Adoption of technological innovations has enabled businesses operations to be undertaken more effectively and efficiently. The banking sector in Kenya has adopted these technological innovations in offering banking services to its customers. These innovations include use of Automated Teller Machines, Agency Banking, Electronic Funds Transfers, Real Time Gross Settlements and Mobile Banking. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of technological financial innovations on financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya. The study was anchored on Financial Intermediation theory, Innovation Diffusion theory and Silber Constraints theory of Financial Innovations. The study adopted a descriptive research design with a target population of all commercial banks in Kenya, where a sample of 15 commercial banks was reached for data collection. Secondary data for a period of 2012to 2016 was collected from respective commercial banks, banks annual reports, website and Central Bank of Kenya reports. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze data. The results indicate that, Agency Banking and use of Automated Teller Machines had positive effect on financial performance of banks. The control variable, credit risk had a negative and insignificant effect on financial performance of banks. Bank liquidity had a negative but significant effect on financial performance of banks. The study conclusion was that technological financial innovations had positive effect (R 2 of 0.681) on financial performance of commercial banks. Equally, the study recommended that it is important for commercial banks to establish robust risk identification, assessment and control measure and adhere to the liquidity guidelines that is issued by the Industry regulator-Central Bank of Kenya, in order to improve their financial wellness.

Globalization of business and unprecedented movement of labour across borders have created organizations that comprise a mixture of people from many different cultures, age, gender, ethnic origins and education backgrounds. Managing an organization with a diverse workforce creates challenges in terms of management practices and leadership styles, due to the differing viewpoints it elicits. Overall benefits and challenges of a diverse workforce organization can be closely related to how effective it is managed. This is one of the reasons why diverse workforce is a pressing managerial issue and therefore the basis in which this study was conceived. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between workforce diversity and employee performance in public universities in Kenya. The study was guided by positivism research philosophy and descriptive survey research design and correlational research design were adopted. The target population included the chairpersons of departments of the public universities in Kenya. Correlation and regression analysis established a statistically significant positive relationship between workforce diversity variables and employee performance. The conclusion drawn from the study findings is that age diversity, gender diversity, ethnic diversity and education background diversity influence employee performance positively and majority of the employees are positive about workforce diversity practices in public universities. The study recommended that the management should continue to uphold its workforce diversity policies and practices in order to increase the benefits of workforce diversity.

Diversity Cox (2001) defines workforce diversity as the variation of social and cultural identities among people existing together in a defined employment or marketing setting. William and O'Reilly (1998) also defines workforce diversity as the degree of heterogeneity among team members on specified demographic dimensions, their theory aiming to explain how such heterogeneity affects team processes and performance. Thomas and Ely (1996) explains that workforce diversity should be understood as the varied perspectives and approaches to work, that members of different identity groups bring. They add that it refers to the coexistence of employees from various social-cultural backgrounds within the company. Workforce diversity therefore requires a type of organizational culture in which each employee can pursue his or her career aspirations without being inhibited by age, gender, race, nationality, religion, physical ability or other factors that are irrelevant to performance (Bryan, 1999). Employee diversity is therefore a concept that recognizes the benefits to be gained from differences. It differs from equal opportunity, which aims to legislate against discrimination, and it assumes that people should be assimilated into the organization, and often relies on affirmative action. Thus managing diversity means understanding its effects and implementing behaviors, work practices and policies that respond to them in an effective way (Cox, 2001). 1.2. Workforce Diversity Management According to Scott and Byrd (2012) workforce diversity management has emerged as a power strategy for handling diversity issues. Valuing and managing diversity is becoming more and more essential for delivering higher level of performance and creativity, enhancing problem solving and decision making. Scott and Byrd (2012) citing Roosevelt (1990) argue that workforce diversity management does not mean containing, controlling or stifling diversity rather it means management recognizing the utility of every feature of diversity and tapping the potentials. Evans and Henry (2007) on the other hand defined workforce diversity management as a planned methodical commitment of an organization to attract, recruit and retain a heterogeneous group of people. Managing workforce diversity means enabling employees to make use of their full potentials by making the work environment an equitable. Organizational leaders are therefore responsible for creating effective diversity policies and ensuring its implementation. To effectively manage workforce diversity means they must work to ensure that unfair discriminations are eliminated within the work environment (Robbins and Judge, 2013). Top executives play the role of communicating the value of diversity and a

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