Stakeholder Engagement and Competitiveness of Dairy Cooperatives in Kenya

Rahab Waroinge¹, Kennedy Kirima² & Methuselah Bichage³
^1,2,3 The Co-operative University of Kenya, Kenya
DOI – http://doi.org/10.37502/IJSMR.2024.71013

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Abstract

Kenya’s cooperative movement has grown rapidly, fuelled by targeted community empowerment efforts to promote economic development by National and County Governments. The sector has over time become one of the key contributors to Kenya’s GDP. Dairy cooperatives have become the backbone of rural communities, particularly in the country’s milk-producing regions such as Kiambu County. The aim of the study was to examine stakeholder engagement in achieving competitive advantage in cooperatives in Kiambu County. The study adopted Stakeholder Theory. The study used a descriptive research methodology. The study used a questionnaire as a means of data collection. Stakeholder participation explained only 2.93% of the variation in strategy implementation (R²=0.0293), and when adjusted for other factors, it explained only 2.11% of the variation in strategy. Thus, from the analysis the research established that stakeholder engagement contributes passively to the competiveness of Dairy Co-operatives. The study thus recommended that cooperatives should ensure increased stakeholder engagement in their strategic planning and implementation, as it is a source of competitive advantage.

Keywords: Stakeholder Engagement, Competitive Advantage, Co-operatives

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