| dc.description.abstract | All organizations are environment dependent; they depend on the
environment for their inputs and outputs. Every firm should therefore have
a competitive strategy which relates it to its environment and enables it to
maintain a fit between itself and the environment. Changes in the industry,
environment, together with increasing competition has caused firms to
change their competitive strategies in order to maintain their survival in
the market and achieve profitability.
This research was thus aimed at investigating the challenges faced by the
University of Nairobi in the application of its competitive strategies/
strategic plan 2005-2010.
Data collection instrument was a questionnaire, which was administered to
senior management staff in the institution responsible for strategy
formulation and implementation at the University. A total of 60(sixty)
respondence were interviewed including 7 college principals, 22 Deans, 14
directors, 7 Registratars, & 11 seniot managers/ Officers.
Data collected was first checked for consistency, coded, and then analyzed
to arrive at the various conclusions.
The study concluded that the major challenges faced in the
implementation of the competitive strategies includes lack of sufficient
financial resources, structural challenges, leadership challenges, cultural
challenges, reward and motivational challenges, competition from private
and public Universities, changing tastes and preferences of clients and
rampant technological changes. Other challenges included tactical and
operational challenges, resource allocation and budgetary allocation,
management and employee involvement and communication of
responsibility and accountability.
The University of Nairobi, like any other state corporation operates in a
complex environment, which is more unpredictal5le and less stable. This
not withstanding, it is expected to emulate the private sector and operate
competitively. The institution therefore had to resort for competitive
strategies such as cost cutting, Market focusing, increased advertising, use
of brand name and strategic location to counter the challenges. The
institution also bases its completion on cost leadership and differentiation
strategies, and had to change its competition tactics in its current strategic
plan 2005- 2010 to maintain an edge over its competitors and retain its
position as a market leader. Product diversification, staff training, customer
service, collaborative links are some of the strategies in operation. | en |
