Foreign direct Investment commonly referred to as FDI is the investment by one party in a business in another country. This study’s paramount objective is the perceived effect of E-government in the promotion of foreign direct investment in Kenya. The specific objectives for this research were to evaluate the role of information accessibility and reduced uncertainty, time efficiency, cost reduction and effective governance in the promotion of foreign direct investment in Kenya. The research adopted a descriptive research design where the target population was the 327 staff who are in Job groups L-N, P-R and the policy makers holding job groups S and above and working at three organizations that are engaged with the handling of foreign direct investment in Kenya, namely;) KenInvest, the Export Promotion Council, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The study employed a multi-stage sampling technique in the selection of the respondents in the study where 87 samples were selected and 79.3% response rate achieved. Data was analyzed using descriptive measures of mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics while presentation was done using tables. The results from the study reveal that there is a strong positive correlation that exists between e-government and the level foreign direct investment (r=0.477) and that the four e-government dimensions studied explains 22.8% of the attractiveness of foreign investors to a country. The regression coefficient variables suggest that time efficiency, cost reduction and governance had a significant effect on Kenya’s FDI with their respective p-values of 0.000 and 0.010 and 0.015 being less than study significant value of 0.05. However, information accessibility and reduced uncertainty were found to be insignificant in affecting the level of foreign direct investment in Kenya recording a p value of 0.312. Due to the positive relationship recorded between e-government and foreign direct investment, the researcher recommends that the government should enhance the efficiency of its e-government platform and make it more user-friendly and offer options in terms of language accessibility. Because the findings suggest that information accessibility and reduced uncertainty characteristics of e-government platform were not significant factors to the level of FDI, it is recommended that the government improves its e-governing structure with a view to attracting FDI

Market segmentation approaches applied by small businesses in Kenya have mostly been based on very limited customer factors. This includes geographic, demographic, behavioral, and psychographic characteristics of the customer. These approaches have not entirely brought out the nature of the customers in the business. In some cases, the approaches have been based on incorrect assumptions and have also led to challenges like potentially ignoring new markets and difficulty in keeping up with changing customer needs. This research seeks to use a clustering algorithm to carry out market segmentation based on more variated and integrated data that could give more information on customer habits. The dataset that was used in this research contained integrated data on various customer and business facets. The research used the spectral co-clustering algorithm to bring out various traits on the business customers that could then be used to segment the customers into more effective markets. This research eventually brought out different market segments with varying characteristics all based on the best features in the integrated business data. This study showed that there is more data available in a business that can be used for market segmentation other than just geographical, behavioral, demographic and psychographic data. It also brought out the importance of feature selection in a dataset since different features may have different effects on sales on a business and the overall performance of a market segment. This study also contributes to research by identifying other features other than geographical, demographic, psychographic and behavioral factors that could be used to identify market segments in a small retail business. This approach is also more effective since the use of a clustering algorithm enables the discovery of patterns in business data that would not have been easy to spot with the naked eye, and the use of up-to-date business data aids the business in keeping up with customer habit changes and prevents missing out on potential markets.

The study area exhibits a first-class catena having homogenous parent material and forming a spatial continuum. This study aimed to classify the soils using a geopedological approach which involves a strong relationship between pedology and geomorphology. The area was delineated into Soil Mapping Units (SMUs) through augering into soils defined by different macro-relief. Mapping units were based on slope categories namely 0 to 5%, 5 to 8%, 8 to 16%, 16 to 30% and >30% connoted as flat to gently undulating (AB), undulating (C), rolling (D), moderately steep (E) and steep (F), respectively. Profile pits were dug in the five identified mapping units using Stratified Random Sampling technique. This technique was used because delineation was based on slope categories that acted as stratum within which profile pits were dug. Identified SMUs include UmIr/F, UmIr/E, UxIr/D, UxIr/C and UxIr/AB in the order of decreasing slope gradient. The first entry represents the physiographic unit (Uplands, U), followed by physiographic position (lower middle uplands, m or uplands, undifferentiated levels, x), geology (I), colour (r) and slope class, respectively. Topographic influence on soil properties was presented by Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) with p-value included where the influence was significant. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software for correlation and descriptive statistics. All the map units were well drained and deep to very deep (>80 cm). The colour of the upper B horizon was predominantly dark reddish brown. The texture of top horizon was clay in UmIr/F and UmIr/E and clay loam to clay, sandy clay loam to clay and loam to clay loam in UxIr/D, UxIr/C and UxIr/AB, respectively, lucidly exposing the influence of topography on the depth of clay illuviation (clay: r = 0.724; p ≤ 0.01). Clay in the top horizons ranged from 24 to 66%. The structure was predominantly subangular blocky throughout the profiles with the top horizon of cultivated areas having predominantly granular structure. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) generally decreased with increasing clay content down the profiles and the bulk density ranged from 0.9 to 1.2 gcm-3. Means of soil reaction of top horizons generally slightly decreased with decreasing gradient (r = 0.231) having lower values in cultivated areas. Percent organic carbon regularly decreased down the profiles with higher values in uncultivated, steeper areas (r = 0.521; p ≤ 0.05). It ranged from 1.66 to 4.03% in the top horizons. In the top horizon: Total nitrogen was predominantly medium across the study area ranging from 0.2 to 0.56% (r = 0.185) and followed the organic carbon trend; Available phosphorus was deficient (<20 ppm) in the study area. Bases were sufficiently to richly supplied while micronutrients were richly supplied. The Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) was predominantly medium across the profiles ranging from 15 to 27.6 cmol(+)/kg with values increasing slightly with increasing slope (r = 0.320). Based on data collected from description of the profiles and physicochemical data of the soils and according to IUSS Working Group WRB (2014) soil classification legend, the soils were classified as Mollic Nitisols. The findings of this study show that the geopedological approach to soil characterization is valuable in soil management. Spatial variability of soil properties was investigated in a selected farm (Field 3). Selected soil properties varied spatially in the field which indicates the need to blend fertilizers with targeted nutrients. Variable input application is also recommended. Soils of the study area are generally fertile for crop production but application of organic manure is recommended to buffer the acidic soil reaction and to improve nitrogen and phosphorus sources. Organic sources will help in efficient use of these nutrients and also improve soil resilience. Keywords: First class catena, Soil Mapping Units, Stratified random sampling, Mollic Nitisols, Spatial variability.

Media houses play a critical role in the communication industry providing information, entertainment, feedback and educative forums impacting national development, social communism and policing government projects. Media houses play a critical role in the communication industry providing information, entertainment, feedback and educative forums impacting national development, social communism and policing government projects.The general objective of the study was to establish the relationship between sales management practices and competitive advantage of large Media Houses in Nairobi City, Kenya. This study was based on two theories, push and pull theory and resource-based theory. The target population of the study was50 large media houses. Sales planning had a significant impact on sales management practices at moderate extent while Sales implementation and evaluation was at great extent. The study established a positive relationship between competitive advantage and sales management practices. The study concludes that there is a significant association existing between les planning, sales implementation and sales evaluation and competitive advantage hence the model of research is significant. The study recommends that the industry maps out specifically what aspects of sales management strategies are relevant to their industry and invest heavily into those aspects so as to see tangible improvement in their performance.

Investment firms and other companies listed at the NSE continue to face countless challenges recently that brought debates on financial leverage of these companies. Listed investment firms face challenges in choosing the most optimal financing decisions that will help them finance their business operations. The goal of the study was to see how financial leverage affected the performance of NSE-listed investment companies. The study’s population included all 5 NSE-listed investment companies. Leverage, entail the total debt to total assets ratio in a particular year, was used as a predictor variable. Liquidity was assessed by current ratio, total assets natural log measuring company size, and age was gauged by duration the companies were in operation. Return on assets served as the response variable for financial performance. Secondary data was collected on a yearly basis for ten years (January 2011 to December 2020). The research variables were analyzed using a descriptive design. The results yielded a 0.467 R-square value, indicating that variations in the chosen independent variables account for 46.7 percent of changes in financial performance amongst investment firms, whereas other factors accounting for 53.3% of variance in financial performance amongst NSE listed investment firms. Independent variables recorded a good relationship with company performance (R=0.683) in this study. The F statistic was significant at 5% with p<0.05, according to the ANOVA results. This demonstrated that the overall model was effective in determining the variables' relationships. Leverage had a negative as well as statistically significant impact on financial performance, but liquidity as well as age had a positive as well as statistically significant impact on the performance of the NSE listed investment companies. In this research, the size of the firm had no statistical significance. This study recommends that NSE-listed investment companies should focus on achieving the best degree of leverage, improving liquidity positions, and improving age, as the three factors has a substantial impact on their financial performance.

Firms with higher cash flows stand a higher chance of attracting investors seeking efficient opportunities to invest resources. Cash flows reveal positive impact on capital expenditure. There is a negative association among cash flows and CAPEX at low levels of cash flow but positive relationship for greater levels of net cash flow. Cash flows impact on capital expenditure rises as firm size declines. The overall objective of the study was to establish effect of cash flows on the capital expenditure of firms listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. It also aimed at reviewing the increasing body of theoretical and empirical studies that have endeavored to examine the range of magnitude and effects of cash flows on capital investment. The free cash flows, the pecking order, and dividend irrelevance theories guided the current study. The current study utilized the descriptive research design. The target population was all the 64 listed firms at the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The study employed a census and it examined the whole population. The unit period of analysis was annual, and data was collected for the period from 2016 to 2020; the period comprised of five years. The study applied correlation analysis and multiple linear regression model with the technique of estimation being Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) so as to establish the relationship of cash flows from operations, cash flows from investing activities, cash flows from financing activities, and firm size with capital investment. The study findings were that cash flows from investing activities, cash flows from financing activities, and firm size have a significant positive correlation with capital investment. However, the study findings established that cash flows from operating activities do not have a significant correlation with capital investment. Additionally, the study findings established that model entailing; cash flows from operations, cash flows from investing activities, cash flows from financing activities, and firm size explains capital investment to a very great extent with a coefficient of determination value of 45.8%. Further study findings were that that the model consisting of cash flows from operations, cash flows from investing activities, cash flows from financing activities, and firm size significantly predicts capital investment. Final study findings were that cash flows from investing activities and firm size individually have a significant positive relationship with capital investment but however cash flows from operations and cash flows from financing activities do not have a significant relationship with capital investment. Policy recommendations are made to the government officials and policy formulators in the financial sector, mainly the regulator, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), and the Treasury to focus on cash flows when endeavouring to boost firm value by increasing capital investments in order to spur the development of capital markets. Additional recommendations to policy makers is to majorly focus on cash flows apart from cash flows from operations and firm size when intending to augment capital investment. Recommendations are generated to the financial analysts to estimate market capitalization, and by extension, securities value, by using cash flows, and in extension, firm size. Henceforth, this study will offer them immeasurable insights, which will help them when advising their clients. Recommendations are generated to consultants and listed firms practitioners to mainly focus on cash flows apart from cash flows from operations and firm size to time strategies like securities exchange listings, rights issues, and dividend pay-outs

Financial sustainability is crucial for the stability of the NGOs in Kenya. The ability of NGOs to be financially resilient and stable is anchored by corporate governance. The NGOs depends on donation for financial sustainability. The NGOs have been vital in the provision of education, health, and other basic amenities. Financial sustainability ensures the going concern of the NGOs. The donors are motivated if some existing policies and structures ensure business continuity. The data was sourced through the secondary method. The historical data was readily available. It was readily available for decision-making. The conceptual, contextual, and methodological gap resulting from the previous studies. The research looks at the four variables that expounded financial sustainability. The research studied 50 NGOs. The data was analyzed using SPSS and putting in place descriptive and inferential statistics. The study finding postulated a positive and significant level of association between the board size, board composition, CEO duality, and board diversity. The findings showed positive and strong association as per the findings. Regression and ANOVA were done to demonstrate the coefficient of determination and significance level. The variables were explained by R of 62.4%, R square 39.0%, R adjusted 33.6%, and the standard deviation of 0.3656. The study indicated that the other variable that was not studied in this research was 61.0%. Board size, Board Composition, CEO Duality, and Board diversity represented 39%. The findings postulated that board size, board composition, CEO Duality, and board diversity had a strong and significant level of association with financial sustainability. The constant value was illustrated by 3.830, while board size, board composition, CEO Duality and board diversity adjusted accordingly by 0.787, 0.082, 0.325, 0.768 respectively. A one-unit increase in each of the variables such as board size led to incremental in financial sustainability by 0.787% while an increase in one unit of board composition led to an increase of financial sustainability by 0.082. On the other hand, an increase in the one unit of CEO Duality led to a positive and significant change in the financial performance by 0.325, and finally, an increase in one unit of board diversity led to an increase in the 0.768 units of financial sustainability.

This study was undertaken to assess the effect of business continuity planning (BCP) on the resilience of Dodhia packaging Kenya Ltd (DPK). Resilience theory, stakeholder theory of crisis management, open systems theory and contingency theory were used in the study. Case study research design was used in the study. The study targeted five heads of departments at DPK: Finance, Operation, Information Communication and Technology (ICT), Procurement, and Human Resource Managers. The primary data was collected using an interview guide. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. On the business status before and during the Covid-19 pandemic, the study found that even though Dodhia packaging Kenya Ltd faced competition from other industry players, the business was fairly progressive before the pandemic. The operations which were most affected by Covid-19 at DPK included functions such as procurement, sales, finance, production and human resource. Regarding the availability of the BCP on Critical Operations at DPK before Covid-19, the findings showed that a business continuity plan had been in place that covered so much on preparedness such as fire and flood. The findings further revealed that production had reduced to 80%. As such, having the BCP in place helped DPK to survive the impacts of Covid-19 even though its operations were interrupted thus affecting their performance. On the role of stakeholders in restoring business operations post Covid-19 pandemic, the study found that DPK could respond to the pandemic requirements by developing new products such as sanitizers and hand wash materials. Proactivity by DPK in terms of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic helped the organization to re-strategize to survive the impacts. The study concluded that the DPK’s BCP played a role in its resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was further concluded that the availability of business continuity plans for the critical operations helped during these unforeseen events as it enabled the organization to come up with strategies which helped the business to remain afloat. It was recommended that DPK should ensure that their core production activities can exploit their key raw materials locally and not depend on importation and that the company should adopt the comprehensive use of modern technology to ensure lean management in production.

The purpose of this study was to establish whether foreign market entry has an influence on competitive advantage of fintech companies in Kenya. The study was anchored by two theories: the Eclectic Paradigm Theory by John H. Dunning, and the Imitation Gap (Technology Gap) Theory by Michael V. Posner. The literature review identified the ownership, location and internalization advantages that impact competitiveness. It also identified new technology as a factor that creates first mover advantages that bring about competitive advantage. The study embraced a cross-sectional design and employed use of primary data collected from the research population of 25 fintech companies in Kenya that have ventured into other countries. The study targeted senior management-level employees of the fintech companies under study, with each company making one submission to the online questionnaire. The results of the data collection were analyzed using descriptive analysis and correlation analysis. The results of the study showed that majority of the fintech companies prefer to open offices countries as an entry strategy. The findings also showed that ownership of financial resources played a huge role for fintechs undertaking internationalization. Technology, R&D and innovation capacity was highly rated as a critical driver of fintech companies’ competitive advantage, as well as customer satisfaction. The study found that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between competitive advantage and foreign market entry. The study concludes that ownership of resources, selection of a conducive foreign market location and the technological capacity to offer superior fintech services were key when venturing into foreign markets. Opening of country offices or subsidiaries is an important driver of competitive advantage for foreign market operations, as the investment spurs high levels of customer satisfaction and confidence in the fintech products or services. The study recommends that fintech companies in Kenya should seek to scale their operations and internationalize into other countries in Africa, as there exists demand for their financial solutions. The study was limited in terms of the fintech population size and suggests that future studies utilize a larger population size in future, as well as utilize financial performance metrics rather than qualitative metrics that were used to measure competitive advantage in this study.