INFLUENCE OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ON ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Sande Auma, Dr. Tabitha Waithaka

Abstract


In competitive markets, a firm has to constantly adapt, update its offering and improve its market share to maintain or improve its position. The study’s main objective was to investigate the influence of product development strategy on the organizational performance of public universities in Kenya. The study was grounded on the resource based view theory and the structure-conduct-performance framework. The study employed a cross sectional survey design involving the total population (census) of the 33 public universities in Kenya. The cross sectional survey design was used because of the comparative analysis across the public universities in Kenya. The cross sectional survey also helped to prove and/or disprove assumptions. The respondents were staff from marketing, planning and strategy, finance and administration departments of the universities. Data was collected through semi-structured research questionnaires, which were self-administered to the respondents with the assistance of the researcher. They were dropped and picked from the respective respondents.  Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including regression analysis and correlation to establish the potential relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The study findings were presented through frequency distribution tables. The study found that product development has a positive influence on the performance of public universities.  Public universities have process innovation through parallel-programs that promotes customer acquisition as well as product replacement programs such as distance learning and virtual leaning to reach out to distance students. Public universities should established academic exchange programs with international universities for boosting positive word of mouth as only a few universities have established the exchange programs.

Key Words; Product Development, Performance


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