Influence of Emotional Intelligence Competencies on Internal Service Quality among County Officers in Kenya

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to determine the influence of emotional intelligence competencies on internal service quality among county officers in Kenya. The specific objective was to find out the influence of self-awareness competencies on internal service quality. The study was grounded on three key theories, emotional intelligence theory, learning organization theory and quality management theory. The study adopted a positivist philosophy, explanatory research design, and a deductive approach. The target population for this study was 200,000 county officers working within public organizations across all 47 counties of Kenya. The sample size for this study was 383 which was determined using Yamane’s formula. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and a response rate of 85% was achieved. Reliability was tested using a pilot study involving 40 county officers, with Cronbach’s Alpha values exceeding the 0.7 threshold for all constructs. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26, employing both descriptive statistics and inferential analyses. Moderation effects were tested through stepwise regression modeling. The findings indicated that self-awareness competencies had a significant correlation with internal service quality (r = 0.569, p < 0.01), and explained 32.4% of its variability (R² = 0.324, β = 0.636, t = 12.468, F = 155.457, p < 0.001). The study concludes that self-awareness competencies have a positive and statistically significant effect on internal service quality. The study recommends that County governments institutionalize structured programs aimed at enhancing self-awareness among public service officers.

Key words: Competencies, County Officers, Emotional Intelligence Competencies, Internal Service Quality, Self-Awareness