Stakeholder Participation Process, Leadership Styles And Performance Of Beekeeping Projects: A Case Of Women Beekeeping Groups In Kajiado County-Kenya

Abstract

Stakeholder participation process is associated with successful performance of projects. Involvement of stakeholders or lack of it in a project can positively or negatively influence project performance. Stakeholder participation process is a six step process involving information sharing; learning; project joint assessments; shared decision making; collaboration and stakeholder empowerment. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of stakeholder participation process and leadership styles on performance of beekeeping projects. The specific objectives of the study were to determine how stakeholder participation in information sharing influences performance of beekeeping projects; assess how stakeholder participation in learning influences performance of the projects; establish in what ways stakeholder participation in joint assessments of projects influences performance of beekeeping projects; determine how stakeholder participation in shared decision making influences performance of beekeeping projects; investigate the extent to which stakeholder participation in stakeholder empowerment influences performance of beekeeping projects and determine the moderating influence by project leadership styles, in stakeholder participation process and beekeeping performance. Descriptive survey, cross-sectional and correlational research designs were used in a mixed method research approach. Quantitative data was collected through open and crossed-ended questionnaires while qualitative data was collected through an interview guide, observation and focus group discussions. Research instruments were pilot tested for validity through content- related, construct and face validity. Reliability was tested using Alpha coefficient (Cronbach alpha) giving positive results at above o.6 alpha value. A sample size of two hundred and seventy two (272) respondents was drawn from a target population of eight hundred and forty five (845) women drawn from forty two (42) registered women beekeeping groups and five key informants in Kajiado County. Regression models and correlation were used to analyse inferential data while non-parametric tests were used to test hypotheses in the study. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis, categorization into themes, narrations of respondents’ quotations and verbatim explanations. The findings were presented in distribution tables and narrative excerpts. The study established that taking all factors into account, the performance of beekeeping projects was at 1.31 increase in performance; and that taking all other independent variables at zero, a unit increase in the stakeholder participation in leadership was at 0.77 increase in performance of beekeeping projects; while at 5% level of significance and 95% level of confidence, the stakeholder participation in leadership showed 0.015 level of significance. The results indicated that the variables were significant (p<0.05) concluding that the stakeholder participation process and leadership styles influenced performance of beekeeping projects. It was therefore recommended that since the aim in Project Planning and Management is to achieve maximum project performance, Project Managers and Extension Officers undertaking beekeeping projects should incorporate a stakeholder participation process in their projects in order to achieve maximum project performance.