moderating effect of personality traits on the relationship between institution responsiveness and competitiveness of public universities in kenya

Abstract

In the recent past inadequate government funding has led to stiff competition amongst public universities to attract Self Sponsored Programmes (SSP) students in order to meet the financial short-fall. Studies have shown that public universities use external and internal marketing as institution responsiveness strategies to attract SSP students; however no records exist on internal marketing as part of the institutions’ responsiveness strategy with personality traits as a moderator. The general objective of the study was to examine the moderating effect of personality traits on the relationship between institution responsiveness and competitiveness of public universities in Kenya. The study had five specific objectives examining the effect of the five aspects of institution responsiveness namely: public relations, motivation, personal selling, information capital and intellectual capital on competitiveness of Public Universities in Kenya. The study was guided by the following theories; the resource based view theory, knowledge based view theory, dynamic capabilities theory, eysenck theory and the five factor theory. The study utilized explanatory survey research design. Solvin formula was used to obtain a sample of twenty eight public universities out of the thirty one and a sample of 212 senior managers, 398 support staff and 400 SSP students. The study used multi-stage sampling procedure to arrive at the sample. Multiple regression procedures were used to establish the effects of the five dimensions of institution responsiveness on competitiveness. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to establish the moderating effect of personality traits on the relationship between institution responsiveness and competitiveness. The results of the study indicated that public relations (ß= 0.230, p < .05), motivation (ß= 0.638, p < .05), personal selling (ß= 0.220, p < .05), information capital (ß= 0.209, p < .05), intellectual capital (ß=-0.160, p < .05) and moderator personality traits (ß= 0.264, p < .05) were significant predictors of institution competitiveness. Subsequently, when moderated with personality traits it was found that public relation (β = -0.002, P >0.05), motivation (β = -0.138, P >0.05), personal selling (β = -0.103, P >0.05), intellectual capital (β = -0.037, P >0.05) had negative insignificant effect on institution competitiveness whereas information capital had negative but significant effect on institution competitiveness (β = -0.219, P < 0.05). Similarly, overall test of significance with F-test values F (11, 16) = 43.230, P < 0.000 confirmed high significant effect of personality traits on the relationship between institution responsiveness and competitiveness.The conclusion drawn from these results indicated that the study supported the use of resource based view, knowledge based view, dynamic capabilities, eysenck and the, five factor model theories. In addition, it extended the use of literature of institution responsiveness and competitiveness. The findings of the study would enable public university management identify critical factors and design sustainable institution responsiveness strategies which would enable their institutions achieve sustained competitive advantage with a view to attracting more SSP students. The findings will go a long way in assisting university management to respond to changes taking place in institutions of higher learning in Kenya, and these use their resources, competences and the capabilities to develop and maintain a competitive edge. This study recommends a similar study involving both public and private universities; to cover other dimensions of institution responsiveness like training and attitudes; in other organizational settings.