The EPRG (ethnocentric Polycentric Regiocentric Geocentric) model applied to KCB Bank Group as a multinational corporation
Abstract
Kenyan organizations including banks have been eyeing the East African region. KCB
Bank Group has been leading in internationalization.
This study sought to establish the EPRG strategy employed by KCB Bank Group in the
management of its subsidiaries. The study employed a case study design on KCB Bank
Group by way of interviews with managers across different shared functions and
executives of KCB Bank Group with each taking approximately 40 minutes.
The findings revealed that KCB Bank Group majorly employs a top-down management
approach in executing its organization management function. Further, the KCB Bank
Group majorly employs ethnocentric approach in managing the internationalized Bank
Group. However, the Bank has neither an internationalization policy nor an EPRG policy.
The researcher found out that the model is unpopular with the subsidiaries as envisaged
by a strong push by the subsidiaries for independence from the host country. The
respondents suggested that an integrated approach would allow the subsidiaries views,
expertise, local understanding and individual competencies, irrespective of the source of
a value adding virtue for the bank’s competitiveness.
In the view of the findings, the researcher recommended that KCB Bank Group should
adopt an integrated approach. This can enormously tame the resistance from the local
subsidiaries as they would feel they are part of decisions making in the organization
hence own the responsibilities. In the view of the findings of this research, other local
banks eyeing the regional market should adopt an integrated EPRG strategy which should
be backed by an appropriately framed internationalization policy.
Citation
Master Of Business Administration (MBA) Degree, School Of Business, University Of Nairobi, 2013Publisher
University of Nairobi,