Process Improvement and Performance of Large Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Firms are set to achieve good performance via process improvement activities. These process improvement activities ensure firms have a notch higher when it comes to competition with their competitors. This makes firms ready for market battles even with opportunist firms that might edge out their market segment through substitute good or services. However, without good management and controls in place to sustain and continuously improve these activities may not result to any benefits. The objective of this research was to determine process improvement and performance of large manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County. The specific objectives of study were: to determine the extent of implementation of process improvement in large manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya; to establish the effect of process improvement on performance of large manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study adopted the descriptive research design. The population to be used for the study was all the large-scale manufacturing companies in Nairobi City County, Kenya which are 230. The sample size was 70 respondents. The study collected primary data through the use of research questionnaire. Outcomes showed that there was a positive and significant effect between total quality management, just in time, kaizen events and five S and firm performance. However, total product management and five whys had a positive and insignificant effect with firm performance. The study concluded that total quality management leads to improvement in firm performance. In addition, improvement in just in time practices,five S strategies would lead to improvement in performance. Manufacturing firms should greatly implement the total quality management practices so as to boost their performance. In addition, firms should strive to improve on firm structure, staff involvement/commitment/awareness to TQM and make available enough facilities to eliminate the obstacles that hinder proper use of TQM practices.