The objective of the study was to investigate influence of emergent strategic management mode on performance (sales) of SMEs in Machakos Town, Machakos County. Descriptive research design was employed to ensure a complete description of the situation of SMEs performance in Machakos town. The target population was 16,399 licensed SMEs in Machakos Town.These SMEs where grouped into eight categories.Using stratified random sampling method,a sample of 390 respondents was selected from the target population.Data was collected using questionnaires design to obtain accurate information from respondents. Collected data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Due to non-normality and non-homogeneity of the dependent variable,a non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney U test) was prefered instead of a parametric test (t-test).Under this test,the data was categorized into low users of each strategy and high users of each strategy.  The findings were presented using tables, figures, pie charts and graphs.The  results indicated that SMEs which applies emergent strategy practices tend to have higher performance.Thus we conclude that emergent strategy practices positively influence performance of SMEs in Machakos Town. The study findings help SMEs strengthen their operations to ensure that the SMEs have a  competitive edge to match their counterparts across other counties. The  study recommends the need to have owners/managers of the small and medium enterprises undertake basic business and management skills training. Training the senior managers give opportunity to learn strategic management skills which will be valuable in their daily operations.

Background of the StudyHuman resource management practices are key components of performance in almost all organizations. In any organization, the employees must be treated as a valuable asset. The organization mission will be achieved in a better way if the skills of the workers are developed. In the present competitive environment, the success of any organization depends on the caliber of their human resources and their programmes (Rehman, 2011).Academic performance is a threshold assessment used to measure a student's ability to meet performance criteria. Grades are used to measure learning or knowledge and attainment of learning objectives and acquisition of skills and competencies (York2015). Academic performance of a student is regarded as the observable and measurable behavior in a particular situation .Education outcomes are measured through examinations which have been accepted as an important aspect of the educational system. In Kenya, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination administered by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) measures student performance. It is used as the main basis for judging a student's ability and also as a means of selection for educational advancement and employment (Kieti, 2017). The education system in Kenya places a minimum grade C+ which students must obtain before they are admitted to public and private universities (Kigotho, 2012). Those who fail in the KCSE examination are most likely to join the high number of unemployed youngsters who look for informal jobs in a country that has few of them (Matiangi, 2017).Belinda, Crosnoe and Muller (2010) argue that in the US educational system, student advancement is predicated on graded performance in a series of classes. Failing to achieve passing grades has numerous additional implications during secondary school and beyond the school level. Students' academic failure is a major determinant of status attainment and adult well-being. Low-performing students are less likely to graduate from high school and less likely to go to college. This increases high school dropouts, and substantially lower adulthood wages.Academic performance as measured by the examination results is the aggregate form in a course or GPA is one of the major goals of a school globally (Oredein, 2016). The social and economic development of a county is directly linked with student academic performance (Mushtaq& Khan 2012). Students with quality results become great leaders and manpower for the country thus responsible for country's economic and social development. York (2015) notes that academic failure is not only frustrating to the pupils and the parents; its effects are equally grave on the society in terms of death of manpower in all spheres of the economy and politics.

Through performance appraisal an organization undertakes to measure the set goals against employee actual performance with respect to the period in question. It is also used to identify an employee’s weaknesses and strengths and provide for appropriate adjustments. This study examined the influence of performance appraisal on organizational performance in Universities within Machakos and Kitui Counties in Kenya. A descriptive research design was adopted and both qualitative and quantitative data was collected. The study targeted staff working in the selected departments of administration, human resource, finance and audit, procurement, deans of schools and directorate of quality assurance. Stratified sampling procedure was used from which 45 out 263 respondents were targeted. Purposive sampling was then employed because the study was interested in heads of departments. The main data collection tool was the questionnaire with both open and closed ended questions. In addition interviews were conducted with some heads of departments to ascertain some of the information in the questionnaires. Both descriptive and inferential statistics analysis was used to aid addressing the objective of the study. The study findings revealed that there was effective performance appraisal procedures and methods in place that were used by the management within the universities studied in assessing the employees performance on the set targets of the universities. The correlation coefficients and regression analysis result indicates that performance appraisal has a positive and statistically significant influence on human resource on performance of universities; P<0.05(P=0.00) with explanatory power of 78.7%. The study recommends that clear job descriptions for each staff should be well spelt out as this in the basis for appraising the employees. This will mitigate against possible situations of confusion and dissatisfaction of employees which arises when they do not understand what is expected of them leading to failure in meeting their set targets. University managements should also ensure that there is participatory target setting, aligning the same to the bigger goals of the university and adequate staff support in the execution of set targets as this has implications on the overall performance of the institution.

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Background of the StudyHuman Resource Management practices are key determinants of employees' performance in almost all organizations. Human Resource Management enables organizations to achieve expected organizational performance and competitiveness by achieving desired employee performance goals (Armstrong, 2010). There are some significant HRMP that should engage the organization's business strategy. Some of these include attracting and choosing potential employees (recruiting and selection), educating employees how to perform their jobs and preparing them for the future (training & development), rewarding employees (compensation) and creating a positive and healthy work environment (safety) (Dessler, 2011). Concept of Organizational PerformanceOrganizational performance is an indicator which measures how well an enterprise achieves its objectives (George et al, 2019). Organizational performance is concerned with product or service quality, product or service innovation, employee attraction, employee retention, customer satisfaction, management/employee relation and employee relation (Al Khajeh, 2018). Berberoglu (2018) observes that the effective functioning of an organization is enhanced where employees perform their jobs at a satisfactory level of proficiency and there are opportunities for the continued development and training not only in their jobs, but as well develop them for other jobs for which they might later be considered when all the practices are managed well.According to Richard (2009), organizational performance comprises with three areas of company outcomes such as financial performance (return on assets, return on investment, profits), product market performance (sales and market share) and shareholder return. Effective implementation of HRMP in organizations is a key source of competitive advantage and it has a positive relationship with organizational performance (Collins & Smith, 2016).