Resource Management and Performance of Projects: A Case of Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre, Kajiado County, Kenya.

Resource Management and Performance of Projects: A Case of Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre, Kajiado County, Kenya.

Mumbo Kemunto Sheilah, Dr. Jennifer Wangari, Dr. Thomas Onsarigo

Catholic University of Eastern Africa

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.908000536

Received: 15 August 2025; Accepted: 22 August 2025; Published: 19 September 2025

ABSTRACT

Despite the importance of projects in driving growth in communities, solving problems, and improving lives across different sectors, performance issues still plague them. This results in resource waste, unsustainable results, and, in extreme situations, project failure. This study aimed to examine the influence of resource management on the performance of projects, a case of Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre in Kajiado County, Kenya. A convergent parallel research design and a mixed methods approach were utilized to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The target population was 95 individuals working on projects at ERCEC. Because of the small target population, a census method was employed to include all individuals. Utilizing surveys, quantifiable data was gathered. SPSS version 29 was utilized for the purpose of analyzing data. Statistical approaches like inferential and descriptive statistics were generated to assess relationships between variables. Interviews gathered qualitative information that was thematically assessed. To maintain the study’s integrity, ethical principles, including informed consent and confidentiality, were adhered to. The results showed that Resource Management (r = 0.388, p = 0.001 < 0.05) had a significantly positive association with Performance of Projects. The study concluded that resource management positively affects the performance of projects. Therefore, effective resource management, through proper allocation, sustainable funding, and capacity building, is crucial for maximizing project performance. This study recommends that organizations should increase donor support, improve staff budgeting skills, and diversify funding sources as ways to achieve resource management. Further research might investigate resource management and project performance in other institutional contexts.

Keywords: Resource Management, Project Management, Project Performance, Strategic Management

INTRODUCTION

Performance, in the context of projects, is defined as the capacity of projects to achieve their goals within a specific scope, time and money, while ensuring that the expected quality standards are achieved (Eteki, 2024). A project that is performing well aims to satisfy stakeholders, positively benefit the community, use resources sparingly, manage threats early, and accomplish its goals (Pierre, 2022). Additionally, such a project not only reduces risks but also promotes continuous improvement, positively supports the community, and generates a return on investment (Pierre, 2022). Despite the importance of project performance, research has demonstrated that many projects fall short of their performance expectations as they often exceed the set expense budget and thus deliver subpar results (Ajam, 2020; Ndunda and Thomas, 2024). For instance, Chukwu and Zubairu (2023) report that 98% of mega projects exceed their budgets by thirty percent. Pierre (2022) adds that for decades, poor project performance has been a characteristic of many projects globally across many sectors, including education, infrastructure, government, and environment. For example, the Big Dig highway project in the USA demonstrates poor performance. It stands out as the most expensive highway project. It experienced budget overruns that took it sixteen years to complete (Ika et al., 2023; Park, 2021). In the United Kingdom, a study by Catalao et al., (2023) revealed that big projects, specifically transport projects, experienced up to 18% budget overruns. Another study by Nazaruddin et al., (2023) in the same country found that IT projects, such as the National Health Service IT Project, faced performance issues. The project experienced issues such as financial mismanagement, uncertainty, and budget overruns, which slowed its progress. The Stuttgart 21 infrastructure initiative in Germany experienced budget overruns, which delayed its completion (Steininger et al., 2020). Despite getting a lot of funding, the sanitary initiatives in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh encountered difficulties as mismanagement of the financial resources led to ineffective infrastructure and maintenance practices (Uddin et al., 2022).

The trend of poor performance has also been observed in the African context. Reports from project evaluation have pointed out that this poor performance has led to budget overruns, delays in achieving project objectives, and in severe situations, project death (Mwandawiro et al., 2019; Ndirangu, 2021). For instance, in Nigeria, building projects frequently exceeded their allocated costs by up to 50%, leading to delays in completion (Unegbu et al., 2023). In South Africa, problems such as financial mismanagement and operational inefficiencies contributed to the poor performance of the Eskom project (Chauke, 2024). Similarly, the East African Groundnut Scheme in Tanzania performed poorly due to misallocation of resources like labor, money, and land (Rizzo, 2022). In Rwanda, the One Laptop per Child project performed poorly. The project lacked infrastructure, stable electricity, adequate internet access, and sufficient teacher preparation, which made it difficult for schools to successfully incorporate laptops into the curriculum (Faustino et al., 2024; Ghafoori, 2024).

Poor performance is also a characteristic of several projects in Kenya. A National Assembly report shows that more than 1000 initiatives run by the Kenyan government collapsed as of 2020 as a result of poor performance (National Assembly, 2021). Wanyama and Aila, (2022) noted that in the broader public sector, Kenyan parastatal projects experienced high rates of failure due to poor performance, which resulted from mismanagement of resources. In addition, Otieno and Paul (2024) state that close to fifty percent of infrastructure projects in Kenya have experienced cost overruns, which further puts an emphasis on poor project performance.

In Kajiado County, projects, especially donor-funded education projects, do not meet their goals. In the case of educational projects, a study by Wahinya et al., (2024) reports that many children in Kajiado County do not attend school because most educational projects are not implemented due to performance challenges. This finding reflects what is happening across Kenya, where projects outright fail before they even begin or have a chance to impact the community. The Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre (ERCEC), as an educational project, is strained by its significant reliance on donor funding, high operating costs, and a lack of resources for facility development (ERCEC, 2025). These challenges highlight critical resource management gaps that need to be addressed to improve project performance at ERCEC (ERCEC, 2025). Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the influence of resource management on the performance of projects at Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre in Kajiado County, Kenya.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Projects drive growth in communities by solving problems and improving lives across different sectors (Eteki, 2024). Ideally, when these projects perform well, they achieve their objectives, meet stakeholder expectations, and provide lasting benefits to the communities they serve (Khatib et al., 2020). However, in reality, many projects worldwide, including those in the USA, UK, and Germany, experience budget overruns and financial mismanagement, which results in overall poor performance (Ajam, 2020; Ndunda and Thomas, 2024). Similarly, in Africa, projects in Nigeria, South Africa, and Rwanda, experience the same, indicating poor performance. In Kenya, a National Assembly Report indicates that more than 1,000 government projects had failed by 2020 as a result of subpar performance (National Assembly, 2021). Similarly, a report by the NGO council indicates that over 50% of projects in Kenya, are considered unsustainable (Otieno et al., 2024). ERCEC as a project also faces issues such as donor dependence and high operational costs which affect its performance (ERCEC, 2025). Poor project performance often leads to stakeholder dissatisfaction, wasted resources, unsustainable results, reduced community impact, and in severe cases, project collapse.

Various researchers have credited poor performance to ineffective management of resources. For example, Mudeni et al., (2021) observed that project failures were linked to weak allocation and utilization of resources. Although previous studies have looked at how resource management affects project outcomes, there are still a number of gaps. Abdi (2020) examined resource management practices in road infrastructure projects in Wajir County. The study concentrated on government-funded road projects, which are not donor-funded education projects. Makokha and Ngugi (2022) investigated the influence of resource allocation on project implementation in Busia County government projects. Their study only looked at resource allocation and did not cover other areas of resource management like human, financial, and technological resources. Because these studies remain context-specific and limited in scope, there is still inadequate understanding of how resource management influences project performance. In order to fill that gap in knowledge, this study examined the influence of resource management on performance of projects.

THEORETICAL REVIEW

Resource-Based View Theory

The Resource-Based View Theory was developed and refined by Jay Barney in 1991, but it was originally proposed by Wernerfelt in 1984 (Barney, 1991). According to Jay Barney, the theory states that organizations are collections of unique internal resources that can be used to gain competitive advantage and improve performance (Barney, 1991). All the processes, expertise, characteristics, capabilities, valuable data, and equipment, which organizations use to effectively carry out projects and improve their performance, form the unique internal resources (Ahmed et al., 2018). The basic premise of this theory is that not all resources available to the project or an organization are necessarily strategic in nature. According to this theory, resources must have specific characteristics in order to contribute to improved performance and success. These attributes are listed as; rare, difficult to imitate, valuable, and non-substitutable (Barney, 1991; Lubis, 2022).

RBV theory directly impacts project performance, which emphasizes that successful projects successfully mobilize, develop, and integrate valuable, uncommon, unique, and irreplaceable resources. Thus, its application for this study (Ajam, 2020; Marrewijk et al., 2024). Since all organizations have assets, the success of their projects depends on their willingness to properly utilize them (Mwikya and Khamah, 2020).

Among the strengths of RBV theory, is that it highlights how rare, difficult to imitate, valuable, and non-substitutable resources drive competitive advantage and performance. Thus, it enables organizations to focus on their strengths rather than constantly seeking external opportunities. This further ensures the protection of resources from external threats which enables an organization to gain competitive advantage across various projects  (Barney, 1991; Lubis, 2022; Wernerfelt, 1984).

RBV has been criticized for being static, thus it cannot be applied in rapidly changing environments (Widjaja and Yuga, 2020). It also does not factor in the influence of external factors like market trends, competition, or regulatory environments, which are critical for project performance (Truijens, 2003). RBV is still useful, despite the criticisms, since it offers a strong background for how the success or failure of projects is affected by existing resources.

EMPIRICAL REVIEW

Resource management is the process of setting up, arranging, and keeping track of the assets of an institution such as people, technology, and finances  (Nekoye and Wairimu, 2024). This approach ensures that project activities are carried out effectively and that resources are used for the right purposes, which further enables a project to succeed (Baraka and Shukla, 2021). In addition, proper management of assets also assists projects not to encounter risks of misallocation or lack of. According to Ployhart (2021), it also avoids constraints and delays, which negatively affect performance. Human assets and capabilities are very important in project success and improved performance because they are directly involved in how projects are carried out. They are the actual people who interact with the activities of a project and are also the drivers of performance (En et al., 2022). Therefore, their management is important. To improve performance, it is necessary to choose team members and staff who are well-trained, possess the core skills and relevant experiences, and then place them in roles where they excel (Agustian et al., 2023). Lopez-Lemus et al. (2024) affirm this as their study found that successful projects are the result of competent and effective team members. This demonstrates how good human resource management enhances project performance. The money and capital that a project uses to fund its operations, make investments, and pay for expenses are known as financial assets (Aradukunda and Sikubwabo, 2024). Project success is influenced by financial assets, which makes sure that there is enough money to cover the necessary expenses and ensure completion of project activities. When resources are sufficient, projects are able to be carried out more effectively and accomplish their goals easily (Okereke, 2022). The world today relies on technology and innovation to run efficiently. It may include platforms, tools, software, machinery, digital pools, and equipment that play a key role in the management of modern-day projects (Sapta et al., 2021). Therefore, project teams need to adopt relevant technology that will support the smooth operations of a project. Apart from being efficient, technology makes fewer mistakes unlike humans, also has capabilities such as monitoring the progress of activities, making communication seamless, and it is fast, all of which are essential for improved project performance (Adegbite et al., 2023).

Researchers López-Lemus et al., (2024) investigated business success in Mexico and its relationship with human resource performance. The research focused on efficiency and effectiveness, and how these impacted the success of business projects. The research included 502 individuals and utilized three research designs: observational, explanatory, and transversal. The research revealed that business project success and performance of human resources, specifically, efficiency (r = 0.64) and effectiveness (r = 0.65), had a positive and strong relationship. Human resource effectiveness was also shown to significantly improve project efficiency (ß = 0.46) and success (ß = 0.89). This demonstrates how successful projects are fueled by efficient human resource management.

Baraka and Shukla, (2021) researched the impact that resource management practices had on building projects in Rwanda. The study also investigated the factors affecting these practices, how these practices influenced the performance of projects, and how skills in the management of resources affect planning in building projects. The results showed a significant and favorable relationship between management of resources and building project success (r = 0.941). This demonstrates how project performance is significantly enhanced by efficient management of resources.

A case study of Kigali city was investigated by Aradukunda and Sikubwabo, (2024). The investigation aimed to examine how public institutions’ project performance was affected by the management of financial capabilities. The study looked at two things: control of finances, planning for the finances, and what impact they had on the performance of public institutions’ projects. As per the results, management of financial resources was strongly correlated to performance. The same was also observed between performance and planning of financial resources. Thus, improved performance is a result of effective planning of financial resources. The study also found that a 1% improvement in project performance could be attributed to management of financial resources. Therefore, controlling these resources leads to the success of initiatives.

In Kenya, the relationship between advances in technology and the performance of firms was examined by Chege et al., (2020). The inquiry included 240 businesses that provided the data for analysis. The findings of the investigation showed that advances in technology positively improved the performance of the firms.

The impact of management of assets on the performance of road initiatives in Wajir, was researched by Abdi (2020). With a specific focus on allocation, planning, monitoring, and scheduling, the study used a design that was descriptive. According to the findings, project performance was positively impacted by the allocation, planning, monitoring, and scheduling of these assets.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A convergent parallel research design was employed to guide the mixed methods approach in this investigation. In a convergent parallel research design, the qualitative and quantitative data are gathered simultaneously. However, each type of data is gathered and analyzed separately using different methods (Dawadi et al., 2021). A mixed-methods approach enables a researcher to gather both narrative and numerical information in one study. This approach was used in this investigation because gathering both data provides a depth in knowledge and an understanding of the study inquiry. This further makes the research more comprehensive as it allows the collection of in-depth and detailed information (Dawadi et al., 2021). The target population for this study included 95 individuals directly involved in or influencing the operations and performance of projects at Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre in Kajiado County. A census approach was used to include all 95 individuals since the target population was small. Information was gathered using two tools, an interview guide to gather descriptive data, and a questionnaire to collect statistical data. Using questionnaires allowed the individuals participating in the study to respond in a consistent way. Questionnaires targeted all respondents at ERCEC as they directly engage with the projects and provided firsthand insights into their performance. Interviews offer a chance to gather information and examine the issue and the surrounding that informs the opinion and response of the participant (Mugenda and Mugenda, 2003). For this study, interviews targeted the management staff. These are key decision-makers and individuals with specialized knowledge who provided in-depth insights into strategic management and project performance. Since this study collected both numerical and narrative information, the analyses were conducted separately. These analyses were directly aligned with the study’s single objective, which was to examine the influence of resource management on project performance at ERCEC. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, linear regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA), while qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic approach, which involved transcribing responses, coding them into categories, and identifying emerging patterns to provide deeper explanations. To ensure ethical standards were adhered to, the study ensured that everyone was aware and consented to the investigation being carried out within their borders. The identities of the individuals participating remained discrete. They were also informed that the information they filled in the surveys and interview guides would only be used for scholarly reasons.

FINDINGS

Descriptive statistics

To examine the influence of resource management on project performance at Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre, the investigation employed a Likert scale with five levels of agreement, asking participants to rate their agreement or disagreement with each statement. Table 1 displays their generated responses.

Table 1 Descriptive Statistics for Resource Management

A total of 72 respondents completed the questionnaires, as shown in Table 1. 14 (19.4%) strongly agreed, 21 (29.2%) agreed, 17 (23.6%) were neutral, 4 (5.6%) disagreed strongly, and 16 (22.2%) respondents disagreed that project activities are completed within budget. The standard deviation (1.19) was above the overall standard deviation (1.10), while 3.35 was the average, lower than the aggregate mean of 3.54. This demonstrates how the statement negatively affects project performance.

Out of the 72 respondents who filled out the questionnaires, 19 (26.4%) strongly agreed, 23 (31.9%) agreed, 18 (25.0%) remained indifferent, 10 (thirteen point nine percent) disagreed, and two disagreed strongly that financial resources are allocated appropriately to meet project needs. The statement’s average score was 3.65, above the aggregate mean, 3.29. The standard deviation 1.10 matched the composite value. This demonstrates that it positively influences project performance.

On the statement regarding adequate human resources being deployed to carry out project activities, 12 respondents (16.7%) strongly agreed, 21 agreed (29.2%), 28 (38.9%) remained indifferent, one (1.4%) agreed strongly, and ten (13.9%) disagreed. The composite mean was 3.54, higher than the mean, 3.29. Zero point nine eight was the standard deviation, lower than the combined value of 1.10. This demonstrates that it positively influences project performance.

Those who responded that technological resources are enough to support project activities, 18 (25.0%) strongly agreed, 20 (27.8%) agreed, 23 (31.9%) were indifferent, 10 (13.9%) disagreed, and one (1.4%) disagreed strongly. 3.61 and 1.06 demonstrated the mean and the standard deviation, respectively. This came in just above and below their composites, respectively. This demonstrates that it positively influences project performance.

Thirteen respondents (18.1%) strongly agreed, eleven (15.3%) disagreed, twenty (27.8%) were indifferent, and three (4.2%) disagreed strongly that well-managed resources improve project performance. 3.47 and 1.09 demonstrated the mean and the standard deviation, respectively, both below their composite scores. This demonstrates it positively influences project performance.

On the statement, the project frequently experiences financial constraints that stop project activities. 18 respondents (25.0%) strongly agreed, 17 (23.6%) agreed, 25 (34.7%) remained indifferent, and three (4.2%) disagreed strongly. The findings indicated an average of 3.53 and 1.13, demonstrated the standard deviation, above the composite of 1.10. The statement shows that project operations are often interrupted by financial constraints, which are thought to negatively affect project performance.

On the statement, that poor allocation of resources leads to delays in project completion, twenty-one (20.2%) remained neutral, eighteen (25.0%) strongly agreed, two (2.8%) strongly disagreed, twenty-two (30.6%) agreed, and nine (12.5%) disagreed that poor allocation of resources leads to delays in project completion. 1.08 was found to be the standard deviation, while 3.63 was found to be the average. They were both below the overall standard deviation and above the overall average, respectively. The statement implies that poor resource allocation is commonly seen as a critical element that adversely affects project performance by resulting in completion delays.

There were twenty two (30.6%) respondents who agreed, 24 (33.3%) respondents who were indifferent, 3 (4.2%) who strongly disagreed, and 14 respondents (19.4%) who strongly agreed that, available resources are not enough to carry out projects to completion. This statement scored less than the overall average (3.54) and slightly below the combined standard deviation (1.10). This implies that inadequate resources negatively affects project performance by impeding the successful completion of the project.

Out of the seventy two participants who filled the survey, 18 (25.0%) strongly agreed, 15 (20.8%) agreed, there were 24 who were indifferent, three who disagreed strongly, and twelve who disagreed that the technological resources available are outdated. The statistics indicated a standard deviation and mean of 1.16 and 3.46 respectively. This demonstrates that, outdated technology resources are viewed as a problem that negatively effects project performance.

On the statement, poor resource management negatively affects project outcomes; a total of 72 respondents completed the questionnaires. Of these, 21 (29.2%) strongly agreed, and 25 (34.7%) agreed, 13 (18.1%). Those who strongly disagreed were two (2.8%) and those who disagreed were eleven (15.3%). This statement scored above 3.54 overall mean and slightly above the combined standard deviation. This suggests that ineffective resource management is frequently seen as a major element that impairs project performance.

In summary, the results demonstrate that, technological and financial resources are typically managed well, improving project success. On the other hand, problems like unfinished projects because of financial limitations, inadequate resource distribution, and antiquated technology were identified as difficulties. Therefore, while several components of resource allocation are generally functioning well, there are still some crucial areas that require improvement to increase project performance, namely staffing, technology, and financial sufficiency.

The respondents were asked by the researcher how financial, human, and material resources are allocated and managed to ensure the successful implementation of projects. One respondent noted:

“We are very strict with our budget and budgeting process which is in line with the overall strategic plan. The budgets are reviewed and approved by relevant committees, such as finance and project steering, to ensure they align with available funds and strategic priorities. To add to that, project teams are carefully selected based on skills, experience, and availability.” (Personal Communication No. 1, 2025).

Another interviewee added:

“We are also very keen on time management, because we know that the time scope has got very close relationship with even financial resources. We also ensure competitive bidding when we are doing all our procurements. In addition, we carry out regular progress reviews to see how resources are being utilized.” (Personal Communication No. 2, 2025).

The researcher also asked what the main resource-related challenges encountered in project execution, and how the institution addresses them. The respondent said that,

“Funding limitations is a major resource-related challenge. Since we largely depend on donor funding to run this Centre, we are very keen on prioritizing and maintaining strong relationships with donors and partners in order to secure timely disbursements and sustaining ongoing project activities.” (Personal Communication No. 3, 2025).

Another respondent added that,

“Relying on donor funding is unsustainable, we now do cost sharing. We ask the students to chip in with something small as a way of cost sharing. Also the Centre has introduced capacity-building initiatives and aims to support continuous professional development” (Personal Communication No. 4, 2025).

Another respondent added that,

There are delays and inefficiencies when handling purchases above a certain threshold, but as an institution, we are working on developing more robust procurement plans and working towards establishing long-term agreements with trusted suppliers. Another challenge I can note is the limited capacity of staff involved in project implementation. Also the fact that with this, we also experience gaps in expertise and insufficient personnel, this sometimes hinders the smooth execution of projects.” (Personal Communication No. 5, 2025).

Correlation Analysis between Performance of Projects and Resource Management

To ascertain how performance of projects was associated with resource management, the inquiry conducted a correlation analysis. The findings are displayed in table 2.

Table 2 Correlation Analysis between Performance of Projects and Resource Management

The results shown in Table 2 found that resource management and project performance had a moderate but statistically significant association (r = 0.388, p = 0.001 < 0.05), demonstrating that enhanced project success is linked to better resource management. Despite being moderate, the strength of the association suggests that project success is enhanced by resource management.

Regression Analysis between Performance of Projects and Resource Management

Regression analysis was administered in order to ascertain whether there was a causal relationship between resource management and project performance as conveyed in Table 3.

Table 3 Model Summary Table of Performance of Projects and Resource Management

R square was .150 meaning that 15.0% of the dependent variable’s variance could be explained by resource management. This indicates that additional factors not covered by resource management account for 85.0% of the variation in project performance. Despite being relatively low, an R Square of .150 indicates that performance is significantly impacted by resource management, albeit in limited ways. And it ought to be seen as a significant component of a larger set of factors that affect project outcomes.

An ANOVA table evaluating project performance against Resource Management was generated and presented the results in the table below.

Table 4 ANOVA Table of Performance of Projects and Resource Management

Table 4 above shows that F-static was 12.392 (p = 0.001). As a result, the alternative hypothesis was supported and the hypothesis that there is no meaningful correlation between resource management and project success at Edmund Rice Catholic Education Centre in Kajiado County, Kenya, was rejected.

The study further generated a coefficient table for Performance of Projects and Resource Management and presented the findings in Table 5.

Table 5 Coefficients Table of Performance of Projects and Resource Management

As shown above, resource management had a beta coefficients value of .211 (p = 0.001), suggesting Project Performance is positively impacted by resource management in a statistically significant way. This implies that for every unit of resource management, project performance should increase by 0.211 units. Additionally, the optimal model for the relationship becomes:

Y = 2.674 + 0.211X₂.

Where:

Y = Project Performance

X₂ = Resource Management

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Participants agreed that resource management affected project performance, as shown by a composite mean of 3.54. Most respondents concurred that sufficient human resources are deployed to carry out project activities (Mean = 3.46). Qualitative insights further supported this finding as respondents stated that human resources are distributed according to availability, skill, and experience. These results support the notion that project success is enhanced by the effectiveness of human resources. Similar conclusions were reached by Lopez-Lemus et al. (2024) who found that successful projects are the result of competent and effective team members. The quantitative finding that financial constraints impact performance (Mean = 3.53) was reinforced by interview responses citing donor reliance and cost-sharing initiatives. The participants also agreed that well managed resources improve project performance with a mean of 3.47, which agrees with a study by Okereke (2022) who found that, when resources are sufficient, projects are able to be carried out more effectively and accomplish their goals easily. The null hypothesis, which indicated that there is no meaningful correlation between project performance and resource management, was rejected based on the results of the simple linear regression. This implies that resource management was found to be a predictor of project performance. This finding agrees with a study by Baraka and Shukla (2021) on the impact that resource management practices had on building projects in Rwanda, which found that resource management had a strong positive correlation with building projects outcomes. This demonstrates how project performance is significantly enhanced by efficient management of resources. Project performance was found to be favorably and significantly correlated with resource management at a Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient of 0.388, indicating that proper allocation and utilization of financial, human, and material resources has a meaningful impact on project success. This agrees with a study by López-Lemus et al., (2024), that investigated business success in Mexico and its relationship with human resource performance. The research revealed that business project success and performance of human resources specifically, efficiency (r = 0.64) and effectiveness (r = 0.65), had a positive and strong relationship. This moderate relationship between project performance and management of resources indicates that resource management is important in project performance, especially in donor-supported organizations like ERCEC where implementation may be impacted by resource constraint and dependency.

These results are consistent with the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, which highlights the importance of an organization’s internal resources, including trained staff, financial resources, and efficient procedures, which are essential for attaining and maintaining performance. Project outcomes improve when resources are properly allocated and utilized, as evidenced by the positive correlation between resource management and project performance.

CONCLUSION

The study concluded that resource management positively affects performance of projects. This highlights how important it is to properly allocate and use material, financial, human, and technological resources in order to achieve project goals. A project’s chances of staying on schedule and within budget are increased by efficient procurement processes, adequate manpower, and effective planning, all of which enhance performance. The institution has made great progress in formalizing resource management practices, including careful budgeting. However, persistent challenges, such as overreliance on donor funding, delays in procurement, and workforce shortages, continue to hinder full resource optimization. In sum, strengthening internal systems, securing sustainable funding sources, and building human capacity is essential towards maximizing how outcomes of a project are affected by the use of resources.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The study showed that financial constraints negatively affected project performance, therefore, ERCEC may consider diversifying its sources of finance to reduce overdependence on donors.
• The study showed that even though human resources were deployed according to skill and experience, capacity gaps still exist, therefore, the institution might consider educating their employees on proper budgeting and resource planning to prepare them on better management of the resources.
• The study revealed that resource management is a predictor of project success, therefore, donors and policymakers may support ERCEC by aligning funding conditions with long-term sustainability planning, ensuring that resource management practices are institutionalized rather than project-specific.

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