Performance Management Strategies Employed By Mangers in Telecommunication Firms: A Case Study of Safaricom Limited

Abstract

Performance management strategies (PMS) employed by mangers in telecommunication firms can determine whether the organization meets its overall business objectives. In this study, safaricom LTD was used as case to establish the strategies used successful communication firms in Kenya. The objectives of this study were: a) identify the elements of performance management strategies applicable to the telecommunication sector; b) establish the role of managers in choice of effective performance management strategies; c) establish the challenges to effective performance management strategy. From a target population of 125 consisting of line mangers and human resource employees in Safaricom LTD, 65 respondents were sampled. Descriptive design was used to address the objectives of the study. A structured questionnaire was used to colled data while descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. From the study, 54% of the respondents found the PMS at Safaricom LTD to be either highly effective or effective. A significant proportion of respondents (76%) agreed that performance appraisal was done in Safaricom LTD to measure work performance hence giving a good platform for performance management. A whopping 61% of the respondents identified the inability to give frank feedback to employees to employees on the appraisal process as one of the major challenges of implementation a PM strategy. Integration of the PM strategy with the organization culture, and human resource and corporate strategy was also identifying as key in ensuring successful implementation of a PM strategy. The findings of the study may be used as an evaluation instrument in assessing the success and adoption of the performance management strategies implemented by Safaricom LTD to be used by other telecommunication firms in the country. Furthermore, the study point to factors influencing successful implementation of PMS which could be significant relating to other organizations attempting to implement a performance management program.