Performance Contracting and Service Delivery of Managers in the Coastal Region Counties of Kenya

Abstract

Performance contracting plays a key role in generating the desired behaviours with more emphasis on the outcome. Following the introduction of a devolved system of governance by the Constitution of Kenya (2010), County governments were needed to design a plan for performance management for assessing the public service performance of the county and implementing county policy. The study objective was to determine the performance contracting and service delivery of managers in the coastal region counties of Kenya. This research was anchored on two theories; Agency theory and new public service theory. Cross sectional study design was employed in this study. The population of this study was 210 managers. They included County Executive Committee members (CECs), Chief Officers (COs) and County Directors, from all the six coastal region counties of Kenya, namely Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Tana River and Taita Taveta thus making the study a census. The study utilized primary as well as secondary data collection techniques. Using questionnaires, primary data was obtained. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. Descriptive analysis was used for analysisng quantitative data with the aid of IBM SPSS (Version 25.0). the study conducted multiple regression for inferential data analysis. The study established that setting targets was based on county priorities, that set county standards and performance targets are clear and that employees comprehends the targets in their departmental under performance contract. The study found that the management supports the efforts of PC in performance evaluations, that the quality of services provided have improved and that performance contracting has increased the number of evaluations. The study concluded that performance feedback had the greatest effect on service delivery in coastal counties in Kenya followed by target setting while performance evaluation had the least effect on the service delivery in coastal counties in Kenya. The study recommends that county governments should encourage their employees to embrace target setting so as to improve in service delivery. The study recommended that county governments needs to ensure that there is a favorable conditions to allow for employee’s participation in target setting as a measure to enhance customer satisfaction.