PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AND SERVICE DELIVERY PERFORMANCE OF THE STATE CORPORATIONS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
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Abstract
Public service delivery in Kenya continues to face persistent challenges, particularly within state corporations responsible for providing essential goods and services in key sectors such as health, energy, transport, and water. Even with various reforms and regulations made regarding public procurement, there are many inefficiencies that are still associated with procurement processes, and these lead to delays in projects, cost overruns, and reduced satisfaction of citizens regarding the quality of the services provided to them. The objective of this study was to find out the impact of procurement planning, supplier selection, transparency, and procurement efficiency on service delivery performance in state corporations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. This study was based on three theories that include; Agency Theory, Institutional Theory, and Transaction Cost Theory. The study used descriptive research design complemented by triangulation using structured questionnaires and key informant interviews. Target population was made up of 460 employees in procurement and service delivery roles who were selected from 46 state corporations based in Nairobi City County. Sample size of 214 subjects was computed using Yamane (1967) sample size formula and sampled using stratified random sampling method. The research employed structured questionnaire and key informant interview as methods of data collection. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis in SPSS version 26 whereas qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed that procurement planning, supplier selection, transparency and procurement efficiency positively influenced service delivery performance. Results from the regression analysis reveal that the four procurement practices account for 59% of the variance in service delivery performance (R² = 0.590). The variable supplier selection was the most important factor (β = 0.407, p < 0.001), followed by procurement planning (β = 0.341, p < 0.001), procurement efficiency (β = 0.197, p < 0.01), and transparency (β = 0.118, p < 0.05). The conclusion drawn from this study is that the variables of procurement planning, supplier selection, transparency, and procurement efficiency are important predictors of service delivery performance in state corporations in Nairobi City County. The study recommends that the following be considered in enhancing service delivery performance in state corporations.
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References
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