| dc.description.abstract | The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), enacted in 2000 and extended in 2015 by President Obama, offers preferential U.S. market access to 49 eligible sub-Saharan African countries, including Kenya. This study assessed the impact of strategic management practices on the performance of Kenyan textile firms operating under AGOA, using data from 68 senior and middle managers through validated closed-ended questionnaires. Performance indicators included export volume, profit, market share, and sustainability. Data analysis via SPSS (version 24) showed that all four strategic management practices—environmental scanning (r=0.757), strategy formulation (r=0.944), strategy implementation (r=0.879), and strategy control (r=0.822) had strong, positive, and significant correlations with firm performance (p<0.05). However, multicollinearity was present, as all independent variables were interrelated (r=0.700). Findings highlight the importance of comprehensive strategic practices in enhancing performance. This study proposes actionable recommendations for Kenyan AGOA textile firms and policymakers, based on empirical findings. The recommendations focus on cultivating proactive foresight and developing agile, adaptable strategies to manage external uncertainties, particularly regarding the future of the AGOA agreement. Firms are also advised to address the implementation gap by focusing on resource mobilization, training, and strategic partnerships, as well as enhancing strategic control through data-driven decision-making and quality management. For policy considerations, the study recommends that the Kenyan government intensify lobbying for AGOA's extension or pursue alternative trade agreements to diversify market access. | en_US |
