Linkage Strategies, Resource Conditions and University Performance

This study sought to contribute to knowledge by assessing the moderating effect of resource conditions on the relationship between linkage strategies and performance of universities in Kenya. Resource based view was used as the main theory anchoring the study. Cross-Sectional survey was adopted as the research design. The population of the study consists of sixty five (65) public and private universities incorporated in Kenya. Out of this, a sample of forty seven (47) universities which had undergone at least one graduation cycle was taken. Primary and secondary data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and review of existing university documents and regulatory bodies’ websites respectively. Correlation and regression analyses were carried out to analyse data and to test hypotheses. Although it was not possible to include all the determinants of institutional performance, balanced score card was appropriately used to represent financial and non-financial aspects that constitute performance indicators. It was established that resource conditions have enhancing moderating effect on the relationship between linkage strategies and university performance in Kenya. The significance of firm resources and linkage components in strategy formulation and implementation cannot be overlooked. The key recommendation that the study offers as insights to theory, university authorities and policy makers, is the need to consider firm resource conditions as critical determinants during strategy formulation and implementation process in order to enhance university performance. The main limitation of this study is that primary data was collected from only one respondent per university but common methods bias was mitigated through the use of additional secondary data to validate primary data.