Public relations is a vital tool for the government because it emphasizes on democracy and good governance. This study sought to establish the role of public relations tools in sensitizing the public on government projects in government ministries in the Central Government in Nairobi. Specifically, the study examined: the effects of media relations on sensitizing the public on government projects in Nairobi County, Kenya; the effects of community relations on sensitizing the public on government projects in Nairobi County, Kenya; the effects of sponsorships on sensitizing the public on government projects in Nairobi County, Kenya; the effects of community events on sensitizing the public on government projects in Nairobi County, Kenya. For this study, the researcher used descriptive survey design. The target population comprised heads of departments in state corporations in Kenya which totals 162. This study was a census survey of all 162 state corporations in Kenya. The unit of analysis comprised all the state corporations whereas the unit of observation consisted of 162 heads of departments (Public Relations Officers) of each State Corporation, thus forming a sample size of 162 respondents. Primary data was collected using questionnaires as the main data collection instruments. The study also collected data using an interview schedule. SPSS version 20 was adopted in the analysis of quantitative data. Data was presented in the form of pie charts, graphs and tables. Themes were used to analyze qualitative data. The study found that media relations positively and significantly influence sensitisation on government projects; community relations positively and significantly influence sensitisation on government projects; sponsorships positively and significantly influence sensitisation on government projects and community events positively and significantly influence sensitisation on government projects. The study, therefore, recommends that stronger communication mechanisms should be installed and well integrated in the system to ensure easier and convenient dissemination of information to the public. PR department of any organisation contributes to its development and enhances customer’s satisfaction. In this line, the study recommends that strong and well integrated PR department should be installed in an organisation and therefore should be sufficiently funded to ensure its success. Further, the study recommends that organisations should devise ways and means to maintain a long-term commitment with clients.
ABSTRACT:-The purpose of this study was to to investigate the role of communication and information flow in the adoption and use of mobile technology by women entrepreneurs in Machakos County, Kenya. The study adopted the use of Uses and Gratifications theory. Mixed method design was used. Systematic random sampling was used to select 350 respondents. Survey method was used to collect quantitative data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and then presented in tables, figures and bar graphs. Purposive sampling was used to select 8 key informants and participants in the focus groups discussions. In-depth interviews and interview guide were used to collect qualitative data. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in narrative form. The study established that interpersonal communication is the media which is commonly used by women entrepreneurs to get information about adoption and use of mobile technology services at 45.1% followed closely by mobile service providers at 31.6%. The findings show that women entrepreneurs regularly consult family members, business colleagues and other business stakeholders. The findings further revealed that service providers were the strong campaigners of adoption and use of mobile phone technology services at 41% while county government did the least campaigns at 4%. Voice communication on the mobile phone at 52% was the service of the mobile phone technology that was mostly used by the women entrepreneurs in Machakos County. The least rated service was e-banking at 4%. On the area of empowering women entrepreneurs in Machakos County, the findings show that 23% of the women entrepreneurs have acquired new skills by using their mobile phones in business, 27% indicated that they have grown their business to higher levels even opening new branches while 31.6% attested to increasing their sales revenue. These findings show that when properly harnessed, mobile phone technology can create a very great impact in the empowerment of women entrepreneurs. The study concluded that mobile phone usage supports women entrepreneurs in their enterprises but it cannot replace face-to-face transactions which remain crucial among women entrepreneurs more particularly for meetings of group micro finance. It was recommended that communicators should come up with communication strategies which will aid in information flow in the adoption of any technology. They also need to come up with gender based theoretical frameworks to gather knowledge in the operation of enterprises which will add knowledge to the adoption process of technology and especially mobile phone technology.
Poverty amongst women can be reduced significantly as more women embrace the male dominated skilled and high paying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) occupations. Only 24% of graduates in engineering, manufacturing and construction were women (OECD, 2018). Bridging the gender gap remains a global challenge to policy makers especially in Africa. The situation is worrisome considering the social implications. Digital technologies have been known to remove the need for face-to-face interactions in learning thus reducing the difficulties women face in male dominated STEM-TVET. The aim of study is to propose novel attracting and retaining strategies using digital technology solutions for increasing female students’ enrolment and performance in STEM programmes in Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions. Design of this study was descriptive survey and 109 STEM teachers across five TVET institutions in Africa participated in the study. Data was collected using questionnaire. A blend of existing curriculum with digital technology was infused into the sensitization framework. Well designed and specifically targeted policies were proposed together with the digital solutions to yield more robust outcomes. The results revealed that attracting strategies are crucial initiatives needed to increase students’ enrolment in STEM education. The study recommends that governments and institutions should come up with policies which outline strategies to improve enrolment and retain female students undertaking STEM/TVET courses.
The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of adoption and usage of mobile phone technology to empower women entrepreneurs in Machakos County. The study adopted the use of Uses and Gratifications theory. Mixed method design was used. Systematic random sampling was used to select 350 respondents. Survey method was used to collect quantitative data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and then presented in tables, figures and bar graphs. Purposive sampling was used to select 8 key informants and participants in the focus groups discussions. In-depth interviews and interview guide were used to collect qualitative data. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in narrative form. The study found that women entrepreneurs in Machakos had adopted and used the mobile phone services for business matters but they had only adopted the basic functions of the mobile phone and specially voice communication at (53.6%) and SMS at (21.1%) of the respondents. Most women entrepreneurs rarely used the advanced applications of the mobile phone with e-banking having the least used service in the mobile phone. Service like the internet had below average users at 17.5% of the respondents. The findings showed that the mobile phone has changed the way of doing business. Women entrepreneurs have been increasingly turning to the mobile technology services which aid in business transactions and hence increased profits. On mobile phone accessibility and increase of profits due to mobile phone use showed that 77.1% of the women entrepreneurs said that using mobile phone technology services for their businesses had led to increased profits. The study established that social media had gained a rapid acceptance and popularity among the women entrepreneurs although their use was below average. Facebook was the most popular social medium amongst the entrepreneurs at 37%. Its popularity among women entrepreneurs can be attributed to the fact that Facebook provides interactive and immediacy, two things that are highly desirable to entrepreneurs. The study concluded that women entrepreneurs have accepted the mobile phone as an important tool for running their businesses but they have not fully adopted all the services of the mobile phone and especially the advanced functions. It was recommended that women opinion leaders should encourage and support their members to adopt and use mobile phone technology services, and do a follow up to make sure the members adopt it fully.
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