| dc.description.abstract | The objective of the research is to identify strategies that are used by the Horticultural
Crops Directorate to increase horticultural exports from Kenya. As the environment
and market conditions changes with time, organizations need to formulate new
strategies for them to remain competitive. In the case of international business an
organization or government must make a commitment to keep pace with its
competitors with an aim of increasing its market share. This is achieved by continual
review of a firm’s strategies. Successful strategy implementation requires the input
and cooperation of all players in the company; it requires linkage in two dimensions
both vertical and horizontal. Over the last decade the agricultural industry in Kenya
has generally experienced low and declining productivity in terms of export earnings,
employment creation, food security and household farm income. This is not the case
in the Horticultural export sub sector that has continually experienced growth over the
years. This study will serve to benefit management consultants, policy makers and
future scholars who may wish to undertake further research in related aspects of
horticultural exports in Kenya. The study employed a case study as its research design
and primary data was used in the research. Data was collected using an interview
guide. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis and was presented in
prose form. The findings of the study suggest that the directorate had developed
strategies that were geared towards accomplishment of its set objectives. The
directorate has also realized that to achieve its objectives and also be competitive
enough, they need well-established relations with countries that are the largest
consumers of horticultural crops. As such one of the directorate’s strategies involve
liaising with commercial diplomats. Other strategies applied by the directorate to
increase export of horticultural crops involve applying market standards, focusing on
the capacity building of industry stakeholders and encouraging horticultural farming
as a business in Kenya. Findings from this study noted as much as there have been an
increase in the production and export of horticultural crops, the directorate should
focus on employing strategies that will result in further reductions on the price of
horticultural crops enabling horticultural products in Kenya to be priced competitively
against other international exporters. | en_US |
