Adaptability Strategies and Institutional Performance of Public TVET Institutions in Machakos County, Kenya
Abstract
This study examined the influence of adaptability strategies on the institutional performance of public technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in Machakos County, Kenya. Specifically, it assessed the effects of capacity building, digital technologies, resource reconfiguration, and proactive innovation on institutional performance. The study adopted a descriptive research design and targeted 85 respondents from Machakos Technical Institute, Machakos Vocational Training Centre, and Kangundo Technical Training Institute. A census approach was employed to include all 85 respondents. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, which were piloted among eight respondents at Machakos University. Content validity was assessed, while reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, with a threshold of 0.80. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, alongside inferential statistics involving correlation and multiple linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that capacity building (β = 0.667, p = 0.004), digital technologies (β = 0.708, p = 0.002), resource reconfiguration (β = 0.693, p = 0.003), and proactive innovation (β = 0.693, p = 0.003) had statistically significant positive relationships with institutional performance. The study concluded that strengthening staff competencies, investing in digital infrastructure, reallocating resources flexibly, and promoting proactive innovation could enhance programme delivery, operational efficiency, responsiveness, and institutional sustainability. Accordingly, public TVET institutions should institutionalise continuous staff training, mentorship, and professional development; invest strategically in digital technologies; adopt flexible resource allocation mechanisms; and establish supportive systems that encourage staff and students to develop and implement innovative ideas. These strategies could strengthen institutional capacity to respond to evolving educational, technological, and labour-market demands while improving overall performance.
Keywords: Adaptability Strategies, Institutional Performance, Public TVET Institutions, Machakos County, Kenya
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