Drivers Of Performance Excellence In Universities In Kenya

ABSTRACT

Globally, education plays a fundamental role in human capital development in both developed and developing countries. Consequently, the performance of the higher education institution worldwide is of great interest to any stable state. However, there have been growing concerns over the performance of the universities globally. Though it is evidence in literature that performance excellence of any organization depends on a number of factors; social factors, environmental and culture among others, drivers of performance excellence in HEIs in Kenya have not been adequately researched. The general objective of the study was to explore drivers of performance excellence of universities in Kenya. Specific objective of the study was to analyse drivers (leadership, people management, resources, partnership and collaboration, internationalisation, policy and strategy, processes, product and services) of performance excellence in universities in Kenya, explore the gaps in drivers of performance excellence, compare the drivers for public and private universities and develop a framework for assessing performance excellence for universities in Kenya. The study was guided by positivist philosophy and therefore tested the model of university performance excellence and employed descriptive design. The design used a survey method using self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire for data collection. The data was collected through the drop and pick method. The target population was 40 public and private Universities accredited in Kenya as at July, 2016. Through purposive sampling a sample of 12 Universities was selected 6 private and 6 public. A sample size of 277 respondents was selected from the 12 universities using Yamane formula and proportionately allocated to the 12 universities. The unit of measure was Deans, Directors, and chairpersons. Primary data was collected through the administration of structured questionnaire. Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to undertake data analysis including; descriptive statistics, factor analysis, bivariate linear regression and combined regression. Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test of normality, Durbin Watson d test for autocorrelation and correlation coefficient (r) test of linearity were used to assess data for regression assumptions. Model fitness(R-square), F statistics and regression coefficients were generated. Based on the study findings using the P-value to test significance, all the variables were found to be independently statistically significant and can independently explain variation in performance excellence as follows; leadership (70.5%), people management (36.3%), resources (41.0%), partnership and collaboration (28.3%), internationalisation (33.0%), policy and strategy (41.5%), processes, product and services (20.6%). In combined model leadership, people management, resources and internationalisation were found to be positively statistically significant while partnership and collaboration, policy and strategy and, processes, product and services were statistically insignificance. Further, the combined regression results indicate that 81.4% of variation in performance excellence of universities in Kenya can be jointly explained by the seven independent variables. In public universities leadership, people management, resources, policy and strategy and internationalisation were significance while in private universities; leadership, partnership and collaboration, resources, policy and strategy and processes, product and services were statistically significance. The findings indicate that 78.6% and 95.1% of variation in performance excellence in public and private universities in Kenya respectively can be jointly explained by the seven independent variables. Overall variation in performance excellence can be explained more in private than public universities. This study contributes to theory by developing a modified framework for drivers of performance excellence. The study also contributes to knowledge by interrogating drivers of performance excellence in HEIS. The study also identifies the gaps and recommends to the universities managers and policy makers not only in Kenya but also globally areas to focus in their effort to achieve performance excellence.