Communication and Strategy Implementation in Telecommunication Firms in Kenya

Abstract

The research project aimed at investigating communication and strategy implementation in telecommunication firms in Kenya through the following objectives; to establish the forms of communication adopted by telecommunication firms in Kenya and their effect on strategy implementation and to determine channels of communication used by telecommunication firms in Kenya and how they affect strategy implementation. The research study was based on the following theories of communication and strategy implementation; theory of strategic balancing and resource-based view theory. The strategic balancing theory indicates that an organization’s performance is largely influenced by the management characteristics, its systems and values. While the resource based view (RBV) theory indicates that antagonism can be achieved by effectively satisfying customers. Primary data was collected by the use of structured questionnaires. Thereafter, the quantitative and qualitative data obtained from the target population of thirteen telecommunication firms in Kenya was analyzed using Statistical Package for social sciences. The researcher assessed the various forms of communication that are adopted by the telecommunication firms and it was established that verbal communication, non- verbal communication and written communication were the main forms of communication in use. The study further found out that the three forms of communication used in the telecommunication firms were very significant in strategy implementation which is in line with Barret (2002) who stated that the three forms of communication are a crucial aspect of human interactions as well as a prerequisite for any organization or business success.In the research it was discovered that most telecommunication firms in Kenya use written and verbal forms of communication,this is because they enable the message to be passed with minimal misunderstanding. The researcher found out that the telecommunication firms applied the various channels of communication to convey or transmit information at the workplace to a great extent. These channels include, face to face, electronic, mobile, broadcast media and written channels of communication. The findings correspond with Thill & Bovee’s (1999) who also observed that these channels were widely used in our lives.The researcher found out that face to face communication and written communication were the most preferred channels,face to face was more popular since it allows interactions hence improving the process of strategy implementation as it allows ambiguity to be clarified and the speaker is in a position to determine if the audience received and understood the intended message.