Effects of political influence on sourcing of human capital at the county level

EFFECTS OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE ON SOURCING OF HUMAN CAPITAL AT THE COUNTY LEVEL

Background to the Study

Many scholars, practitioners and experts in the field of human resource management agree on the existence of a phenomenon where the political environment directly affects human capital sourcing in Kenya. The phenomenon is especially pronounced in the civil service structure where many human resource positions are influenced by various politically-influenced factors. Akong'o Dimba (2010) stated how political influences created by the ruling party in Kenya as well as the opposition affected the process of sourcing for human capital. Additionally, Kimenyi, (2013), reiterated the presence of distinct political influences operating on tribal lines based on the tribal disposition of Kenya’s ruling party in the face of its main opposition. These influences, according to this research, continue to affect the processes associated with human resources development where certain tribes cannot get employment in certain areas due to these political issues.

More on the issue emerges in the form of subtle tribalism where the current political environment in Kenya seems to have pitted the Kikuyu against the Luo communities from the perspective of Jubilee party and Orange Democratic Movement. Consequently, as demonstrated by Ng’ang’a Njuguna (2015), these issues seem to have permeated into the Counties after devolution. Based on the distinct political influences created by the current political climate in Kenya, sourcing of human capital has suffered from the negativities of tribalism and other biases. Nyambegera (2002) also identified that most of the regions in Kenya have experienced problems associated with sourcing human capital brought about by the existence of, and the alignment with political parties and their ruling figures’ tribal affiliations.

Omwoha (2016) stated the seriousness of the problem when her research finding exposed the hardships some parts of the country experience when sourcing human capital. Although the role the media continues to play in propagating the rift between the two main parties is significant to the issue, politics have been identified as the main source of hardships when sourcing for human resources at the county level in the country. Although the issue continues to benefit from ongoing research, the stage has already been set for significant attention to be directed towards the role of politics on human capital dynamics at the county level in Kenya.

Statement of the Problem

After the introduction of multiparty democracy in Kenya, the political environment set was such that most of the emerging political parties took on a distinct tribal image. Most of the political parties that emerged did so with the intention of correcting the social-economic evils that KANU had meted out to the respective communities. Consequently, the removal of KANU from power in 2002 resulted in the formation of political coalitions based on distinct tribal communities’ intent on securing power and influence. Unfortunately, such phenomena also affected the business environment such that affiliation to certain communities perceived to be aligned with certain political parties affected human capital dynamics. Suddenly, the process of sourcing for human capital even after devolution depended on political influences, a problem that continues to erode the efficiency of many county development agenda and many other aspects of growth.

Therefore, the main problem that these scenarios present is uniquely directed towards the gap in knowledge on the effects of politics on Kenya, especially at the county levels given that devolution has occurred. Additionally, while research exists aimed at understanding the role of political influence on human resource management, little research exits aimed specifically at Kenyan counties after the process of devolution.

Objectives of the Study

This study aims to:

- Reiterate the existence of political influence on processes aimed at sourcing human capital in Kenya as highlighted by various studies.
- Focus on the role that these political influences and their direct derivatives have on all process aimed at sourcing for human capital at the County level.

In order to achieve these objectives, the study will depend on a study population, which will be Nairobi County. This decision is informed by the fact that apart from the capital of the country, Nairobi County is well represented by all the political and tribal affiliations necessary to make the study possible and un-biased. From the study populations, the study will rely on a sample size of 1000 people from all constituencies of the County.

Questions and/or hypotheses

1. Does the existence of political influences in Kenya have any bearing on the processes aimed at sourcing from human capital?
2. What roles do these political influences play with respect to all processes aimed at sourcing for human capital at the County level in Kenya?

Literature Review

The concept of theory is according to Gill and Johnson (2002) referred to in (Saunders et al., 2009) as a detailing in regards to the circumstances and end results connections between at least one factors which might have been tried. Saunders et al., (2009) advance clarifies that Theoretical system is an accumulation of interrelated thoughts in light of hypotheses. It is a contemplated set of relational words, which are gotten from and upheld by information or confirmation. It endeavors to clear up why things are how they depend on speculations.

The inception of human capital does a reversal to rise of traditional financial aspects in (1776) and from that point built up a logical hypothesis. After the indication of that idea as a hypothesis, Schultz (1961) perceived the human capital as one of the essential variables of national financial development in the current economy (Dae-bong, 2009). The hypothesis is established from the field of macroeconomic improvement hypothesis Schultz (1993). Becker's (1993) great book, Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with unique reference to instruction outlined this area. Becker contends that there are various types of capitals that incorporate tutoring, PC instructional class and uses on medicinal care (Marimuthu et al., 2009).

The hypothesis contends that a man's formal instruction decides his or her procuring power. The possibility of human capital starts from the perception that tutoring builds up specific qualities in individuals and that these qualities upgrade monetary efficiency and financial development (Severine and Lila, 2009).Gary Becker's great work, human capital (1964), explains on the thought of human capital with regards to neoclassical financial matters. It enrolls that interest in human could be seen as like interest in different method for generation, similar to processing plants or mines. In building up Becker's work further, another financial analyst, Theodore Schultz, set out to guide how rates of come back from instruction could be computed in nations with various levels of wage, diverse states of mind to doing without profit to create human capital (Severine and Lila, 2009). Human capital hypothesis holds that it is the key capabilities, aptitudes, learning and capacities of the workforce that adds to associations upper hand. It centers consideration on resourcing, human asset improvement, and reward systems and practices.

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