Strategic Resources And Performance Of Public Health Institutions In Embu County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The right to health care is one of the most fundamental rights for all citizens in a country because it leads to the well-being of people consequently leading to economic growth and development. Despite the commitment of Kenya government to provide equitable, affordable and quality health care by boosting resources in the health sector the public health institutions, have not yielded the expected performance. This study therefore investigated the effect of strategic resources on the performance of public health institutions in Embu County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to determine the effect of human resources, information technology resources, financial resources and physical resources on performance of Public Health Institutions in Embu County, Kenya. In addition, the study investigated mediating and moderating effect of organizational capability and organizational culture on the relationship between strategic resources and performance of Public Health Institutions respectively. The study adopted positivism research design by testing hypotheses derived from predetermined conceptual framework. The target population was 560 respondents who comprised of 550 employees and 10 outpatients drawn from the five public hospitals in Embu County. Proportionate stratified random sampling, purposive sampling and convenience sampling were used to select a sample size of 175 respondents (comprising of 165 employees and 10 outpatients). Primary data was collected using questionnaire based on five point Likert scale. Interview guide was used to collect data from outpatients. The quantitative data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics was used to describe characteristics of the study variables while inferential statistics specifically multiple linear regression was used to establish the nature of effect between the independent and dependent variables. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis based on common themes that emerged. The study found that the combined effect of strategic resources was statistically significant and explained 42.6% of performance of public health institutions in Embu County. The study established that human resources, information technology resources, financial resources and physical resources had positive statistical and significant effect on performance of public health institutions in Embu County. The study further found that Organizational capability had a positive statistical and significant partial mediating effect on the relationship between strategic resources and performance of public health institutions. Organizational culture was found not to have a statistical significant effect on the relationship between strategic resources and performance of public health institutions. The study concluded that public health institutions which invest and maintain adequate and quality strategic resources such as human resources, information technology resources, financial resources and physical resources will realize better performance than those which do not. In addition, Public health institutions which prudently deploy, develops combines and coordinates strategic resources will perform better than those which do not. The study recommended that the county government should enforce and strengthen policy on acquisition and retention of visionary human resources, user friendly Information Communications Technology infrastructure and adequate and quality physical resources. Further, the government should increase financial budgetary allocation for public health institution. In addition, the Public Health Institutions should strengthen and enhance the policy on prudent deployment, development, combination and coordination of strategic resources for better performance in order to realize the national government agenda of Kenya vision 2030.