Product Quality Certification Schemes and Product Performance in Food and Beverage Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Quality assurance programmes in food and beverage manufacturing are aimed at ensuring efficient and effective output of products that meet needs of consumers (Quality) and adhere to regulatory requirements. In Kenya, the foremost quality assurance programs are mandatory and are supervised by government agencies to check for compliance. In the manufacturing sector, food and beverage subsector, have adopted international and product specific quality assurance programs in abide to meet the objectives. The general objective of this study was to investigate the influence of product quality certification schemes on product performance in food and beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the influence of ISO 9001:2008, diamond mark and standardization mark on product performance in food and beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by quality management theory and structural contingency theory. This study adopted a descriptive research design for the study. The study targeted 65 respondents comprising of quality assurance managers and support staff. A cluster sampling was carried out to sample the respondents. Questionnaires were used as data collection instruments which were administered to all the respondents. Descriptive statistical analysis such as mean and standard deviation were used to analyze quantitative. Multiple regressions were used to determine the relationship between variables. ISO 9001:2008, diamond mark and standardization mark was found to have a positive significance on product performance. The study concludes that ISO 9001:2008 provides managers with a tool that is designed to continually improve their business performance and gives an organization a positive image, raising it up to the level of its competitors or perhaps even a level higher. Diamond mark is a mark of excellence awarded to manufacturers either based locally or abroad which has demonstrated high degree of excellence in product manufacturing and quality. On standardization mark, the study concludes that for the organization to acquire the mark, manufactured goods are expected to meet quality requirements as specified in the various Kenya/Approved Standards. The study recommends that the organization should set objectives of the processes and systems on what to do and how to do to deliver results. The organization should effectively adopt diamond mark and use it as a strategic decision that enables organizations to continuously improve their overall product performance and focus on providing customers with products and services of consistent quality. The organization to employ a staff compliment of qualified auditors to cater to all its field of operations in carrying out evaluation and assessment techniques to a high degree of professional competence.