PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

This study sought to establish the influence of project management practices on the performance of women empowerment projects in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study specifically sought to determine the influence of stakeholder participation, and resource allocation and utilization on the performance of women empowerment projects in Nairobi County. This study used descriptive research design.  The target population of the study was 60 Non-Governmental Organizations registered in Kenya that focuses on women empowerment operating in Nairobi County. The study focused on project managers and project coordinators tasked with running respective segments of the projects that the specific organization is implementing. This therefore translates to 120 respondents from the 60 Non-governmental organizations. Census sampling was adopted since the target population was both accessible and small. The study collected primary data by use of questionnaires that comprised of open and closed ended questionnaires. SPSS was used to produce frequencies, descriptive and inferential statistics which was used to derive conclusions and generalizations regarding the population. Descriptive statistics such as  percentages, mean,frequency distribution and standard deviation were computed to describe the characteristics of the variables of interest while in  inferential statistics, correlation, multiple regression analysis were used establish the nature and magnitude of the relationships between the variables and to test the hypothesized relationships. Coefficient of determination (R²) was used to measure the amount of variation in the dependent variable explained by the independent variable. The results of data analysis were presented using figures and tables for easy understanding and interpretation. The study findings indicated that there was improved project success in women empowerment projects due to the project management practices adopted by the non-governmental organizations in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study findings indicated that stakeholder participation as well as resource allocation and utilization had a positive and statistically significant relationship. The study concludes that there was increased and improved performance due to effective project management practices adopted in the projects by Non- Governmental organizations. The study recommends that stakeholders should be active and included in all pre-meetings and start-up meetings and that their perspectives are included in the planning and implementation process.