INFLUENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ON THE CHOICE OF GROWTH STRATEGIES’ AMONG MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Every organization has a set of values, systems, ways and means of communicating, manufacturing and general way of doing things that define it. These values define the culture of an organization. On one hand the people influence the organization culture (especially the founders) but also the organization culture dictates what needs to be done or not. Thus culture defines the organization and has a critical role on what strategy to take for growth. This study sought to assess the influence of organizational culture on the choice of growth strategies using a case of manufacturing firms in Nakuru County, Kenya. It found that every firm had a set of unique principles that defined it and people within would do all that is possible to preserve them. An organization’s culture was thus found to be instrumental on the participating firms approach to specific growth strategies. The correlation between culture and the strategy chosen was such that a good strategy would fail to see the light of day if it did not support a treasured value. It was a conclusion of this study that every organization has a set of principles that define it and people within will do all that is possible to preserve them.