Strategic Responses and Organizational Performance of Public Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya

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Date
2021
Authors
Kathenya, Charles Murimi
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Strategic responses enable organizations to maximize on their core competencies to be able to provide value adding goods and services. Organizations that embrace strategic responses have a better performance compared to those that fail to implement strategic responses. Public universities in Kenya have been experiencing rapidly changing environmental circumstances and these institutions need to change their tactics to increase their performance in the competitive environment. The main objective of this study was to establish the relationship between strategic responses and organizational performance of public universities in Kenya. The specific objectives of this study were to establish the influence of technology adoption, market expansion, cost cutting strategies and organizational culture on organizational performance of public universities in Kenya. The study employed a descriptive design. The study target population was 22 chartered public universities in Kenya. The sampling frame was university administrators, lecturers, non-teaching staff, and students in these chartered public universities in Kenya. The sample size for the study was 108 respondents picked randomly. Validity of the questionnaire was achieved through expert opinion while reliability was measured using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient value of above 0.7. The research data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of the statistical package for social sciences. Data was presented in form of tables, charts and graphs. The findings from the study would be of value to the management and staff of public universities in Kenya to enable them adopt the best strategies, the government in policy formulation, and academicians and researchers would find the research useful as it would be a point of reference and add to the existing body of knowledge. The study established that technology adoption positively and significantly influences the organizational performance as shown by t values (t=4.963, <0.005), the study established that market expansion had a positive and significant relationship on performance of public universities in Nairobi County, Kenya as shown by t values (t=3.653, <0.005). The study examined that cost cutting strategies had a positive and significant relationship on performance of public universities in Nairobi County, Kenya as shown by t values (t=7.202, <0.005) and the study examined that organizational culture had a positive and significant relationship on performance of public universities in Nairobi County, Kenya as shown by t values (t=6.729, <0.005). The study concluded that by implementing appropriate technologies, the university may reach higher standards of competence and boost its performance. By creating new campuses and offering innovative products and services, the universities reach out to a wider community of clients. Cost cutting strategy aims at increasing the efficiency of the processes as process improvisation affects the nature of current systems and enhance the consistency of product formulation. The organization’s culture distinctly separates the institution from its rivals. This involves common beliefs and values that are developed by the management of the University and then conveyed and enhanced by different strategies that eventually form the attitudes, expectations and understanding of its employees. The study recommended that the university should integrate technology deployment with change management and establish the goals it wants to achieve, and then plan backwards, finding a technology that best supports improved performance. The university should determine its strategic and operational readiness to join the emerging business on the basis of the unique consumer conditions for its latest products and services. The university should have a clear view of its strategy and ensure it is consistently understood across the organization. The university should have a purpose-driven operational culture in which workers clearly recognize their immediate and long-term goals. Ensure successful modes of contact which involve transparency, courtesy and proactiveness.
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fullfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Business Administration School of Business, Kenyatta University, March, 2021
Keywords
Strategic Responses, Organizational Performance, Public Universities, Nairobi County, Kenya
Citation