The broad objective of this study was to determine the joint influence of firm resources, organizational characteristics, and macro environment on export performance of small and medium manufacturing enterprises in Nairobi city county, Kenya. A conceptual model was developed, and from it, a hypothesis was formulated to test the joint influence of firm resources, organizational characteristics, and macro environment on export performance. The study is anchored on four theories; the Resource Based Theory, Porters Theory of competitive advantage, The Industrial Organization Theory and Firm Internationalization Theory. The research was a cross-sectional survey of 265 companies in Nairobi City County, chosen from a population of 853 companies. The unit of analysis was the SMME involved in exporting. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was used to evaluate internal consistency and homogeneity among the study variables. Out of the 265 firms sampled, 238 completed the questionnaire resulting in 89.1 percent response rate. The responses were then used to evaluate the hypothesis of the research. A level of five percent was chosen when testing the coefficients' importance. The findings from the hypothesis was that, jointly,firm resources,organizational characteristics and macro-environment influence export performance. The study has contributed to theory, policy, management and practice, industry and methodology. Based on the research results, the national and county governments need to formulate legislation and policies that promote the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, such as creating an appropriate atmosphere for SMMES to acquire credit and recommending appropriate and effective production processes. Further, stakeholders in export promotion should appreciate and place an emphasis on the importance and impact of the economic factor in the macro-environment to guide existing and potential investors in manufacturing and exporting sector. The research had certain constraints primarily due to the categorization of the enterprises by the various government agencies and stakeholders. The limitations however did not have significant effect on the findings. Future studies should address the scope and geographical coverage of SMMEs.
The study aimed at determining the influence of organizational culture on the performance of microfinance institutions in Kenya. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Secondary data were collected from annual reports by the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Kenya and the Microfinance Rating Africa. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire targeting the chief executive officer, human resource manager, and marketing manager. Data were analyzed using factor analysis and hierarchical regression. Our analysis identifies clan and hierarchy as the dominant cultural typologies in the microfinance industry. The results obtained demonstrate that organizational culture has a significant influence on non market performance. In addition, market culture is inversely associated with debt/equity ratio. We conclude that organizational culture is a major source of sustainable competitive advantage in the microfinance industry. Furthermore, we conclude that market culture promotes financial independence and sustainability in the long term.
The broad objective of the study was to establish the effect of brand architecture on performance of water bottling firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to determine the influence of brand architecture on firm performance. Testable hypothesis was derived from extant literature and tested through regression analysis. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey with primary data gathered from 209 major water bottling firms in Nairobi, using a semi-structured questionnaire. The study achieved a response rate of 67.9%. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The research results revealed a statistically significant relationship between brand architecture and non-financial firm performance (R2 =0.704, F= 333.64, p-value<0.05); financial firm performance (R2 = 0.692, F= 314.904, p-value <0.05). These results are consistent with those of previous study findings on the relationship between brand architecture and firm performance. The study results will facilitate policy makers in the enactment of policies that will facilitate access to resources that promote investment in the brand development process linked to brand architecture. In practice, the findings will support managers in obtaining approval for additional resources required for brand architecture. The study underscores the significance of brand architecture in enhancing performance. The results of the study have contributed to theory, policy, and practice. The study outcomes enhance the existing brand architecture and firm performance body of knowledge, by empirically testing the hypotheses in the Kenyan context. Keywords: Brand Architecture, Firm Performance, Water Bottling Industry, Nairobi City County, Kenya