Benchmarking Practices and Performance of Supermarkets in Nairobi County
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to establish the correlation linking benchmarking practices
and the performance of supermarkets in Nairobi County. The study adopted a descriptive
research design aimed at exploring the correlation involving benchmarking practices and
performance of supermarket in Nairobi County. The target population for this study was all
the 32 supermarkets in Nairobi County. Primary data was obtained using self-administered
questionnaires. The questionnaire was made up of both open ended and closed ended
questions covering issues associated to benchmarking practices. All questionnaire forms were
collected and inspected to ensure that they were complete and consistent. Once data screening
was complete, descriptive statistics for all variables was run. Initial descriptive analysis was
performed using SPSS 22 including frequencies, percentages, mean score and standard
deviation. For the parametric data, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was
employed to establish the correlation among variables. Then data was presented using
Frequency tables and graphs. The study established that benchmarking practices has been
applied in the supermarkets in Nairobi County. The study revealed that in relation to process
benchmarking companies have focused on achieving improvements in key processes to
obtain quick benefits. The research also summarizes that in order to improve on functional
benchmarking supermarkets compare the business functions with others which have lead to
incremental innovation. The research noted that less time and resources are needed for
internal benchmarking. The findings were clear that companies benchmark with partners
drawn from the same sector. Based on the research findings, the study concludes that process
benchmarking leads to improve the performance of supermarkets in Nairobi County. Basing
on the finding and conclusions the study recommends that operation managers of
supermarkets should focus highly on accomplishing enhancement in key processes to attain
fast results. The operation managers also have to improve on specific critical processes
relative. The study also recommends that operation managers of supermarkets in Nairobi
County to compare the business functions with others which have lead to incremental
innovation. The study further recommends that operation managers of the supermarkets in
Nairobi should increase the level of internal benchmarking in their industries since internal
benchmarking requires less time and resources. In order to suppress stiff competition in the
industry the study recommends to operation managers to take into account competitive
benchmarking, in relation to this the operation managers of the supermarkets should
benchmark their products with partners drawn from the same sector. The study finally
recommends that operation managers of the supermarkets have to improve on overall
performance of their supermarkets by focusing on general approaches that have facilitated
high-performance to thrive.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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