The Moderating Effect of Firm Characteristics on the Relationship between Strategic Change and Performance of Firms in the Alcohol Industry in Kenya

Abstract

This paper examines the moderating effect of firm characteristics on the relationship between strategic change and performance of firms in the alcohol industry in Kenya. The alcohol industry makes a substantial contribution to the country's GDP. For instance, the East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL), Kenya was feted by KRA as the second top tax payer to the government for the 2011/2012 financial year. However, clear picture of the moderating influence of firm characteristics on the relationship between strategic change occasioned Alcoholic Drinks Control Act (ADCA), 2010 and performance has not emerged from previous studies. Specifically, the study investigated the effect of managerial capabilities, product dimensions and brand portfolio on performance of alcohol industry in Kenya. Previous studies dwelt on effect of limited aspects of strategic change such as marketing leaving out critical aspects like scope of strategies, resource deployment patterns and competitive advantages and the moderating effect of firm characteristics. The study was underpinned by the Resource-Based Theory (RBT). The study adopted a mixed method survey research design using qualitative and quantitative methods. The population was 25 local firms registered by Kenya Revenue Authority by 2012 and approved by National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse, (NACADA) by 2015. A saturated sample consisted of 100 respondents to get primary data. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses that firm characteristics moderate the relationship between strategic change and performance. The R<sup>2</sup> after incorporating interaction effect was .682 (p=.004) and ΔR<sup>2</sup>=.033(p=004) implying firm characteristics significantly moderate the relationship.