Strategic Partnerships and Supply Chain Performance: A Case Study of the Technical University of Kenya
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of strategic partnerships on the supply chain performance of public universities in Kenya with special reference to the Technical University of Kenya. Firms that lack these partnerships tend to have internal inefficiencies and a weak competitive position in the market, evidenced by supply delays, high operating costs and poor-quality outcomes. The study was informed by Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capabilities Theory and Systems Theory. The target population was 269 individuals, and stratified random sampling was used to select a sample size of 155 respondents identified in the target population across the top management, academic leadership and six (6) departments. The study used structured questionnaires to gather primary quantitative data from the respondents. The validity of the questionnaire and reliability were tested through expert judgment Cronbach Alpha Coefficient. For pretesting, the questionnaire was administered to 114 individuals at TUK who were part of the target population but not part of the sample size. Data analysis, which included descriptive and inferential statistical methods, was applied to the quantitative data. The descriptive statistics, which included percentages and frequencies, were computed using SPSS. Karl Pearson’s Correlation analysis was used to identify and measure the strength of relationships between variables. The study findings were presented in tables, which highlighted frequencies and percentages. The study established a positive and significant effect of strategic partnerships on supply chain performance. The regression analysis revealed that integrated communication had the strongest effect on supply chain performance (β = 0.504, p = 0.011), followed by resource consolidation (β = 0.196) and mission alignment (β = 0.105). The overall model was significant (R² = 0.532, F = 6.074, p = 0.006), explaining 53.2% of the variance in performance. The study concluded that mission alignment and integrated communication positively influence supply chain performance at TUK, but resource consolidation shows weaker effects. Organisational structure moderates the strategic partnership-performance relationship, with bureaucracy and formalisation impacting decision-making efficiency and supply chain outcomes.