Multidisciplinary Journal of Technical University of Mombasa

Editorial Note

2023-12-29T16:53:32+03:00

Editorial Note

We would like to thank all our authors and co-authors who contributed to original scientific articles for the successful release of this 2^nd Issue of MJTUM Volume 2. This issue has a total of 6 original scientific research articles from a diverse array of fields ranging from hospitality and tourism, communication studies, public health, and building and civil engineering. The content of all the articles is from dedicated research works from the authors and co-authors. MJTUM is hereby providing a platform to share the contents of these research works in contributing to knowledge dissemination to the scientific community and to all students in their quest to advance knowledge in their respective fields covered in this second issue. MJTUM will continue to give a platform for sharing of scientific articles of high quality to all our readers. It is my sincere hope that you will enjoy reading the wide coverage of articles covered in this issue as we prepare you for the release of MJTUM Volume 3 Issue 1 as soon as possible.

Dr. Cosmas Nzaka Munga (PhD)

Chief Editor, MJTUM

Effectiveness of Compensation Recovery Strategies in Enhancing Customer Experience in Star-Rated Hotels in Mombasa County, Kenya

2023-12-29T16:53:32+03:00

Since today’s customers not only purchase goods and services for their utilitarian but also hedonistic benefits, service recovery has become an integral part of any hotel that wishes to remain competitive. In a bid to remain competitive, most hotels have developed service systems. However, none of the systems in place are perfect. Though compensation has been proposed as a means of securing competitive advantage, scant evidence exist suggesting that the same can be used as recovery strategies to enhance customer experience. While using star rated hotels in Mombasa, Kenya, this study sought to adduce the effectiveness of compensation recovery strategies in enhancing customer experience using descriptive research design. Staff from10 front-line sections within the 17 rated hotels in Mombasa County formed the sampling frame. Data were collected by the use of an on-line questionnaire due to COVID-19 pandemic that prevailed during the study period. A pre-test of the questionnaire was done on one of the hotels, and the results were subjected to the Cronbach formula producing a reliability index of 0.989. Data were analysed by the use of inferential and descriptive statistics and the findings presented in tables, bar graphs and pie charts. From the findings, descriptive analysis on customer experience indicated that front line managers agreed and strongly agreed that when customers are pleased with their recovery effort, they receive referrals from them, they spend more money in the establishment, they show eagerness to return on, they become more loyal, they share with others about the good services, and they trust that any offer given to them in the future will go right. Descriptive analysis on the dimensions of the three strategies (compensation, staff actions, and communication strategies) produced high means and low standard deviations, indicating that front-line managers often and always applied the three recovery strategies whenever a failure occurred. The regression analysis of the three hypotheses indicated that the three strategies have a statistically significant influence on the customer experience if used effectively. Other than advancing scholarly work in the field of service recovery, the findings inform Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and hotel stakeholders as a whole by guiding in policy review and formulation so as to help in minimizing service failures.

Fishery characteristics and stock status of Lethrinus lentjan in selected fishing areas along the Kenya Coast

2023-12-29T16:53:32+03:00

Small scale fisheries is dominant along the Kenya coast characterised by multispecies, multigear and multi-fleet and therefore prone to over-exploitation. The success of fisheries sustainable management is dependent on life history traits of the target stock. This study was aimed to characterize the small scale lethrinus fishery as well as determine its current stock status. Monthly shore-based catch assessments for fisheries and biological data were collected from October 2020 to September 2021 from selected fish landing sites along the Kenya coast. A total of 22 species belonging to the genus Lethrinus were recorded over the study period. Overall Msambweni fishing area had the highest landings of the genus Lethrinus, accounting for more than 69%, and the overall contribution of Lethrinus lentjan to the overall total fish landings was 25%. Female individuals of L. lentjan were more abundant than males, with an overall sex ratio of 1:1.53, which differed significantly from the expected ratio of 1:1. Lethrinus lentjan recorded a negative allometric growth with an asymptotic length (L_∞) and growth coefficient (K) of 51 cm and 0.46 y^-1, respectively. The total mortality (Z) was 2.07, the natural mortality (M) was 0.963, and the fishing mortality (F) was 1.10 with an exploitation rate of 0.53. The recorded E value of 0.53, in this study, was slightly higher than the optimum exploitation rate of E = 0.5, indicating an exploited fishery. Therefore, the study recommends that the management system of this fishery should be revised carefully.

G2C Communication Through Government Service Portals: An Assessment of Kenya’s e-Citizen and eFNS Portals

2023-12-29T16:53:33+03:00

The automation of government services as exemplified through service portals has increased in a post-COVID-19 world that yearns for social and physical interaction. Although governments have benefitted from an arm’s length service delivery model, consumers of these services expect continuous communication from their governments. Government-to-consumer (G2C) communication is hinged on the fact that consumer (citizens and foreign nationals) engagement has a significant place in the provision of government services and government communication literature posits the place of strategic communication with consumers. While preliminary research suggests the popular usage of government service portals to enhance G2C communication, little is known about the effectiveness and interactivity of G2C communication between the government and consumers of government services. Questions thus abound on the kind of perceptions that consumers have regarding the comprehensiveness, effectiveness, and efficiency of G2C communication through government service portals. In Kenya, the automation of immigration services encapsulated in the e-citizen and e-foreign nationals service (eFNS) portals, offers prudential lessons to concretize and improve G2C communication in a post-pandemic world. This study focuses on communication through the portals between the government and citizens (applying for passports) and foreign nationals (applying for visas, permits, passes, and long-term residences). The study adopted secondary research analysis coupled with interviews carried out with 16 participants: 10 citizens and foreigners; and 6 Ministry of Interior officials. Thematic analysis revealed that automation orients government officials to a generic messaging model that bespeaks incommunicado and frustrates the attainment of effective G2C communication. Additionally, the study established that whereas government officials were endeared to generic communicative incentives of the portals, consumers craved more information and communication from the government through the portals. From the findings, it is indicative that there is an urgent need to re-engineer the portals and institute a communication avenue. There is a need for the avenue to be run by a competent team of communication practitioners that will engage consumers in two-way symmetrical communication if the government is to make use of service portals in an automated post-pandemic world.

Exploring Public Perceptions towards Online Content Regulation in Kenya

2023-12-29T16:53:33+03:00

The rise in illegal online content has necessitated most governments to come up with legislation to regulate the cyberspace environment in their respective jurisdictions. Using an exploratory research design and utilizing a 5-point Likert scale survey (N = 530 Kenyan internet users) the study proposed to highlight the gravity of the public perceptions towards online content regulations in a sub-Saharan African country, with an ever-increasing youthful population. By focusing on the policy-specific factors, the study findings indicated a low public perception of the effectiveness of the existing online content regulations in Kenya. The findings further illustrate a perceived low level of trust in the government agencies responsible for the implementation of these regulations. Taken together, these findings translate to mild acceptability of the existing public policy, indicating a policy perception and acceptance gap that needs to be filled.

Evaluating Factors Influencing Quality Assurance of Building Construction Projects: A PLS-path Modelling Approach

2023-12-29T16:53:33+03:00

The quality of building construction projects in Kenya has been a challenge throughout recent years. Despite the presence of regulatory agencies, buildings have continued to portray a significant lack of quality with several buildings collapsing in major towns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors influencing quality assurance of building projects as well as to determine the magnitude of the influence. Eight indicators of quality assurance were identified from ISO 9001 elements of quality assurance. Similarly, eleven factors influencing quality assurance with five indicators each were identified from literature. A questionnaire survey of building contractors was carried out to evaluate factors influencing quality assurance of building construction projects. The findings of the survey were analysed using SPSS and SmartPLS to determine which studied factors were most critical. Findings indicated the most critical factors as; contractor related factors, consultant related factors, inspection and supervision related factors, communication related factors, and quality standards and measurements related factors. The least ranked factors were equipment related, and health and safety related factors. All eleven factors were however found to have significant influence on quality assurance of building construction projects. The findings of this study are important in highlighting critical areas in which contractors should channel resources to enhance quality assurance of building projects.

A Scoping Review of Perinatal Recreational Drug Use: Methods, Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Commonly Used Drugs

2023-12-29T16:53:33+03:00

Perinatal recreational drug use is a leading cause to poor pregnancy out comes, increased maternal, foetal or neonatal morbidity and mortality. This review paper sought to identify socio-demographic determinants of perinatal drug use, commonly used drugs by perinatal mothers and methods used to assess drug use. We retrieved information from ten data bases namely: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, CDC library, WHO library, Wiley Online library, Springer Link Scientific Reports, Bio Med Central and National Library of Medicine. Inclusion criterion was studies that were designed to document perinatal drug use and studies published in English between January 2012 and February 2023. A total of 27 studies were reviewed distributed as follows: America (6), Europe (4), Australia (1), New Zealand (1), Asia (1), South Africa (3), West Africa (2) and East Africa (10). Out of all the 28 studies, 24 were based on self-reported history, 4 were anchored on blood, hair, urine and meconium toxicology while 3 used both self-reported history plus confirmed drug use approach. Key socio-demographic characteristics that predicted perinatal drug use were low income, unemployment, low level of education, single parenthood, multiple sexual partnerships, having a partner or friend who uses drugs, having experienced intimate partner violence and pre-pregnancy drug use. On the other hand, maternal stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness and history of mental illness influenced drug use in this sub-population. Alcohol was the most commonly used drug globally. Others were Cannabis, tobacco products, methamphetamine, cocaine, amphetamine/khat and heroin. We recommend screening of drug use during the perinatal period using more than one method, routine assessment of mental distress and provision of targeted counseling to perinatal mothers in distress. Further, we recommend enhanced targeted health education on risks associated with drug use during perinatal period and more research on perinatal recreational drug use.