International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy

This paper discusses how a Strategic Plan (SP) can be monitored and evaluated using the balanced scorecard (BSC). The BSC is a useful tool that is based on four measures: the financial measures emphasize cost efficiency and high profitability; the customer measure considers the ability of the firm to provide quality services to the customer; the internal business processes measure focuses on the internal processes that lead to financial success and customer satisfaction, while learning and growth measure include the ability of the employees’ quality of information systems, leadership, the culture, and alignment to teamwork processes. This paper employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data. The SP’s operational objectives were aligned with the four measures of the BSC. Each measure was given a score that formed the basis of evaluation and analysis. The results show that the SP scored an aggregate of 71%, which is a fair score. The highest score was found in the learning and growth measure, followed by internal processes then the customer service, and lastly the financial measure. The scores are consistent with a non-profit making enterprise. This paper concludes that the BSC is a perfect tool for the evaluation of an SP.

The primary intent of this study is to establish the role of transformational governance on millennials’ dedication to level - 5 private hospitals in Kenya. A mixed methods study was applied using a cross-sectional exploratory survey design with quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample comprised millennials and their leaders working in level - 5 private hospitals. The sample size was 415 respondents. Five-level multi-stage cluster sampling and purposeful sampling were used. The study findings indicated that individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation influenced millennial dedication. This study has provided actionable insights into leading millennials to safeguard millennial engagement in Kenyan healthcare. Furthermore, to be dedicated, millennials require close monitoring and support. The millennials’ values differ from those of other generations, and they prefer challenges when they get bored with routine work. However, there are two categories of millennials; the older millennials are more responsible and resilient than the younger millennials, who are not dedicated.

This study aimed to test the effect of leadership strategy on the organisational resilience of banks listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The study was anchored on Full-Range Leadership Theory (FRLT) complementarily with meta-leadership as relevant theoretical lenses. The study sampled 277 respondents holding senior managerial positions such as Chief Risk Officers, Managing Directors, Directors of Strategy, Internal Auditors, Heads of Marketing, Heads of Operations and Branch Managers. Data was collected using a self-administered Likert-type online questionnaire. Structural equations modelling was employed for statistical analysis. Partial Least Squares was performed with SmartPLS 3. Results showed that the relationship between leadership strategy and organisational resilience was statistically significant at t-value of 31.665 (p<0.05), with leadership strategy explaining 68.5% of the variance in the organisational resilience of listed banks in Kenya (R2=0.685). The study concluded that leadership strategy significantly predicted bank resilience. The study has affirmed leadership strategy as a novel theoretical concept for explaining organisational resilience to systemic disruptive shocks. Multiple future research directions are proposed. This study advanced leadership strategy as a distinct paradigm in leadership thinking by examining its predictive power on organisational resilience by using systemic disruptive shocks as testing grounds within the context of Kenya’s banking sector.

Digital marketing practices have had explosive growth in the past decade, especially in the insurance sector of developing countries. In particular, the internet has been instrumental in providing digital marketing services to customers from the insurance sector. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to assess the effect of digital marketing practices on the performance of the insurance sector. A desktop literature review was used for this purpose. Relevant seminal references and journal articles for the study were identified using Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria entailed papers that were not over ten years old. The study found that the use of digital marketing strategies has a positive effect on the insurance sector's performance. Profitability improved, market share grew, and they expanded their market share. Increased customer loyalty and access to new markets are benefits of internet marketing for insurance companies. According to the findings, insurance companies should make IT infrastructure investments and implement technology-enhanced processes. Employers require adequate training on the use of e-business platforms, as well as collaboration with providers of digital services to enable them to store and market their products and services online. Aside from using traditional marketing methods (such as direct mail), the study advises general insurance companies to be innovative by implementing new strategies, such as digital marketing, to gain a larger share of their target market. This is because strategies for digital marketing have a positive impact on the overall performance of the insurance industry.

This study investigates the effects of online sports betting on the perceived social wellbeing of student-athletes using a cross-sectional survey methodology with a sample of 38 universities. Findings of the study demonstrate that (i) there was a positive and significant association between gambling severity and social wellbeing, (ii) gambling severity and social wellbeing of students are positively and significantly related, (iii) demographic factors have a significant interaction effect on gambling severity and social wellbeing relationship. This paper also exhibited that gamblers were disappointed after online sports betting efforts and that fatigue and sleep disturbances were common after a loss or victory on online sports betting. Problem gamblers should be introduced to treatment or rehabilitation programmes that will help them to overcome their addiction to online sports betting.

This study aimed to test the effect of leadership strategy on the organisational resilience of banks listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The study was anchored on Full-Range Leadership Theory (FRLT) complementarily with meta-leadership as relevant theoretical lenses. The study sampled 277 respondents holding senior managerial positions such as Chief Risk Officers, Managing Directors, Directors of Strategy, Internal Auditors, Heads of Marketing, Heads of Operations and Branch Managers. Data was collected using a self-administered Likert-type online questionnaire. Structural equations modelling was employed for statistical analysis. Partial Least Squares was performed with SmartPLS 3. Results showed that the relationship between leadership strategy and organisational resilience was statistically significant at t-value of 31.665 (p<0.05), with leadership strategy explaining 68.5% of the variance in the organisational resilience of listed banks in Kenya (R2=0.685). The study concluded that leadership strategy significantly predicted bank resilience. The study has affirmed leadership strategy as a novel theoretical concept for explaining organisational resilience to systemic disruptive shocks. Multiple future research directions are proposed. This study advanced leadership strategy as a distinct paradigm in leadership thinking by examining its predictive power on organisational resilience by using systemic disruptive shocks as testing grounds within the context of Kenya’s banking sector.

Digital marketing practices have had explosive growth in the past decade, especially in the insurance sector of developing countries. In particular, the internet has been instrumental in providing digital marketing services to customers from the insurance sector. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to assess the effect of digital marketing practices on the performance of the insurance sector. A desktop literature review was used for this purpose. Relevant seminal references and journal articles for the study were identified using Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria entailed papers that were not over ten years old. The study found that the use of digital marketing strategies has a positive effect on the insurance sector's performance. Profitability improved, market share grew, and they expanded their market share. Increased customer loyalty and access to new markets are benefits of internet marketing for insurance companies. According to the findings, insurance companies should make IT infrastructure investments and implement technology-enhanced processes. Employers require adequate training on the use of e-business platforms, as well as collaboration with providers of digital services to enable them to store and market their products and services online. Aside from using traditional marketing methods (such as direct mail), the study advises general insurance companies to be innovative by implementing new strategies, such as digital marketing, to gain a larger share of their target market. This is because strategies for digital marketing have a positive impact on the overall performance of the insurance industry.

The primary intent of this study is to establish the role of transformational governance on millennials’ dedication to level - 5 private hospitals in Kenya. A mixed methods study was applied using a cross-sectional exploratory survey design with quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample comprised millennials and their leaders working in level - 5 private hospitals. The sample size was 415 respondents. Five-level multi-stage cluster sampling and purposeful sampling were used. The study findings indicated that individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation influenced millennial dedication. This study has provided actionable insights into leading millennials to safeguard millennial engagement in Kenyan healthcare. Furthermore, to be dedicated, millennials require close monitoring and support. The millennials’ values differ from those of other generations, and they prefer challenges when they get bored with routine work. However, there are two categories of millennials; the older millennials are more responsible and resilient than the younger millennials, who are not dedicated.

The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of marketing innovation on the performance of coffee cooperatives in Kenya. A descriptive research design was applied. The target population of this study was 525 coffee cooperative societies in Kenya registered with the Commissioner for Cooperatives and licensed by AFFA (Coffee Directorate) as of 30th of October 2016. The sample size was 227 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the selected respondents. The results revealed that marketing innovation and performance are positive and significantly related (?=0.674, p=0.001). This implied that significant changes in product design and packaging led to a positive change in the performance of coffee cooperatives. The study affirms that to improve performance by targeting the customers, constant improvements in how the company promotes its new products to capture the attention of new customers is a key aspect to be considered. The study recommends the management employ skills in developing clear operating procedures to run the business successfully, coordinate different areas of the business to achieve results and the ability and design jobs to suit staff capabilities and interests.

This paper discusses how a Strategic Plan (SP) can be monitored and evaluated using the balanced scorecard (BSC). The BSC is a useful tool that is based on four measures: the financial measures emphasize cost efficiency and high profitability; the customer measure considers the ability of the firm to provide quality services to the customer; the internal business processes measure focuses on the internal processes that lead to financial success and customer satisfaction, while learning and growth measure include the ability of the employees’ quality of information systems, leadership, the culture, and alignment to teamwork processes. This paper employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data. The SP’s operational objectives were aligned with the four measures of the BSC. Each measure was given a score that formed the basis of evaluation and analysis. The results show that the SP scored an aggregate of 71%, which is a fair score. The highest score was found in the learning and growth measure, followed by internal processes then the customer service, and lastly the financial measure. The scores are consistent with a non-profit making enterprise. This paper concludes that the BSC is a perfect tool for the evaluation of an SP.