Consumer-Driven Supply Chains Agility Practices and Performance of Steel Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

Isaac Kigen and Evans Oteki
Additional contact information
Isaac Kigen: PhD Scholar, Supply Chain Management, School of Business and Economics, Murang'a University of Technology, Kenya
Evans Oteki: Senior Lecturer, School of Business and Economics, Murang'a University of Technology, Kenya

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: The performance of steel manufacturing firms in Kenya has been constrained by persistent supply chain inefficiencies, including long lead times, high inventory costs, stockouts, and weak responsiveness to fluctuating customer demand. This study examined the influence of consumer- driven supply chain agility practices on the performance of steel manufacturing firms in Kenya. Grounded in Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the study adopted a pragmatism philosophy and employed a descriptive and correlational research design. Data were collected from 163 respondents drawn from steel manufacturing firms using stratified random sampling and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between consumer-driven supply chain agility practices and firm performance (r = 0.612, p < 0.05). Regression results further indicated that consumer-driven supply chain agility practices significantly predict firm performance (β = 0.688, p < 0.05), explaining 64.3% of the variation in performance outcomes (R2 = 0.643). The model was also statistically significant (F = 312.568, p < 0.05), confirming the robustness of the relationship. The study established that customer integration, demand sensing, data analytics, and responsive logistics enhance operational efficiency, reduce lead times, and improve customer satisfaction. The study concludes that consumer-driven supply chain agility is a key determinant of performance in Kenya's steel manufacturing sector. The study further recommends increased investment in digital supply chain systems, enhanced cross-functional coordination, and strengthened demand-driven planning to improve responsiveness and competitiveness.

Keywords: Consumer-driven supply chain; firm performance; steel manufacturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-07-05
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in European Journal of Management, Economics and Business, 2026, 3 (4), pp.60-71. ⟨10.59324/ejmeb.2026.3(4).05⟩

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05697224

DOI: 10.59324/ejmeb.2026.3(4).05

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().