Some past studies have found that the characteristics of the Top Management Team influence the performance of organizations while others have found that they do not. This study, which is founded on the Upper Echelon Theory, investigated the relationship between TMT diversity, quality decisions and organization performance. The study sought to find out the effect of TMT diversity and quality decisions in the performance of commercial banks in Kenya. The study found that quality decisions had a significant effect on the internal business processes and learning and growth perspectives of the balanced scorecard. The study sought to find the intervening effect of the quality decisions and the moderating effect of involvement culture and diversity management strategies. The study found that the two moderating variables had a significant effect on the relationship between TMT diversity and quality decisions and TMT diversity and organization performance

The Paper is the research findings on the role of strategic planning and competitive advantage of ICT Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya. Literature suggests that the contemporary business environment in which organisations operate is increasingly becoming uncertain and unpredictable. Significant changes are mostly driven by technological changes, globalisation and trade liberalisation. As a result, like large enterprises, SMEs are facing new and unexpected challenges that threaten their competitiveness. While most countries acknowledge the critical role that SMEs contribute to their economies, both as an engine of growth and sustainable development, many questions still remain unanswered as to the determination of the critical challenges facing SMEs and how these challenges could be addressed to improve their competitiveness. These challenges have increased the need for empirical information which is essential for decision making in addressing issues that are likely to enhance SMEs survival and growth. It is noted that there has been no adequate research studies on the role of strategic planning and competitive advantage of SMEs. This study contributes to the need to address the research gaps and thus explored the role of strategic planning and competitive advange of SMEs in Kenya. The study population consisted of 238 ICT SMEs from Nairobi and its environs. A sample size of 146 firms constituting 61 per cent of the total population was selected through stratified sampling. The study aimed to collect data from 438 respondents from top, middle and lower management teams. Structured questionnaires with closed and open ended questions was used for data collection, 239 responses were received from 123 ICT firms a response rate of 55 per cent and 84.2 per cent respectively. Key characteristics of strategic planning including formality, environmental analysis processes both internal and external orientations, strategies adopted, and implementation and control were recorded. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, t-test, ANOVA, correlation, correlation matrixes and regression analysis. The key findings revealed that strategic planning has significant and positive influence in performance of SME's. The test of hypothesis revealed that strategic planning has positive and significant influence on competitive advantage. The study demonstrated strategic planning as a learning tool and a strategic resource which is consistent with the underlying assumptions of resource based theory, systems theory, chaos theory and balanced score card model assumptions. It is envisaged that, this kind of research is likely to generate useful discussions on the role of strategic planning and performance, of SMEs. It is apparent that entrepreneurs of SMEs cannot ignore strategic planning as significant changes in competitive advantage is the result of change or effective application of strategic planning. Policy makers and academicians may need to address the capacity needs of SMEs and develop strateg...

This study sought to establish the relationship between management participation and firm performance. The study was premised in the applauded significant role that management participation plays on firm performance. However, a glaring knowledge gap established from literature review indicate a paucity of empirical support to the extent of the relationship with both the financial and none financial performance. Firms in Export Processing Zones (EPZs) in Kenya were studied. Significant relationship was established only with internal business process performance. Theoretically, the study showed that management participation is a much more complex variable moderated by other factors. Therefore, managers ought to focus on moderating factors like culture and diversity to understand the relationship between management participation and performance.

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This study focused on strategic planning systems as predictors of performance in a developing country context. These concepts have not been adequately investigated in extant strategy literature. We contended that strategic planning systems should be emphasized as a configuration and not by its domains. The influence of resources, management participation and planning techniques on performance showed positive and significant results. In support of our conceptualization, the results were that strategic planning systems as an aggregate factor has a stronger influence on performance than its domains. We conclude that the configuration of planning systems with its theoretical underpinning in the dynamic capabilities and resource based view, explains performance variations among firms.

The study objective was to determine the relationship between strategy implementation of McKinsey's 7S Framework and performance of large supermarkets in Nairobi. Out of twenty one questionnaires administered, eighteen were received representing a response rate of 86. % and was considered adequate for further analysis. The finding of the study was a correlation coefficient of .868 when the relationship between McKinsey's 7S and firm performance was tested. This depicts a strong relationship between performance by the firm and the independent variables. The coefficient of determination (R 2) was .753. Therefore, McKinsey's 7S dimensions account for 75.3% of the variations in firm performance. The study sought to assess the influence of Mckinsey's 7S framework, strategy adoption, barriers to strategy implementation, drivers to strategy implementation and firm performance. The results revealed a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.921 which show a strong relationship between performance by the firm and independent variables. The results showed a R 2 of 0.848 was established. The results suggest that strategy adoption, McKinsey 7S framework, drivers to strategy implementation and barriers to strategy implementation account for 84.8% of the variation in firm performance. Factor analysis found that cross-functionality of the strategy adoption, McKinsey 7S framework, drivers to strategy implementation and barriers to strategy implementation as the critical success factors for firm performance. The study concluded that the adoption of Mckinsey's 7S framework would lead to improved firm performance. Future research work should assess the moderating and intervening effects and incorporate subjective and objective measures of performance.

This study intended to determine the moderating effect of Innovation on the relationship between Enterprise risk Management Strategies (ERMS) and performance. The context of the study was the Christian-based hospitality businesses in Kenya. Indicators of performance were both financial and non-financial and data was sought both from primary and secondary sources. The Null hypothesis was formulated for testing the relationship using a significance p-value of p<0.05. The study adopted a positivistic philosophy using descriptive cross-sectional survey design on a population of 76 Christian-based hospitality businesses in Kenya which are unlisted. A 65.8 % response rate was achieved. This concludes that innovations adopted by Christian Hospitality Sector in Kenya have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between enterprise risk management strategies and performance. The results implies that for the Christian-Based Hospitality Businesses in Kenya to improve performance effective enterprise risk management strategies must combine with effective innovative practices in order to perform well.

The study examines the effect of corporate strategy on organizational performance. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 46 companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The study findings reveal that corporate strategy has significant effect on organizational performance. A theoretical and empirical implication of the study illustrate that the stakeholder theory is fully supported. Methodological implication shows that the validity and reliability tests carried out on the data collection instruments confirm that the instrument is sufficient to collect data from respondents. The researchers recommend future research on the individual corporate strategy constructs tested against the raw score of each of the seven performance indicators of Kenya's publicly quoted companies.