International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) |Volume IX, Issue IX, September 2022|ISSN 2321-2705
Strategic Direction as a Determinant on Service Quality of Accredited Universities in Kenya
Godfrey Nyongesa*, Doris Mbugua, Rose Boit
PhD student, Jomo Kenyatta university of Agriculture and Technology
*Corresponding author
Abstract: Purpose- to determine the effect of strategic direction on service quality of accredited universities in Kenya.This study was guided by the positivist domain which is a major doctrine or theory in social sciences largely used in survey types of research. The study employed both cross-sectional research design and explanatory research design. The target population comprised the 74 public and private universities in Kenya. The sample size was 222 respondents. The main data collection tool was a questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that leaders of universities illustrated a high level of agreement on strategic direction. The result further showed that strategic direction has a positive and statistically significant relationship with service quality of accredited universities in Kenya. The practical implication is that the finding that strategic direction impacts service quality in Kenyan universities is in line with the trait leadership theory. The implication of the theory is that university leaders have the responsibility to motivate employees to perform, satisfying their needs and providing them assistance in attaining their goals. These are result oriented and are based on the long term vision and strategies that leaders put in place to provide a significant impact on everyone.
Key words: Strategic Direction, Service Quality, Human Capital, Human Capital Development
I. INTRODUCTION
The quality of higher education as a service is central to a country’s development because universities train the professionals who will work as managers in organizations, and manage public and private resources, and care for the health and education of the coming generations (Oliveria, 2009). Higher education environment is a pure service that provides person-to-person interaction Oldfield and Baron (2000), and customer satisfaction in this situation is usually achieved through the quality of personal contacts (Fong & Wai, 2008). Additionally, higher education’s focus should be directed on the interests and needs of diverse factions, that includes students, employers, government, alumni, parents and funding agencies, among others (Rosza, 2010). Higher education (HE) institutions have to become more efficient with a view to compete in a global market where client expectations are rising frequently. Quality therefore is critical for success in this new normal. While the economic benefits of quality have been established for long, many HE institutions keep on ignoring them at their own peril. This is true, particularly for service quality (Sharabi, 2013).