International Journal of Management and Commerce Innovations ISSN 2348-7585 (Online) Vol. 7, Issue 2, pp: (1186-1195), Month: October 2019 - March 2020, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS ON PROJECT PERFORMANCE OF KENYA POWER AND LIGHTING COMPANY LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY PROJECT IN EMBU COUNTY, KENYA Fred Orre1, Ali .C. Ramadhani2, Dr. Muchelule Yusuf3 College of Human Resource Development JomoKenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Abstract: Stakeholders strongly influence the outcome of projects especially in complex projects with heterogeneous stakeholders, thus understanding their influence is essential to ensure project success and attainment of objectives. Kenya power and lighting company projects involve a lot of stakeholders whose interests need to be met to ensure the company is successful with its projects and to enable it provide reliable services to its customers. This study sought to understand how various stakeholders in the industry affect the performance of KPLC last mile connectivity project in Embu County. The study examined the role of: project risk management; project leadership; project planning; and project monitoring and control and how they affect the performance of projects. Ex-facto design was adopted to conduct the study in Embu County, Kenya. The study population comprise of 43 projects where 109 people inclusive of: project engineers, project managers, Connectivity officers and, clerks Technicians officers, county project representative officers, Local chiefs and local leaders, project contractors, KPLC top management in Embu region form the population. A sample size of 86 people was used. Questionnaire was the main tool for data collection where drop and pick method was adopted by the researcher to ensure that all the respondents were administered with the questionnaires. Both descriptive and inferential analysis were used for the study. Data collected was coded sorted and keyed in SPSS version 22 for analysis. The results were then be presented using tables with interpretations. The main contribution of the study was to reveal the role of stakeholders’ management on project performance in terms of; project leadership, planning, risk management, and monitoring and control. The study found that project leadership, planning, risk management, and monitoring and control had a strong positive significant correlation with performance of project. All the variables; project leadership, planning, risk management, and monitoring and control significantly influenced performance of KPLC last mile connectivity project in Embu County. The predictor variables explained 64.5% change in performance of projects. The study recommended involvement, engagement, and effective communication to stakeholders as well good project leadership that will ensure the interests and expectations of stakeholders are met. Stakeholders’ management influences the performance and success of projects to a great extent. Keywords: Stakeholders’ Management, Project performance, Last Mile Connectivity, Project Leadership, project planning.
I. INTRODUCTION According to [1] the traditional definition of a stakeholder is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organization’s objectives. Their interests is an issue that can be monetary, professional, personal, or cultural, or can arise from a host of other motivations. They play a key role in project and programme activities and serve as key links with the general beneficiary population and also with donors and project facilitators. According to [2] a stakeholder is any one or interested parties that have a stake in the project or its outcome. Stakeholders can be divided into
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