The moderating effect of CUE guidelines on innovations in technical public universities

Abstract

Public technical universities are mandated to teach, conduct research and undertake community outreach through innovation. Due to high enrolments and inadequate resources, Public Technical Universities are viewed as offering low quality education devoid of research and innovation, hence incapable of driving vision 2030 and National development agenda. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate the moderating effect of cue guidelines on innovations in technical public universities. The study is guided by Goal setting theory developed by Locke and Latham in 1979. The study utilizes the philosophical and methodological positivism paradigm and specifically employed explanatory survey research design. The target population comprised Technical University of Kenya and the Technical University of Mombasa. Responded totaled 20000 and a sample size of 377 was obtained as determined by the Krejcie table for sample size. Primary data was collected by use of a questionnaire whose reliability and validity was affirmed by Cronbach Alpha co-efficient and pretesting respectively. Data collected from the field was analyzed by use of multiple regression and Factor analysis. Data was analysed as per the study objectives and presented in tables. The study established that Performance contact target setting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation had statistical influence on innovation. Further the study found out that the CUE Guidelines and Standards 2014 significantly intervened the relationship between Performance contract setting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in respect to innovation. The study therefore recommends that Performance contracting should be strengthened in public technical Universities. Similarly Public technical Universities should strictly conform to the CUE Guidelines and Standards 2014 as they were capable of increasing innovation and improving performance of public technical Universities