School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events management

Influence of logistic capabilities on the performance of event management firms in Nairobi County, Kenya

2026-01-19T07:43:22Z

Influence of logistic capabilities on the performance of event management firms in Nairobi County, Kenya Sundys, Chriselda The event management industry is vital to Kenya’s service sector, especially in Nairobi County, where weddings, conferences, corporate activations, and public events generate substantial demand for coordinated services. As competition grows, firms rely heavily on logistics to deliver quality services timely vendor coordination, equipment movement, venue setup/teardown, and just-in-time information sharing. However, little research has examined how logistics capabilities affect firm performance in Kenya, leaving managers with limited evidence to guide investments in systems, skills, and processes. This study examines how logistics capabilities shape the performance of event management firms in Nairobi County. The specific objectives were to assess the effects of logistics innovation, logistics service quality, logistics information integration, and operational capabilities on firm performance in Nairobi County. This study was guided by the dynamic capabilities framework and the resource-based view theory, which together emphasize how firms sense opportunities, reconfigure resources, and deploy distinctive capabilities to achieve superior performance. The study employed explanatory and descriptive research designs to both characterize current practice and model cause–effect relationships between logistics capabilities and firm outcomes. The target population comprised 411 registered event management firms, out of which 203 event managers formed the sample size. Data was obtained using questionnaires geared to capture capability maturity and perceived performance, and systematic random sampling was used to select respondents to enhance representativeness while minimizing selection bias. Regression results indicated strong explanatory power: innovation (R2 = 0.504; β = 0.451), service (R2 = 0.385; β = 0.267), and information integration (R2 = 0.485; β = 0.707) showed positive, statistically significant effects, while operational capability (R2 = 0.969; β = 0.127) was significant as an independent variable, but was comparatively weaker and not consistently robust in the combined model (β = 0.085). Information integration capability exhibits the most substantial impact on firm performance, emphasizing the centrality of efficient information management processes such as real-time coordination, interoperable tools, and accurate data sharing across partners. Innovation and service capabilities also contribute significantly by enabling new solutions, personalization, reliability, and rapid problem solving; whereas operational capability, despite its significance in routine execution, exerts a comparatively lesser influence without complementary information and service enhancements. The study concludes that logistic capabilities have a significant positive effect on the performance of event management firms in Nairobi County. Limitations include the cross-sectional, self-reported design and a focus on Nairobi County; future studies should employ longitudinal or mixed-method approaches, incorporate objective performance metrics, and test generalizability across counties and market segments. The study recommends that event management firms prioritize information integration and innovation, supported by advanced systems and a culture of creativity. Additionally, they should enhance service delivery through personalization, and improve operational efficiency across all capabilities to sustain competitive advantage and consistently meet client expectations in a fast-moving market.

On- board rail catering service quality and customer satisfaction in madaraka express, Kenya

2025-07-28T08:49:08Z

On- board rail catering service quality and customer satisfaction in madaraka express, Kenya Karuru, Nicholas Kiboi Service quality result in higher levels of customer satisfaction increased patronage intentions and sales. There are myriad of passenger complaints on the quality of on- board rail catering services that affect customer satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate on-board rail catering service quality effects on customer satisfaction in Madaraka express. The specific objective was to examine the effects of on-board rail catering service reliability, tangibility, assurance and responsiveness on customer satisfaction. The study was guided by SERVQUAL Model and employed both descriptive and explanatory research designs. The target population was 603 customers while the sample size was 235 customers. Purposive sampling technique was used to select passenger trains while simple random sampling was used to select customers. The instrument for collecting data was structured questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze data and test the hypotheses. The regression model coefficient determination of R2=.547, indicates that on-board rail catering service quality explain 54.7% variation in customer satisfaction. Results revealed that reliability (β= .551,p=0.001), responsiveness (β= .207, p=0.004) and tangibility (β= .526, p=0.001) of on-board rail catering service had a positive significant effect on customer satisfaction (p<.05) while assurance (β= .107, p=0.117) of on-board rail catering service had a positive insignificant effect on customer satisfaction (p>.05). The study concludes that reliability, responsiveness and tangibility affect customer satisfaction while assurance does not affect. The study recommends improvement in customer satisfaction by focusing on strategies to enhance reliability, responsiveness and tangibility of services. Further recommendations include; monitoring systems regularly and proactively to enhance reliability; improvement of seat arrangement and spacing for better tangibility and dining experience especially in the economy class and improve responsiveness through introduction of a dining coach in the economy class for easy accessibility. The study is expected to benefit policy makers and stakeholders in rail transport.

Workplace spirituality and employee engagement in selected hotels in Kilifi County, Kenya.

2025-07-28T07:35:34Z

Workplace spirituality and employee engagement in selected hotels in Kilifi County, Kenya. Kariuki, Helen Nyachira Employee engagement has been credited with numerous organizational benefits, but the hospitality sector faces workforce challenges that may potentially hinder it. Despite many studies focusing on abstract, intrinsic factors influencing engagement, limited research explores the impact of workplace spirituality on employee engagement in Kenya's hospitality industry. The main objective of the study therefore, was to determine the effect of workplace spirituality on employee engagement in selected hotels in Kilifi County. Specific objectives were to examine the effect of inner self, meaningful work and sense of community on employee engagement. The study was guided by Spiritual Leadership Theory, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the Social Exchange Theory. Explanatory research design was employed targeting 702 employees from 10 registered hotels from which a sample size of 260 employees was drawn. Purposive sampling was used to select the study area, census method for hotels, while stratified and simple random sampling techniques selected respondents. Structured questionnaires were utilized to gather data which was analysed using multiple linear regression. Regression results indicated that workplace spirituality explains 47% (R 2 = .47) of variation in employee engagement. Furthermore, inner self (t =5.709, p˂0.001), meaningful work (t=2.027, p=0.044) and community (t=2.660, p=0.008) were all found to significantly (p˂0.05) affect employee engagement. The study concluded that inner self, meaningful work and community all affect employee engagement. Furthermore, results suggested that employees who have their inner self respected at work, find meaning in their job and feel that they belong to a community at work tend to have positive sentiments toward the tasks they carry out. It recommended that hotel managers should encourage employees to express their inner self at work, foster an environment whereby employees find meaning in their roles and cultivate a culture that fosters a sense of community within the organization ultimately promoting engagement. The findings thus contributed to knowledge on the relationship between workplace spirituality and employee engagement in hospitality industry.

Effect of strategic Internal marketing on performance of five Star Hotels In Nairobi County

2025-07-25T08:25:27Z

Effect of strategic Internal marketing on performance of five Star Hotels In Nairobi County Koech, Carolyne Jerotich The hotels invest in addressing the concerns of their stakeholders such as customers, investors and suppliers to the exclusion of the internal customers or rather employees; therefore, there is little emphasis on internal marketing which contribute to performance of hotels. The study sought to examine the effects of strategic internal marketing on performance of five-star hotels in Nairobi City County. The study was anchored on social exchange theory and balanced score card and adopted concurrent triangulation research design. The target population was 1181 employees and 10 managers working in 10 five-star hotels in Nairobi, out of which 290 employees and 10 managers formed the sample size. A census of the 10 hotels were conducted while systematic random sampling was used to select employees and purposive sampling for the hotel managers. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, which was analysing using descriptive and multiple linear regression. Interviews were used to collect qualitative data from hotel managers, which was analysed using thematic analysis method. The regression attained R2= 0.353 which implies strategic internal marketing explains 35.3% of the variation in performance. The interviewees acknowledged that strategic internal marketing enhanced hotel performance. The results revealed that strategic rewards (β=0.184; t=2.416, p=.016) and internal communication (β=0.675; t=7.715, p=0.001) had a positive and significant effect on performance while training (β=0.057; t=0.815, p=0.416) had no significant effect on performance. The interviewed managers implored the importance of employee recognition, fair compensation, sharing information, feedback, updates, teamwork and capacity building to performance. The study concluded that strategic rewards and internal communication affect performance while training does not. The study recommended the use of both financial and non financial strategic rewards, vertical and horizontal communication and feedback mechanism.