Low-level Management Research Articles

Effect of Recognition Practices on Employee Engagement in Fairtrade Horticultural Firms in Kenya

While most people understand that engaged employees are often happier and more satisfied in their job, the main reason that engagement is now a focal point is because it leads to real business results. Emotional states are hard to understand and measure. Employees are becoming key business drivers for any organization. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of compensation system on employee engagement in Fairtrade horticultural firms in Kenya. The study was guided by expectancy theory and social exchange theory. A cross-sectional descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study targeted 17 fairtrade horticultural firms as unit of analysis and 5,600 employees as the unit of observation. The sample size was 373 respondents drawn from low level, middle level, and top-level management. The study relied mainly on primary data. The study adopted stratified and simple random sampling techniques. After the stratification of the respondents into strata, simple random sampling was adopted to pick up the respondents. The researcher used questionnaire as the research instrument. Descriptive and inferential analysis were computed using SPSS version 26. In order to analyze the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable the study used regression analysis at 5% level of significance. Specifically, simple linear regression analysis. The findings indicated that recognition system has a positive and significant effect on employee engagement in Fairtrade horticultural firms in Kenya. The study concluded that recognition system contributes significantly to the employee engagement in Fairtrade horticultural firms in Kenya. From the results, the study recommends that top management horticultural firm should come up with well-defined structure that will regularly recognize employees with exemplary performance in various categories. This kind of recognition by the management as well as their supervisors would make employees feel appreciated for their input and therefore, help the organization to achieve their goals.

Family Management of Hypertension in Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In Brazil, research indicates that primary family members are the main source of support for individuals with chronic conditions such as hypertension (HTN). The burden of caregiving not only hinders effective HTN management but can also cause stress and anxiety, potentially leading to HTN in caregivers. Despite this, few studies have explored the impact of caregiving on these family members. Aims of the study were to: (1) Describe the prevalence of blood pressure (BP) control in family members of individuals with HTN; (2) identify family member perspectives on facilitators and barriers to HTN management; and (3) identify influences that help or interfere with family member functioning (levels of stress, quality of life [QOL], and caregiver burden). This descriptive, cross-sectional study included 213 family members randomly selected from 3 Family Health Strategy units. Family members were largely female (n = 143; 67.1%); the mean age was 60.1 years (SD ± 17.02) and 42.6% (n = 96) had less than a high school education. The three most important facilitators and barriers were related to medication, medical visits, healthy eating, physical activity, and stress. The mean systolic BP was 132.7 (SD ± 21.9) mmHg and a diastolic BP of 85.9 (SD ± 18.1) mmHg with 120 (56.3%) of family members classified as having normal BP. In regard to family member contributions to the self-care of the individual with HTN, family members displayed low levels of self-care maintenance (n = 148; 69.4%) and management (n = 47; 71.2%) support, while a slight majority (n = 114; 53.5%) had adequate levels of self-care confidence in supporting the individual with HTN. Family members (n = 189; 88.8%) showed moderate-to-high levels of perceived stress, but good physical (n = 189; 88.7%) and mental QOL (n = 196; 92%) and low levels of caregiver burden (n = 113; 53.1%). A variety of contextual sociocultural influences were associated with the outcomes under study. Family-based interventions are urgently needed to address the inadequate management of HTN.

Relationship between the composition of the audit committee and earnings quality in Tier One banks in Nairobi City County, Kenya.

This study investigates the relationship between audit committee composition and earnings quality in Tier One banks in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The composition of audit committees, particularly the presence of independent directors, financial experts, and industry experts, is hypothesized to significantly influence the quality of reported earnings. Using a sample of six Tier One banks over the period 2016-2021, this study employs a correlational research design to examine this relationship. Data was collected through questionnaires administered to 90 respondents across operational, middle, and lower management levels, with a response rate of 67%. The study utilized descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis to analyze the data. Key findings indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between audit committee composition and earnings quality. Specifically, the presence of independent directors (r = 0.38, p < 0.05), financial experts (r = 0.29, p < 0.05), and industry experts (r = 0.26, p < 0.05) on the audit committee were all positively correlated with measures of earnings quality. The regression analysis further confirmed these relationships, controlling for other audit committee characteristics such as size and meeting frequency. These findings suggest that the composition of audit committees plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of financial reporting in Tier One banks in Kenya. The study recommends that regulatory bodies and bank management prioritize the appointment of independent directors with relevant financial and industry expertise to audit committees. This research contributes to the existing literature on corporate governance in the banking sector and provides practical implications for improving financial reporting quality in emerging markets.

Dynamics of Public Participation on Sustainable Resource Management in County Government of Kericho, Kenya

Sustainable resource management involve managing resources in a way that their sources are not depleted; so that the future generations can also benefit from it. Africa is endowed with diverse and abundant natural resources and stands at a critical juncture where responsible and sustainable management of these resources is paramount for the continent's development. The Kenyan governments (national-level and county-level) recognize the need for sustainable resource management for the good of the citizens. In devolved government units in Kenya, sustainable resource management is a critical. This study sought to assess the dynamics of public participation on sustainable resource management in county government of Kericho, Kenya. The study was guided by Resource-based view theory, administrative theory, transformational leadership theory and the theory of Planned Behaviour. This study adopted a pragmatism approach that took a practical and flexible approach, focusing on the usefulness and applicability of research findings, rather than an all-or-nothing, mutually exclusive philosophical position. A descriptive research design with a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative data collections was adopted. The target population of the study comprised a total of 213 senior, middle and lower level management staff of the county government of Kericho. The Stratified random sampling was used to develop a sample from different management groups. A sample of 139 management staff was selected using Slovin’s formula. Reliability of the study was ensured by conducting a pilot study in the neighbouring County Government of Nakuru while context, content and criterion validity were ascertained by the researcher in the field of study. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics which described the nature of ethical leadership and sustainable resource management. Inferential statistics (Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis) were used to determine the nature of influence between the variables. This was done with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Qualitative data was analysed by themes and content analysis. The study findings revealed that, public participation had a statistically significant influence on sustainable resource management. The study concluded that there exists a strong and significant relationship between public participation (r=0.832 and p=0.000) and sustainable resource management in Kericho County, Kenya. The study recommends that in order to enhance public participation members of the public should be empowered by giving the information and documents containing information on development activities and legislations that require their input in advance so that they know and understand what they are coming to do in public forums.

Internal information asymmetry and power distance

Using the difference in insider trading profitability between top and lower-level managers to proxy for firms’ internal information asymmetry, we show that power distance increases internal information asymmetry in an international sample of 10,103 firms across 22 economies from 2003 to 2018. Furthermore, we find that this positive impact is lessened for firms with less complexity, more female directors on board, or an internal CEO promoted from within the firm. Moreover, we show that a country’s high-quality formal institutions lessen the role that a country’s culture of power distance plays in escalating internal information asymmetry. Our main conclusions remain valid after taking into account robustness and endogeneity issues.

COVID-19 healthcare success or failure? Crisis management explained by dynamic capabilities

IntroductionThis paper presents a structured review of the use of crisis management, specifically examining the frameworks of surge capacity, resilience, and dynamic capabilities in healthcare organizations. Thereafter, a novel deductive method based on the framework of dynamic capabilities is developed and applied to investigate crisis management in two hospital cases during the COVID-19 pandemic.BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic distinguishes itself from many other disasters due to its global spread, uncertainty, and prolonged duration. While crisis management in healthcare has often been explained using the surge capacity framework, the need for adaptability in an unfamiliar setting and different information flow makes the dynamic capabilities framework more useful.MethodsThe dynamic capabilities framework’s microfoundations as categories is utilized in this paper for a deductive analysis of crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic in a multiple case study involving two Swedish public hospitals. A novel method, incorporating both dynamic and static capabilities across multiple organizational levels, is developed and explored.ResultsThe case study results reveal the utilization of all dynamic capabilities with an increased emphasis at lower organizational levels and a higher prevalence of static capabilities at the regional level. In Case A, lower-level managers perceived the hospital manager as brave, supporting sensing, seizing, and transformation at the department level. However, due to information gaps, sensing did not reach regional crisis management, reducing their power. In Case B, with contingency plans not initiated, the hospital faced a lack of management and formed a department manager group for patient care. Seizing was robust at the department level, but regional levels struggled with decisions on crisis versus normal management. The novel method effectively visualizes differences between organizational levels and cases, shedding light on the extent of cooperation or lack thereof within the organization.ConclusionThe researchers conclude that crisis management in a pandemic, benefits from distributed management, attributed to higher dynamic capabilities at lower organizational levels. A pandemic contingency plan should differ from a plan for accidents, supporting the development of routines for the new situation and continuous improvement. The Dynamic Capabilities framework proved successful for exploration in this context.

Resource Allocation Change Management Practice and Performance of Kenya Revenue Authority in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Purpose: Kenya Revenue Authority is mandated to gather revenue in place of Kenyan government. The revenue to be collected is normally set as a target by the National Treasury. Over the time, the authority has continuously missed hitting the revenue collection target. As a result, the authority has endeavored to implement changes with the aim of improving and enhancing revenue collection. The current study aimed at establishing how resource allocation change management practice influenced performance of Kenya Revenue Authority in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by Resource-Based View Theory. Methodology: The study employed a descriptive research design and targeted 470 Kenya Revenue Authority employees working at Customs and Border Control Department in Nairobi City County. A stratified random sampling approach was applied in selecting a sample of 141 respondents derived from top level, middle level, and lower level of management. The study utilized a 5-Point Likert scale questionnaire containing close ended question to gather primary data. Inferential as well as descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze the gathered data. Prior data collection, the study conducted a pilot study on 13 randomly selected respondents to assess the level of validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Findings: The descriptive statistics results revealed that all respondents on average were in agreement with statements on resource allocation change management practice. The correlation analysis results established that resource allocation change management practice positively and significantly correlates with performance of Kenya Revenue Authority. The study further established that resource allocation change management practice positively and significantly influence performance of KRA in Nairobi City County. This is shown by beta value of 0.538 and significant values of 0.000. The results bears the implications that increasing the resource allocation change management practice with one unit results to increase in the performance levels of KRA with 0.538 units. The study findings led to conclusions that resource allocation change management practice positively and significantly influences the performance of Kenya Revenue Authority in Nairobi City County. Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study recommended the management Kenya Revenue Authority to enhance the resource allocation practices since the practices bears a positive and significant influence on performance.

Recreational Practices and Employee Performance in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Kenya

Employee welfare practices in organizations, which involve offering various recreational programs in the workplace, are crucial for enhancing motivation and increasing performance among staff members. Therefore, the primary aim of this research was to determine the relationship between recreational activities and employee performance in Kenya while also considering the moderating influence of top management commitment on employee performance. The study utilized a cross-sectional survey approach that incorporated both qualitative and quantitative methods. The research population consisted of 14,323 NGO employees in Nairobi County, Kenya, with 403 participants, including top managers, middle-level managers, and lower-level managers. The selection of respondents was done through stratified, simple random, and purposive sampling techniques. Primary data were collected through questionnaires, while secondary data were obtained from peer-reviewed books, articles, and journals. The study was grounded in relevant theories such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Herzberg's two-factor theory, and Human Relations Theory. A pilot study was conducted to ensure the reliability and validity of the research tools. Data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences, version 25, with inferential and descriptive statistics, including frequencies, means, correlations, and multiple linear regression. The findings of the study were presented through pie charts, graphs, and tables. The results indicated a positive and significant relationship between recreational practices like staff parties, team building, and sports events and employee performance. Moreover, it was found that top management's communication, policy development, and budget allocation significantly moderated the relationship between recreational practices and employee performance. Additionally, a linear relationship was observed between the independent and dependent variables. In conclusion, the study emphasized the importance of recreational practices in enhancing employee performance, especially when supported by top management commitment.

State of the Art and Science of Immunocytochemistry.

Immunocytochemistry (ICC) is a widely available and extensively used ancillary method in diagnostic cytopathology with great variability in all test phases and a low level of adequate quality management. The non-standardized ICC landscape is now challenged with the introduction of the new European (EU) In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR). According to this regulation, ICC on cytological slides falls under the category of Laboratory-Developed Tests (LDT), which requires rigorous standardization, validation, and thorough quality management. Complete standardization of pre-analytical and analytical steps in ICC is impossible due to the complexity of the method and the constantly evolving antibodies, detection systems, and platforms. However, similar to the approach in immunohistochemistry, improving and standardizing "best practices" in quality management will result in high-quality, correct, accurate, and reliable ICC results. In this review, the current challenges of ICC in diagnostic cytopathology will be discussed, along with practical insights into ICC standardization and validation. Control slides prepared in the same manner as the patient samples, optimized ICC protocols, and participation in external quality control for ICC are the pillars of good quality management and essential to ensure safe and reliable patient diagnostics.

A Review on Indigenous Goats of East Africa: A Case for Conservation and Management.

Indigenous goats are important in the livelihoods of rural households in East African countries. This is due to their ability to produce and reproduce in different environments and climatic conditions. Even though these indigenous goats are important, there is little available information on the genetic characterization of these breeds in Africa and at the international level. This paper reviews the status of indigenous goats, highlighting their production systems, phenotypic and genetic characteristics, and genetic diversity, and proposes potential ways for sustainable improvement and conservation in East African countries. Most households use traditional production systems with various uncharacterized goat breeds and ecotypes, which are hence named after the tribe or locality in which they are found. Most of these goats are classified as small East African breeds, with significant variability in morphological features. Some of the challenges to goat production in this region are indiscriminate crossbreeding, lack of pedigree records, parasites and disease incidences, low-quality pastures, and low levels of management. There is a need for a collaborative approach amongst the actors in goat breeding value chains as well as integrating modern genomic tools into breeding programs to enhance selection. This will ensure the resilience and sustainability of these unique indigenous goat populations in East Africa.

A Study of the Impact of Human Capital Investment on Organizational Performance

Human capital investment is a process in which a company, after obtaining external resources, learns and develops the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes of its members, thus enhancing the company's core competitiveness and sustainable development capability and ultimately improving organizational performance. Employee quality is an important part of human capital investment, but the effect of human capital investment on performance improvement is affected by the low level of internal management. The article researches the relationship between human capital investment and enterprise performance,and puts forward corresponding suggestions on the quality of employees and performance improvement.

Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support on the Effect of Occupational Stress Management Practices on Employee Engagement amongst Law Enforcement Officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Excessive stress that law enforcement officers are exposed to not only threatens their physical and mental health but also affects professionalism, organisational effectiveness, and public safety. This invokes the need for the adoption or strengthening of occupational stress management practices amongst law enforcement officers to abate the consequences of operational and occupational stressors they are exposed to for the purposes of their engagement. However, there is still a limited understanding of how occupational stress management practices and perceived organisational support may work together to effect employee engagement based on social exchange theory and job demands-resource theory. In this regard, the study adopted a correlational research design. The target population consisted of 620 law enforcement officers from 34 police posts and stations in Uasin Gishu County, with a sample size of 248 officers calculated using Krejcie and Morgan Table 1970. The study adopted simple and stratified sampling techniques to identify the officers from the top, middle, and lower levels of management. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. Reliability was ensured through internal consistency techniques. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of moderated regressions revealed that occupational stress management practices jointly and independently influenced employee engagement among law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Safety and health programmes jointly explained 70.7% of the of the variation in engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, without a moderator. However, with a moderator, the variables jointly explained 73.5% (R2 = 0.735) of the of the variation in employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya (F = 62.364; ρ <.05). Therefore, there is a significant moderating role of perceived organisational support in the relationship between occupational stress management practices and employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. These findings are premised on both social exchange theory and job demand resource theory. This implies that when the management of law enforcement officers embraces occupational stress management practices and proactively formulates policies ingrained with perceived organisational support, employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, will improve. In the strategic orientation of these occupational stress management practices, perceived organisational support remains the cornerstone for enhancing employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers.

Healthcare Practices and Employee Performance in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Kenya: Moderating Effect of Top Management Commitment

Employee welfare practices, such as health care practices, play a crucial role in employee performance. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between health care practices and employee performance in non-governmental organizations in Nairobi County, Kenya: moderating effect of top management commitment on the relationship. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized in a cross-sectional survey involving 403 respondents, including top managers, middle-level managers, and lower-level managers selected through purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling procedures from a target population of 14,323 NGO employees in Nairobi County, Kenya. Questionnaires were used as primary data sources, while secondary data were gathered from reviewed journals, books, and articles. The study incorporated relevant theories such as Herzberg's two-factor theory, the Human Relations Theory, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. A pilot study was conducted to ensure the validity and reliability of the tools used. Data analysis was performed using Version 25 of the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences software, employing frequencies, means, correlations, and multiple linear regression. Inferential and descriptive statistics were utilized as diagnostic tests, and the findings were presented using pie charts, graphs, and tables. The study revealed a positive and significant relationship between healthcare practices and employee performance when moderated by the top management commitment in NGOs in Nairobi County, Kenya, emphasizing the importance of top management support in enhancing employee health practices and performance within the organization. For collective mental programming, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kenya should develop staff health care policies. In order to decrease personal work stress and improve counselling facilities, frequency, and resources, it is necessary to increase employee access to healthcare practices. Access to counsellor outreach services and expert support can be acquired by forming relationships with colleges or institutions of counselling and psychology.

The impact of Responsibility Accounting on Cost Efficiency. A Case of Reformed Church in Zimbabwe Period 2009-2014

The study is set out to investigate the impact of responsibility accounting on cost efficiency at Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (R.C.Z) in Masvingo Province. The study was largely prompted by the fact that despite having been functional, the Organisation was still facing a lot of challenges characterised by abuse of resources such as misappropriation of funds, high labour turnover and low profitability as a result of high running costs. The study used Pragmatic approach and paradigm in its methodology. The target population for the study comprised of top, middle and lower-level management and a sample of 45 employees from the four departments in the province was used. Stratified random sampling (probability sampling) was used. It is observed that some departments were operating without a Responsibility accounting policy in place and also there was no communication of Responsibility accounting role to various employees. In addition it is observed that inadequate ‘training programmes of employees, failure to consider lower-level management in budgetary formation and Inter departmental conflicts are major challenges bedevilling effective implementation of responsibility accounting. The study concludes that responsibility accounting plays a critical role in enhancing cost efficiency within the organisation thus responsibility accounting has got a positive influence on cost efficiency. The study recommends that a uniform responsibility accounting policy be formulated across all departments’ effective supervision and control over each cost centre be implemented and adequate training programmes to employees be provided

Effects of socialization mechanisms on managers’ desire to have a significant impact through work: evidence from the banking sector

Purpose This study aims to analyze the effects of socialization mechanisms (belief system and peer mentoring) on managers’ job engagement and their desire to have a significant impact through work, that is, the desire to substantially improve or facilitate the lives of others by performing their work. The study also examines the moderating role of organizational identification. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with middle and lower-level managers at one of the largest banks in Brazil, the BankCo. The authors obtained a sample of 201 respondents and tested the research hypotheses with structural equation modeling. The authors also performed a complementary data analysis with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Findings The results suggest that belief systems and peer mentoring directly promote job engagement and indirectly promote desire to have a significant impact to a better world through work (through full mediation of job engagement). The effects of job engagement on desire to have a significant impact through work are even greater when managers have high organizational identification. Finally, several causal combinations are sufficient for high levels of desire to have a significant impact through work. Social implications Beyond studies that examine how organizational mechanisms influence employee outcomes (e.g. performance), this study explores how socialization mechanisms can promote desire to have a significant impact through work. Thus, the authors demonstrate how organizational core values, mission statement and peer mentoring collaborate for managers to develop altruistic behavior, that is, directly related to other human values, such as empathy and ethics, being able to contribute to a world better. Originality/value This study developed and empirically tested a model that connects socialization mechanisms, job engagement, organizational identification and managers’ desire to have a significant impact through their work. Therefore, the paper provides insights into the relevance of socialization mechanisms for orchestrating managers’ proactive and altruistic behaviors.

The role of managerial hierarchy in the moral reasoning of local government managers

AbstractFalling public trust in Australia's institutions warrants revisiting how public sector managers approach ethical decision‐making. This study presents the findings of in‐depth interviews with 35 local government managers in Australia and seeks to understand how managerial hierarchy influences the moral reasoning of managers. Through the lens of social learning and moral development theoretical perspectives, the findings indicate that local government managers do engage in different types of moral reasoning when presented with hypothetical ethical dilemmas, and their managerial status plays a pronounced role in shaping the content of that reasoning. We also find support for differences in moral reasoning across gender, which appear more evident at lower levels of management. Through providing an in‐depth analysis of managerial hierarchy and ethical decision‐making, the findings from this study can be used to guide organisational and individual managers’ ethics training and development.Points for practitioners The declining public trust in public administrators warrants regular risk management audits of internal and external environments of public sector organisations to identify potential or existing ethical challenges that require a response. Moral reasoning and ethical decision‐making are context specific and include the ethical climate of the organisation. We find support for the importance of organisational leadership visibly ‘walking the talk’ when it comes to ethics. While management hierarchy is seen to influence moral reasoning, or the deliberations when arriving at a decision, there is widespread acceptance of the basic tenets of abiding by the law and being truthful. Therefore, organisational ethical policies and codes of conduct should clearly articulate the legal implications, and consequences of any breaches. A one‐size‐fits‐all approach to ethics training is not advised. We find that moral reasoning differs with managerial experience. A case is made to account for training tailored at different managerial levels, along with scenario‐based training and mentoring from higher levels of management.

Removal of leftover feed shapes environmental microbiota and limits houseflies-mediated dispersion of pathogenic bacteria in sow breeding farms

BackgroundIntensive swine breeding industry generates a complex environment where several microbial interactions occur and which constitutes a challenge for biosafety. Ad libitum feeding strategies and low levels of management contribute to residual and wasted feed for lactating sows, which provides a source of nutrients and microbial source for houseflies in warm climates. Due to the absence of the all-in/all-out system, the coexistence of sows of two production stages including gestating and lactating sows in the farrowing barn may have potential negative impacts. In this research, we evaluated the effects of lactating sow leftover on the environmental microbiota of the farrowing barn and the contribution of microbial environments to the gestating sow fecal bacterial structure with a 30-day-long treatment of timely removing lactating residual feed.ResultsHouseflies in the farrowing barn mediate the transmission of microorganisms from lactating sow leftover to multiple regions. Leuconostoc, Weissella, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus from the leftover which can produce exopolysaccharides, are more capable of environmental transmission than pathogenic microorganisms including Staphylococcus and Streptococcus and utilize houseflies to achieve spread in environmental regions of the farrowing barn. Leftover removal treatment blocked the microbial transmission chain mediated by houseflies, downregulated the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia-Shigella and Streptococcus among houseflies, environmental regions and fecal bacteria of gestating sows in the farrowing barn and effectively attenuate the increment of Weissella and RF39 relative abundance in gestating sow feces due to the presence of lactating sows.ConclusionsLactating sow leftover is a non-negligible microbial contributor of environment in farrowing barn whose transmission is mediated by houseflies. A 30-day-long treatment of removing lactating sow residual feed cause significant changes in the microbial structure of multiple environmental regions within the farrowing barn via altering the microbiota carried by houseflies. Meanwhile, lactating sow leftover affect the fecal microbial structure of gestating sows in the same farrowing barn, while removal of lactating sow leftover alleviates the contribution of microbial transmission.

Dynamics of related and unrelated digital diversification in established firms: Strategies, programs, process, and outcomes

Research on digital transformation focuses on business models and technological innovation but it often lacks a detailed exploration of how firms develop, execute, and evaluate related and unrelated digital diversification strategies. To address this gap, this study employs a multiple case study approach to uncover the varied processes and outcomes of implementing digital diversification programs in established firms. The findings reveal that established firms frequently refine and adjust their digital diversification strategies to achieve desired results. Specifically, related digital diversification strategies benefit from well-defined market segments, clear technological focus, and robust senior management support. In contrast, unrelated digital diversification strategies thrive through extensive exploration and experimentation with novel digital technologies and markets, reduced senior managerial intervention and increased middle- and lower-level management involvement. Semi-related digital diversification strategies, which incorporate elements of both related and unrelated approaches, often encounter tensions owing to conflicting traditional and new program execution methods, posing significant realization challenges. Key factors identified as instrumental in the success of digital diversification strategies include technology, markets, management & organization, and program execution. The study concludes by discussing the managerial and academic implications and offers recommendations for future research in this domain.

Mediating effect of job satisfaction on talent engagement and employees’ commitment in the Nigerian Civil Service

<p>The Nigerian Civil Service faces ongoing challenges in optimizing employee commitment, which is fundamental for efficient service delivery and societal progress. Hence, this paper focuses on the mediating effect of job satisfaction on talent engagement and employee commitment in the Nigerian Civil Service. The study adopted a quantitative approach, which allowed for a survey design to be adopted. A sample of 198 middle- and lower-level managers in the civil service was used. Questionnaires were used for data collection, and SmartPls 3.9 was used for data analysis. The result showed that talent engagement significantly predicts employee commitment and that job satisfaction is a good mediator in the relationship between talent engagement and employee commitment in the Nigerian Civil Service. The findings suggest that creating an engaged workforce through talent engagement can have a positive influence on employee commitment within the public sector, which can result in improved public services and contribute to overall societal development.<strong></strong></p>

Effect of Generic Competitive Strategies on the Performance of National Social Security Fund in Nairobi County, Kenya

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) was established in 1965 by an Act of Parliament under cap 258 Laws of Kenya and serves as the first pillar of social security for Kenyan workers. The Kenyan social security sector has recently been growing at a high rate due to the inclusion of new players in social security services, which was previously solely managed by NSSF. Organizations have realized the importance of a strategic plan for shaping the vision and mission, selecting strategies to be executed and allocating resources to facilitate achieving corporate goals. A strategic plan is instrumental in ensuring that strategic goals are aligned with organizational activities with its environment, thereby providing for its continued survival, effectiveness, and improved performance. This study established the influence of strategic planning practices on the performance of the National Social Security Fund in Kenya. Every organization incorporates different strategies to gain a competitive advantage and sustain profitability. Firm performance is a major building block in strategic management. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of generic competitive strategies on the performance of NSSF in Kenya. The study used secondary data from published financial statements of NSSF with a target population of 60 employees drawn from the 7 divisions and departments – top, middle & low-level management. The quantitative method was utilized in the analysis and interpretation of data in accordance with the research objectives and research questions. The data collected was summarized, tabulated, and analyzed quantitatively, then presented using tables, pie charts and percentages. According to the findings of the study, cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy, focus strategy, Innovation Strategy have significant positive influence on the performance of NSSF. All the p-values were 0.05, denoting that the relationship therefore were significant. the study findings show that the four generic strategies have a positive relationship with the organizational performance. Product differentiation strategy and innovation strategy were established to be the key measures or drivers of financial performance. This was based on the strength of association, which was established by the study. Cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy were also found to be other measures though they should not be used in isolation. The study recommended that National Social Security Fund should embrace and invest in cost leadership strategies most especially forming linkages with service providers, suppliers and other supplementary institutions since it will enable them achieve competitive advantage as compared to other organizations that are not investing in these strategies and that universities should first understand and know their motive and capability before adopting a certain competitive strategy for example market focus.