Under Performance; Why Intrapreneurial Strategies and Operating Environment Matter in Fixing Performance of Public Universities in Kenya

Abstract

The Kenyan government in 2023 unveiled a new funding model aimed at promoting affordable and equal access to higher education as well as breath life to public universities that would otherwise collapse due to financial challenges. Improvements in performance is seen through intrapreneurial strategies and that is the focus of this study. The unit of analysis was 20 public universities and the unit of observation was 400 participants. A combination of descriptive and explanatory research designs was used. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data; which was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and content analysis. Multiple regression models were used to test the association between variables. The study found a statistically significant (β-0.620, p=0.000<0.05) and partially moderating influence of operating environment between intrapreneurial strategies and performance of public universities in Kenya. The study concluded that the operating environment moderates the relationship between intrapreneurial strategies and performance of public universities in Kenya. The study recommends that Vice-Chancellors of public universities should adopt innovativeness, pro-activeness, risk-taking and self-renewal intrapreneurial strategies with an awareness of the external and internal operating environment. as they have a significant and positive relationship with performance. The study also recommends that the Ministry of Education, Government of Kenya and relevant policy makers should institute reforms and organise forums that promote intrapreneurship adoption within the public universities to promote overall organisational performance.