Goal-setting Theory Research Articles

Relationship Between Clan Culture and Performance of Public Secondary Schools in Turbo Sub County, Kenya

Performance indicates how effectively and efficiently business strategy has been implemented. It has been associated with the extent to which organization achieves its goal. This study treated Performaance of Secondary schools in terms of achievement of national goals of education which include promotion of social, economic, technological and industrial skills assessed in terms of academic performance. The process of goal achievement involves daily organizational operations which constitute organization culture. This study sought to find out whether there is any relationship between clan culture and performance of public secondary schools in Turbo Sub-county, Kenya. The study will add knowledge to the existing literatures on clan culture and performance. It will benefit various entities and education stakeholders. The study was hinged on goal setting theory proposed by Edwin Locke, Cameroon and Queen Model. Reviewed literatures on the topic exhibited some inconsistencies which prompted this study to be conducted. Correlational research design was adopted targeting all 31 public secondary schools across Turbo Sub County. Stratified random sampling procedure was employed and self-administered questionnaires and document analysis guide were used in data collection. The sample size of 181 teachers with TSC registration and permanently employed was used. Pearson product moment correlation and regression model were utilized in data analysis. The study found positive and significant relationship between clan culture and performance of secondary schools in Turbo Sub County. The study therefore recommends the schools to nurture and embrace clan cultural traits to enhance performance of public secondary schools across Turbo Sub County, Kenya.

Learning Motivation During COVID-19 Pandemic and the Academic Performance Among Agriculture Students of a State College

Learning motivation has been known to be a basic determinant of academic achievement, and this can be negatively affected by a disease outbreak and a shift in teaching approach. This study aimed to determine the significant relationships among perception of learning motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic, learning motivation level, and academic performance of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture students of Camiguin Polytechnic State College. It used the explanatory-correlational design with a modified adapted questionnaire as the main data gathering instrument. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation tool in the context of the theories of social learning, protection motivation, operant conditioning, goal-setting, and achievement motivation. Results revealed that respondents perceived their learning motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic as highly enhanced, just as they assessed their learning motivation level as high, although their intrinsic motivation was slightly higher than their extrinsic motivation. The correlation test yielded a significant positive relationship between the respondents' perception of their learning motivation during the pandemic and their intrinsic motivation. However, their learning motivation level had not proven significantly related to their academic performance, and neither had their learning motivation during the pandemic.

Using goal-setting theory and expectancy theory to understand career goal implementation in the hospitality industry

Internships could influence the career goal-setting of tourism and hospitality students and their intention to stay in the industry, but there is a lack of studies examining these relationships. The purpose of this study was to assess how goal-setting among students in the hospitality education sector affects students' intention to stay in the hospitality industry. A survey instrument underpinned by Goal-setting theory and Vroom's expectancy theory was applied to examine students' goal-setting and implementation intentions prior to and after the internship. The findings confirmed that self-efficacy, goal commitment, feedback mechanism, and situational constraints, severally have predictive effects on the implementation intentions of students. In addition, industry knowledge and valence had predictive effects on implementation intention, but goal commitment and situational constraints did not record significant effects on implementation intentions after the internship. The implications of the study are discussed.

The Effect of a mHealth App (KENPO-app) for Specific Health Guidance on Weight Changes in Adults With Obesity and Hypertension: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Commercial smartphone apps that promote self-monitoring of weight loss are widely available. The development of disease-specific apps has begun, but there is no app for specific health guidance (SHG) to prevent metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases in middle-aged adults in Japan. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of an SHG mobile health app in facilitating weight loss in Japanese adults with obesity and hypertension. In a 12-week, statistician-blinded, randomized parallel controlled trial, 78 overweight and obese men aged 40-69 years were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the usual support plus KENPO-app group (intervention group) or the active control group. KENPO-app (release April 10, 2019; OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd.) was developed by the study team and focus groups and uses behavior change techniques (ie, self-monitoring and goal-setting theory). This app was developed for SHG based on the four specific health checkups and guidance system in Japan: (1) focusing primarily on achieving the target (weight loss of ≥2 kg); (2) assessing healthy eating, exercise habits, smoking habits, relaxation, and self-weighing; (3) providing information on the results of specific health checkups; and (4) starting an intervention period of 6 months with the interim assessment at 3 months. The initial assessment explored the following: personality traits (4 types), health checkup data concerns (10 items), symptom concerns (10 items), and the aim of the intervention (weight loss, improving fitness, symptoms, laboratory data). Chatbot-supported health information on health and health behavior was selected from 392 quizzes based on app data and was provided to participants. The KENPO-app had chatbot-supported feedback and information provision combined with a self-monitoring tool (weight, steps, and blood pressure). Data on active exercise, healthy eating, and healthy lifestyle habits were obtained using a web-based self-administered questionnaire at baseline and 12 weeks. The trial's retention rate was 95% (74/78). The adherence to daily self-weighing, wearing the pedometer, and blood pressure monitoring in the KENPO-app group was significantly higher than those in the active control group. Compared with the active control group, the median body weight and BMI of the intervention group significantly decreased at 3 months (-0.4, IQR -2.0 to 0.6 kg vs -1.1, IQR -2.7 to -0.5 kg; P=.03; -0.1, IQR -0.6 to 0.3 kg vs -0.4, IQR -0.8 to -0.2 kg; P=.02, respectively). The intervention increased the percentage of participants who self-reported taking ≥8000 steps, eating vegetables before rice, eating slowly, and relaxing. Personality traits were associated with the degree of weight loss in the intervention group. The SHG-specific KENPO-app was feasible and induced modest but significant weight loss in adults with obesity. University Hospital Medical Information Network Center UMIN000046263; https://tinyurl.com/bderys3b.

Financial Management Skills and Utilization of Youth Enterprise Development Fund among Youth Groups in Baringo South Constituency, Kenya

The Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) was introduced in 2006 as a strategy to broaden economic opportunities and promote youth participation in nation building. The effective utilization of the fund is vital if its objective of empowering young people through entrepreneurship. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between financial management skills and the utilization of business development fund among youth groups in Baringo South Constituency. The study specifically sought to determine the relationship between investment decision making process, financial record management, saving behavior and cash flow management and the utilization of the YEDF in Baringo South Constituency, Baringo County, Kenya. Financial self-efficacy theory, goal setting theory, contingency theory and information asymmetry theory formed theoretical basis for this research. Researched entities was 22 YEDF-funded MSEs in Baringo South Constituency's. The study’s sample size was made up of 88 group officials, four fund managers and three youth fund officials. Questionnaires were used in the collection of primary data. Prior to the study, a pilot was conducted in Koibatek to test data gathering devices. Research data was collected qualitatively and quantitatively. Data was presented using tables and charts. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used in the quantitative statistical analysis. The mean, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages are used in descriptive. The study established a positive and significant relationship between the three independent variables: investment decision making, financial record management and saving behavior, and YEDF utilization among youth groups in Baringo South Constituency, Kenya. The study found a weak positive and significant relationship between cash flow management and YEDF utilization among youth groups in Baringo South Constituency, Kenya. The study recommended that entrepreneurial training for youth enterprises, and distinct saving accounts to assist youth groups organize their finances. It also emphasized on the importance of cash flow statements to help investors and shareholders understand how much money group is producing and spending. The study suggested that further studies should be conducted on financial management skills and use of government financial kits such Uwezo funds, Women Enterprise Development funds should be conducted. Keywords: Financial management skills, investment decision, financial records, saving behavior, cash flow, fund utilization.

Effects of performance appraisals on employee productivity in the banking sector in Kenya

Banks have implemented performance appraisals to enhance employee productivity whichwas triggered by the high targets set across the industry. The aim of this study was todetermine the effects of appraisals in line with the impact of performance appraisal criteria,feedback, and reward and competence assessment on employee productivity in these banks.The significance of the study is therefore of great importance to the Banks managementteams and the Banks employees. This research was based on three theories which include theAdam‘s Equity Theory, Goal Setting theory and the implicit theory which underpins thisstudy.
 This research applied descriptive research design. The target population was all commercialbanks in Kenya. The sampled banks were selected from a list of banks in Kenya as per theCentral Bank
 Classification using the systematic sampling technique. Primary data was collected using aquestionnaire which was coded and entries made into Statistical package for social sciencesfor analysis. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were carried out. The study concludedthat the main performance appraisal indicators used significantly influence employeeproductivity in Kenya‘s banking sector. It is therefore recommended that the salary receivedby the employees be commensurate with their job description and employees should receivepromotion based on their productivity and that they should be taken for further trainingfrequently.

An updated meta-analysis of the primed goal-organizational behaviour relationship.

Environmental cues (e.g. achievement-related words and pictures) can prime/activate, in the absence of awareness, a mental representation of importance stored in memory. Chen et al.'s 2021 Applied Psychology: An International Review 70, 216-253. (doi:10.1111/apps.12239) meta-analysis revealed a moderate, significant overall effect for the goal priming-organizational behaviour relationship, with three moderators identified: context-specific versus a general prime, prime modality (i.e. visual versus linguistic) and experimental setting (field versus laboratory). An independent researcher found that their finding was negligibly affected by a publication bias. Shanks & Vadillo (2021), Royal Society Open Science 8, 210544. (doi:10.1098/rsos.210544) (field: k = 13, N = 683, d = 0.64), questioned Chen et al.'s conclusion regarding the effect size found in field studies (field: k = 8, N = 357, d = 0.68). In this paper, we discussed Shanks & Vadillo's selection of additional field experiments that led to their conclusion of a publication bias. We updated Chen et al.'s meta-analysis to include relevant studies conducted since that study's publication. The present meta-analysis reproduced the original findings in Chen et al. (field: k = 11, N = 534, d = 0.67). The updated findings are consistent with: (i) laboratory findings, (ii) the findings obtained in field experiments on consciously set goals and (iii) goal setting theory (Latham & Locke, 2018 In Handbook of industrial, work & organizational Psychology, vol. 1 (eds D Ones, N Anderson, C Viswesvaran, H Sinangil), pp. 103-124).

Employee Retention Management and Brand Performance in the Hotel Industry of Rwanda

Employee retention challenges continue to grow, prompting the need to attract and retain employees, as they play a significant role in hotel brand performance. The study's purpose was to determine the relationship between employee retention management and brand performance in the hotel industry in Rwanda. The study was guided by three specific objectives including; evaluating the relationship between recruitment and brand performance, determining the relationship between training and brand performance and establishing the relationship between succession planning and brand performance in the hotel industry of Rwanda. The study was based on three theories: expectancy theory, goal-setting theory, and resource-based theory. A descriptive research design was used in the study. The study employed a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative data collection. The study's target population consisted of 980 employees. To obtain a sample size of 244 respondents, the study used simple random sampling and census techniques. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect primary data. The quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS, and the qualitative data were analyzed with thematic analysis. According to the study findings, p=0000.05 with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.844. The findings revealed that there was a moderately significant relationship between employee retention management and brand performance. According to the findings, there was a significant moderating relationship between employee retention management and brand performance in Rwanda's hotel industry. The study also concluded that effective employee retention management practices, such as recruitment, training, and succession planning, were critical for improving hotel brand performance. The study recommended that to improve their brand performance, hotels in Rwanda and similar settings should priorities effective employee retention management practices, according to the study. Keywords: Employee retention, Management, Brand performance, Hotel industry, Rwanda &nbsp

Influence of Training Programs on Motivation in Selected Cooperatives in Nepal

This study aims to examine the influence level of training on employee motivation in selected Saving and Credit Co-operative Sector in Kathmandu valley. This is a descriptive study. The study applied a quantitative research design. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The study applied judgmental sampling. Responses were entered in Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), where statistical analysis was done. Inferential statistics i. e., correlation, and regression analysis were applied for data analysis. Multiple correlations indicate that employee competency, employee job knojob knowledge, technique, skill, and high correlation with motivation. The multiple linear regression model of employee motivation is significantly well-fitted to the given dataset. There is a satisfactory level of a significant and positive relationship between employee competency and motivation. The regression coefficient indicates that there is an insignificant and positive correlation between employee job knowledge and motivation. Both employee technique and employee skill have an insignificant and positive relationship with motivation. There is a significant, positive, and low relationship between employee morale and motivation. It is concluded that there is a significant relationship between dimensions of training and employee motivation. The training program helps to increase the motivation of employees in Cooperative Societies. The findings of this research study particularly support the Goal-Setting Theory. According to this theory, high self-efficacy individuals should be well-trained to achieve goals that lead to employee motivation. The research study will be helpful to the policymaking level both in the government and private sector.

Setting goal difficulty in monetary incentives to physicians: evidence from an online health knowledge-sharing platform

PurposePrior studies on the impact of incentives on physicians’ online participation mainly focused on different incentives while ignoring the difficulty of setting monetary incentives efficiently. Based on goal-setting theory, the current research examines the relationship between incentives with goals of varying difficulty and professional health knowledge sharing (PHKS) in online health knowledge-sharing platforms (OHKSPs).Design/methodology/approachFour field experiments with different monetary incentives were conducted by one of China’s largest OHKSPs, with whom the researchers cooperated in data collection. Monthly panel data on 10,584 physicians were collected from September 2018 to December 2019. There were 9,376 physicians in the treatment group and 1,208 in the control group. The authors used a difference-in-difference (DID) model to explore the research question based on the same control group and the Chow test with seemingly unrelated estimation (sureg) to compare regression coefficients between four groups. Several robustness checks were performed to validate the main results, including a relative time model, multiple falsification tests and a DID estimation using the propensity score matching method.FindingsThe results show that the monetary incentive significantly positively affected the volume of physicians’ PHKS directly with negative spillover to the duration of physicians’ PHKS. Moreover, the positive effect of incentives with higher difficulty on the volume of physicians’ PHKS was significantly smaller than that of incentives with low difficulty. Finally, professional title had a positive moderating effect on the volume of goal difficulty setting and did not significantly moderate the effect on the duration of physicians’ PHKS.Research limitations/implicationsSome limitations of this study are: firstly, because the field experiments were enterprise benefit oriented, the treatment and control groups were not balanced. Secondly, the experiments for different incentive measures were relatively similar, making it challenging to validate a causal effect. Finally, more consideration should be given to the strategy for setting hierarchical incentives in future research.Originality/valueThe research indicates that monetary incentives have a bilateral effect on PHKS, i.e. a positive direct effect on the volume of physicians’ contributions and a negative spillover effect on the duration of physicians’ PHKS. The professional titles of physicians also moderate such bilateral switches of PHKS. Furthermore, when a physician’s energy is limited, the goal difficulty setting of the incentive mechanism tends to be low. The more difficult the incentives are, the more inefficient the effects on physicians’ PHKS will be.

The impact of implementation intentions on the transfer of training from a management development program

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to further develop our understanding of transfer of training by introducing an additional post training transfer intervention of implementation intentions. This enhances the substantial developments made by goal setting theory but concentrates on goal achievement rather than simply goal setting. Whilst goal intentions specify what a person wants to achieve, implementation intention specifies the behaviour to be performed and the situational context it is to be performed in. This is a qualitative study based on a management development program being delivered in one UK Higher Education Institute. Data was collected from reflective learning journals and semi structured interviews with 15 participants. Findings indicate that the use of an implementation intention statement encouraged transfer in 67% of the participants. This is a higher figure than any other study not using implementation intentions, has previously recorded. This study therefore advances scholarship in the field of Human Resource Development (HRD) and especially transfer of training. It also provides practical utility for organisations looking to gain a return from their investment in HRD.

Mixed Martial Arts As a Way of Life: Going Beyond The Black Belt And Engaging in Life-Long Learning

In this qualitative study, we explored the experiences of 10 adults who trained in mixed martial arts (MMA) to understand the meaning they ascribed to attaining the black belt and their martial arts journal overall. Using a conventional content analysis, four themes were derived from the data: importance of the black belt, benefits of training in MMA, dealing with injuries, and being part of the MMA community. Training in MMA was very positive, with both individual benefits (improved physical and mental health, skill development, and personal growth) and interpersonal benefits (relationship development and sense of community) being reported. Self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) and goal setting theory (Locke & Latham, 2002) are used to discuss participants’ motivation in their pursuit of the black belt and continued training.

TIPS TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE’S MOTIVATION

Motivation to work is an objective phenomenon. When the work to be done is in the employee's interest, he does his best to do it. This interest can be tangible, intangible, or both. Scientists have always studied the problem of motivation. Over the years, they have developed many theories. They are: A. Maslow's theory of hierarchy of needs, K. Alderfer theory, D. McClelland's theory, F. Gertzberg's two-factor’s theory, Porter-Lawler's theory and others. There are also modern theories of motivation - the theory of three demands, the theory of goal setting, the theory of justice and others. None of the current theories of motivation are universal, i.e. those that could be implemented in companies to increase employee’s motivation. Studies conducted in the USA have shown that 73% of employees work in a "sleeping" state. This means that at the place of employment they do not have the proper motivation to work with all their efforts. The number of people who work enthusiastically is few. Their motivation is the work itself. The rest of the people need a material motive, and not the same, but different, because their social situation and psychological type are different as well. The motivation of workers, in contrast to less developed countries, is always higher in highly developed countries, because there people have to fight for self-sufficiency. And the majority of workers in poor countries, while his/her and their families survival from starvation is in a question, it does not have the luxury of taking care to know and recognize his cosmic destiny. This is the reality of poor countries. One such underdeveloped and poor country is Georgia, as well as its employed population. Motivation, whether it is moral or material, gives a person the perseverance to pursue a goal. It is the motivating and directing reason for human behavior [5. p. 16]. Through it, a person's efforts to achieve a goal are more energetic, purposeful and unwavering [6. p. 379-380]. To put it more simply, the efforts of motivated people at work contain three important elements: human energy, direction and strength [7. p. 28-29]. The motive should be selected by the manager in such a way that he can develop all these three elements in the employee. The first element expresses the intensive work of the employee, the second element - correctly directed work, and the third, not once, but continuously, solid work [8. p. 607]. In order to strengthen the motivation of employees, Georgian scientists give the following advice to managers:  Choose a hardship pay strategy;  Give employees freedom and independence in performing tasks;  Let them participate in management decisions;  Make them feel respected from your side;  Plan the work task according to their habits, character and abilities and more. As can be seen from this list of tips, Georgian scientists advise managers to be able to choose the right motivator for each employee. They should have a partnership and almost friendly attitude with the employees. In our opinion, to do this, managers should first divide the collective into 4 groups: The first group: employees who are characterized by an insatiable desire for success in their work. The second group: employees who need success in their work to be rewarded appropriately. The third group: employees who are constantly satisfied with the reward they receive for their work. The Fourth group: employees for whom there is no strong or weak motivator. They are constantly dissatisfied. In order for the company to achieve its goal, interest and desire through employees, it should be based on the employee's interest. Without this, the company won’t be able to receive proper compensation from the employees. For this purpose, the company should systematically study the interests of the employees, as these interests are changing over the time. Keywords: motivation; motivator; employed; material motive; spiritual motive.

Looking through goal theories in language learning: A review on goal setting and achievement goal theory.

A growing interest can be seen in the studies on the motivation related to second/foreign learning in recent decades. All in all, research verdicts designate that academic motivation plays a key function in the extent to which students are successful in their research. One of the dimensions of academic motivation is goal orientation, which accounts for why learners carry out achievement activities. This type of goal is indicative of the importance one attaches to success concerning a performance standard. Furthermore, goal setting is deemed as a significant cognitive interface that connects motivation to motivational behavior. Indeed, goal setting is an inseparable part of L2 learning that has caught the attention of many researchers. It functions as a booster of motivation and success in various fields. Goals render the activities purposeful, providing individuals with directions. Moreover, goal drives them to invest more resources and effort, pushing them to persevere in learning. The new versions of motivational theories emphasize social-cognitive components underlying motivated behavior. Therefore, they are more inclusive than traditional ones. Achievement goal theory (AGT) has been developed as a motivation-related theory in recent decades. This theory serves as an effective framework to account for motivation associated with social achievement and learning environments. It also deals with the outcomes concerning cognitive and behavioral aspects. Another theory related to motivation is the Goal setting theory, which functions as a cognitive mediator between motivation and second/foreign learning behavior. It also impacts the students' application of strategies. Drawing on the recent conceptual developments, this review seeks to make a contribution to the related literature on theories of achievement goals, i.e., AGT and goal setting associated with the L2 context. Such a review has pedagogical implications for EFL stakeholders.

Motivating servant process for employee organizational citizenship behavior towards the environment: A goal setting perspective of integrating person-organization fit model

By integrating goal setting theory and person-organization fit model (P–O Fit), this paper construct a moderated mediation model to verify the relationship between environmentally-specific servant leadership (ESSL) and employee organizational citizenship behavior towards the environment (OCBE) in China's new energy vehicle industry. A hierarchical regression analysis of two wave data from 356 superior-subordinate dyads indicates that both ESSL and person-organization fit (P–O Fit) are positively related to employee OCBE. Meanwhile, P–O Fit mediates the relationship between ESSL and employee OCBE. Furthermore, this direct and indirect effect is strengthened when team pro-environmental goal clarity (as a moderator) is higher versus lower. Our findings expand the driving mechanism of employee pro-environmental behavior at the micro level, and provide a new lens of how and when ESSL affect employee green practice. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Are deeper reflectors better goal-setters? AI-empowered analytics of reflective writing in pharmaceutical education

Reflection and goal-setting are interrelated processes in well-established educational theories to promote in-depth self-reflection and self-regulated learning. Prior studies have considered reflection to be an important antecedent for meaningful goal-setting. Yet, there lacks empirical evidence to shed light on how students' abilities to reflect inform their abilities to set goals. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to quantify the connection between students' retrospective reflection and their subsequent goal-setting, and derive more in-depth insights to benefit educators in their teaching to promote deeper reflection, more specific goal-setting and better self-regulation. To this end, we utilised two fine-grained coding schemes, adapted from well-established reflection and goal-setting theories, respectively, as well as pertinent prior studies, to annotate the reflective and goal-setting elements within 600 student responses in pharmacy curricula. We visualised such elements as a network graph to study students' joint behavioural patterns in reflecting and setting goals. Then, we statistically analysed the correlation between students' reflective levels and the goal specificities using a Mann Whitney U test. We found that (1) descriptive reflection and goals that included content and actions with additional details more commonly presented jointly; (2) students who reflected deeply tended to set more specific goals. These findings are further summarised and discussed to guide educators to adopt reflective and goal-setting practices when designing teaching activities. Moreover, driven by these findings, we emphasised the significance of aiding instructors to provide timely assessment to students' written reflections so as to further ameliorate students' reflective abilities. Therefore, we attempted to automate such assessments using five traditional machine learning algorithms and one deep learning approach based on Bidirectional Encoder Representation of Transformers (BERT), and discovered that BERT gave the best performance in terms of identifying reflective sentences and differentiating various reflective elements.

Goal-setting theory and gamification in mobile fitness application: a measurement items analysis

Goal-setting theory and gamification in mobile fitness application: a measurement items analysis

Organizational Psychology Revisited. Goal Setting Theory in Recent Years: A Systematic Literature Review

Organizational Psychology Revisited. Goal Setting Theory in Recent Years: A Systematic Literature Review

Eacher’s Professional Knowledge and Students’ Academic Performance: Evidence of TPAD Implementation in Secondary Schools in Kenya

Teacher performance appraisal and development play a crucial part in enhancing staff performance, reward, motivation, and training. A thorough inspection of most public secondary schools in Transmara East Sub-County disclosed a decline in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education schools’ average performance from 2018 to 2022. It is not evident whether Teacher performance appraisal and development (TPAD) implementation has an influence on the performance of learners’ academic achievement. The investigation was steered by Goal Setting theory of motivation. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A target population of 277 respondents consisted of 1 Teacher Service Commission (TSC) Sub-County director, 34 principals, and 242 TSC teachers from 34 public secondary school teachers in Transmara East Sub-County. The project adopted a stratified random sampling technique on 164 respondents comprising 1 TSC sub-county director, 20 principals, and 143 teachers employed by TSC. Questionnaires were utilised in acquiring data from teachers while the interview schedule was given to the TSC Sub-County director and principals. The checklist was used to collect target and end-term mean scores. Data collected was examined using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative facts were evaluated by descriptive statistics, frequency, mean and standard deviation as well as a correlation for inferential statistics. The quantitative facts were illustrated using charts and tables. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, which was triangulated with quantitative data. Findings reveal that teachers in their professional knowledge, showed mastery of subject content, used appropriate teaching styles, developed required documentation and learning assessment, and utilised learning and teaching resources sufficiently. Hence, professional knowledge has a significant positive influence on the academic performance of students (P<0.05). The study concludes that professional knowledge has a significant positive influence on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Transmara East Sub-County, Kenya. The study recommended that the government should improve training, assessment, and e-resource for ICT integration in the learning and teaching of students.

Budget participation and employee performance in real estate companies: the mediating role of budget goal commitment, trust and job satisfaction

PurposeRecent years witnessed an exponential growth of the Portuguese real estate market. This growth has generated the need to implement effective management control tools to allow companies to improve their planning and monitoring of activities. Drawing on the agency and goal-setting theories, this paper explores the impact of companies' participative budgeting processes on employee performance in the real estate industry.Design/methodology/approachFor this purpose, a questionnaire was developed and a sample of 116 employees that participate in the budgeting process of real estate organizations collected, with data analyzed using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results show that participation in the budgeting process has an impact on employees' performance through budget goal commitment, trust and job satisfaction. However, no statistical support was found for the role of budgetary slack in this process.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was conducted in a single industry and is based on self-reported measures of employees that participate in the budgeting process of their organizations.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the need for real estate organizations to involve their staff in the elaboration of budgets, contributing to a higher level of commitment to established goals, job satisfaction, trust and performance. Real estate organizations should provide adequate working conditions, foster their employees' autonomy and recognize their work.Originality/valueThe findings encourage real estate companies to extend the participation in the budget process to employees and, ultimately, to mitigate the probability of budget failure.