A Paradigm Shift for Innovation and Creativity in Africa in the 21st Century

Innovation has for many years been associated with growth and development of organizations and nations. Creativity is closely associated with innovativeness and indeed, without creativity there can be no meaningful innovativeness. The developed world has been associated with innovativeness for many decades, long before there was anything meaningful in the Developing world such as the African Continent .Thus, most inventions that we know today came from the developed world. Using a narrative and descriptive approach of the past and the present trends in both the developed and the African continent, the author seeks to demonstrate that in spite of the myriad of challenges, innovation and creativity are driving economic development in Africa and will continue to do so in the 21st century. Africa is on the rise and holds the future in terms of innovation and creativity, and will shape the 21st century as far as innovation and creativity is concerned. Africa has the potential and the capacity to host the innovations of the 21st century and beyond, just as Europe hosted the industrial revolution in the 19th century. The author argues that with a young growing population with a huge untapped natural resources, Africa presents the best opportunity for creativity and innovativeness in the 21st century. The author is cognizant to the fact that Africa is very diverse and cannot be lumped together as one big entity, but recognizes that a majority of the countries therein suffer the same challenges, which will be the main triggers to creativity and innovation in the 21st century Keywords: innovativeness, Creativity, economic development, African continent DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-21-01 Publication date:July 31st 201

Covid 19 Pandemic Government Interventions and Their Implications on Shopper Behavior: A Study of Consumers in Kenya

Studies on consumer behavior continue to attract attention all over the world, because of the implications they have in the market. Behavior as expressed through attitude changes and perceptions can be brought about by many factors including government interventions. The year 2020 has been characterized by many government interventions in trying to contain the corona virus pandemic, and it is important to assess how the measures have influenced shopper behavior.  Using the consumer behavior theories (Bagozzi and Kimmel 1995 , Bagozzi et al. (2002) with specific reference to the  Rational choice theory (Adam Smith, 1776) and the and the functional attitude theory (when Smith, Bruner, and White (1956) and Katz (1960), the researchers sought to determine  the effect of government intervention measures on  influence on shopper behavior, and whether shopper demographic characteristics either moderate or mediate the relationship between government intervention measures and shopper behavior. Descriptive cross sectional design was used, with a stratified sample drawn from former students from the School of Business, University of Nairobi. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.  The study found that government intervention measures significantly influenced shopper (F value of 3.962, p = 003 < 0.05), and accounted for 22.6% of the changes in shopper behavior ( R2 = 0.226). The study found that that contrary to the popular belief that consumers in developing countries put price before quality, in a situation like the corona virus pandemic which has direct effect on the consumers, quality of the products used for prevention comes first and the consumers will buy provided the product is of the right quality. The study found that shopper characteristics have a significant mediating effect on the relationship between government intervention measures and shopper behavior. The researchers recommend that government and other policy makers have relevant information about shopper behavior as a basis for implementing certain measures that may negatively influence their behavior and injure the economy. Keywords: Covid19 pandemic, operational issues, shopper behavior, consumer attitude DOI: 10.7176/JMCR/87-03 Publication date:October 31st 202

Influence of Brand Assets on the Choice Criteria of FMCG Products Among Bcom Students of the University of Nairobi

Branding is increasingly becoming important in organizations as a competitive strategy. Brand assets are perceived to influence the consumer choice of various brands, but the extent to which the various assets do this is not clear. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of brand assets on the choice criteria of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)  among Bachelor of Commerce students of the university of Nairobi. The study adopted the descriptive cross sectional research design, with the  population being Bachelor of Commerce Degree students of the University of Nairobi. The study  targeted 90 conveniently selected students, 30 in the regular programme, 30 in module 11 (day class) and 30 in module 11 (evening class) . Of the 90 students targeted, a  total of 55 responded,  mainly from module 1 and module 11(day) class, which was a response rate of 61%. Validity and reliability was done by first issuing the questionnaires to 4 students and checking their responses. The questions were also thoroughly checked to ensure that they were correct, before doing the final study.  Descriptive analysis as well as factor analysis, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The study found that brand assets, namely, brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty and perceived quality have a positive influence on the selection criteria that a customer makes. Brand awareness, brand association, and perceived quality have a positive influence on the selection criteria, while brand loyalty has a negative influence. The results of this study demonstrate that in making decisions, marketers need to always be guided by the various brand assets.  It is therefore recommended that manufacturers and marketers consider these assets in marketing their products. Since this  study was based on Bcom students in one campus of the University of Nairobi, the findings may  not be generalizable to all the students. A wider study focusing on several universities may therefore shed more light on the choice behavior of the students Keywords: Brand assets, Brand awareness, Brand association, Perceived quality, Brand loyalty, Fast moving Consumer Good

MARKETING AS A DETERMINANT OF GROWTH AMONG MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN MAVOKO MUNICIPALITY, MACHAKOS, COUNTY, KENYA

This study sought to establish the determinants of growth among the micro, small and medium sector enterprises in Mavoko municipality, Machakos county, Kenya. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used with a semi structured questionnaire being the main data collection instrument. A convenient sample of 100 MSMes was used, in which 79 firms responded, giving a response rate of 79 %. Descriptive analysis, regression and correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. The study found that marketing practices do influence the growth of the enterprises. It was found that a number of marketing practices hand significant influence on growth of the enterprises. Personal characteristics of the entrepreneur, such as age and educational level of the entrepreneur were found to significantly influence the growth of an enterprise.. Organizational characteristics such as financial ability and, Quality of employees were also found to have positive influence on growth of enterprise

Towards Entrepreneurial Universities through Marketing strategy and entrepreneurship: A comparative study of Selected Public and Private Universities in Kenya

This study sought to make a comparative assessment of public and private universities in Kenya, in order to understand their orientation towards entrepreneurship and marketing practices used, as well as assessing whether entrepreneurial orientation has influence on marketing practices. The population of the study was 125 heads of department and program coordinators selected from 7 public and 5 private universities. A total of  92 out of the targeted 125 respondents responded from  the nine  universities that agreed to participate, giving a response rate of 73.6%.. A Semi structured questionnaires was administered by trained data collection assistants.  Pilot study was done to ensure validity and reliability of the data collection instrument. Analysis was included descriptive statistics, particularly means and standard deviation. Testing of paired sample means was done to test the 1st two hypotheses, while regression and correlation were done to test the third hypothesis. The study found that Private Universities were doing better than Public Universities especially in the area of looking for and exploiting new opportunities that generate money for the University. Private universities had a mean score of 3.8621 (SD 1.17) compared to a mean score of 3.1639 (SD 1.04) for public Universities for their ability to look for and exploit new opportunities that generate money for the University. Similarly, Private universities had a mean score of 3.24 (SD 1.32) for taking cautious posture in order to minimize the possibility of making wrong decisions, as compared to 2.98 (SD 1. 13) for public Universities.  Private universities were found to be doing better than public universities in most of the marketing indicators tested.  Private universities had a stronger believe in customer sovereignty (Mean 4.31, SD.76) than Public Universities (Mean 3.7, SD 0.86)  Further, Private universities had better established marketing department that handles marketing programs (Mean 4.1, SD 1.04) than Public Universities ((Mean 3.12, SD 1.3). However, public Universities were better  (Mean 4.1, SD.71) (in having systems for curriculum review that match industry needs than private universities (Mean 3.79, SD 1.17). regression and correlation analysis done showed that indicators of entrepreneurial spirit have a positive influence on indicators of marketing practices. The regression model had an R2 value of 0.325(F = 9.882, p =0.00) while the entrepreneurial factor of continuously looking  for and exploit new opportunities that generate money for university had positive and significant influence on having  marketing department that handles  marketing programs (r  =0. 321 ) and  on strong believe in customer sovereignty r =0. 382), both significant at 0.01).  Similarly the factor that a firm takes a cautious posture in order to minimize the possibility of making wrong decision has positive and significant influence on a marketing department that handles your marketing programs (r  =0. 445 ) and  on strong believe in customer sovereignty r =0. 472), both significant at 0.01). Key words: Entrepreneurial spirit, Private Universities, Public Universities, Marketing strateg

BRAND ASSETS AND CHOICE CRITERIA OF FAST-MOVING CONSUMER GOODS AMONG UNERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

Branding is increasingly becoming important in organizations as a competitive strategy. Brand assets are perceived to influence the consumer choice of various brands, but the extent to which the various assets do this is not clear. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of brand assets on the choice criteria of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) among Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) students of the University of Nairobi. The study adopted the descriptive cross-sectional research design, with the population being BCom degree students of the University of Nairobi. The study targeted 90 conveniently selected students, 30 in the regular programme, 30 in module 11 (day class) and 30 in module 11 (evening class) . Of the 90 students targeted, a total of 55 responded, mainly from module 1 and module 11(day) class, which was a response rate of 61 percent. Validity and reliability was done by first issuing the questionnaires to 4 students and checking their responses. The questions were also thoroughly checked to ensure that they were correct, before doing the final study. Descriptive analysis as well as factor analysis, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The study found that brand assets, namely, brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty and perceived quality have a positive influence on the selection criteria that a customer makes. Brand awareness, brand association, and perceived quality have a positive influence on the selection criteria, while brand loyalty has a negative influence. The results of this study demonstrate that in making decisions, marketers need to always be guided by the various brand assets. It is therefore recommended that manufacturers and marketers consider these assets in marketing their products. Since this study was based on BCom students in one campus of the University of Nairobi, the findings may not be generalizable to all the students. A wider study focusing on several universities may therefore shed more light on the choice behavior of the student

BRAND ASSETS AND CHOICE CRITERIA OF FAST-MOVING CONSUMER GOODSAMONG UNERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

Branding is increasingly becoming important in organizations as a competitive strategy. Brand assets are perceived to influence the consumer choice of various brands, but the extent to which the various assets do this is not clear. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of brand assets on the choice criteria of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) among Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) students of the University of Nairobi. The study adopted the descriptive cross-sectional research design, with the population being BCom degree students of the University of Nairobi. The study targeted 90 conveniently selected students, 30 in the regular programme, 30 in module 11 (day class) and 30 in module 11 (evening class) . Of the 90 students targeted, a total of 55 responded, mainly from module 1 and module 11(day) class, which was a response rate of 61 percent. Validity and reliability was done by first issuing the questionnaires to 4 students and checking their responses. The questions were also thoroughly checked to ensure that they were correct, before doing the final study. Descriptive analysis as well as factor analysis, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The study found that brand assets, namely, brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty and perceived quality have a positive influence on the selection criteria that a customer makes. Brand awareness, brand association, and perceived quality have a positive influence on the selection criteria, while brand loyalty has a negative influence. The results of this study demonstrate that in making decisions, marketers need to always be guided by the various brand assets. It is therefore recommended that manufacturers and marketers consider these assets in marketing their products. Since this study was based on BCom students in one campus of the University of Nairobi, the findings may not be generalizable to all the students. A wider study focusing on several universities may therefore shed more light on the choice behavior of the student

Influence of Market Orientation on the Relationship Between Customer Relationship Management Practices and Performance of Large-Scale Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

The main objective of the study was to measure the influence of market orientation on the relationship between customer relationship management practices and firm performance of large-scale manufacturing firms in Kenya. The population of the study comprised large-scale manufacturing firms that were members of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used. The target respondents were three top managers in each firm, and aggregated single scores were computed to lessen single source response bias. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The results revealed that market orientation was a strong statistical predictor of firm performance. In addition, the moderating effect of market orientation on the association between CRM practices and performance (F=9.138, P-value<0.05) was found to be statistically significant.  The study supported findings of previous studies on the influence of CRM practices on firm performance. In addition, the study found that both CRM practices and market orientation had a positive and significant influence on performance. Further, the findings of the study support the theoretical link between CRM practices, market orientation and performance. Acknowledgment I thank and appreciate almighty God for this opportunity, his grace and favor. I also extend my sincere gratitude to my University Supervisors; Prof. Justus Munyoki, Dr. Joseph Owino and Dr. James Njihia for their valuable guidance, support and encouragement during the writing and completion of my Ph.D thesis. I also thank all members of the University of Nairobi Business Administration who contributed in one way or the other to make the writing of my thesis a success. I would also like to thank sincerely all top and senior managers in large-scale manufacturing firms in Kenya who participated in this research.  Finally my sincere appreciation goes to my family members for supporting, encouraging and being there for me during the entire journey of pursuing my Ph.D. program. Keywords: customer relationship management, market orientation, performance, large-scale manufacturing firm

Influence of Firm Characteristics on the Relationship between Customer Relationship Management Practices and Performance of Large-Scale Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

The objective of the research was to measure the influence of firm characteristics on the relationship between customer relationship management practices and performance of large-scale manufacturing firms in Kenya. To establish this objective, two objectives focusing on financial and non-financial performance were set and corresponding hypotheses formulated. The population of the study comprised large-scale manufacturing firms that were members of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used. The data analyzed was obtained through a structured questionnaire. To test the influence of firm characteristics on the relationship between customer relationship management practices and firm performance regression analysis was used. The findings indicated that the moderating influence of firm characteristics on CRM practices and firm performance was only found to be statistically significant on non-financial performance and not statistically significant on the association between CRM practices and financial performance. Further, the interaction of CRM practices and firm characteristics on non-financial performance was statistically significant. One major contribution of this investigation is that CRM practices and firm characteristics account for significant variation in non-financial performance. Further, the findings of the study support the theoretical link between CRM practices, firm characteristics and performance. Acknowledgement I would like to thank God for his providence, his faithfulness and for seeing me through completion of my Ph.D. program. I sincerely thank my University Supervisors; Prof. Justus Munyoki, Dr. Joseph Owino and Dr. James Njihia, their insightful contributions, critique and patience moudlded my academic reading, thinking and writing. Special thanks to my family for their patience encouragement and prayers. Keywords: Customer relationship management, firm characteristics, performance, large-scale manufacturing firm

CORPORATE IMAGE AND BRAND PERFORMANCE OF KENYAN UNIVERSITIES

The highly competitive arena of the higher education sector implies the need for a good corporate image. Corporate image is recognized in the literature to have a positive impact on customer loyalty and is also a great way of differentiating an organization from its competitors as well stimulating consumers purchase. The higher education sectors’ products and services are increasingly similar today hence the need for the institutions to devise strategies to differentiate their products. Literature acknowledges the role of corporate image as an asset, which could give an organization a chance to differentiate itself with hope of maximizing its market share, acquiring new customers retaining existing ones, as well as counteracting the competitors’ actions in order to ensure success and improved performance. Organizations in the service industry are in business of creating outstanding service experiences for their customers. The management of corporate image however, is not an easy one especially in the service industry given the intangibility nature of services. An organization’s proper management of its corporate image can add value to a firm in a variety ways. Conversely, a negative image can destroy an organization’s reputation and isolate their customers. Empirical study results on corporate image and brand performance relationship however report mixed findings hence the need for the current study. This study investigated the relationship between corporate image and brand performance of Kenyan Universities. Data for the study were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings of the study support the notion that corporate image impacts brand performance. This therefore implies that an organization that invests in brand marketing activities relating to corporate image should experience enhanced brand performance. The study’s contribution to the higher education sector is in terms of addition to the body of knowledge. It also provides policy and managerial implications. The study only covered Kenyan universities. A similar study could also be carried out in the future focusing on all universities. Future studies could also focus on other sectors other than the higher education sector