This study aimed to examine the effect of capacity building and empowerment among private security providers on crime prevention in Lurambi Sub-County, Kenya. The study was necessitated by private security providers' presence and use to protect life, property, and maintenance of law and order in Lurambi Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya. The Routine Activity and Situational Crime Prevention Theories of criminology informed the study. The study adopted descriptive and correlational research designs. The primary target population constituted 358 respondents, both male and female, drawn from six registered and regulated private security service providers in Lurambi Sub-County, 5 senior police officers in charge of security, police administration, and 4 police stations across Lurambi Sub-County, and 133 clients of private security services. Purposive sampling was used to identify the 6 registered and licensed private security firms which provided the study population. Proportionate sampling with a statistical framework of 30% was used to identify 108 private security service providers who formed the sample size to ensure that the private security officers from the 6 firms were represented in the same proportion that they existed within the population. Questionnaires were used to collect data from three groups of respondents, including 108 private security officers, 6 managers each in charge of each private security firm that participated in the study, and 40 clients sampled from the 6 private security firms that participated in the study. Interview guides were used to collect data from 5 senior police officers in charge of security, police administration, and 4 police stations spread across Lurambi Sub-County. The study findings revealed that private security service providers were not empowered to the required level and this negatively affected their capacity in crime prevention activities where they were deployed to secure lives and property. The study recommended that private security service providers enhance capacity building, skills transfer and empowerment among their staff for enhanced crime prevention. Key Terms: Capacity Building, Empowerment, Private Security, Crime Prevention DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/93-05 Publication date: March 31 st 2024
This research aims to examine and analyze the influence of Work Environment, Compensation, and Work Motivation on Employee Performance, with Job Satisfaction as an intervening variable, in the Tax Court Secretariat. Data collection was conducted through questionnaire distribution among a sample of 81 permanent employees of the Tax Court Secretariat. The data analysis method employed in this study is the Component-Based Structural Equation Modeling or Variance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), utilizing the Smart-PLS version 3.0 software. The findings of this research confirm that Work Environment has a partially positive and significant impact on Employee Performance, Compensation has a partially negative and non-significant effect on Employee Performance, Work Motivation has a partially positive and significant influence on Employee Performance, Job Satisfaction has a partially positive and significant effect on Employee Performance, Work Environment has a partially positive and non-significant impact on Job Satisfaction, Compensation has a partially negative and non-significant influence on Job Satisfaction, Work Motivation has a partially positive and significant effect on Job Satisfaction, Work Environment has a partially positive and non-significant effect on Employee Performance with Job Satisfaction as a mediator, Compensation has a partially negative and non-significant impact on Employee Performance with Job Satisfaction as a mediator, Work Motivation has a partially positive and non-significant influence on Employee Performance with Job Satisfaction as a mediator. Keywords: Work Environment, Compensation, Work Motivation, Employee Performance, Job Satisfaction DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/94-02 Publication date: May 31 st 2024
The establishment of the Village Land Councils in Tanzania intended to resolve land based conflicts either among farmers or between farmers and pastoralists. Rural people in Tanzania have been affected with such endless conflicts which have brought social and economic chaos in the respective communities. The study focuses on assessing the institutional capacity of the VLC in managing land use conflicts between farmers and pastoralists in Mbarali, Tunduru and Kilosa districts. Key informant interviews and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the land and legal officers working in the District Authorities, Village Chairpersons, Village Executive Officers and members of the Village Land Councils respectively. NVivo software 14 was used to analyze the qualitative data. The results depicted that Village Land Councils had played a significant role in resolving land based conflicts between farmers and pastoralists through mediation. However, inability to enforce VLCs' decisions makes the organs weak and thus encouraging endless violence in rural communities. The study suggests for the need of reviewing the land policy and land act in order to add more powers for the VLCs in order to enhance accountability and rule of law in the marginalized communities where formal judiciary services are not available and accessible. Keywords: Farmers and Pastoralists Conflicts, Village Land Council, Institutional Capacity, Mediation Services DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/94-03 Publication date: May 31 st 2024
The performance of road construction projects in Ghana is marred by a slew of issues that harm the contracting parties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of contractors' human capacity on Performance of road implementation in Twifo Atti Morkwa District. The hybrid methodology used in this study combines qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Quantitative data supported the results of thematic analysis, which was used to analyse qualitative data. To ascertain the connection between the dependent and independent variable, regression analysis was also used. Human Capacity was determined to be critical for performing the numerous operations required to ensure that the overall project met the established standards and requirements. The results showed that better project implementation techniques, staff efficiency, work experience and knowledge of prior experience, and contractor training levels all had a significant impact on the performance of road projects. It is obvious that, there is a connection between contractors’ human capacity and the performance of road projects thanks to model summary values of R=0.715, R-square=0.511, and adjusted R-square=0.485. Furthermore, contractors' human capacity can be held responsible for 72% of changes or variations in the implementation of road projects. Human capacity, according to the study, must be improved in order to ensure quality road project implementation and timely completion of road construction projects. Keywords: Contractor, Human capacity, Performance DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/91-04 Publication date: September 30 th 2023
This study aims to develop better insights into displacement and resettlement practice in mining and underlying impacts on a community’s culture, in light of the growing institutionalisation of the practice in such settings. We address the question whether displacement and resettlement practice in mining is, in fact, a realistic ambition to restore and prioritise a displaced community’s cultural values or rather a socially (or ethically) responsible approach to mining operations. This study rests on a qualitative, in-depth case study analysis. The case involves two communities affected by displacement and resettlement practice in mining, namely, Akoti in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality and Obrayeko in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipality; both located in the Western North region of Ghana. Data were collected through interviews with four key informants throughout an ongoing dialogue with them over a period of six months. Additionally, informal talks with various stakeholders of the two communities were performed. A qualitative narrative analysis method was used to analyse the data, and thereby, avoiding data fragmentation. The findings suggest that displacement and resettlement practice in mining face some overarching issues, including decreasing social trust, extent of ethical CSR practice, and challenges associated with loss of ancestral lands/heritage. This study’s findings serve to inform corporate decisions as to the internal awareness of culture and associated elements, i.e., customs, traditions, norms, beliefs and value systems that impinge on displacement and resettlement practice in mining. Limitations of this study include limited data available, particularly interviews, which provides basis for future research. Our findings contribute to the literature by identifying the culture-related issues that arise from displacement and resettlement practice in mining, and responds to calls for further research that takes a sector-specific approach – both in mining and in other sectors where resettlement is common, and also calls for further research that explores culture-related issues at stake in corporate activities. Keywords: Social responsibilities, Mining, Displacement and resettlement practice, Developing countries, Practice theory, Business ethics DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/92-04 Publication date: October 31 st 2023
