Abstract:
Every organization faces the challenge of managing its capacity to effectively satisfy demand.
Due to the high costs associated with facilities, equipment, and labor, organization are
confronted with the challenge of meeting demand with minimal resources. The increase in
student enrolment, with some universities registering more self-sponsored students than the
government-sponsored students who are selected through the Kenya Universities and Colleges
Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), has also affected the capacity of the universities. As
enrollments continued to increase in all the public universities the government has not increased
their funding, and hence complicating capacities issues.
This study sought to find out the challenges of capacity management in the 31 public universities
and how the universities are coping with such challenges and make suggestions on long term
solutions to such challenges. The study took a sample on one hundred and fifty respondents that
comprised of ten members of staff and five students from a sample of ten public universities.
Data was collected using a structured questionnaire which was delivered to the respondents who
filled it at their own convenient time for later collection. Also a face to face interview was
conducted on a few selected respondents to get some clarifications and further explanations.
The data was analyzed using mainly descriptive statistics that included the arithmetic mean and
percentages and both were used to give the picture the challenges of capacity management in
public universities in Kenya. The study concluded that the student accommodation in the hostels,
sitting capacity in the library and financial resources are the most challenging issues in capacity
management in public universities in Kenya. The study recommends that public universities
should address the challenges so that all the public universities can have some standardization in
their service delivery so that students can choose any public university of their choice. |
International Journal of Social Science & Economic Research
