Competitive Strategies, Corporate Culture and Performance of Commercial Television Networks in Kenya

Author

Jared Nyaema Osoro, Dr. Samwel Thiong’o, Dr. Angeline Wambugu,

Abstract

 The performance of commercial television networks in Kenya has been challenged by intense competition, changing audience preferences, technological disruption and the need to implement strategies effectively. This study examined whether corporate culture mediated the relationship between competitive strategies and the performance of commercial television networks in Kenya. Competitive strategies were represented by cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategies, while corporate culture was assessed through innovation, communication practices, values and ethics, and adaptability. Organisational performance was measured using brand reputation, market share growth, employee productivity, digital audience growth and return on investment. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The target population comprised 5,500 employees drawn from seven selected commercial television networks in Kenya, from which 373 respondents were sampled using the Yamane formula and proportionate multistage sampling. A total of 317 valid responses were obtained, representing an 85% response rate. Data were collected using a structured five-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and regression-based mediation analysis in SPSS Version 28. The results showed that competitive strategies were positively and significantly associated with organisational performance (R² = .585, β = .765, p < .001). Competitive strategies also significantly predicted corporate culture (β = .314, p < .001), while corporate culture significantly predicted organisational performance (β = .644, p < .001). When competitive strategies and corporate culture were entered simultaneously, the model explained 62.2% of the variance in performance (R² = .622), with both competitive strategies (β = .702, p < .001) and corporate culture (β = .202, p < .001) remaining significant. The reduction in the competitive-strategy coefficient after inclusion of corporate culture was consistent with partial mediation. The study concludes that corporate culture provides an important organisational pathway through which competitive strategies are translated into performance outcomes. Commercial television networks should therefore align competitive positioning with supportive cultures that encourage customer orientation, ethical conduct, communication, innovation and adaptability.

Keywords

corporate culture; competitive strategies; commercial television networks; organisational performance; partial mediation

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