Influence of National Culture on Operational Efficiency by Multinational Food and Beverage Manufacturers in Kenya

Abstract

Management practitioners and academics continue to pay attention to research on national culture independent of the organization, region, or nation in which it is performed. In current era, the major issue within multinational food and beverage manufacturers is acquiring the most effective national culture practices that will be responsible for measuring the overall operation efficiency. The objective of the study was to find the influence of national culture on operation efficiency by multinational food and beverage manufacturers in Kenya.This study was based on two theories, Hofstede’s culture theory and Trompenaars’ cultural theory. A cross-sectional descriptive approach was used for this study. This research aimed to survey 14 of Kenya's largest food and drink conglomerates. The target respondents were senior managers of the firms. An analysis was conducted using descriptive analysis. It was established that collectivism vs individualism influences national culture at great extent. Masculinity/femininity and uncertainty avoidance influence national culture to a moderate extent while power distance influences national culture to a small extent. The study established a positive relationship between national culture and operation efficiency.It was concluded that national culture is of incredible significance to operation efficiency of an organization. The operational efficiency of multinational food and beverage manufacturers in Kenya are influenced by national culture to a great extent in terms of flexibility of operations, product and service quality and finally speed of delivery. Research found that multinational food and beverage companies in Kenya might get insight into the impact of culture on company operations via cross-cultural training and awareness initiatives. It's recommended that organizations adopt policies and practices that boost employee engagement because national culture has become such a significant influence for the firm's operations in terms of cost, flexibility, product/service quality, and speed of delivery, the study also suggests that all multinational food and beverage manufacturers put more effort into adopting national cultural analysis.