and the Bungoma County Government. Validity of research instruments was ensured through careful examination of the content of the test and removing from it all those elements that may prejudice participant’s responses. In order to test the reliability of the instrument to be used in the study, the test - retest method were used, where the questionnaires were administered twice within at interval of two weeks to the respondents who were not involved in the study. Collected data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative measures. Qualitative data regarding the factors influencing Supplier Relationship Management was analyzed using content analysis to measure the semantic contents of the message. Qualitative data were analyzed using statistical data analysis. The data were tabulated in pie-charts, tables and graphs for easier understanding and presentation.

Abstract: Work-life balance is now an important determinant for more workers in attaining organization targets and goals. With swelling obligations in the work place, the divide between work life and private life has taken on superior significance and entails more consciousness. Hence this study seeks to establish the effects of work life balance on employee productivity. The study was guided by the following objectives, to determine the effects of work life balance practices on working conditions at Kenya Seed Company, to find out the effects of work life balance practices on career development at Kenya Seed Company and to establish the challenges that work life balance policies/programs faces in Kenya Seed Company. This study was conducted through a descriptive survey research design. This type of research method is not simply amassing and tabulating facts but includes proper analyses, interpretation, comparisons, identification of trends and relationships. The research was carried out in Kenya Seed Company, in its headquarters (Kitale), covering its staff with concern to employees and the management. The theories that were used in the study were conservation of Resource theory (COR), theory X and theory Y. The research was carried out through a descriptive survey method. The target population for the study was all permanent employees of Kenya seed Company. The target population was therefore 80 employees. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection for the study. The research instrument was validated in terms of content and face validity. The test re-test technique was used to estimate the reliability of the instruments.  The Study obtained sample size using the Fishers formulae. This study therefore sampled 161 respondents. This study employed stratified random sampling method as a technique of probability method which was done according to the nine departments in Kenya seed Company Ltd (Director Human Resource, Human Resource Manager, Planning and Strategy Manager, Security Manager, Internal Audit Manager, Production Manager, Finance Manager, Chief Sales, General Manager and Marketing Officer). The study findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between working conditions and employee productivity (p=0.000). The study findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between Safety measures and employee productivity (p=0.000). The study findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between career development and employee productivity (p=0.000). The study findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between welfare practices and employee productivity (p=0.000). The study concluded that there was it was negative correlation and statistically significant between working condition and employee productivity. Kenya Seed Company Ltd doesn’t have job sharing option among the employees. The study concluded that there was positive correlation between career development and employee productivity it was statistically significant. The study recommends that the company should avail conducive working conditions which will motivate employees. They should have job sharing option among the employees this will help employees to balance their life between work and family and be satisfied with the job.

Abstract:The purpose of this study was to look into the factors affecting the effectiveness of procurement function in Kenya Power and Lighting Company. The study will be based on the following objectives; to establish how supplier relationship management affects effectiveness of procurement function, to determine how budgetary allocation affects the effectiveness of procurement function, to determine how organizational leadership affects the effectiveness of procurement function, to investigate how cross functional integration affect effectiveness of procurement function in Kenya Power and Lighting Company. The study was confined to Kenya Power and Lighting Company. The target population included employees from KPLC and comprised of 100 employees. The total number of sampling frame was (40) employees that were drawn from three departments which included logistics (10), procurement (15) and stores (15). The researcher used questionnaires to collect primary data.  Data that was obtained from the research was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented and tabulated on the basis of various objectives and variables that measured them. It was presented and analyzed in terms of tables, charts and graphs to facilitate on the description and explanation of the study findings. The result showed that majority of the respondents strongly agreed that supplier relationship management enhances the effectiveness of procurement function for example partnership which has high role in reducing lead-time and collaborative relationship which enhances reduction of cost were strongly supported by the respondents. Furthermore the results showed that most respondents strongly agree that budget review helps in forecast of cash flow which in turn increases the productivity rate of the firm however; the process enhances setting of goals and objectives of an organization which enhances decision making which has a role in increasing service delivery in effectiveness of procurement function. it was also observed that the respondents strongly agree that integration of information in a firm has a role in service delivery; this however, indicates that information integration is one of the key roles in ensuring effectiveness of procurement function in a firm. It was found out that most respondents strongly agree that transactional leadership has a role in linking tendering process performance and team leadership has a role in shaping collective norms, helping teams cope with their environments, and coordinating collective action which increases productivity of a firm at any given point of effectiveness of procurement function .The study recommends that the management should come up with effective policy framework and regulations that can be used against those procurement officers who indulge in corruption practices with the suppliers. The study recommends that the management should adopt and implement flexible and advanced organization structure. This will enable a rapid growth and development of the firm in terms of service delivery, reduction of information loss.

Abstract: IFMIS has been promoted as a core component of public financial reforms in many developing countries. The purpose of this study was to analyze the determinants of IFMIS performance in public sector organization (County Government of Bungoma). Specific objectives were: To determine the effect of staff capacity on IFMIS performances in the County Government of Bungoma; To examine the effect of management support and commitment on IFMIS performance in the County Government of Bungoma; To evaluate the effect of exchequer release on IFMIS performance in the County Government of Bungoma and; To determine the effect of political and governance system on IFMIS performance in the County Government of Bungoma. The study used descriptive research design. The population of interest was 90 staff working and interacting directly with IFMIS in various departments of the County government of Bungoma. The heads of departments, their assistants and supervisors as well as other officers were involved in responding to the research questions. This study mainly used primary data that was collected using questionnaires. The questionnaire included structured and unstructured questions and were administered through drop and pick later method. Data collected was quantitative in nature. The descriptive statistical tools was used by the researcher to describe the data and determine the extent used. This included frequency distributions, tables, figures, percentages, means and standard deviations. Further, regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between determinants of integrated financial management information system performance in the county government of Bungoma. The study found out that there was no significant difference between staff capacity, skills and knowledge, management support, exchequer release and political and governance systems and the performance of IFMIS in the County Government of Bungoma. The study recommended that both the national and the county governments should capacity build its staff on IFMIS so as to enable the staff to gain the right competencies and skills and knowledge necessary, support them and put in place checks and controls for better performance of IFMIS.

Abstract:Supplier selection is the process by which firms identify, evaluate, and contract with suppliers. This project describes the typical steps of supplier selection processes: identifying suppliers, soliciting information from suppliers, setting contract terms, negotiating with suppliers, and evaluating suppliers at Kenya Rural Roads Authority, Tana River County (KeRRA).The population of the study is KeRRA suppliers. The desired sample was obtained using random sampling.Data was collected using semi structured questionnaires.Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics that included freqeuncies, percentages and mean. The research findings was presented using tables. The study found that the information request from supplier is obtained through Request for Information (RFI), Open tendering Process, Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quotation (RFQ) by KeRRA. The study also found that among the current practices of supplier evaluation and contract award in Kenya Rural Roads Authority Tana River County to include better Management, Personnel Training, Performance History, Reputation and references, Supplier Location, Environmental and social responsibility, and Safety Awareness. The study concluded that in the selection process KeRRA carries out an identification of potential suppliers, information requests to suppliers, and finally a negotiation process before awarding contracts. The study recommended that the organization adopts integrated financial management information system to avoid corruption, and therefore have a fair tendering process. Finally the study recommends that to come up with fair and competitive tendering process Identification of potential suppliers, requisition for information on suppliers and negotiation process should be thoroughly done.

Abstract: The need to be competitive, flexible, and efficient, maintain the bottom line and survive in the market has forced companies to enter into collaborative relationships with their suppliers and their customers. This has resulted in changes to the approach to procurement and supply chain management. ISO certified firms are also required to maintain top quality performance standards at all level. The purpose of this study was to establish the nature of the relationship between the procurement and supply chain performance among ISO certified companies in Kenya. the objectives of the study were:-procurement information sharing; procurement decision synchronization; procurement incentive alignment; purchasing risk taking; strategic purchasing practices and purchasing knowledge and skills which forms the independent variables of the study. Supply chain performance was the dependent variable. This study used descriptive survey design focusing on all the 39 ISO certified companies in Kenya that were certified by the end of December, 2016. The target respondents were 117 employees in management positions of these companies. This study was, therefore a census since all the ISO certified companies participated. The data used for this study was captured by means of a questionnaire that utilized the Likert scale of score ranging from 1 to 5. Questionnaires were delivered to employees in management positions in the procurement department because they are involved in the day to day running of procurement. The relationship between the variables was done using a multiple linear regression model. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Multicollinearity, Homoscedasticity and normality of the dependent variable tests were conducted to test whether the model adheres to the OLS assumptions. The study findings indicate that procurement information sharing, decision synchronization and strategic purchasing practices positively and significantly affect supply chain performance while procurement incentive alignment positively but not significantly affect supply chain performance. The study concluded that procurement information sharing; procurement decision synchronization; procurement incentive alignment; purchasing risk taking; strategic purchasing practices positively enhances the performance ISO certified companies in Kenya. The study recommends that the procurement management should put up systems to link information systems. There is also need to carefully invest in the right information infrastructure. The organizations should put up mechanisms for managing external relationships with the organization. Moreover, it should ensure that the degree of sharing procurement information is high as well as establishing a good working environment as it enhances collaborative working since procurement information sharing affects performance significantly.

Abstract:This paper examined business cycle and economic growth in Nigeria between 1986 and 2014. The paper used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) to examine the short run and long run and short run effect of business cycle on economic growth in Nigeria during the study period. Quarterly time series data between 1986 and 2014 was used for the study. Data on real gross domestic product, nominal gross domestic product, broad money supply, government expenditure, inflation, interest rate, exchange rate and oil price were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin. The unit root test carried out revealed that all the variables were stationary at first difference except for the business cycle component that was stationary at level, furthermore, the bound test cointegration analysis established the existence of long run relationship among the variables. The result of the ARDL showed that business cycle negatively affected economic growth in the short run and positively affected economic growth in the long run. Government expenditure had a negative relationship with economic growth in Nigeria both in the short run and long run while inflation on the other hand, had a positive effect on economic growth in Nigeria both in the short and long run. Therefore, the paper recommends that business cycle and fluctuations of macroeconomic variables should not be trivialized by policymakers if the desired level of growth is to be achieved in Nigeria.

Abstract: Brand trust denotes a party's belief that its needs were fulfilled in the future by actions undertaken by the other party, while loyalty is considered as a deeply held commitment to re-buy or re-patronize a preferred product and/or service consistently in the future. Brand equity is the commercial value that derives from consumer perception of the brand name of a particular product or service, rather than from the product or service itself. Customer loyalty to a brand can either be behavioral or attitudinal and this is contributed by factors that encompass product trust and equity. In the motor industry some level entry car makers like Toyota have gained more market than founding brands like Ford and Mercedes, this justified the purpose of this research This research analyses the determinants of trust on brand loyalty. The study was guided by the following research objectives; to determine the effect of quality on customer trust of motor vehicles, to establish the effect of price on customers trust of motor vehicles in Uasin Gishu county to examine the effect of accessibility of spare parts on customer trust of motor vehicles in Uasin Gishu county and identify the effect of cost on customer trust of motor vehicles in Uasin Gishu county. The research adopted Survey research design and its scope covered Eldoret town with a population of motor car dealers being interviewed. Questionnaires were used to get information from informants. The Liketh scale was used to determine the attitude of customers on quality, price and accessibility. There were pre-determined series of questions on Quality, Price and accessibility. The data were analyzed by using statistical packages that includes SPSS and Microsoft Excel. There were 166 respondents, 72.3% were male while 27.7 % were female. The ownership of motor vehicles was between 2-4 years. Toyota was the most owned brand with 62.0% while Subaru was owned by 10.2%.The automobile usage was at 90.6% private and 9.4% Public use. The quality determinants were done by analyzing four factors of quality; the respondents indicated that Toyota brands have undoubtedly the best quality in the market place with 32.8% agreed 10.6% strongly agreed  while 6.1% disagreed. The price as a determinant of product brand was sorted by four factors and it was observed that Prices are fairly good for Toyota dealers with 23.2 % strongly agree and 30.3% agreeing to the factor, the building of trust based on a product price was observed by 20.2% to be true, the study established that prices and cost greatly determine the choice of a quality brand with a mean skewed to 0.The product accessibility saw three factors accessed and it had a greater determinant than all the other three factors (Agree that accessibility is a factor that determine loyalty), the resell value saw 49.5% strongly agree and 26.8 agree that this was the greatest determinant compared to information from dealers and spare parts availability. Product quality and brand accessibility were seen to have a major impact on trust over a brand. A relationship between variables was reviewed using regression model analysis it was conducted using a one way analysis of variance test. The p= 0.003 was less than 0.05. The F calculated (F=2.814) greater than 5% level of significance, reflected a significant model to this study. The regression equation indicated the core factor that matters on brand trust is simply because of quality of Toyota automobiles at 12.4% while the effect of prices had an insignificant P of 0.510 which is greater than 0.05 the effect of accessibility was also insignificant (p=0.508).The study recommends that manufacturers should base on quality of a product, accessibility of spares and the durability of a product.

Abstract: The efficiency of the public procurement plays a significant role in the quality of services provided by government institutions and in responsiveness of the government to the public needs. Literature suggests that procurement performance is an issue that needs to be highly addressed more so where it affects the public sphere. Therefore, procurement planning is a key factor that affects effective implementation of procurement practices makes an entire organization well prepared and responsible in some way for procurement. The current study sought to examine factors affecting procurement planning in Bungoma County Government in Kenya. The objectives were to examine the effect of resource availability on procurement planning, to establish the effect of government procurement regulations on procurement planning and to determine the effect of service delivery standards on procurement planning in Bungoma County Government. A target population of 43 included procurement County officers and staff from Bungoma County Government. A sample of 22 was selected using 50% and 10 of them were individuals purposely involved in procurement and planning at the County. Both primary and secondary data was collected by use of questionnaire and document analysis guide respectively. Validity of the instrument was done through pilot study and subjective judgments by the experts/supervisors while reliability was determined by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient set at .70 or more. Results in regression analysis established statistical significance relationship between independent variables; resource availability, government procurement regulations and service delivery standards on procurement planning. Hence the estimated model: y = 0.844 + 0.153X1 + 0.233X2 + 0.256X3 Model: X1= Resource availability; X2= Government Procurement Regulations; X3 = Service Delivery Standards. These results imply that service delivery standards contribute more to procurement planning (0.256 unit increase) followed by government procurement regulations (0.233 unit increase) while resource availability (0.153 unit increase) contributes the least to procurement planning at the County Government of Bungoma. All independent variables x1-x3 were significant predictors of credit after adjusting for the effect of other independents in the variable in the model. R2-adjusted = 0.661 which implied that 66.1% of the variations in factors affecting procurement planning is explained by the independent variables while other factors not studied in this study contribute 33.9% of the procurement planning at the County Government of Bungoma. Durbin–Watson statistic is within the thumb rule value of 1 to 2, thus F-value of 136.811 with a p value of 0.00 significant at 5% indicate that overall regression model is significant. Based on the above findings, the researcher therefore recommends that effect of financial management regulations on procurement planning, the role of public participation on procurement planning, Factors affecting procurement planning not studied in this research (33.9%) in the County Government, Bungoma and other counties to generalize study findings and effect of implementation of PPAD Act 2015 and the Public Procurement and Disposal Regulations, 2014 on procurement planning. These study findings may be beneficial to all state corporations since they would enhance the realization on strategic planning measures that are majorly employed. Furthermore, they may also provide a useful reference document to stake holders in County Governments and academic institutions in their endeavors to formulate work plans to meet their performance targets and to policy makers in formulation of procurement policies.
Keywords: Procurement Planning, Service delivery.
Title: FACTORS AFFECTING PROCUREMENT PLANNING IN BUNGOMA COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN KENYA
Author: Joseph Mutoro Waswa, Prof. Gregory Namusonge
ISSN 2349-7807
International Journal of Recent Research in Commerce Economics and Management (IJRRCEM)
Paper Publications

Abstract: Secondary schools undertake several activities which involve procurement, payment and even collection of school fees. The main objective of the study was to assess the effect of cash management practices on financial performance of public secondary schools in Kisii County. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of cash budgeting on financial performance of public secondary schools in Kisii County, to establish the effects of Internal Control System on financial performance of public secondary schools in Kisii County and to find out the effect of auditing of cash on financial performance of public secondary schools in Kisii County. The study was undertaken in Kisii County, Nyanza Region in Kenya. The study established a positive influence of cash budgeting, internal control and auditing on financial performance of public secondary schools. The study recommended that schools should be encouraged to develop cash budgeting, internal control systems and auditing so as to improve their financial performance. The study would be helpful to relevant policy makers in advising proprietors of public schools on having proper management practices in their institutions.