| dc.description.abstract | This study examines how church sponsorship influences the organizational culture of private universities in
Nairobi, Kenya. It explores the impact of governance involvement and material support on institutional values,
leadership, and autonomy. Guided by Resource Dependence and Stakeholder Theories, a correlational research
design was used. Data were collected from 215 respondents across six church-sponsored universities using
structured questionnaires. Denison et al.'s (2014) Organizational Culture Survey measured organizational culture.
Church sponsorship shapes university culture through governance participation and material contributions.
Sponsors influence governance via board representation, policy formulation, and leadership appointments.
Material support includes financial aid, infrastructure investments, and scholarships. The study evaluates how
these factors contribute to institutional identity and operations. Findings reveal a moderate positive correlation
between church sponsorship and organizational culture. Governance involvement (r = 0.247, p < 0.01) and
material support (r = 0.265, p < 0.01) significantly enhance institutional culture. While governance input
strengthens institutional identity, excessive administrative influence may threaten autonomy. Material support,
particularly financial aid and infrastructure, plays a critical role in shaping university sustainability. These
insights contribute to discussions on faith-based higher education governance. Strategic governance by church
sponsors fosters a strong institutional culture, but direct administrative control should be minimized. Sponsors
should prioritize long-term infrastructural investments aligned with institutional goals. Future research should
explore mediating factors such as leadership styles to deepen understanding of faith-based university governance. | en_US |
