Value Innovation Strategy and the Performance of Roofing Sheet Manufacturers in Kenya

The production and uptake of locally manufactured roofing sheets have been on a steady downward trajectory over the last ten years, leading to a significant decline in revenue and employment in the sector. Kenya’s roofing sheet production fell more than 8 percent in 2019 following a decline that started with weakening demand in 2010. Value innovation strategy prescribes a path to positively sustaining performance by shifting firms from cut-throat market competition (the red ocean) to a wide-open new uncontested market space (the blue ocean). It argues that operating in "cutthroat and saturated markets" results in a "red ocean of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool." The main purpose of this study was to establish the effect of value innovation strategy on the performance of roofing sheet manufacturers in Kenya. The study adopted a mixed research method and employed a descriptive research design. The target population consisted of 241 employees drawn from all the fifteen (15) roofing sheet manufacturers in Kenya registered with the Kenya Association of Manufactures (KAM), from whom a sample size of one hundred and twenty-seven (127) employees was selected using the Krejcie and Morgan table formula. The findings of this study have illuminated a statistically significant positive effect of value innovation on firm performance, as evidenced by R-squared values of 0.687 (68.7%), with p-value of 0.00, way below the significance threshold of 0.05. The statistics imply that 68.7% of the variance in the performance of roofing sheet manufacturers can be attributed to the adoption of the value innovation strategy. Consequently, the study recommends that roofing sheet manufacturers must prioritize the adoption of need-based value innovation to ensure sustainable performance. Keywords: Value innovation, firm performance, and blue ocean DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/16-2-09 Publication date:March 31st 202

Communication and Training Strategies on ERP Project Implementation

The successful implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in organizations is heavily reliant on effective change management strategies. This study investigates the effect of change management critical success factors, particularly communication and training strategies, on ERP implementation success in the context of Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) in Kenya. The research is guided by the Diffusion of Innovation theory and Lewin's Three-Step Change Theory. A descriptive research design was adopted, and data was analyzed descriptively and inferentially through correlation and multiple regression. The study included 732 REREC corporate staff in Nairobi, with a sample of 146 selected via simple random sampling. The findings reveal that change management success factors, specifically communication strategy (r= 0.462; p<0.01) and training strategy (r= 0.359; p<0.01), have a statistically significant cause and effect relationship with ERP implementation. Of these relationships, communication strategy holds the highest influence (r= 0.462), followed by training strategy (r= 0.359). The study recommends that REREC should focus on enhancing communication skills, structure, and media in developing communication concepts and plans, while the training strategy should address user training needs, customized training materials, formal training programs, and time allocation. Keywords: Communication, Training, Critical Success Factors, ERP Implementation, Change Management DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/15-18-02 Publication date: November 30th 202

Stakeholder Analysis and Readiness to Change on ERP Project Implementation

The successful implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in organizations heavily relies on effective change management strategies. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of stakeholder analysis and readiness for change on ERP Project Implementation. This study was guided by Stakeholder Theory and Lewin's Three-Step Change Theory. We employed a descriptive research design and conducted data analysis through both descriptive and inferential methods, including correlation and multiple regression. The study encompassed 732 REREC corporate staff in Nairobi, with a sample of 146 individuals selected via simple random sampling. Our findings reveal that change management success factors, specifically stakeholder analysis (r = 0.340; p < 0.01) and readiness for change (r = 0.237; p = 0.015), exhibit a statistically significant cause-and-effect relationship with ERP implementation. Among these relationships, stakeholder analysis holds the highest influence (r = 0.340), followed by readiness for change (r = 0.237). Effective change management strategies significantly effect ERP project success, with stakeholder analysis playing a substantial role and readiness for change being pivotal. Cultivating readiness for change is essential, fostering adaptability and confidence among employees through effective communication and training. Customized change management plans addressing unique stakeholder concerns should be developed and continuously monitored. Keywords: Stakeholder Analysis, Readiness for Change, Critical Success Factors, ERP Implementation, Change Management DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/15-18-08 Publication date: November 30th 202

Customer Acquisition Strategy and the Performance of Roofing Sheet Manufacturers in Kenya

Over the past decade, there has been a consistent and concerning decline in the production and consumption of locally manufactured roofing sheets, resulting in a substantial reduction in both revenue and employment within the industry. Notably, Kenya's roofing sheet production experienced a decline exceeding 8 percent in 2019, marking the culmination of a downward trend that was initiated by a weakened demand in 2010. This protracted slump has raised critical questions about the sustainability and competitiveness of the domestic roofing sheet manufacturing sector. Customer acquisition strategy prescribes a path to positively sustaining performance by shifting firms from cut-throat market competition (the red ocean) to a wide-open new uncontested market space (the blue ocean). It argues that operating in "cutthroat and saturated markets" results in a "red ocean of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool." The main purpose of this study was to establish the effect of customer acquisition strategy on the performance of roofing sheet manufacturers in Kenya. The study adopted a mixed research method and employed a descriptive research design. The target population consisted of 241 employees drawn from all the fifteen (15) roofing sheet manufacturers in Kenya registered with the Kenya Association of Manufactures (KAM), from whom a sample size of one hundred and twenty-seven (127) employees was selected using the Krejcie and Morgan table formula. The findings of this study have illuminated a statistically significant positive effect of customer acquisition on firm performance, as evidenced by R-squared values of 0.623 (62.3%), with p-value of 0.00, way below the significance threshold of 0.05. The statistics imply that 62.3% of the variance in the performance of roofing sheet manufacturers can be attributed to the adoption of the customer acquisition strategy. Consequently, the study recommends that roofing sheet manufacturers must prioritize the adoption of need-based customer acquisition to ensure sustainable performance. Keywords: Customer acquisition, firm performance, and blue ocean DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/16-2-08 Publication date:March 31st 202