dc.description.abstract | Successful implementation of county funded projects in parts of the world is critical since it is the
only way the citizenry can enjoy services provided by those projects. Therefore, the purpose of
this study was to determine the influence of project implementation on performance of county
funded projects. The study specifically sought to assess the influence of stakeholder participation,
planning, leadership and financial capacity on the performance of afforestation projects in Meru
County, Kenya. The reviewed theories included public participation theory, stakeholder theory and
Resource Based View theory. Descriptive survey design was employed in this study. The target
population for this study was composed of the County representatives, Kenya Forest Service
officials and Stakeholders in Meru County Government. The sample size was determined using
Morgan and Krejcie (1970) model, and the study sought to use a sample size of 292 respondents.
Stratified sampling methods were used for the selection of the study respondents. Data collection
for this research was done using questionnaires. The data collected was first grouped and then
edited before being coded using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 25.0).
Data was analyzed by use of both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive analysis
comprises of measures of distribution (frequencies and percentages), measures of central
tendencies (mean) and measures of variability (standard deviation). Thematic analysis entailed the
creation of themes related to the study variables. This was performed on the qualitative data
provided by the open-ended parts in the questionnaire. Inferential statistics was done using
multiple regression analysis. The analyzed data was presented in form of tables. The study
established that tracking activities for the end county project; facilitating or overseeing some
activities of the county project; mobilizing project beneficiaries for some activities; and deciding
the timelines and targeted beneficiaries influence performance of afforestation projects in Meru
County to a great extent. The study also found that change control procedures; and use of the
project baseline influence performance of afforestation projects in Meru County to a moderate
extent. Also, the rate of projects supervision by managers of allocation of resources influence
performance of afforestation projects in Meru County to a moderate extent. The source of funds
was found to influence performance of afforestation projects in Meru County to a low extent. The
study concluded that financial capacity had the greatest influence on performance of afforestation
projects in Meru County, followed by stakeholder participation, then leadership while schedule
management had the least influence on performance of afforestation projects in Meru County. The
study recommends that stakeholder’s participation should be improved in project management to
promote the implementation of project management since there will be little resistance from
stakeholders. The study recommends that the project managers should provide the necessary
resources and facilities for project management without under budgeting. The study recommends
that the sustainability must be a key consideration when designing afforestation projects. The study
recommends that the project management office or committee should continuously assess
stakeholder interests; this will help to promote their buy-in and eliminate intergroup conflicts
thereby improving project performance. | en_US |