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Organizations operate in open systems where a change in one sub system causes subsequent change in another subsystem. In a bid to remain relevant in their environment, social enterprises have to craft strategies. These strategies are used to ensure growth of the organizations. In some cases, the survival of some organizations is dependent on strategies. The study was carried out to determine strategies to improve performance adopted by social enterprises in Kenya. This study used the cross-sectional survey to understand strategies adopted by Social Enterprises in Kenya as well as to establish if such strategies influences performance of the Social enterprises in Kenya. The study used both primary data and secondary data. The primary data was collected by use of a semi structured questionnaire and administered to different strategic managers within the Social impact enterprises. The questionnaires were sent to 70 respondents, of which 31 responded, representing a response rate of 44%. All the Social enterprises surveyed agreed that they have programs elaborating their strategic agendas. These formal programs formed the secondary data. Internal, external and environmental factors considered to be most influential on the strategic orientation of the social enterprises were; technology, management and resources. The study found out that PESTEL and SWOT analysis were the most common tools of analysis used in strategic planning amongst these social enterprises. However, they were limited by the fact that they did not offer a procedural way of strategy implementation. Findings revealed that the private sector was the greatest competitor of social enterprises. The study findings established that the social enterprises used planned strategy, niche market competitive strategy and dominant market competitive strategies. The study concludes that the relationship between strategic planning and performance are inconclusive. The study recommends that every social enterprise has its own strength, and weakness and the best right means towards achieving sustained organizational performance would be amending strategy when changes occur in the external environment. The study further recommends that for government to strengthen the capacity of social enterprises it ought to partner with financial institutions by signing memorandum of understanding to inject capital. The study identified research areas for future studies; firstly, that in-depth analysis of single Social impact enterprises would give room to understanding key underlying variables that may have been globally over shadowed by findings in this study, social enterprises have not been studied in relation to change management.
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In-Text Citation: (Wangui, Faith, & Aketch, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Wangui, K. A., Faith, O. A., & Aketch, N. ’ong ’a E. (2019). Strategies to Improve Performance Adopted By Social Enterprises in Kenya. International Journal of Academic Research Business and Social Sciences, 9(5), 52–77.
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