Intervening Effect of Institutional Characteristics on the Relationship between Training Practices and Performance of Bachelor of Business Courses Graduates from TVETA Accredited Universities in Kenya

Purpose: The objective of the study was to explore the intervening effect of institutional characteristics on the relationship between training practices and the performance of bachelors of business courses graduates from Technical Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) accredited universities in Kenya. Methodology: The study was anchored on Human Capital Theory and Cognitive Learning Theory. The study was guided by the positivism philosophical orientation. The study adopted a descriptive cross section survey design. The unit of analysis was bachelor of business courses graduates from TVETA accredited universities in Kenya. Through snowballing of Industry Based Learning (IBL) Reports submitted by students in each of the six TVETA accredited universities in Kenya. Through the graduates, their employers or managers, who were the unit of observation of the graduates’ performance was obtained. Purposive and systematic snowballing sampling techniques were used to draw a sample for the study. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and a Google form. The data was analyzed using multi-linear regression model. The statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27 was utilized to analyze the data. Findings: The findings of the study suggest that institutional characteristics have a partial intervening influence on the relationship between training practices and performance of graduates of bachelor of business courses graduates from TVETA accredited universities in Kenya. Unique Contributions to Theory, Practice and Policy: The results underscore the importance of TVETA accredited universities having appropriate institutional characteristics that can support enhancement of the performance of bachelors of business courses graduates. The study recommends that these institutions put in place institutional characteristics in terms of entry behavior, organizational culture and physical facilities that can enhance performance of graduates from TVETA bachelors of business courses graduates through competitive employability, productivity, and entrepreneurship rates.