Businesses operate in an uncertain environment and their survival depends on employee performance. However, the underperformance of employees in some organizations can be due to several important factors, including social engagement and gender diversity. This study investigated the influence of social engagement on employee performance, considering the mediation effect of gender diversity.  Questionnaires were distributed to a sample size of 618 employees, and the response rate was 89.6%, that is, 554 employees from textile firms in four Tanzanian regions (Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu). Participants were sampled using a multistage sampling technique. Descriptive and structural equation model were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that social engagement had a significant positive influence on employees’ adaptive, contextual and task performance, while gender diversity partially mediated the influence of social engagement on contextual and task performance. Among others, the article recommends that managers should encourage employees to show concern and care for one another’s opinions and wellbeing and respect for individual values. The promotion of gender diversity among engaged employees can also potentially boost performance.

Employee performance is increasingly recognized as one of the key variables in human resources management, and has been the subject of increasing interest and research by many scholars. Given the dynamic and volatile business environment, the survival of any business depends on the ability of its work force to perform well in order to achieve its goals. However, in some businesses the reality is not the same, where employees are not performing well due to several factors such as low levels of affective engagement and a lack of gender diversity, which are considered to be crucial factors that influence employee performance. The low employee performance observed in the textile industry in Tanzania can partly be explained by low levels of affective engagement, and yet this sector is key to the economic welfare of the country. Most of the reviewed studies have examined employee performance based on a single dimension. This study investigated the influence of affective engagement on employee performance considering the mediating effect of gender diversity. The study sample consisted of 618 employees from textile firms in four Tanzanian regions: Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Shinyanga, and Simuyu. Multistage sampling technique was employed, and descriptive and structural equation model were used for data analysis. This study established that affective engagement had a statistically significant, positive influence on employees' adaptive, contextual and task performance, while gender diversity had a partial mediating effect on the influence of affective engagement on contextual and task performance. The study provided several recommendations, including the suggestion that managers should promote an environment that fosters employees' positive emotions, energy, and enthusiasm towards their roles.

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This study set out to find out the determinants of expansion strategies in public training institutions: a case study of Kenya Medical Training College. The specific objectives of the study are to: examine the influence of uptake of courses on the success of expansion strategies in the public training institutions; establish the influence of devolution of health services on the success of expansion strategies in the public training institutions; determine the influence of politics on the success of expansion strategies in the public training institutions and; assess the influence of finances on the success of expansion strategies in the public training institutions. It adopted a descriptive survey design. The study focused on 1943 persons (1900 KMTC employees from the 65 KMTC campuses in Kenya and 43 ministries of health employees in the 43 counties that have KMTC campuses). The sample size comprised 10% of the target population. In this regard, 194 persons were sampled. The study used stratified random sampling techniques to obtain the study sample. In this regard, KMTC officials from 7 departments namely Finance; Procurement; Registrar (academic affairs); Principals of campuses; Human Resource; Administrative Services and Corporate Communications, Public Relations as well as Ministry of Health Officials were proportionately included in the study. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaires and interviews. Data from questionnaires was cleaned and coded and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24. The data was also illustrated using Tables, Charts, and graphs. The findings show that the four study variables influenced the uptake of expansion strategies at KMTC campuses. In this regard, Pearson Correlation shows that there was statistical significant relationship between uptake of courses (r=.090, p<0.001); devolution of health services (r=0.221, p<0.001); politics (r=0.079, p<0.001); and finances (r=0.075, p<0.001) and success of expansion strategies. These findings show that the devolution of health services was the strongest factor that influenced the success of expansion strategies. This was followed by the uptake of courses, politics, and finances in that order. As such, the expansion strategies can only be successful if the college put in place strategies aimed at enhancing the uptake of courses. When intakes of students were high, KMTC campuses could work within their capacities. This could go on to enhance the level of their success since enough finances were generated. Avoiding the negative influences of the devolution of health services and politics also enhanced the success of expansion strategies at KMTC. In this regard, efforts aimed at reducing political patronage as well as interferences of devolved governments in the running of KMTC campuses would enhance the performance of new campuses. Lastly effort aimed at ensuring that new campuses could generate enough financial resources contributed to the level of success of expansion strategies at K...