The Relationship between Supply Chain Strategies and Achievement of Competitive Advantage in seed Manufacturing Companies in Nairobi County, Kenya

Robert Arasa, Rose Mwaura, Tomas Ngui

Abstract: The concept of supply chain management is relatively a recent idea in agribusiness management literature. It has been postulated that supply chain strategies can result into efficiency and effectiveness which in turn leads to firms establishing a competitive edge over other firms. The study examines the influence of supply chain strategies (lean, agile and le agile) on achievement of competitive advantage in seed manufacturing companies. The study was carried out on twenty seed companies in Nairobi County, Kenya. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Correlation and analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques were utilized. Findings indicate that the companies employed either of the supply chain strategies (lean, agile and le agile). Findings further reveal that the supply chain strategies do influence competitive advantage. The study concludes that supply chain strategies can influence competitive advantage if well executed by managers. The study recommends that managers of seed manufacturing firms need to take a keen interest not only in the formulation of good supply chain strategies but also effective execution of the same to achieve higher and sustainable competitive advantage.

Keywords: supply chain, strategies, competitive advantage, manufacturing firms, Kenya