Influence of Employee Training in Strategy Implementation on Performance of Branding and Design Firms in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The study examined the effect of employee training in Strategy Implementation on the performance of branding and design firms in Nairobi, Kenya. It sought to determine how employee training and development influence organizational outcomes measured by revenue growth, customer retention, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. The Study was anchored on the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory. The study adopted a mixed-methods research design and targeted 117 managers from branding and design firms registered under Association of Public Relations and Communication Management (APReCoM). A sample of 90 respondents was selected using Slovin’s formula and stratified random sampling. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as thematic analysis. The findings revealed that employee training has a strong, positive, and statistically significant effect on organizational performance. Employee training significantly and positively predicted organizational performance, explaining 34.5% of its variation (R2 = .345; B = .517, p < .001). The effect was positive and statistically significant. Employee training in strategy implementation was also identified as an important predictor of firm performance, as continuous skills development enhances employees’ creativity, technical competence, productivity, and ability to respond effectively to changing client needs and industry trends. Therefore, the study concludes that regular training, skills development, professional development opportunities, and practical capacity- building contribute significantly to improved organizational performance. The study recommends that managers of branding and design firms invest in continuous employee training, conduct regular skills-gap assessments, provide opportunities for professional development, and align training programmes with organizational strategies and emerging industry requirements to enhance organizational performance.