| dc.description.abstract | The study investigated the competitive strategies that Standard Group ltd has used to
sustain its competitive advantage in the media industry in Kenya. Strategy is a set of
decision making rules for guidance of organizational behaviour. A company is said to
have a competitive advantage whenever it has an edge over rivals in attracting customers
and defending against competitive forces. A sustainable competitive advantage is the
persistence an organization applies despite efforts by competitors to copy or overtake it.
The aim of every organization in the market is to outsmart its competitors. The objective
of the study was to establish the competitive strategies used by Standard Group ltd to
sustain its competitive advantage in the media industry in Kenya. Standard Group ltd has
been in operation since 1902 and it remains one of the leading media houses in Kenya. It
has built a strong brand name and continues to be a leading and dominant media house in
Kenya. It was therefore of interest to study and find out the strategies it uses to remain a
top media house throughout the years. This would therefore be useful to scholars and
policy makers. The study was conducted using a case study design to gain in-depth
knowledge. Primary data was collected using semi-structured interview guide
administered through one to one interview. Secondary data was used to enrich
understanding of the sustainable competitive strategies. Data collected was then analyzed
using conceptual content analysis as presented through tables and figures. The
respondents were senior management staff of Standard Group ltd. The research findings
reveal that Standard Group has a clear drive for competitive strategies hence to achieve a
competitive advantage in the market. To achieve the goal of competitive advantage,
Standard Group has reconfigured its value chain by having advanced technology in its
production processes and a good distribution network. In conclusion, with the dynamic
business environment; organizations should undertake to align their strategies to the ever
changing demands of the external environment. All managerial tasks such as resource
allocation and organizational design should be directed at building the firm‟s market
position. Most of the recommendations included in this report are not specifically
external prescriptive as some were proposed by the respondents in the course of the
interview. The company needs to address its inefficiencies and focus on product
developments to suit customer needs and wants. The greatest challenge by Standard
Group is the increased competition within the Industry and the cost of newsprint which is
imported and affected by the currency exchange rates.
Key words: Strategy, Competitive strategies, Competitive advantage and Value chain. | en_US |
