4/23/25, 7:28 AM Total quality management practices and customer satisfaction in
TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN KENYA
(CASE OF SELECTED UNIVERSITIES IN NAIROBI COUNTY)
BY
WINNIE MUTHONI MUCHIRA
A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF THE DEGREE IN MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION (STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OPTION) OF
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
JULY 2018
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,4/23/25, 7:28 AM Total quality management practices and customer satisfaction in
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this research project is my original work and has not been presented for
award for a degree at this or any other university.
Signature ………………………… Date ……………………………….
WINNIE MUTHONI MUCHIRA
D53/OL/CTY/24678/2014
SUPERVISOR
This is to declare that this research project has been submitted for examination with my approval
as the university supervisor.
Signature ……………………… Date ……………………………….
MR. SHADRACK BETT
LECTURER, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
ii
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,4/23/25, 7:28 AM Total quality management practices and customer satisfaction in
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................ ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... iii
LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... vii
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................ ix
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION........................................................................... 1
1.1. Background of the study ........................................................................................... 1
1.1.1 The Concept of Total Quality Management ............................................................ 2
1.1.2. Customer satisfaction in institution of Higher Learning ......................................... 4
1.1.3. Institutions of higher learning in Kenya ................................................................. 6
1.2 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................... 7
1.3. Objective of the study ............................................................................................... 9
1.3.1. General Objective .................................................................................................. 9
1.3.2. Specific Objective ................................................................................................. 9
1.5. Significance of the Study ........................................................................................ 10
1.6 Scope of the Study................................................................................................... 11
1.7. Limitations of study................................................................................................ 11
CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................. 12
2.0. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 12
2.1. Theoretical Literature Review ................................................................................ 12
2.1.1. Deming Theory ................................................................................................... 12
2.1.2. Kaizen Theory ..................................................................................................... 14
2.1.3. System Theory .................................................................................................... 15
2.1.4. Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory .................................................................... 16
2.2 Empirical Literature Review .................................................................................... 17
2.2.1. Customer Focus and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction ..................................... 17
2.2.2. Management commitment and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction ...................... 19
2.2.3. Continual Improvement and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction .......................... 21
2.2.4. System /Process Approach and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction ..................... 23
2.2.5. Customer Satisfaction .......................................................................................... 25
iii
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2.3. Critical Review of Major issues .............................................................................. 27
2.4. Summary of the knowledge gaps ............................................................................ 28
2.5 Conceptual Framework ........................................................................................... 29
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................ 32
3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 32
3.2. Research Design ..................................................................................................... 32
3.3. Location of the study .............................................................................................. 32
3.3.1. Target Population ................................................................................................ 33
3.3.2. Sampling and Sampling Procedure ...................................................................... 34
3.4. Data Sources and Collection Instruments ................................................................ 35
3.4.1. Pilot Survey ......................................................................................................... 35
3.4.2. Reliability of Research instruments ..................................................................... 36
3.4.3. Validity of Research instruments ......................................................................... 36
3.5. Data Analysis and Presentation .............................................................................. 37
3.5.1. Diagnostic Tests .................................................................................................. 38
3.6. Data Management and Ethical Consideration.......................................................... 39
CHAPTER FOUR:RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ........................... 40
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 40
4.2 Response Rate ......................................................................................................... 40
4.3. Demographic Profile of the Respondents ................................................................ 41
4.3.1 Gender of Respondents ......................................................................................... 41
4.3.2 University of Study .............................................................................................. 41
4.3.3 Mode of Study ...................................................................................................... 42
4.4 Responses on Specific Variables ............................................................................ 43
4.4.1 Customer focus and Customer Satisfaction ........................................................... 43
4.4.2 Management Commitment and Customer Satisfaction .......................................... 44
4.4.3 Continuous Improvement and Customer Satisfaction ............................................ 46
4.4.4 System /Process Approach and Customer Satisfaction .......................................... 47
4.4.5 Dependent Variable: Customer Satisfaction .......................................................... 48
4.5 Diagnostic Tests ...................................................................................................... 49
4.5.1 Testing for Multicollinearity ................................................................................. 49
4.5.2 Testing for Heteroscedasticity .............................................................................. 50
4.5.3 Testing for Normality of Residuals ....................................................................... 51
4.6 Inferential Analysis ................................................................................................. 52
iv
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TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN KENYA
(CASE OF SELECTED UNIVERSITIES IN NAIROBI COUNTY)
BY
WINNIE MUTHONI MUCHIRA
A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF THE DEGREE IN MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION (STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OPTION) OF
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
JULY 2018
about:blank 1/83
,4/23/25, 7:28 AM Total quality management practices and customer satisfaction in
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this research project is my original work and has not been presented for
award for a degree at this or any other university.
Signature ………………………… Date ……………………………….
WINNIE MUTHONI MUCHIRA
D53/OL/CTY/24678/2014
SUPERVISOR
This is to declare that this research project has been submitted for examination with my approval
as the university supervisor.
Signature ……………………… Date ……………………………….
MR. SHADRACK BETT
LECTURER, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
ii
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,4/23/25, 7:28 AM Total quality management practices and customer satisfaction in
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................ ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... iii
LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... vii
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................ ix
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION........................................................................... 1
1.1. Background of the study ........................................................................................... 1
1.1.1 The Concept of Total Quality Management ............................................................ 2
1.1.2. Customer satisfaction in institution of Higher Learning ......................................... 4
1.1.3. Institutions of higher learning in Kenya ................................................................. 6
1.2 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................... 7
1.3. Objective of the study ............................................................................................... 9
1.3.1. General Objective .................................................................................................. 9
1.3.2. Specific Objective ................................................................................................. 9
1.5. Significance of the Study ........................................................................................ 10
1.6 Scope of the Study................................................................................................... 11
1.7. Limitations of study................................................................................................ 11
CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................. 12
2.0. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 12
2.1. Theoretical Literature Review ................................................................................ 12
2.1.1. Deming Theory ................................................................................................... 12
2.1.2. Kaizen Theory ..................................................................................................... 14
2.1.3. System Theory .................................................................................................... 15
2.1.4. Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory .................................................................... 16
2.2 Empirical Literature Review .................................................................................... 17
2.2.1. Customer Focus and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction ..................................... 17
2.2.2. Management commitment and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction ...................... 19
2.2.3. Continual Improvement and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction .......................... 21
2.2.4. System /Process Approach and its Effect on Customer Satisfaction ..................... 23
2.2.5. Customer Satisfaction .......................................................................................... 25
iii
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2.3. Critical Review of Major issues .............................................................................. 27
2.4. Summary of the knowledge gaps ............................................................................ 28
2.5 Conceptual Framework ........................................................................................... 29
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................ 32
3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 32
3.2. Research Design ..................................................................................................... 32
3.3. Location of the study .............................................................................................. 32
3.3.1. Target Population ................................................................................................ 33
3.3.2. Sampling and Sampling Procedure ...................................................................... 34
3.4. Data Sources and Collection Instruments ................................................................ 35
3.4.1. Pilot Survey ......................................................................................................... 35
3.4.2. Reliability of Research instruments ..................................................................... 36
3.4.3. Validity of Research instruments ......................................................................... 36
3.5. Data Analysis and Presentation .............................................................................. 37
3.5.1. Diagnostic Tests .................................................................................................. 38
3.6. Data Management and Ethical Consideration.......................................................... 39
CHAPTER FOUR:RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ........................... 40
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 40
4.2 Response Rate ......................................................................................................... 40
4.3. Demographic Profile of the Respondents ................................................................ 41
4.3.1 Gender of Respondents ......................................................................................... 41
4.3.2 University of Study .............................................................................................. 41
4.3.3 Mode of Study ...................................................................................................... 42
4.4 Responses on Specific Variables ............................................................................ 43
4.4.1 Customer focus and Customer Satisfaction ........................................................... 43
4.4.2 Management Commitment and Customer Satisfaction .......................................... 44
4.4.3 Continuous Improvement and Customer Satisfaction ............................................ 46
4.4.4 System /Process Approach and Customer Satisfaction .......................................... 47
4.4.5 Dependent Variable: Customer Satisfaction .......................................................... 48
4.5 Diagnostic Tests ...................................................................................................... 49
4.5.1 Testing for Multicollinearity ................................................................................. 49
4.5.2 Testing for Heteroscedasticity .............................................................................. 50
4.5.3 Testing for Normality of Residuals ....................................................................... 51
4.6 Inferential Analysis ................................................................................................. 52
iv
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