Effectof Strategic Responses on Operational Performance of Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company, Kisumu Kenya

Abstract

Strategic response means selecting a mode of strategic behavior which matches the levels of environmental turbulence, and developing a resource capability which complements the chosen mode. Strategy on the other hand is the management's game plan for strengthening the performance of the enterprise. Studies that have been done in Kenya and abroad on strategic responses have linked it to financial performance of firms while others have looked at its effects on overal organizational performance. No available study has been found to link strategic responses to operational performance. This therefore remains unknown particularly in the case of Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company. Specifically, how each single element of strategic response like staff training, CT deployment and customer relations management singly affect operational performance has not been previously investigated. These also remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of strategic responses on operational performance of Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company. Specific objectives of the study were to establish the effect of staff training on operational performance of KlWASCO, determine the effect of lCT deployment on operational performance of KlW ASCO and to establish the effect of customer relations management on operational performance of KlWASCO. The study adopted a correlation survey design. The target population was 102 respondents drawn from among the workforce of KlW ASCO.A pilot study was carried on 13 respondents who were chosen randomly to validate the research instrument. Primary data for the study was obtained through structured questionnaires while secondary data obtained from document review. The results showed that staff training, lCTdevelopment, and customer relations management had beta standardized coefficients and p values of ~ = 0.741, p< .05; ~= 0.312, p< .05 and ~ = 0.013, p< .05 respectively. These means the degrees to which the independent variables each explain the dependent variable, are positive and significant implying that an improvement in staff training, CT deployment and customer relations will result to a positive change in performance. Further the results mean that when strategic responses have a positive change, it results to subsequent positive change in performance. The study recommends that Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company should continue to emphasize strategic responses and particularly put more emphasis on staff training and lCT development in order to realize great improvement in operational performance. It is also necessary to continue interrogating other strategic responses not covered in this study in order to enhance performance.