Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Hyuk Kim

Abstract

Local residents can provide valuable input on the design, implementation, review, and assessment of development projects, but many community development organizations do not involve these individuals in decision-making. There was inadequate knowledge about why community members are not engaged in community development projects in Kenya. With this study, I sought to improve the understanding of why community members are not fully involved in implementing and managing community development projects in Kenya. Stakeholder theory served as the theoretical foundation for this study. Data were collected through interviews with 13 management and program staff members working with an NGO in Kenya. The research question addressed the key factors influencing community members' participation in planning, designing, implementing, reviewing, and assessing community development projects. A constant comparative analysis was used to identify five major thematic categories: strategies to promote and encourage community members' involvement, factors that promote community members' participation, factors that limit community members' involvement, the advantages of community members' participation, and the risks of involving community members in community development projects. The study findings indicate that involving community members in development projects creates trust and community ownership, leading to project sustainability. Community participation may promote positive social change by fostering robust, efficient, and sustained community development saving the organizations' money, increasing project outcomes and impact, reducing poverty, and advancing overall community members' livelihoods and well-being.

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