Effects of participatory based monitoring and evaluation approach on project implementation: a case of trademark East Africa

Abstract

Participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) offers new ways for strengthening learning and change both at community, project and institutional level. PM&E can and has been used for various purposes, including project planning and management, organizational strengthening and learning, understanding and negotiating stakeholder interests, and the assessment of project outcomes and impacts. In the same spirit this study topic was identified and its main purpose was to determine effect of participatory based monitoring and evaluation approach on implementation of projects; the case of TradeMark East Africa development projects. The specific objectives of the study included: - to determine the influence of collaborative decision-making and problem-solving on project implementation at TMEA, to determine the influence of beneficiary ownership & participation on project implementation at TMEA, to determine the influence of transparency and accountability structures on project implementation at TMEA and, to determine the influence of institutional factors on project implementation at TMEA. The study used a descriptive survey design targeting all the 107 individuals who included 7 Project managers 15 Project coordinators, 5 Beneficiaries (Indirect Employees), 30 Project implementation and coordination team members and 50 other Stakeholders from KPA and other agencies based in Mombasa. This study used the Krejcie & Morgan sample table of 1970 to sample 86 respondents for the study, that was later coupled with stratified sampling whereby the target population was put into stratum as per their characteristics and the exact sample population calculated using (N/107) x86: where N is the target population in each stratum, 107 is the total target population is all the stratum, and 86 is the value gotten from Krejcie & Morgan sample table of 1970. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire that had both closed and open-ended questions. These questionnaires were distributed to the field by emails, using research assistants and later on they picked and sorted for analysis. Out of the 86 questionnaires given to the field, only 65 were fit for use in the analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed using descriptions and elaborative explanations while, the quantitative data obtained was analyzed through inferential and descriptive statistics and presented through frequency tables, percentages and means. From the findings, all the four independent factors as indicated in the objectives and conceptual framework had an influence in the implementation of projects. Hypothesis was tested using the simple Chi-Square calculations and the alternative hypothesis was accepted and null hypothesis rejected in all the situations of this study. Chapter five gave the summary of the findings in relation to the objectives; it did give the discussions, recommendations and the areas that could be studied in future.