Strategic Responses by Child Fund Kenya to Changes in the Macro- Environment

Abstract

Organization being in an open system is affected by the complexity and dynamism of its environment and the survival and success of organization depends on strategic responses to changes in the environment. ChildFund must respond to these changes so that the organization can remain relevant and ensure its continued existence in a changing environment. This study therefore focuses on identifying organization strategic response adopted by the ChildFund. The objective of the study was to determine the strategic responses adopted by Childfund Kenya to cope with macro environmental change. The study adopted a case study since the unit of analysis is one organization, ChildFund Kenya Chapter. This was a case study aimed at getting detailed information regarding the environmental changes faced by Childfund International Kenya and determining the strategic responses adopted by Childfund Kenya to cope with environmental change. The researcher used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected using interview guide. The content analysis was used to analyse the interviewees’ views on strategic responses adopted by Childfund Kenya to cope with environmental change. The study found that due to economic change, political influence, labour laws and regulation the ChildFund cut down its human resources in its headquarters and braches as a strategic response to reduce salary expenses. From the findings, study concluded that ChildFund faces external environmental change included government regulation, social cultural factors, government policies, competition from other NGOs and Agencies, economical changes and technological changes which affected it operation and hence the need for strategic response to mitigate their impact. The study concluded that government regulation was influencing operations at ChildFund as it was bound to complied with the government regulation which required the ChildFund to have a board of executive, prepare Annual review reports failure to submit them would implied that organization was liable to penalties and risk of being deregistered. The study concluded that ChildFund was redesigning learning programmes where through ICT, offering e-learning for its educational programming to enhance learning and influence offering of quality education to children and youth, designed health programmes targeting the families and provided them with treated mosquito nets to protect children against mosquito-borne malaria. The study concluded that ChildFund differentiate its service through offering economic empowerment to the youth through Voluntary Savings & Loans (VS&L) strategy to help in building economic stability among youth and throughout communities. The study also concluded that reorganization in the management of programmes or projects as rate of staff turnover in ChildFund had increased influence the organization offering better remuneration, regular training, increased allowances, rewards, recognition, promotions and employee performance assessment and development. From the finding, the study concluded that Child Fund adopted strategic Alliance comprising other NGOS example pathfinder, CLUSA. The study recommend that strategic alliance should be adopted by non profit making organizations as a strategic response to partners with other development organizations and the private sector to develop the infrastructure of primary schools, provide supplies and instructional materials to schools with the greatest need, reduce gender disparities and improve quality and access to education for all Kenyan children.