Responses of Kisii Bottlers Ltd to Changes in the Operating Environment in Kenya

Abstract

The overall objective of the study was to examine the response of Kisii Bottlers Limited to the Changes in the Operating environment. This study adopted a case study research design. An interview guide was used to collect data on the response of Kisii Bottlers Limited to the Changes in the Operating Environment. The interview guide contained open ended questions that were administered by the researcher on six heads of departments with five of them responding to the interview. Data analysis and presentation was undertaken by use of Content analysis because the research was qualitative in nature. The findings included the competitive responses in innovation and packaging ,product developments in marketing, acquisition of technology, cultural changes and operational decisions like merging have contributed to the survival and positioning of Kisii Bottlers limite.It can be argued from the study that Kisii Bottlers is growth oriented with a strategic plan of not only surviving in the market place but also remaining profitable and competitive in business and hence the focus on strategies such as cost leadership and focus as strategies aimed at maintaining the business turnover. The study was not without limitations. Time was a limiting factor. The researcher is widely involved in consultancy across East Africa and therefore did not have adequate time with the busy Kisii Bottlers Leadership especially in the collection of data. The unwillingness of the interviewees to supply the right response was another limiting factor. The interviewees were suspicious that such study could expose their competitive advantage to their competitors, among other fears.