| dc.description.abstract | The primary development goal for any country is to achieve broad-based, sustainable improvement in the standards of the quality of life for its citizens. The public service and in particular the civil service plays an indispensable role in the effective delivery of public services that are key to the functioning of a state economy. When the delivery of services is constrained or becomes ineffective, it affects the quality of life of the people and nation's development process.
The primary objective of this study was to explore the factors that influence performance contracting in the Municipal Council of Nakuru. This was a case study since the unit of analysis is one organisation. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data was collected by use of an interview guide. Secondary data was obtained from government statistical reports, archival records, unpublished university manuscripts, local records, published relevant literature, maps, newspapers and the internet. A content analysis was employed in analyzing the data.
Based on the study findings, the study concludes that embracing performance contracting has resulted in notable improvement in some areas of service delivery in the council. The study also concludes that motivation is important in meeting the set targets in Performance Contract. The introduction of performance contract in the council has enhanced accountability of the management and fostered teamwork among employees.
The study notes that the council is faced with various challenges that negatively impact in the achievement of set targets. They include the lack of adequate skills by some cadres; inadequate dissemination of PC targets to all levels of staff; slow procurement process; corruption; unforeseen circumstances; poor coordination; inadequate financial resources; poor documentation and record keeping; and late release of central government financial transfers.
In order to succeed and reap the full benefits of PC, the council should be vigilant in offering the employees continuous training so as to enable them appreciate the importance of performance contracting. The study also recommends that there should be individual targets other than the council to enable the individuals to measure their performance and achievements.
Key words: performance contracting, service delivery, performance | en_US |
