Competitive strategies and the financial sustainability of commercial banks in Kenya

Abstract

There is a limited examination of the effect of competitive strategies on the financial sustainability of commercial banks which created an empirical gap that this research was premised. The current study sought to establish the effect of competitive strategies on the financial sustainability of registered banks in Kenya. The focussed on the effect of innovative strategies, differentiation, and marketing strategies on financial sustainability. The study was anchored on the theory of competitive advantage and the innovation diffusion theory. The study adopted an explanatory research design with the unit of analysis being the 41 registered commercial banks in Kenya. The sample respondents were 94 respondents drawn from the commercial banks. The study utilized a structured questionnaire in the data collection with the collected data being analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study indicated that there is a positive relationship between competitive strategies and the financial sustainability of commercial banks. The study results show there is a significant association between innovative strategies, marketing strategies, and the financial sustainability of commercial banks. The study found an insignificant positive effect of diversification strategies on the financial sustainability of commercial banks. The study recommends that commercial banks should invest more in technological infrastructure to drive digital banking. The research further recommends that commercial banks should foster customer relationship building and market positioning strategies. The study also recommends that commercial banks should review their operating environment to ensure that diversification efforts undertaken by the bank meet the customer gaps existing in the institutions.