Stakeholder Engagement and Implementation of Total Quality Management Practices in Public Universities in Mombasa County, Kenya

The adoption and efficacy of Total Quality Management methods are essential to upholding high academic standards and operational efficiency at Mombasa County, Kenya's public universities. However, the challenge lies in effectively integrating these practices within the unique operational frameworks of Kenyan universities. The study aimed to determine the influence of stakeholder engagement on the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) practices in public universities in Mombasa County, Kenya. Specifically, the research examined four key aspects of stakeholder engagement and their effect on TQM implementation: stakeholder participation in decision making, stakeholder empowerment, stakeholder communication, and stakeholder grievance management. The study was anchored on Theory of Constraints, Stakeholder Theory, Resource-Based View Theory and Contingency Theory. The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design, targeting 390 university staff members comprising management board members, departmental heads, and teaching staff. Stratified random sampling was used to select 197 departmental heads and teaching staff, while purposive sampling was employed to choose 12 management board members. Data was collected through questionnaires and analysed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques after coding and preparation on spreadsheets. The study revealed significant positive correlations between stakeholder engagement factors (participation in decision making, empowerment, communication, and grievance management) and TQM implementation. Regression analysis showed that these factors collectively explained 78.1% of the variance in TQM implementation, with stakeholder grievance management having the strongest impact. The study concluded that stakeholder engagement is crucial for successful TQM implementation in public universities and recommends prioritizing stakeholder involvement, empowerment, communication, and grievance management. Keywords: Stakeholder Engagement, Total Quality Management Practices, Public Universities, Mombasa County, Kenya