Competitive Strategies and Environmental Turbulence: the Case of Horticultural Firms in Kenya During Covid-19 Pandemic.

Abstract

The external environment's dynamism and predictability govern how organizations modify their competitive tactics, affecting future success. The competitive skills of an organization influence the competitive strategies chosen since organizations must adapt their plans to the environment's characteristics. The purpose of the study was to assess competitive strategies and environmental turbulence on the case of horticultural firms in Kenya during covid-19 pandemic. The study was guided by Porter's Five Forces Model, Industrial Organizations Theory, and Dynamic Capabilities Theory and was anchored on a cross-sectional survey design coupled with descriptive approach. Quantitative data was gathered from department heads, senior management, and middle management of 38 firms listed as large horticultural exporters operating in Kenya. Data was descriptively analyzed in terms of frequencies and percentages. The study found that the type of organizational leadership affects horticultural firm's competitiveness during drastic environmental turbulence such as COVID-19. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate followers to accomplish amazing results while also developing their own leadership potential. Through competitive strategies, improvements in transformational-leadership-based capabilities and leveraging on technology results in market positioning advantages during drastic turbulence environmental such as COVID-19. The study also found that Kenyan horticultural firms employ a variety of response techniques to the tumultuous economic environment, including market and product development, vertical integration, research and development, and price volatility. The study recommends that the executives and management of horticultural enterprises in Kenya should adopt a more transformational style of leadership and technical enhancements, to assist on overall strategic planning process during turbulent times. There should also be optimal resource allocation which ensures that best resource use are implemented in business during drastic environmental turbulence such as COVID-19.