Sustainable Firm Performance Through Product Differentiation Strategies; The Hidden Treasure of Customer Loyalty

Abstract

The study sort to establish the mediating effect of customer loyalty on the relationship between product differentiation strategies and the performance of selected edible oils manufacturing firms in Kenya. Using the Baron & Kenny (1986) four-step approach for conducting mediation analysis, the study hypothesized the relationship between product differentiation strategies and firm performance, product differentiation strategies and customer loyalty, customer loyalty and firm performance and finally the mediation relationship between product differentiation strategies, customer loyalty and firm performance. The study employed an explanatory research design and was guided by the discrete choice theory of competitive advantage and the customer loyalty business model. The target population was 535,840 of which 104 were top and middle-level employees from the sales and marketing departments of the three selected edible oils manufacturing firms and 535,736 were consumers of the products within the middle-class estates in Nairobi. A sample size of 504 respondents was used for the study. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data and a document analysis guide was used to collect secondary data which was then analysed using descriptive statistics, linear regression and correlation analysis. The results revealed that customer loyalty (R-square change = .028 had a p-value = .005) has a positive mediating effect on the relationship between product differentiation strategies and the performance of the selected edible oils manufacturing firms in Kenya.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0071/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Pengaruh Persepsi Kualitas, Persepsi Nilai, Persepsi Kepuasan dan Persepsi Diferensiasi terhadap Kesetiaan Merek yang Dimediasi oleh Kepercayaan Merek pada Merek Polki

“…Berdasarkan penelitian (Akbar, 2023) diferensiasi yang dirasakan menciptakan citra merek yang berbeda di benak konsumen yang mana membantu dalam menciptakan Brand Trust dan Brand Loyalty. Pada penelitian (Mwazuna & Museve, 2023) perusahaan tidak hanya sekedar membedakan merek untuk memenuhi harapan pelanggan tetapi juga mempengaruhi persepsi mereka terhadap merek serta mendorong kepercayaan merek dan didapatkan hasil bahwa Perceived Differentiation berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap Brand Loyalty. Konsumen memiliki peranan utama dalam menciptakan kepercayaan dan loyalitas merek, kepuasan memberikan dampak pada persepsi nilai yang diberikan kepada loyalitas merek, baik secara langsung ataupun melalui pengaruh tidak langsung (Zhong & Moon, 2020).…”

“…Perceived Satisfaction memiliki peranan dalam mempengaruhi tingkat kepercayaan konsumen akan suatu merek yang diharapkan saat kepercayaan terbangun melalui kepuasan maka konsumen akan terus melalukan pembelian terhadap merek (Fernandes & Moreira, 2019) Atulkar & Kesari (2018) Perceived Differentiation merupakan keunggulan dari sebuah merek yang dibandingkan dengan merek lain dalam hal ini persaingan pasar yang kompetitif, kualitas yang dirasakan, kepuasan dan nilai-nilai secara logis diperlukan untuk keterikatan merek, tetapi diferensiasi yang dirasakan menciptakan citra merek yang berbeda di benak konsumen, yang mana membantu untuk menciptakan loyalitas dan kepercayaan merek. Pada penelitian (Mwazuna & Museve, 2023)…”