http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/1282 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PROCUREMENT AND MANAGEMENT,SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, 2026-08-25T22:46:43Z 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 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 2026-08-11T00:00:00Z http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7100 Strategic Capabilities and Performance of Pharmaceutical Companies in Kenya Okok, Meshack Owira The pharmaceutical industry in Kenya operates in an environment characterized by rising competition, regulatory pressure, and rapid market changes, all of which require firms to develop capabilities that support sustained performance. This study examined the influence of strategic capabilities on the performance of pharmaceutical companies in Kenya, with firm characteristics considered as a moderating variable. The study was informed by the Innovation Diffusion Theory, Knowledge-Based Theory, Porter’s Competitive Theory, and Dynamic Capabilities Theory. Specifically, the study assessed the influence of technological capability, marketing capability, dynamic capability, and human resource capability on firm performance. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population comprised 415 pharmaceutical companies operating in Kenya, including manufacturers and distributors. A stratified random sample of 103 respondents was selected. Primary and secondary data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to examine the relationship between strategic capabilities and firm performance. The findings revealed that technological capability had a positive and significant association with firm performance (r = 0.685, p = 0.000). Marketing capability was also positively and significantly associated with firm performance (r = 0.608, p = 0.000). In addition, dynamic capability showed a positive and significant association with firm performance (r = 0.653, p = 0.000), while human resource capability was positively and significantly associated with firm performance (r = 0.624, p = 0.000). The four strategic capabilities jointly explained 53.4% of the variation in firm performance. After introducing firm characteristics as a moderating variable, the coefficient of determination increased from 53.4% to 56.0%, indicating that firm characteristics strengthened the relationship between strategic capabilities and performance. The study concludes that strategic capabilities are important drivers of the performance of pharmaceutical companies in Kenya and that firm characteristics play a meaningful moderating role in this relationship. The findings provide useful evidence for managers, policy makers, and scholars seeking to strengthen organizational performance in the Kenyan pharmaceutical sector. PhD in Business Administration (Strategic Management Option) 2026-08-10T00:00:00Z http://localhost/xmlui/handle/123456789/7099 Project Management Practices and Implementation of County-Funded Road Projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya Leley, Julius Kipketer Government projects are vital to the citizens, who are the primary beneficiaries. Funded projects seek to address socio-economic developmental challenges facing the marginalized population. Therefore, such projects’ failure brings with it a profound negative socio-economic impact to the project beneficiaries. Pretorius, Steyn, and Jordaan (2012) report that fewer projects globally are completed within budget or meet original goals and business objectives. The general objective of this study was to examine the influence of project management practices in implementing county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to establish the relationship between project planning and implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County, to assess the relationship between project team management and implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County, to determine the relationship between project monitoring and evaluation and implementation of county funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County, to find out the relationship between project stakeholder involvement and implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County and to determine the moderating effect of government regulation on implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County. The study was guided by the Resource-Based View Theory, Goal Setting Theory and Institutional Theory. The positivist philosophy was used to drive the study. The research used a descriptive survey to establish conclusions about how project management practices influence the delivery of county-funded road improvements in Uasin Gishu County. The study was conducted in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. According to the Uasin Gishu County report (2023), there were a total of 250 employees in the management-level positions under the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. The unit of analysis was therefore County-Funded Road Projects in Uasin Gishu County, while the unit of observation was 250 management employees. The research employed Taro Yamane’s (1967) sample size calculation, assuming a 5% error term. The research picked 153 people from a target sample of 250 employees. Employees who work on road construction in Uasin-Gishu County make up the majority of this group. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data, whereas descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis, and stepwise regression analysis) were used in analysing quantitative data with the help of the SPSS statistical software. The study used a 95% confidence level. Based on the findings, the study concluded that project planning positively and significantly influences the implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County. In addition, the study concluded that project team management positively and significantly influences the implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County. Further, the study concluded that project monitoring and evaluation positively and significantly influences implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County. The study also concluded that project stakeholder involvement positively and significantly influences the implementation of county-funded road projects in Uasin Gishu County. The study concludes that Government regulation has a significant moderating effect on the influence of implementation of county-funded xxiii road projects in Uasin Gishu County. This study, therefore, recommended that the Uasin Gishu County should prioritise project planning, project team management, project monitoring and evaluation, and project stakeholder involvement. PhD in Project Management 2026-08-10T00:00:00Z