http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/3 2026-07-13T16:14:33Z http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/10322 Title: Ergonomic redesign of sewing workstation for garments manufacturing: a case study of Rivatex East Africa Limited, Eldoret, Kenya Authors: Abdalla, Esmaeel E. A. Abstract: Worldwide, the design of a workstation in many garment industries is usually done with minimal consideration of anthropometric data. This may cause hazards and reduce work efficiency as a result of sitting for long periods of time in uncomfortable positions. Ergonomically redesigned workstations are known to reduce Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) and improve the motivation of the garment workers in the workstation environment. The main objective of this study was to redesign an ergonomic sewing workstations for garment manufacturing using selected anthropometric data collected at Rivatex East Africa Limited (REAL), Eldoret, Kenya. The specific objectives were: to assess work-related risks and hazards for garments making workers at sewing workstations; to determine the relevant anthropometric dimensions from garments-making workers for a sewing workstation; to redesign a sewing workstation for garments-making workers; to simulate the redesigned sewing workstation; to optimize the redesigned workstation for garments-making workers at sewing operations; and to fabricate the redesigned sewing workstation. Rapid Entire Body Analysis (REBA) method was used to assess the ergonomic risk of the existing workstation. The sample size of 100 was determined. Eleven anthropometric measurements were taken from workers using ISO 7250-1:2017 and compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Using the anthropometric data, a redesigned sewing workstation model was proposed. The model was analyzed using Computer Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application (CATIA V5) software based on Rapid Upper Limb Analysis (RULA). The model was simulated using SolidWorks 2024 software based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Aluminum alloy 1060 was selected for FEA. The FEA criteria included: stress, displacement, strain and Factor of Safety (FOS). The model was optimised using design study. The model was then fabricated in accordance with the necessary manufacturing process. ANOVA tests results failed to reject the null hypothesis in the data sets (P > 0.05), thus, there was no significant difference between the anthropometric data. The recommended dimensions for workstations are redesigned, significantly reducing the mismatches between workstation dimensions to the relevant body dimensions. Analysis results of the workers' posture for the existing sewing workstation had a final REBA score of 5, implying existence of medium ergonomic risk, hence, changes were necessary. The proposed sewing workstation had a final RULA score of 1, meaning that the ergonomic risk is negligible. The FEA results showed that the maximum stress was 7.175E-01 MPa and did not exceed the yield strength; the maximum deformation was 0.03209 mm, which was below the assigned safety level; the maximum strain was 6.258E-06 and within the range for the material; and the minimum FOS distribution was 3 implying that the model was within the safety range limits. The optimisation results showed that the optimal dimension of the model was 416.5 mm for seat height, 457 mm for seat depth and 472.8 mm for seat width; the optimal stress of the model was 2.662E+01 MPa; and the optimal mass of the model was 19865.24 g. In conclusion, the dimensions of the redesigned sewing workstation was recommended. The proposed redesigned workstation should be suitable for all garment workers in Kenya. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/10257 Title: Analytical screening of organic chemicals of emerging concern in western Kenya and their contribution to the prevalence of schistosomiasis Authors: Kandie, Faith Jebiwot Abstract: In the past decades, the use and production of chemicals has been on the rise globally due to increasing industrialization and intensive agriculture; resulting in the occurrence and ecotoxicological risks of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in the aquatic compartments. Risks include changes in community structure resulting in the dominance of one species and ecosystem imbalance. When dominant disease-causing organisms are in the environment, the disease transmission is increased. For example, host snails for the schistosomiasis, a human trematode disease, are known to be tolerant to pesticide exposure compared to the predators. This would therefore result in an increased abundance of snails which consequently increase the disease transmission in the human population. Kenya, being a low income country faces a lot of challenges with provision of clean water, diseases and sanitation facilities, and increasing population which results in intensive agriculture coupled with pesticide use. Although a lot of research has been carried out on the environmental occurrence and risk of CECs (Chapter 1), most of these studies have been done in developed countries with limited information from Africa. Additionally, research in Africa focused on urban areas with limited number of compounds analyzed and mostly in the water phase, and inadequate information on the effects of CECs on the aquatic organisms. In order to reduce this knowledge gap, this dissertation focused on identification and quantification of CECs present in water, sediment and snails from western Kenya, and the contribution of pesticides to the transmission of schistosomiasis. Chapter 2 gives a summary of the results and discussion of the dissertation. In Chapter 3, a comprehensive chemical analysis was carried out on 48 water samples to identify compounds, spatial patterns and associated risks for fish, crustacean and algae using toxic unit (TU) approach. A total of 78 compounds were detected with pesticides and biocides being the compounds most frequently detected. Spatial pattern analysis revealed limited compound grouping based on land use. Acute risk for crustaceans and algae were driven by one to three individual compounds. These compounds responsible Abstract viii for toxicity were prioritized as candidate compounds for monitoring and regulation in Kenya. In Chapter 4, an extension of Chapter 3 was done to cover the CECs present in snails and sediment from the 48 sites. A total of 30 compounds were found in snails and 78 in sediments with 68 additional compounds being found which were not previously detected in water. Higher contaminant concentrations were found in agricultural sites than in areas without anthropogenic activities. The highest acute toxicity (TU 0.99) was determined for crustaceans based on compounds in sediment samples. The risk was driven by diazinon and pirimiphos-methyl. Acute and chronic risks to algae were driven by diuron whereas fish were found to be at low to no acute risk. In Chapter 5, the effect of pesticide contamination on schistosomiasis transmission was evaluated by applying complimentary laboratory and field studies. In the field studies, the ecological mechanisms through which pesticides and physical chemical parameters affect host snails, predators and competitors were investigated. Pesticide data was obtained from the results in chapter 3. The overall distribution of grazers and predators was not affected by pesticide pollution. However, within the grazers, pesticide pollution increased dominance of host snails. On the contrary, the host-snail competitors were highly sensitive to pesticide exposure. For the laboratory studies, macroinvertebrates including Schistosoma-host snails, competitors and predators were exposed to 6 concentrations levels of imidacloprid and diazinon. Snails showed higher insecticide tolerance compared to competitors and predators. Finally, Chapter 6 summarizes the conclusions of this dissertation, placing it in a broader context. In this dissertation, a comprehensive chemical characterization and risk assessment of CECs has been carried out in freshwater systems; together with the effects of pesticides on schistosomiasis transmission in rural western Kenya. Results of this dissertation showed that rural areas are contaminated posing a risk to aquatic organisms which contribute to schistosomiasis transmission. This shows the need for regular monitoring and policy formulation to reduce pollutant emissions which contributes negatively to both ecological and human health effects 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/10240 Title: Success factors and barriers to local community engagement in tourism entrepreneurship in the Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem, Tanzania Authors: Kisasembe, Richard Aloyce Abstract: Tourism entrepreneurship plays a critical role in global economic growth and job creation. Recognizing this, the Government of Tanzania has actively promoted tourism entrepreneurship to empower local communities to engage. Despite these efforts, engagement in tourism entrepreneurship within the Tarangire–Manyara ecosystem remains limited. This is particularly concerning given that poverty levels among local communities remain high despite the region’s abundant natural and cultural resources. This study therefore aimed to explore how local communities engage in tourism entrepreneurship. More specifically, it identified and described ways in which local community engage in tourism entrepreneurship, examined success factors influencing their engagement, examine the barriers they face, and evaluated the entrepreneurial propensity of indigenous and non-indigenous residents in utilizing tourism opportunities. Guided by the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Theory and Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition and Development, a qualitative exploratory case study was conducted using an interpretivist philosophical stance. The sample population was drawn across four administrative wards such as Mto wa mbu, Esilalei, Nkaiti and Mwada, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. A total of 89 participants formed the final sample size. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with business owners, tourism officers, and trade officers; focus group discussions with village leaders; and document reviews of government reports and policies. All data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that the Tarangire–Manyara Ecosystem offers a wide range of entrepreneurial opportunities, with local community members participating in cultural tourism, accommodation, food and beverage services, tour guiding and transportation. It also found multiple success factors influencing local community engagement such as access to financial capital, strong social networks, supportive regulations, entrepreneurial traits, prior experience, marketing skills, education, and market demand which interact within a broader network of stakeholders. It further found a series of interconnected barriers that limit local community engagement. These include limited capital, weak networks, restrictive policies and high fees, market competition, poor marketing skills and language barriers. These constraints reinforce one another across the same stakeholder system, creating a challenging environment for starting and sustaining tourism enterprises. The study further found that non- indigenous residents capitalize tourism entrepreneurial opportunities than indigenous residents, largely due to better access to capital, tourism education and experience, fewer restrictive socio-cultural norms, and stronger entrepreneurial traits. The study concludes that while tourism opportunities are diverse, their successful capitalization depends on both individual effort and external ecosystem factors. It recommends forming entrepreneurial groups, providing targeted training and mentorship, and creating supportive business environments. Overall, the study validates the applicability of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem framework and Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition and Development in rural tourism contexts, emphasizing that the effective capitalization of tourism opportunities among local communities depends not only on the availability of resources but also on the interaction between individual entrepreneurial efforts and the surrounding ecosystem. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/10235 Title: Corporate entrepreneurship, ambidextrous leadership and sustainable perfomance of Micro-Finance firms in Kenya Authors: Bor, Beatrice Jepkemboi Abstract: Sustainable Performance of Micro-Finance Institution is crucial to ensure environmental, social and economic performance. Corporate entrepreneurship has enabled most of the leading firms to grow and become sustainable in the long-term. An ambidextrous leader plays a role in improving the corporate entrepreneurship practices in the firms to ensure sustainable growth and performance. However, microfinance institutions face numerous challenges in the financial market, from competition to low- risk loan portfolios. Hence, a need to examine the role of corporate entrepreneurship strategies that can reduce these challenges as well as the moderating role of ambidextrous leadership. The main purpose was to establish the moderating effect of ambidextrous leadership style on the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship and the sustainable performance of microfinance firms in Kenya. The specific objectives were: to establish the effect of innovativeness, risk taking and pro-activeness on sustainable performance of Microfinance firms in Kenya; and to examine the moderating role of ambidextrous leadership style on the relationship between innovation, risk taking and pro-activeness on the sustainable performance of Microfinance firms in Kenya. The study was anchored on the Innovation Theory of Entrepreneurship, the Contingency Theory, and the Triple Bottom Line Theory. The study used both explanatory and cross-sectional research design and correlational design. The study targeted 467 branch managers from Microfinance institutions. A sample of 215 was selected using random sampling technique. The study used a structured questionnaire to collect data from the respondents. Content, face, and criterion validity was achieved through interrogation by experts, while construct validity was determined via factor analysis. Reliability of the instrument was tested using the Cronbach's alpha while validity was tested using KMOS. Data was analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that innovativeness (β = 0.502, P<0.05), pro-activeness (β 1 = 0.303, P<0.05) and risk taking (β = 0.107, P<0.05) had a positive and statistically significant effect on sustainable performance of MFIs. Further, ambidextrous leadership moderated the relationship between pro- activeness (β = -0.004, ∆R 2 = 0.011 P<0.030), risk taking (β = -0.004, ∆R 2 = 0.011 P<0.030) and sustainable performance of the MFI. Similarly, it did not moderate the relationship between innovativeness and sustainable performance. The study concluded that corporate entrepreneurship had a positive impact on sustainable performance, while ambidextrous leadership has a moderating effect. The study recommends MFIs to pursue corporate entrepreneurship to remain sustainable. It should also encourage managers should exercise a moderate level of ambidextrous leadership to enhance the effect of corporate entrepreneurship on sustainable performance. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z