Determinants of Strategic Choice Among Universities in Kenya

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue X, October 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Determinants of Strategic Choice Among Universities in Kenya

Otieno, D* and Adem, A
Technical University of Mombasa
*Corresponding author

Abstract: The education sector in Kenya has been shaped by both internal and external environmental dynamics. Universities have borne the brunt of these turbulent environments the most. The environments within which the universities operate keep changing. Therefore, there is a need for universities to make sound and robust strategic choices. The strategic choices adopted by the universities will influence their success or failure. This research sought to identify the determinants of strategic choice among universities in Kenya. Specifically, the research tested four hypotheses: resource allocation has no strategic influence on strategic choice; organization culture has no significant influence on strategic choice; competitive environment has no significant influence on strategic choice; vision and mission have no significant influence on strategic choice. The research was guided by the contingency and resource dependency theories. A cross-sectional survey research design was used in this research. The target population was all the 71 universities accredited in Kenya by the Commission for University Education. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The independent variables were resource allocation, organization culture, competitive environment, and vision and mission. The quantitative data collected was cleaned, coded, and analyzed using Version 26 of the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) Software. A multiple regression model was used and the results obtained were summarized using tables. The findings of the study indicated that only organization culture and vision and mission have a significant influence on strategic choice. It also pointed out that resource allocation, organization culture, competitive environment, and vision and mission have explanatory power in explaining strategic choice. The findings also revealed that universities in Kenya adopt a clan culture. In light of the findings, the study recommends: that universities in Kenya should have defined procedures for strategic choice process, follow the defined procedures, and involve their employees in the process of developing the strategic choices to create a sense of purpose and belonging.

Key Word; Determinants, Strategic, contingency, dependence, regression

I. INTRODUCTION

Strategic choice is a fundamental element in any decision-making process of an organization. Organizations operate in a complex, dynamic and unpredictable environment and face the challenge of choosing which strategy to adopt to cope with this fast-paced scenario (Christensen, Raynor & McDonald 2015). Strategic choice concerns the decisions regarding organizations’ future and their response to the

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