THE EFFECTS OF INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES ON FIRM PERFORMANCE OF EQUATOR BOTTLERS COMPANY LIMITED IN KISUMU COUNTY, KENYA: ROLE OF GOVERNMENT POLICY
Otiso Ratemo James - MBA Strategic Management Option, School of Business and Economics, Kisii University, Kenya
Dr. Stella Moraa Omari - Senior Lecturer, School of Business and Economics, Kisii University, Kenya
Dr. Andrew Songoro Nyang’au - Lecturer, School of Business and Economics, Kisii University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The innovation strategies arise from high business competition. Every Organization requires improving performance by employing innovative strategies. It enables company to improve market position as one of the important strategies that gain competitive advantage. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between innovative strategies and firm performance of Equator Bottlers Company limited in Kisumu County. The study was guided by the following objectives; to assess the relationship between marketing strategies and firm performance in Equator Bottlers Company Limited, to find out the relationship between planning strategies and firm performance in equator Bottlers’ Company Limited. This study was anchored on the vroom expectancy theory and Rogers’s theory. Correlation research design was used. Target population comprised of 845 respondents from Equator bottler’s limited employees and a sample size of 387 respondents was selected using stratified and simple random sampling technique. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation was used to analyze data. Inferential statistics included correlation and regression analysis which established the relation between variables. The study found that many of the production strategies were used by equator bottlers in Kisumu County leading to the increased cost of production and firm performance. The study recommended there should be effective marketing strategies to be adopted by equator bottlers in Kisumu County by use of price wars strategy. There was need to involve marketing strategies on firm performance.