Strategic responses to competitive environment by mobile telephony firms in Kenya

Abstract

This study was carried out on mobile telecommunication firms in Kenya to evaluate the strategic responses to competitive environment and how they were effective in improving performance. Four mobile telecommunication firms were identified: Safaricom, Airtel, Orange and Yu. Data collection was made through administration of questionnaires to employees working in these organizations. Competition is a major environmental influence to business growth. In order to be sustainable, firms have to respond strategically to such factors. Different firms have adopted tactics against these challenges. Results indicate that different companies adopt different strategies namely popularity of the brand name, reduction of prices, offering excellent customer care, investing in advertisement, increased expenditure on research, targeting corporate customers, outsourcing on non-core functions and developing customized solutions for different market segments. The study recommends adoption of strategies that have proved successful across the four firms to gain more from the increased competitive space.