Continuous Improvement on Operational Performance of Selected Public Universities in Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish the influence of continuous improvement on operational performance of selected public universities in Kenya. Descriptive research design was utilized in this study. The target population of this study was five public universities in Kenya. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to select respondents from the five selected public universities. Israel formula was used to calculate the sample size of 44 respondents. The unit of analysis were public universities while unit of observation were employees. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Likert scale approach was used to measure items of the questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the data. The analyzed data was presented in tables. This study established that there is a significant positive relationship between continuous improvement and operational performance of selected public universities in Kenya. The study concluded that despite a significant impact of continuous improvement on operational performance, universities in Kenya were embracing continuous improvement practices on a small extent thus the need for public universities to put more emphasize on continuous improvement for global competitiveness. System automation, development of new academic programs, training of employees, service improvement and consumer surveys are all practices that can create a significant impact on operational performance.