Behavior Change Strategies and Performance of State Corporations in Kenya: A Case Study of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service

Author

Florence Musili, Angeline Wambugu


Abstract

 This study examined the relationship between behavior change strategies and the performance of state corporations in Kenya, using the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) as a case study. Four strategies were assessed: communication strategies, training and capacity-building, incentives and reinforcement, and participatory engagement. A descriptive research design was adopted. From a target population of 506 employees, a stratified random sample of 224 was drawn using Yamane's formula, and 213 usable questionnaires were returned (response rate 95.09%). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression in SPSS. Respondents rated the strategies favorably, with agreement on the best-rated item of each strategy ranging from 55.9% to 70.0%, although reward fairness (40.8%), promotion transparency (38.0%), coaching and mentoring (44.6%), consultative forums (44.6%) and ownership during organizational change (42.7%) were rated lower. Each strategy correlated positively with organizational performance: communication (r = 0.683), training and capacity-building (r = 0.714), incentives and reinforcement (r = 0.596) and participatory engagement (r = 0.658). The four strategies jointly explained 71.7% of the variation in performance (R² = 0.717; adjusted R² = 0.712). All regression coefficients were positive and significant (p < 0.001): training and capacity-building (β = 0.287), communication (β = 0.218), participatory engagement (β = 0.203) and incentives and reinforcement (β = 0.164). The study concludes that behavior change strategies are an important determinant of state corporation performance and recommends that KEPHIS and similar institutions prioritize continuous training, strengthen feedback and transparency, make reward and promotion systems fair and explicit, and institutionalize employee consultation in organizational change.



Keywords

behavior change strategies; organizational performance; state corporations; communication; training and capacity-building; incentives and reinforcement; participatory engagement; KEPHIS; Kenya



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References


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