| dc.description.abstract | With the intensified challenge of providing quality service for her citizens, Kenya adopted Performance Contracts as a tool not only to improve service delivery but also to refocus the mindset of the civil service from looking within to focusing on customers and results. The push factor for introduction of performance contracts in Kenya is the assumption that institution of performance measurements, customer orientation and an increased focus towards incremental productivity and cost reduction can lead to improvements in service delivery.
The purpose of this research was to examine the performance contracts application at the Ewaso Ngiro North Development Authority and some of the challenges faced in its implementation, as well as the efficacy of the instrument in improving service delivery. This is a study with a main objective to determine the effect of Performance Contracting processes on service delivery.
A descriptive study was done where a random sample of 50 service recipients and all the 100 employees of ENNDA at Isiolo headquarters were targeted. Questionnaires were administered by drop and pick method after which the raw data was coded, edited, sorted and classified. Data was subjected to both qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis techniques using Statistical Package for Social Sciences computer software. The findings were presented using frequency tables and percentages.
This study established that work plan management was the most significant factor in influencing service delivery at ENNDA, followed by skills development and training then Monitoring and evaluation while reward system was the least significant. The study found that targets in the work plan aid in achievement of PC targets and work plans encourage teamwork. The study also deduced that skills development and training influences effective implementation of Performance Contracting. It was clear that training combines on the job, intemal and external training and training provided by ENNDA helps improve skills so as to surpass targets.
The study also established that monitoring and evaluation affect the implementation of Performance Contracting as they are conducted on an on-going basis. However, evaluation reviews are not well communicated to employees and service recipients were involved in M&E at the ENNDA. It was also clear that targets set for each employee are not realistic and are-arrived at after consultation. This study recommends that ENNDA should provide adequate tools to the employees in order to ensure that they achieve their targets. More consultation with employees should be done when drawing up work plan targets. Effort should be made to ensure all targets in the work plan are specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and time bound.
The study also recommends that evaluation reviews should be well communicated to the employees by their supervisors to enable them improve their performance. Service recipients need to be more involved in monitoring and evaluation to ensure any gains made are a real indication of improvement on the ground. Where service recipients are involved in giving feedback, care should be taken to take their views seriously and consider them for implementation. The results of the findings of this study will benefit the government in policy formulation, improvement and implementation of performance contract. | en_US |
