Abstract
The universities are citadels of knowledge, research and academic excellence. The continuing role of universities in the provision of transformational experience for individuals and the global community cannot be under estimated. However, the wanton state of human resource planning in the public universities in Kenya cannot be gainsaid evidenced by among others increased workload for the lecturers and other staff translating to their poor performance. Anchored on the Resource Based View Theory, the purpose of this study was to assess the effect of human resource planning on the performance of public universities in western Kenya region. The specific objectives of the study was to; examine the effect of succession planning management practices on the performance of public universities, analyze the effect of work force diversity managementon the performance of public universities,examine the effect of recruitment and selection on the performance of public universities, determine the effect of outsourcing on the performance of public universities in western Kenya region and To establish the moderating role of organizational citizenship behaviour on the effect of human resource planning practices on the performance of public universities in western Kenya region. The study adopted analytical cross-sectional and survey research design. The target population was 2,822 employees and a sample size of 341 was drawn from a total population of 2,822 employees to represent the whole population using Krejcie and Morgan Table 1970. The researcher selected the six public universities in western region purposively. The public universities represented clusters from which simple random sampling was used to sample non-academic staff. Simple random sample was taken from the clusters in proportion to the cluster size in comparison to the population by use of proportional allocation. Data was collected by the use of questionnaires. Reliability was ensured through a Cronbach‘s Coefficient Alpha of above 0.7, which is generally considered reliable. Validity was achieved by ensuring relevance of the research results with theoretical approaches and literature reviews. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics of correlation and multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 25.0. The null hypothesis was tested at 5% significance level. Result of multiple regressions revealed that human resource planning practices jointly and independently influenced organizational performance in public Universities in Western region. Jointly the four constructs namely succession planning, workforce diversity, outsourcing and recruitment and selection contributed 69.5% and 69.9% of the variation in performance of public universities (Adjusted R Square = 0.695 and 0.699) without and with organizational citizenship behavior as a moderator. The β value for Succession planning (.221), Work force diversity (.318), Outsourcing (.254) and recruitment and selection (.375) were all positive without OCB as a moderator. With OCB as the moderator the Beta values for Succession planning (.205), Work force diversity (.295), Outsourcing (.246) and recruitment and selection (.343) were also positive. Correlations between succession planning, work force diversity, recruitment and selection, outsourcing and organizational citizenship behavior, where r=.670**, r= .620**, r=.676**, r=.400** and r=.583** respectively were also positively and significantly related to organizational performance where P