INFLUENCE OF STRATEGIC ORIENTATION ON PERFORMANCE OF KENYA’S MANUFACTURING FIRMS OPERATING UNDER EAST AFRICAN REGIONAL INTEGRATION
Samwel Otieno, Prof. Henry M. Bwisa, Dr. John M. Kihoro

Abstract
Today governments and the private sector all over the world, recognize the influence of strategic orientation on firm performance as a key strategy under entrepreneurship development. Firms are encouraged to become entrepreneurial in order to enhance their performance under regional integration regimes. Regionalization is the coming together of nations, to attain goals which cannot be achieved in isolation. Regionalization results in expanded markets, which is a challenge to manufacturing firms, as the case of firms in Kenya. Strategic Orientation is recognized as a remedy to the challenge. The study adopted both quantitative and qualitative exploratory research design. The study sample comprised of 138 firms, within 5 Sub-sectors of manufacturing firms located in Nairobi and Surrounding area. The findings revealed that performance of Kenya’s firms are significantly influenced by strategic orientation. The study concluded that Kenya’s manufacturing firms intent on enhancing their performance urgently need to adopt strategic orientation.

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