Corporate Governance and Financial Viability in Deposit Taking Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Kisii Region, Kenya

Abstract

Corporate governance entails agreed methods and arrangements for monitoring and directing an organization. This research considered four models associated to corporate governance viz; agency, stewardship, political and stakeholder. The association between corporate governance and firm viability has become a major emphasis in the study of corporate governance, but one cannot forecast more on the direction because previous research show varied outcomes. This study tests the association between corporate governance and financial viability of the deposit taking SACCOs in Kisii Region in Kenya. The objective of this research was to investigate the association between corporate governance and financial viability of SACCOs within Kisii Region in Kenya. This study problem was researched using cross sectional survey. The populace of concern for this study was all 5 deposit taking SACCOs operating in Kisii Region in Kenya encompassing Kisii and Nyamira Counties. The study adopted a census method. The study obtained secondary data from annual audited financial reports (five years 2011 to 2015) for purposes of analysis. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics mean and correlation. Financial viability was estimated by operational self sufficiency, return on assets, and return on equity to portfolio yield as well as Debt to Equity ratios. The use of the Pearson’s correlation between the variables showed a positive insignificant association with operational self sufficiency, return on assets and return on equity while negative and insignificant association was exposed between independent variables with yield and debt to equity ratio. However, non-executive directors showed significant positive association with return on equity with r=0.987, p<0.01. The study recommended that the SACCOs’ board composition in terms of business skills and education qualifications be diversified to ensure their expertise is complemented for financial viability of savings and credit co-operatives in Kenya. More so, the SACCOs’ should increase the qualifications requirements and competency of those individuals involved in the leadership of SACCOs in Kenya.