The effect of corporate culture on performance of public water companies and sewerage in Makueni and Machakos counties, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to understand the effects of corporate culture on performance ofwater and sewerage companies in southeastern Kenya . It specifically focused on four water and sewerage companies in Machakos and Makueni Counties namely: Machakos Water and Sewerage, Mavoko Water and sewerage Company, Makindu - Kibwezi Water and Sewerage Company and Wote Water and Sewerage Company. The specific objectives were to analyze the effect of employee involvement, norms and values and organizational artifacts on performance of water companies. The target population was 188 which comprised all levels of employees working with the four water and sewerage companies. Using the stratified sampling, a sample size of 136 (72%) employees was selected and used in the study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire which was distributed to the 136 respondents. The statistical Package for Social Science program (SPSS) was utilized to analyze the data collected and presented by use of pie charts, bar graphs and tables to make the necessary recommendations and conclusions. Findings of this study indicated a positive relationship between employ ee involvement in company activities and performance r =0.64, artifacts and performance r = 0.90, and norms and values and performance r =0.94. From an individual company basis, it was concluded that Mavoko and Makindu - Kibwezi Water and Sewerage Companies recorded a high performance a fact attributable to a much stronger corporate culture. The outstanding performance was indicated by a high level of water coverage, low level of non water revenue and fairly high level of revenue collection. This high performance was attributed to a strong corporate culture as evidenced by: a high level of employee involvement on company affairs, strong organizational norms and values and a strong belief and adherence on organizational artifacts. Companies that did not perform well such as Machakos W&SC tended to be autocratic and less participatory. Employees in these companies did not adhere to their organizational norms and did not believe that it was important to do so. Lastly poor performance was common among companies that did not adhere to their organizational artifacts. The study recommends that employers should be encouraged to embrace participatory approach in order to improve company performance, Water and sewerage companies should embrace modern technology for speed y communication of water access - related information and heavy penalties should be levied on defaulters.