Abstract
Project communication management is the backbone of effective decision-making throughout the lifespan of a project. Affordable housing contributes to economic growth by improving people's standards of living while creating employment opportunities in both the formal and informal sectors. However, the performance of affordable housing programs has been constrained by several communication-related challenges. The general objective of the study was to establish the effect of project communication management on the performance of affordable housing programs in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to examine the effect of communication channel and communication system on the performance of affordable housing programs in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by Communication Theory and the Technology Acceptance Theory. A descriptive research design was adopted. The unit of analysis comprised 11 completed affordable housing programs within Nairobi City County, while the unit of observation consisted of 97 professionals involved in the management of the programs. Owing to the small target population, a census approach was adopted. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires. A pilot study involving 10 project professionals was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the research instrument. Content and construct validity were established through expert review and confirmatory factor analysis, while reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 28 using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that the instrument was valid (AVE > 0.50) and reliable (Cronbach's alpha > 0.70). The findings revealed a strong and significant positive relationship between communication channel and program performance (r = .842, p = .024) and a strong positive relationship between communication system and program performance (r = .621, p = .024). The study concludes that effective communication channels and robust communication systems are critical determinants of affordable housing program performance. The study recommends that organizations institutionalize and strengthen communication channels across all project phases and invest in integrated, user-friendly digital communication systems to enhance information sharing, coordination, stakeholder engagement, and overall program performance.
Keywords: Project communication management, communication channel, communication system, affordable housing program, program performance, Nairobi City County.