ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES IN PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES IN NAKURU COUNTY

Abstract

Implementing procurement procedures in public health facilities in Nakuru County ensure the quality of goods and services acquired, leading to better healthcare outcomes for patients and timely delivery of supplies. Regardless of the effort by the public health facilities in Nakuru County to improve performance of the procurement function, poor implementation and non-compliance to procurement regulations still pose as key challenges. The study therefore sought to determine the effect of organizational structure on the implementation of procurement procedures in public health facilities in Nakuru, Specifically the study sought to determine the effect of chain of command, work specialization, span of control and formalization on the implementation of procurement procedures in public health facilities in Nakuru County Kenya. The study was anchored on the implementation theory, contingency theory, agency theory, systems theory and bureaucratic theory. The study was anchored on the implementation theory and contingency theory. The research design for the study was a descriptive survey design. The study targeted 82 respondents involved in the procurement process in health facilities; they include medical officer in charge of the various targeted health facilities, procurement officers and department heads from user departments in health facilities in Nakuru County. The study adopted Slovins’ formula to get the sample size of 68 respondents from the total target population. The researcher further used simple random sampling to select the sample size for each of the category of the target group. A pilot-test was conducted at Kericho County Referral hospital where 7 questionnaires were issued out. Data was collected using the drop and pick later method which was best collected after two weeks. In this method, the consent statement was issued and then the questionnaire administered. Quantitative data was analyzed by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics involved the use of percentages, frequencies, measures of central tendencies (mean) and measures of dispersion (standard deviation). Inferential statistic involving the use of correlation analysis and multiple regression analyses. Correlation analysis was used to determine the nature of the relationship between variables. Multiple regression analysis was employed to analyze the relationship between a single dependent variable and several independent variables. The study concluded that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between chain of command on implementation of procurement procedures in public health facilities in Nakuru County, Kenya. The study further concluded that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between work specialization on implementation of procurement procedures in public health facilities in Nakuru County. The study also concluded that there is a strong positive correlation existed between span of control and implementation of procurement procedures. The study finally concluded that a strong positive correlation existed between formalization on the implementation of procurement procedures in public health facilities in Nakuru County Kenya. The study recommends that to optimize the chain of command for the implementation of procurement procedures, it is essential to foster a culture of division of labor and specialization within the procurement team. This can be achieved by clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each team member based on their expertise.