International Collaboration Strategies and Competitive Advantage of Geothermal Development Company, Kenya

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between international collaboration strategies and the competitive advantage of Geothermal Development Company, Kenya. The study investigated various dimensions of international collaboration strategies such as joint ventures, mergers and acquisition, informal networking plans as well as research and development collaborations and joint marketing strategies. The research employed a case study design and data was collected among staff dealing with promoting competitive advantage through the adoption of effective international collaboration strategies formulation, implementation as well as monitoring, control and evaluation at Geothermal Development Company. Primary data was collected through the use of interview method and the analysis was done using the content analysis. The findings revealed that Geothermal Development Company, Kenya has adopted various international collaboration strategies including joint marketing, informal networking, joint production, and joint research and development. The study also found that the various international collaboration strategies adopted by the company have resulted in improvement in the competitive advantage of the company in terms of brand reputation, improved market share, attraction of more customers, continuous innovation and flexibility of operations. The study concluded that companies should adopt international collaboration strategies to improve their competitive advantage. The research recommends that organizations top management and policy makers should make efforts to provide environment that encourages local companies to collaborate with international partners to gain competitive advantage and expand their productivity. This approach can have a significant impact on the local economy and productivity of the company in the long run.