Performance Contracting and Employee Service Delivery at Kirinyaga University, Kenya

Abstract

The potential to increase service performance and delivery through performance contracting have seen accelerated effort in research in this relatively new concept of management in Kenya. Most studies have focused on performance management, performance measurement, commitment, and target meeting. The identified problem in this study was the changing roles of employees, yet the targets to measure their performance were static, measure and evaluation procedures were not standardized from one evaluator to another, and the lack of reward scheme to motivate high performers. The research sort to understand effects of performance contracting on employee service delivery at Kirinyaga University.The study adopted descriptive cross-sectional research design. The study population was 272 staff members of Kirinyaga University. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire that included both closed and open-ended questions. Pilot study was conducted in order to determine validity and reliability of research instruments. The Statistical Package for Social Science package was used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistical tools including the mean, mode standard deviation, and variance were used to analyze qualitative data. Inferential statistics was done by use of correlation and multiple linear regression analysis in order to establish the relationship between independent variable and the dependent variable. Analyzed data was presented inform of frequency tables, charts and graphs. The results revealed that performance contacting parameters significantly (t = 3.407,p < 0.05) affected service delivery of the University. It was also revealed that target implementation significantly (t = 2.633,p < 0.05) influenced service delivery. However, it was established that target setting (t= -1.816,p<0.05),monitoring and evaluation (t = 0.617,p < 0.05) did not significantly influence service delivery at Kirinyaga University. In conclusion, proper target setting, monitoring and evaluation, and target implementation are necessary in achieving employees and organizations’ goals as well as satisfactory delivery of services to customers