The economic and social development of Kenya is heavily reliant on agriculture. Tea, as a major cash crop, has contributed significantly to the economy. However, the tea sector faces numerous problems that endanger its viability unless rapid intervention measures are implemented, thereby prompting the introduction of cost reduction in the sector. The challenges of production and marketing have been the most detrimental. On this background, this study sought to examine the relationship between lean management strategy and performance of Multi-national tea firms in Kenya. The study was guided by the Competitive Advantage Model, Resource-Based View Theory, and Transaction Cost Theory, and it adopted a causal research design. The target population of the study were 118 top, middle and low managers in Ekattera, Brown Investment PLC and George Williamson. Census of the all employees in the multinational companies was used in the study. Primary data was collected using structured online questionnaires and interviews using census technique. A pilot of 10 questionnaires was given to employees in Litein tea factory. Instruments’ validity and reliability was checked using Cronbach’s alpha which yielded a value of 0.785 showing that the instrument was reliable and validity was ascertained through consultation with subject expert at the department lead by the supervisor. Correlation analysis and simple linear regression was used to test the relationship between lean management as a cost reduction strategy and firm performance. Analysis of data was done using SPSS version 26, which generated both descriptive and inferential statistics. Data was presented using tables, figures and pie charts. Results showed that lean management strategies accounted for 68.1% of the variance in the firm performance (R² = 0.681). Lean management (p<0.001 and β=0.825) showed statistically significant positive influence on the performance of multinational tea firms. Qualitative findings from interviews were thematic analysed to get inferences to support the quantitative findings. The study found lean management is a key enabler for operational and financial success in the Kenyan tea sector. Ultimately, the study recommends that multinational tea firms adopt and institutionalize lean management practices to optimize resource efficiency, minimize waste, and drive sustainable performance improvements in the competitive global tea market.
Hellen Chepkorir, J. Kirui, W. Rop· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Environmental sustainability has become a critical concern for manufacturing firms due to increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, industrial waste, and inefficient resource utilization. In Kenya's South Rift region, manufacturing industries play a significant role in economic development but continue to contribute substantially to environmental degradation. Despite growing regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations, empirical evidence on how green process innovation enhances environmental sustainability remains limited, particularly regarding the role of green supply chain management. This study examined the mediating effect of green supply chain management on the relationship between green process innovation and environmental sustainability among manufacturing firms in the South Rift region of Kenya. Guided by Innovation Theory of Diffusion. The study adopted a positivist philosophy and a cross-sectional causal research design. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from 162 senior managers drawn from 81 registered manufacturing firms. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that green process innovation significantly improves environmental sustainability through enhanced resource efficiency, waste reduction, and emission control. Furthermore, green supply chain management significantly strengthens the relationship between green process innovation and environmental sustainability (β = 0.224, p < 0.05), suggesting that cleaner production technologies generate stronger environmental outcomes when integrated with environmentally responsible procurement, manufacturing, and logistics practices. The study concludes that manufacturing firms can achieve superior environmental performance by aligning internal green process innovations with supply chain sustainability initiatives. The study recommends that managers invest in cleaner production technologies and integrate green supply chain practices to accelerate sustainable industrial development.
Bett Samwel Kiptoo, J. Kirui, Pius Chumba· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Environmental degradation, climate change, increasing resource depletion, and stricter environmental regulations have intensified pressure on manufacturing firms to adopt sustainable production practices. Green innovation has emerged as an important strategic approach for enhancing environmental sustainability. However, existing empirical studies have predominantly examined its influence on financial performance, organizational competitiveness, and operational efficiency, with comparatively limited attention given to environmental sustainability as the primary organizational outcome, especially in Kenya. Guided by the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Theory, this study examined the influence of green innovation strategies on environmental sustainability among manufacturing firms in the South Rift region of Kenya. The study adopted a positivist research philosophy and a causal cross-sectional survey design. A census of 81 registered manufacturing firms was undertaken, with primary data collected from 162 senior managers using structured questionnaires and supported by qualitative evidence from semi-structured interviews with 15 purposively selected managers. The measurement model was validated using Cronbach's alpha, Composite Reliability, Average Variance Extracted, the Fornell-Larcker criterion, and the Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 27, while the hypothesized relationships were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The findings established that green process innovation (β = 0.245, p = 0.005) and green product innovation (β = 0.297, p = 0.003) positively and significantly influenced environmental sustainability, whereas green marketing innovation exhibited a negative but statistically insignificant effect (β = −0.120, p = 0.222). The higher-order construct, green innovation strategies, also exerted a positive and statistically significant influence on environmental sustainability (β = 0.386, p = 0.005). The study concludes that integrated green innovation strategies significantly improve environmental sustainability through cleaner production processes and sustainable product development. It recommends increased investment in cleaner technologies, eco-design, circular economy practices, and supportive policy incentives to accelerate sustainable manufacturing. The findings extend the Diffusion of Innovation Theory by demonstrating that coordinated adoption of complementary green innovations generates superior environmental sustainability outcomes within manufacturing firms.
Bett Samwel Kiptoo, J. Kirui, Pius Chumba· International journal of res...· 0 citations
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