Strategies adopted by private security firms to deal with crime in Nairobi, Kenya
Abstract
When strategic managers constantly analyze their competitive environment, they
understand their transient business situations in changing environments. With the
appraised knowledge they are able to locate and establish good competitive positions
since, against threats they are able to take advantage of available opportunities to gain
and sustain competitive advantage. Evaluation of the competitive environment may
well be approached through application of strategic management theories such as the
resource based view, the industrial organization view and the knowledge based view,
among many others developed to assist in understanding the forces of competition in
the business arena and hence come up with correct strategies which if adopted are
capable of propelling organizations to better business positions. The purpose of this
study was to assess the types of security threats prevalent in Nairobi County, and
strategies adopted by private security firms in Nairobi County in countering the
crimes. Possible measures to be taken into consideration to address deficiencies were
also considered. The study targeted sample firms of all sizes and adopted a survey
research design. Respondents were drawn from management cadre tasked with
strategy formulation and implementation. Data collection was by questionnaires and
the completed instruments were analyzed by statistical descriptive techniques. The
study found a mismatch existing between crime prevalence and strategies adopted by
private security companies. While vandalism was the highest reported crime, followed
closely by theft, burglary and robbery, organized crime, gang attacks, guns and knife
attacks were also significant. Vehicle theft and terrorism related crimes were
moderately reported. On the other hand the most adopted strategy by private security
companies was liaison with state security agents, followed by improved levels of
vigilance, revised Standard Operation Procedures, additional training, use/additional
technology, employment of additional personnel, pre-emptive techniques and culture
change. Through the findings, the study proposed a revision of strategies adopted,
prioritizing first on constant environmental analysis before coming up with requisite
strategies to adopt in the face of crime growth. This was seen as the way to turn
private security firms from being reactive but preemptive in the face of growing
crime.
Publisher
University of Nairobi