| dc.description.abstract | Organizations without exception are environment dependent or serving and hence their
interaction with environmental factors is essential for survival. For an organization to be
able to retain competitive advantage, it needs to examine its environment both external
and internal and respond accordingly. Organizations policies and incentives depend on
their roles and functions as well as the beliefs and experiences of those who interact with
them. This study was about strategic responses by MP Shah Hospital Nairobi to changes
in external environment in Kenya. The objective of the study was to establish the
strategic responses that MP Shah Hospital Nairobi has adopted to address changes in its
changing environment. The study was carried out using a case study design. Both
secondary and primary data was collected by the researcher. Secondary data included
public reports and hospital’s own announcements. The primary data was collected by use
of semi-structured interview guide administered on the hospital’s CEO and four
departmental managers charged with responsibilities of strategy formulation,
implementation and evaluation at the hospital. The hospital confirmed that MP Shah
Hospital Nairobi has been affected by changes in the external environment and has
responded to the challenges by taking various measures. The measures include staff
training, product differentiation, adhering to government policies and regulations,
promoting a learning culture within the organization to accommodate change,
technological advancement and innovation. The hospital is more aggressive in its sales
department, there is more emphasis in productivity in response to customer concerns
innovations of new products, re-branding and enforcement of code of conduct. There
were limitations to the study such as limited time for data collection due to respondents
busy schedules and shielding of information by respondents due to fear of disclosing their
hospital business secrets. This study implies that health industry is operating in ever
changing and increasingly competitive environment and hence apart from the strategies,
MP Shah Hospital Nairobi has employed the players in the industry should also consider
other innovative entrepreneurial strategies that enable their survival in competitive
environment. Organizations should continuously scan the external environment for any
opportunities or threats and be prepared to respond effectively and appropriately with
speed so as to avoid any mismatch which could result and must be flexible enough to
allow adoption of strategies that enhance strategic fit between the organization and its
external environment. | en |
