Resource mobilization strategies and organizational performance of commercial state corporations in Kenya

Abstract

Commercial state corporations are essential drivers of national development, tasked with delivering public services, generating revenue, and supporting economic growth. However, many face challenges in securing and managing resources effectively, which hampers their ability to meet their mandates and deliver value to the public. The general of this research was to determine the influence of resource mobilization strategies on the organizational performance of commercial state corporations in Kenya. The specific objectives were to assess the influence of organizational capacity building on performance, evaluate the effect of strategic resource planning, determine the effect of source diversification, and examine the effect of partnership development to organizational performance. Guided by the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the study frames organizational capacity building and strategic resource planning as internal competencies and adaptive capabilities that drive performance. Stakeholder and Contingency theories then situate source diversification and partnership development within external and environmental alignment, emphasizing responsiveness to stakeholder expectations and contextual conditions. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected via structured questionnaires from heads of key departments across all 28 commercial state corporations and analyzed with correlation and multiple regression techniques. The model was statistically significant and explained roughly three-quarters of the variance in organizational performance, indicating that the suite of resource mobilization strategies meaningfully improves operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and project completion. Among the strategies, strategic resource planning emerged as the strongest predictor of performance, while organizational capacity building though positive, was comparatively weaker. The study concludes that strengthening planning discipline, deepening staff and digital capabilities, broadening income streams, and cultivating high-value partnerships are mutually reinforcing levers for sustained performance. It recommends institutionalized training and technology adoption, robust planning frameworks linked to long-term goals, deliberate income diversification beyond traditional sources, and strategic, stakeholder-centric partnerships that enhance knowledge sharing and execution capacity.