Strategic Innovation and Service Delivery in Public Universities in Kenya: A Case of Kenyatta University

Abstract

Strategic innovation is a strategic tool that can be used to align the institution’s resources and capabilities with opportunities in the external environment in order to enhance survival and long term success of the organization.  Innovation promotes use of technology consequently impacting positively on service delivery. Public universities reforms have been a necessary and on-going policy objective for the Government of Kenya. Innovation as one of the approaches to the reforms is intended to induce an overhaul the public university system to better serve the needs of both government and the citizens with improved delivery of public services. In Kenya technology in public institutions has not been effectively used to enhance service delivery more so institutions where technology use has been embraced, its impact on service delivery has not been assessed effectively. This study applied the institutional theory, diffusion of innovation theory and stakeholders theory of management to determine how strategic innovation at Kenyatta University impacts on service delivery. The general objective of this study therefore was to determine the effect of strategic innovation on service delivery in Kenyatta University. Specific objectives included finding out the influence of eLearning, online student registration and use of e-messaging services on service delivery in Kenyatta University. A population of 72,000 students admitted to Kenyatta University was used from which random sampling was conducted to a sample of 200 students using Nassiuma’s formula. Data was collected by disbursing physically the questionnaires to the students. Descriptive and regression analysis was conducted using SPSS 22 to provide findings on the study. The study conducted a multiple regression analysis to estimate the model for the study. The study had a coefficient of correlation R of 0.912 an indication of strong of correlation between the variables and a coefficient of adjusted R2 was 0.814.This means that there was a significant correlations between the variables and service delivery at Kenyatta University however other factors that are not considered in the research paper contribute approximately 18.6% of the service delivery at Kenyatta University. Therefore, a very extensive further research is highly required to investigate and come up with other factors of the viability to service delivery at Kenyatta University. The study concluded that the strategic innovation of the public universities ranges from the products and services offered and is determined by the technology that is revolutionizing the current global world and has improved the service delivery at Kenyatta University. A strategic innovation brings a lot of advantages and has a great impact on human and business daily life. Therefore, strategic innovation development is the best choice in helping higher institution of learning stay on track.