Change in Strategic Management Orientations and Performance of Mastermind Tobacco Limited In Kenya

Abstract

In the current business environment, rivalry and competition has increased, reaching unprecedented heights thus attaining and sustaining a competitive edge has become a key strategy for business survival by most of the firms. Strategic orientation gives direction to an organization and mainly comprises of technology, market, entrepreneurial, and learning orientations. It also guides a firm’s activities, which in turn improves its performance. Despite the increasing regulation and taxation of tobacco products in Kenya, increasing competition from BAT and the need to achieve a competitive advantage and higher performance, there is no research conducted on change in strategic management orientations and performance of Mastermind Tobacco Limited. To cover this gap, this research sought to answer the question: how does change in strategic management orientation affect the organizational performance of Mastermind Tobacco Limited in Kenya. The objective of the research was to examine the effect of change in strategic management orientations and performance of Mastermind Tobacco limited in Kenya. The study found that change in entrepreneurial orientation has a significant and positive effect on performance of Mastermind Tobacco limited. The results also revealed that learning orientation has a positive and significant effect on performance of Mastermind Tobacco limited. The study also established that market orientation has an affirmative and considerable impact on performance of Mastermind Tobacco limited in Kenya. Further, the study established that technological orientation has a significant and positive effect on performance of Mastermind Tobacco limited. The study concludes that change in entrepreneurial orientation, learning orientation, market orientation and technological orientation all have a positive and significant effect on performance of Mastermind Tobacco Limited. The study recommends that firms should adopt policies which enable them to change their entrepreneurial strategies so as to cope up with dynamic changes in business environments. The study also recommends that Mastermind Tobacco limited should enhance their learning orientation of their staffs through creation of knowledge by offering free training tutorial programs as well as funding education programmes of staffs. Moreover, the study recommends that Mastermind Tobacco limited should consider customers views by designing of products which meet the needs of its customers. Finally, the study recommends that Mastermind Tobacco Limited should adopt new policies which enhance adoption of modern technology so as to improve on its performance.