Influence Of Productivity Improvement Awareness Strategy On Service Delivery.

Abstract

This study was purposed to determine the influence of productivity improvement awareness on service delivery in Rukuriri Tea Factory, located in Runyenjes Division, Embu East County, Kenya. This is one of the sixty six tea factories found in various counties in Kenya that are managed by Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA). Rukuriri Tea Factory was the first tea factory under KTDA management to implement a Productivity Improvement Awareness programme. Productivity is critical for the profitability and long-term competitiveness of any organization. Yet, information on the influence of Productivity Improvement Awareness programme as a strategy for improving efficiency of key service delivery operations in the tea factories in Kenya was not readily available. The study‟s objective was to investigate the influence of Productivity Improvement Awareness on service delivery in Rukuriri Tea factory in Embu, Kenya, with a view of making this information readily available for decision making in the tea factories in Kenya. The study was quantitative, and employed a descriptive research methodology. Stratified random sampling was applied to select a sample of 75 respondents for the study. The Four Productivity Improvement Awareness (PIA) approaches used in imparting knowledge for productivity improvement awareness namely; productivity training, productivity audit, productivity partnerships and productivity skills exchange programme were studied. Findings indicated that Productivity Improvement Awareness influenced service delivery by positively impacting on quality and cost effectiveness of tea produced, timeliness in delivery, and innovativeness in production. Productivity partnership program was found to produce the highest positive effect on service delivery followed by training, then productivity exchange, and productivity audit. The study therefore concluded that when the four PIA approaches are used to impart productivity improvement awareness, better service delivery was achieved from quality and cost effective services. The study recommended that KTDA adopts PIA strategy, utilizes productivity partnerships and training for improved service delivery within the tea industry, and combine the two approaches with productivity exchange and audit programmes. Furthermore, the study recommended that there is need to develop some tea factories as learning models for use in implementation of partnership programmes .