Influence of Gender Diversity on Organization Performance at Kenya Urban Roads Authority

Abstract

Kenya’s social-economic development blueprint as anchored by vision 2030 envisages growth in the public sector as the hub to its realization. The sector’s infrastructure industry is to quadruple its contribution to GDP. In line with this concern, this study’s investigation focused on the influence on the influence of gender diversity on organization performance at the Kenya Urban Roads Authority. The study was conducted at Kenya Urban Roads Authority Headquarters, in Nairobi and the target population was all categories of employees of KURA. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Stratified random sampling was used. The population of the study was 150 and the sample size was 30% of the population which translated to 45 respondents. In order to collect data, structured questionnaires were issued to respondents. A pilot test was conducted to ascertain the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, a pretest and pilot survey was conducted. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 24) to calculate descriptive analysis, reliability analysis, and correlation and regression analysis. The findings were presented using tables and figures. The correlation findings demonstrated weak but positive and significant effects of age and education diversity on organization performance. The effect of gender diversity on organizational performance was weak, positive but not significant. The multiple regression results showed that gender diversity accounts for up to 41.3% of the variation in organizational performance of KURA. As a result, the study recommends the HR department of KURA to enhance gender diversity in the organization through practices such as providing opportunities for growth and advancement for women, having a career development that includes women, structuring the training and development program to meet the criteria/ requirement of the male and female gender, involving women in the decision-making process as much as men and ensuring that employees are positive about gender diversity.