http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/1282 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PROCUREMENT AND MANAGEMENT,SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, Wed, 16 Sep 2026 01:23:28 GMT 2026-09-16T01:23:28Z http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7114 Project Management Practices and Performance of the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Program in Kenya Wanyonyi, Rogers Wenga County government projects have been a challenge in Kenya although they play a significant role in promoting social services and economic development. The National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Programme (NARIGP) has a low percentage of completed projects with many abandoned due to poor project management practices. The study was designed to assess the influence of project management practices on the performance of NARIGP in Kenya. Specifically, this study examined the effect of stakeholder participation, project planning, project resource mobilization, and project monitoring on the project performance of NARIGP while evaluating the moderating role of Project Management Information System (PMIS). An explanatory research design was used to carry out the study covering a stratified sample of 146 respondents selected from a target population of 229. Data was for the study collected through semi structured questionnaires that were administered using Google forms. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data after coding and entering them in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 27). Additionally, the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The study established that stakeholder participation, project planning, project resource mobilization, and project monitoring significantly influenced project performance. The study also established that PMIS significantly moderated the relationship between project management practices and project performance except for project planning. The study concluded that effective project management practices had a positive effect on the performance of NARIGP. The study recommended that county governments should invest more in stakeholder participation, project planning, project monitoring, and use PMIS to increase the efficiency of project resource mobilization and overall performance of the NARIGP projects. PhD in Project Management Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7114 2026-09-15T00:00:00Z http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7112 Influence of User-generated Content on Local Film and Television Production in Kenya Mulinya, Sheila Joy The advent of digital technology and the rapid growth of social media platforms have ushered in a new era of media consumption that is characterized by the increased production and dissemination of User-Generated Content (UGC). This transformation has influenced the way audio-visual content is created, distributed and consumed, with local film and TV producers increasingly adopting digital platforms such as Over-The-Top Television (OTT-TV), Video-On-Demand (VOD) and vertical films that are shared on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. UGC has also introduced new models of content monetization, where creators receive direct economic incentives from audiences, brands and digital platforms. This study sought to examine the influence of UGC on local film and TV production in Kenya. The study was guided by five objectives that examined the influence of technological factors, economic incentivization, treatment, timeliness and the moderating influence of media policy on the relationship between UGC and local film and TV production in Kenya. The study was anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Disruptive Innovation Theory (DIT), Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF). A convergent parallel mixed-methods research design was adopted, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. The target population comprised 2,167 local film and TV producers and UGC creators on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Quantitative data was collected from 384 respondents who were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling, while qualitative data was further obtained from 24 key informants from relevant institutions and the local film and TV production industry such as KFC, KFCB, DFS and CA through purposive sampling. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires and interview guides. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS Version 25 through descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation, regression as well as ANOVA, while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The reliability of research instruments was established through Cronbach’s alpha testing during the pilot study. The findings reveal that UGC significantly influences local film and TV production in Kenya, with technological factors and media policy emerging as the strongest factors. The study found that digital access, internet connectivity and supportive regulatory frameworks enhance the integration of UGC into local film and TV content production processes. Although economic incentivization and timeliness positively influenced local film and TV production, their effects were not statistically significant. The study further established that media policy moderates the relationship between UGC and local film and TV production, highlighting the importance of regulatory support in maximizing the benefits of digital content creation. The study concludes that the integration of UGC, while supported by appropriate technological infrastructure and effective media policies, has the potential to transform local film and TV content production sector by improving production capacity, diversity as well as audience engagement. The study recommends strengthening of digital infrastructure, enhancing regulatory frameworks and developing supportive policies that can encourage sustainable integration of UGC within the local film and TV content production industry in Kenya. PhD in Mass Communication Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7112 2026-08-31T00:00:00Z http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7108 Capital Adequacy, Asset Quality, Earnings and Liquidity on Operational Efficiency of Commercial Banks in Kenya Wanjagi, Jedidah Agnes The study investigates the capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings quality, liquidity on operational efficiency of commercial banks in Kenya. This was guided by analyzing the effect of capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings quality, bank liquidity and operational efficiency while mark share was used as the moderating variable. Operational efficiency is viewed as a pre-requisite for the financial soundness of any banking institution. In banking literature, empirical review indicated mixed findings on the effect of capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings quality, bank liquidity and market share on the operational efficiency of the respective banks. Thus the issue of agency problems between managers and shareholders, asset liability mismatch and inefficiency remain unclear in Kenyan commercial banks. Thus this study is anchored on theories from agency theory, conventional economic efficiency theory and asset liability management theory. Quantitative research design was embraced as it aligns with the choice of positivism philosophy. Positivism philosophy was used as it allows the researcher to explore measurable and credible results from the financial statements to establish the cordial relationship amongst the variables. A census was applied with the target population being all the 43 banks listed under the Central Bank of Kenya. The study covered a period of 14 years from 2008-2022. The period is appropriate for the research since it incorporates banking sector financial reforms and issues of financial efficiency that shook the Kenyan financial system in 2008. Data was extracted from the verified audited financial statements of the banks available in the Central Bank of Kenya and the official websites of respective commercial banks. The independent variables were capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings quality and liquidity; moderating variable was market structure and dependent variable operational efficiency. In testing Panel regression model, normality, heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation, Shapiro Wilk Test, Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) and Breauch Pagan Test were used. The study used a two-step model of analysis. The first step involved the use of the Stochastic Frontier Analysis approach, where scores were estimated for each of the cross-sections under study. Second, the panel Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), was applied to regress efficiency scores on the regression model. The regression results indicate that capital adequacy demonstrates a substantial positive influence on operational efficiency of banks; however, liquidity has no significant influence on efficiency while asset quality and earnings quality lead to an increase in operational efficiency. Furthermore, the results indicated previous years’ earnings are important in determining the current year’s operational efficiency. Market structure was found to moderate effect of capital adequacy, earnings quality and liquidity on operational efficiency of banks. This implies that large banks with higher core capital often benefit from economies of scale, allowing them to spread fixed costs over a larger asset base. This can lead to lower average costs per unit of output and greater operational efficiency. Furthermore banks should seek mechanisms to improve these variables to enhance operational efficiency and ensure market readiness. PhD in Finance Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7108 2026-08-11T00:00:00Z http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7106 Disclosure as an Interpersonal Communication Strategy in Depression Management among University Students in JKUAT, Kenya Mwangi, Lilian Wamuyu Depression remains one of the leading mental health challenges affecting university students worldwide, with increasing prevalence among young adults due to academic pressures, social transitions, financial constraints, and interpersonal difficulties. In Kenya, university students continue to experience high levels of depressive symptoms despite the availability of counselling services. Although interpersonal communication is central to counselling interventions, limited empirical evidence exists on the role of disclosure practices in depression management within Kenyan universities. This study therefore examined disclosure as an interpersonal communication strategy in depression management among university students at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya. Specifically, the study investigated the influence of self-disclosure, disclosure by significant others, and therapist self-disclosure on depression management, and examined the moderating effect of individual characteristics on these relationships. The study was anchored on the Social Penetration Theory, the Disclosure Decision Model, the Communication Privacy Management Theory, and the Interpersonal Theory of Depression. A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods research design guided the study within the pragmatist research philosophy. The target population comprised approximately 44,000 undergraduate students enrolled at JKUAT, while the accessible population consisted of 1,634 undergraduate students who had attended counselling services at the University Counselling Centre within the twelve months preceding data collection. A quantitative sample of 384 students was determined using Cochran's formula, while four university counsellors participated in the qualitative strand. Consecutive purposive sampling was employed to recruit eligible student participants, while purposive sampling was used to select the counsellors based on their professional experience. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires, whereas qualitative data were obtained through key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, moderation analysis, and other appropriate inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings from both strands were integrated during interpretation to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. The findings established that self-disclosure was the strongest predictor of depression management among university students. Disclosure by significant others also demonstrated a positive and statistically significant influence on depression management, while therapist self-disclosure exhibited a positive but comparatively weaker effect. The study further established that the composite construct of individual characteristics significantly moderated the relationship between disclosure practices and depression management, indicating that the effectiveness of disclosure strategies varied across different individual characteristics. Qualitative findings corroborated the quantitative results by demonstrating that disclosure, when applied appropriately and within supportive therapeutic relationships, enhanced trust, emotional expression, and engagement in counselling, thereby strengthening depression management. The study concludes that disclosure constitutes an important interpersonal communication strategy in the management of depression among university students, although its effectiveness depends on the nature of disclosure and individual client characteristics. The study recommends that universities strengthen counselling programmes by promoting xx appropriate self-disclosure practices, enhancing supportive communication environments, and designing counselling interventions that are responsive to students' individual characteristics. The findings contribute to interpersonal communication scholarship by extending understanding of disclosure processes within mental health contexts and provide empirical evidence to inform university counselling practice, institutional mental health policy, and future research on communication-based interventions for depression management among university students. PhD in Mass Communication Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7106 2026-08-11T00:00:00Z