Core Assumptions and the Competitive Advantage among Commercial Banks in Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: This paper sought to examine the effect of verification of core assumptions on the competitive advantage among commercial banks in Kenya. Methodology: The target population for the study were directors or managers in-charge of planning or strategy in each of the forty banks in the country. Primary data was collected using a semi structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was tested for both validity and reliability and was found to meet the required threshold. . Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Analysis was done with the assistance of SPSS computer packages. Findings: A response rate of 77.5% was achieved in the study and this was adequate for analysis. The study found that verification of core assumptions has a β =0.472 and a p-value of 0.000 which indicates that it has a significant effect on the ability of banks to sustain competitive advantage. The study therefore concluded that verification of core assumptions must be carried out continuously to track their validity on which the company’s strategies are grounded upon. Unique Contributions to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study therefore recommends that banks should raise the level of use of competitive intelligence in monitoring the competitive landscape to enable early verification of core assumptions. The study further recommends that banks should continuously monitor the various core assumptions that were considered during strategy formulation to verify their validity to enable the bank rapidly change the strategy, should the core assumption on which it was grounded on be found to be no longer valid.