CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF LARGE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF NAIROBI BOTTLERS LIMITED
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF LARGE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF NAIROBI BOTTLERS LIMITED
Nganga George Njoroge - Masters Student, School of Management and Leadership, Management University of Africa, Kenya
Juster Nyaga - Lecturer, School of Management and Leadership, Management University of Africa, Kenya
ABSTRACT
This research aimed to investigate the relationship between continuous improvement practices and the performance of Nairobi Bottlers Limited. The research was motivated by the following objectives: to determine the impact of evidence-based decision-making, customer focus, process approach, and employee engagement on Nairobi Bottlers Limited's results. The research took place from April to October 2022. Nairobi Bottlers Limited management may benefit from the study because it provides insight into how improvement strategies can boost the firm's results. A secondary benefit of the study is that it may aid Nairobi Bottlers Limited in identifying ways to execute continuous improvement processes more successfully to increase the company's profitability, efficiency, and image. The study findings will also bridge the knowledge gap within the large manufacturing companies in Kenya. The research was carried out following a descriptive research design. The study was conducted on 190 Nairobi Bottlers Limited personnel from various departments. The sample size for this study was generated using a stratified random sampling procedure, resulting in 57 respondents. The primary information for the analysis was gathered using a questionnaire. Various formats, including qualitative and quantitative data, were collected, with quantitative data recorded in SPSS (Version 22). The information was presented in the form of frequency tables and figures. An inferential statistical approach was utilized to demonstrate the association between quality improvement efforts and organizational effectiveness. The researcher discovered a good association between evidence-based decision making, customer focus, process approach, employee engagement, and organizational success. The study indicates that each of the four independent variables analyzed impacted the performance of manufacturing companies.66.4% of the organizational performance of Nairobi Bottlers Limited can be accounted for by the four independent variables that were investigated, as indicated by the adjusted R2=0.664. The researcher suggests further research be carried out to examine the other 33.6%. Continuous improvement practices have been shown to have an impact on the organizational performance of manufacturing organizations. According to the study's findings, the goal of manufacturing companies should be to efficiently give value to their customers while enabling their employees to contribute and lead to their fullest potential. The researcher recommended that manufacturing companies understand the significance of continuous improvement methods, particularly their responsibilities in influencing results from incorporating continuous improvement into maintenance procedures.
