Doctoral thesis
Globally it has been established that human resource (HR) practices are associated with human resource (HR) performance. The application of the HR practices appears to be effective when applied in the decentralized context where employees‟ accountability is effectively enhanced. It is in the same perspective that during the 1990s Tanzania adopted decentralization by devolution in which the HR practices are applied at a facility level to enhance the HR performance. Nevertheless, little is known regarding its influence on the performance in the country. The empirical studies from other countries reported mixed results ranging from significant to adverse influence of the practices on HR performance. Likewise, there is scant of literature regarding the mediated effects of job satisfaction between HR practices and HR performance.
In this perspective, the study focused on examining the influence of HR practices on HR performance in the decentralized public services in Shinyanga region. Specifically, it examined the contribution of the HR practices on HR performance; the influence of HR practices on job satisfaction and direct and mediated effects of job satisfaction on HR performance in the decentralized public health services in the region.
An explanatory cross-sectional survey design with mixed approach was used in this study. A survey tool was used to collect data from 287 respondents complimented by the qualitative data. It was revealed that HR practices have some influence on job satisfaction and HR performance. Likewise, job satisfaction established some direct and mediate effects on HR performance. However, among the HR practices, only HRP revealed significant odds of having improved performance. Similarly, only HRP and supervision revealed significant likelihood of being satisfied. Nevertheless, the ineffective employees‟ participation in HRP and failure of the CHMT to provide support impeded the effectiveness of these practices. The other HR practices revealed insignificant odds of having high performance and being satisfied. This is associated with the ineffective application of the practices. Thus, to improve HR performance, the following recommendations were raised: establishment of functional guidelines for employees‟ participation in HRP and relaxing the requirements to abide to the manning levels; filling CHMT posts with experienced HRH to provide support and effective application of the HR practice to enhance job satisfaction for improving its direct and mediated effects on human resource performance