Strategic Leadership And Strategy Implementation In The Multi-National Agrochemical Companies In Kenya

ABSTRACT

Agriculture in Kenya attracts several stakeholders including agrochemical companies. Since the return on investment is considerably high, the sector has experienced several new entrants selling and marketing agrochemical products in Kenya since 2010. As a result, large agrochemical companies have developed and adopted several strategies evident from 2014. For survival, these strategies have to be implemented successfully; this normally is contingent to many factors. For a successful implementation of selected strategies in agrochemical companies operating in Kenya, factors impeding and/or favouring the implementation need to be identified. Among the factors shown to enhance successful strategy implementation, is roles strategic leadership. This study sought to establish roles strategic leaders play in implementation of strategy at the selected multinational agrochemical companies in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of strategic direction on strategy implementation; effect of ethical practices on strategy implementation and; resource portfolio management effect on strategy implementation. The theories underpinning this study were top echelon theory, transformational leadership theory and implementation theory. This study adopted a descriptive research design. Target population is the strategic leaders at the seven multinational agrochemical companies in Kenya adding up to 70 in number. Census was used as the population is small thereby minimising error. Semi structured questionnaire was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Qualitative data will be analysed manually using content analysis method while quantitative data will be analysed using SPSS version 20 software through inference statistics correlation and regression. The influence of strategic leadership on strategy implementation was analysed using multiple regression analysis. Data was presented using tables, pie charts and graphs to make them reader friendly. Square value of 0.799 means that 79.9% of the corresponding variation in strategy implementation at the selected multinational agrochemical companies can be explained or predicted by (Strategic Direction, Resource Portfolio Management and Ethical Practice) which indicated that the model fitted the study data. Based on the study findings, the study concludes that strategy implementation at the selected multinational agrochemical companies in Kenya can be improved by Strategic Direction, Resource Portfolio Management and Ethical Practices. Other studies can seek to assess the influence of leadership styles on organizational performance of agrochemical companies.