INFLUENCE OF EMPLOYEE STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT ON ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT IN KENYA CIVIL SERVICE

Mary W. Maina

Abstract


Organizational commitment is a critical element of staff retention and highly associated with intent to leave and actual turnover. Due to lack of commitment, the public service in Kenya has been characterized by exodus of the employees joining the private sector and other employment opportunities. Moreover, services by public organizations have been very poor despite the fact that public services provide enabling environment under which the players in the economy are able to operate effectively and efficiently. There is therefore need to introduce new strategies that will enhance organizational commitment. Sharing power, resources, and knowledge with employees through empowerment serves to increase job satisfaction and commitment. This study aimed to determine the influences of structural empowerment on organizational commitment in Kenya civil service. Among the variables of the study was perceived support, access to resources, access to information and access to resources that have been indicated as strategy in employee empowerment that leads to organizational commitment. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive survey research approach and used both qualitative and quantitative methods in the selection of the participants and collection of data. Cluster sampling was employed to select 384 respondents from four public organizations in the education sector: Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Higher Education Loans Board, Teachers Service Commission and Kenya National Examination Council. Data collection instruments included semi-structured questionnaires and document reviews. The collected data was captured in MS Excel and analyzed using SPSS. Inferential data analysis techniques such as regression and correlation analysis were used to analyze the collected data. The analyzed data was presented in suitable graphs and tables.

Key words: Structural empowerment, Perceived Support, Access to Opportunities, Access to Information, Access to Resources, Organizational Commitment, Kenya Civil Service

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v3i1.216

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