Effect of Cloud-Based Storage on Strategic Plan Execution in Coca Cola Equator Bottlers Ltd, Kisumu County, Kenya
TL;DR
The study concludes that cloud-based storage is a critical strategic resource that enhances information accessibility, data backup and recovery, organizational coordination, and decision-making, thereby improving strategic plan execution and recommends that manufacturing organizations strengthen investment in secure cloud-based storage infrastructure, robust data governance policies, and continuous employee capacity building.
Abstract
The increasing adoption of cloud computing has transformed organizational information management and strategic decision-making by providing secure, scalable, and accessible digital platforms. Despite growing investments in cloud technologies, empirical evidence on the contribution of cloud-based storage to strategic plan execution in large manufacturing organizations remains limited, particularly in developing economies. This study examined the effect of cloud-based storage on strategic plan execution at Coca-Cola Equator Bottlers Ltd., Kisumu County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework and adopted a pragmatic research philosophy using a case study research design. A census of 84 ICT personnel comprising the ICT Director, ICT Managers, Webmasters, and Senior ICT Technicians was conducted. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document review. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and simple linear regression, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that respondents perceived cloud-based storage to contribute to strategic plan execution to a large extent (Middle-Level Managers: M = 4.20, SD = 0.69; Operational Staff: M = 4.17, SD = 0.71). Correlation analysis showed a strong positive relationship between cloud-based storage and strategic plan execution (r = 0.712, p < 0.001), while regression analysis established that cloud-based storage significantly predicted strategic plan execution (β = 0.712, p < 0.001) and explained 50.7% of its variation (R² = 0.507). The study concludes that cloud-based storage is a critical strategic resource that enhances information accessibility, data backup and recovery, organizational coordination, and decision-making, thereby improving strategic plan execution. The study recommends that manufacturing organizations strengthen investment in secure cloud-based storage infrastructure, robust data governance policies, and continuous employee capacity building to enhance effective strategy implementation.