Leagile Strategy, Strategic Partnership, Firm Innovation and Competitive Advantage of Construction Companies Supply Chains in Nairobi City County, Kenya.
Abstract
The broad aim of this research was to measure the influence of leagile strategy, strategic
partnership, and firm innovation on competitive advantage of construction companies’
supply chains in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Four specific goals were articulated: to
determine the influence of leagile strategy on competitive advantage; to assess the
moderating influence of strategic partnership on the relationship between leagile strategy
and competitive advantage; to explore the intervening influence of firm innovation on the
relationship between leagile strategy and competitive advantage; to determine the joint
influence of leagile strategy, strategic partnership and firm innovation on competitive
advantage. The research employed a cross-sectional descriptive survey methodology.
Stratified sampling procedure was utilized to obtain a sample size of 323 construction
companies from the entire population of 4,015. Information was gathered from 260
construction companies via questionnaire achieving a response rate of 80.50 percent.
Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22 was utilized for information
processing to produce both descriptive, and inferential statistics. Correlation, regression
analyses, and the interaction term for the moderating effect were exploited to determine
the hypotheses. Decisions were made at 5% significance level. It was discovered that
leagile strategy has a significant influence on competitive advantage. Results showed
strategic partnership has no moderating influence on the relationship between leagile
strategy, and competitive advantage. It was further revealed that strategic partnership has
a direct effect on competitive advantage as though it was an independent variable. It was
established that firm innovation has significant partial intervening influence on the
relationship between leagile strategy, and competitive advantage. Results also showed a
significant joint influence of leagile strategy, strategic partnership, and firm innovation on
competitive advantage. Conclusions were made that there are supplementary sources of
competitive advantage besides leagile strategy, strategic partnership, and firm innovation
in construction companies’ supply chains in Nairobi City County. This research has added
to theory development by ratifying the suppositions of dynamic capabilities, network, and
institutional theories towards achievement of competitive advantages. Furthermore, it has
supplemented knowledge in strategic management about the influence of strategic
partnership, and firm innovation on the relationship between leagile strategy, and
competitive advantage. These findings are useful to policymakers who may use it as a basis
for organizational and sector reforms. Also in the formulation, and implementation of
policies and legislation which lead to change, competitiveness, and survival. Practitioners
are guided on the aspects of leagile strategy, strategic partnership, and firm innovation
which can lead to competitive advantages as well as those which help in alleviating the
myriad organizational problems. Company executives are directed to focus on continuous
sensing to recognize opportunities, and swiftly react to the shifting competitive
environments. The occurrence of COVID-19 pandemic was a limitation to this research,
especially the restrictions placed on the access of business premises and staff. Further
research is recommended to include other conceptual variables which may have influence
on competitive advantage. Future research should expand the context to include
transportation companies as well as other industries to determine if the findings of this
study are replicable.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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