Effect of Green Purchasing On Performance of Food and Beverage Processing Sector in Kenya (Published)
This paper sought to find out the effect of green purchasing on performance of food and beverage processing firms in Kenya. The paper was informed by theory of reasoned action. The study used an explanatory research design whereas the target population for study was the key staff in supply chain, production and safety and environment or equivalent managers working for 187 food and beverage processing firms in Kenya. Purposive sampling technique was used since a census of all the 187 food and beverage processing firms was carried out, the data collection instrument was a structured questionnaire and to accomplish the objective, alternative hypothesis was developed and tested. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics further other statistical tests were done in the study. Presentation of data in form of charts and tables was deemed appropriate for this study. From the results of the study, green purchasing was found to have a positive significant effect on performance. The study concluded that green purchasing leads to higher performance in the food and beverage processing sector in Kenya. It recommended that green purchasing should be embraced so as to improve the performance of the food and beverage processing sector.
Keywords: Firm Performance, Green Supply Chain Management, food and beverage processing companies., green purchasing
Supply Chain Flexibility, Agility and Firm Performance (Published)
Supply chain flexibility is widely seen as one major response to the increasing uncertainty and competition in the marketplace. That is to say a firm with a flexible supply chain is likely to survive and grow its market share. Despite several evidences suggesting that performance improvements are related to SCM, managing supply chains today and practicing flexibility has become more difficult due to the fact that business environments are highly competitive, businesses are going more global, dynamic, and customer‐driven. Therefore, this study assessed the path between supply chain flexibility and firm performance using supply chain agility as a moderating variable. A total of 77 manufacturing and service firms operating in the Kumasi metropolis were selected as sample. The sample was made up of key management staff as well as non-management operatives of the firms. Questionnaires was used as instrument for data collection. The findings revealed that SC Flexibility and SC Agility positively correlated firm performance (p<0.01/0.05). Additionally, moderating SC Agility on SC Flexibility, produced a positive effect, however the effect was insignificant and this implies that SC agility does not significantly moderate the positive impact the SC Flexibility has on firm performance. SC flexibility better predicts firm performance through SC Agility as a moderator and not moderator. Therefore, it is rather necessary to appreciate the individual roles that both SC Flexibility and SC Agility play to ensure value for customers and thereby contributing to firm performance and not necessarily moderating each other.
Keywords: Agility, Firm Performance, Flexibility, Supply Chain
Effects of outsourcing of services on performance of manufacturing companies in eldoret and nandi hills, kenya (Published)
At the present, firms are increasingly using outsourcing of services to improve the firm’s effectiveness, productivity, profitability, quality of products, quality workforce. Private sector expenditure is substantial. Owing to the enormous amount of money involved and the fact that the money comes from the private stakeholders and business, thus, they demand accountability and efficiency. The general objective of this study was to examine the effects of outsourcing on organizational performance. Specific Objectives were to examine the effect of outsource financial activities and outsource human resource activities.The study was anchored by two theories, Resource-Based View Theory and Principal Agent Theory. Explanatory research design was utilized in this study. Data was collected from a sample of 81 respondents from the private sector manufacturing companies translating to a response rate of 90%. A likert scale type of questionnaire was used to solicit primary data. The data analysis methods used were descriptive and inferential statistics, utilizing a multiple regression analysis model. The study findings showed that outsourced HR activities has significant effects on firm performance. However, outsourced finance and accounts activities have no significant effect on firm performance. The study concludes that outsourcing HR functions may be the best pathway to cost savings especially if effective HR activities already do exists in the organization. There is therefore need for firms to recruit using recruitment bureaus since it attracts the most qualified, competent and talented employees, not to outsource financial activities.
Keywords: Financial Activities and Human Resource Activities, Firm Performance