Product Development Strategies and Competitive Advantage of the Telecommunication Firms in Kenya

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@article{1707574,
      author = {George Mwenda Gitonga, Dr. Paul Kariuki, PhD, Dr. Ezekiah Kimani, PhD},
      title = {Product Development Strategies and Competitive Advantage of the Telecommunication Firms in Kenya},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2025},
      volume = {8},
      number = {9},
      pages = {960-980},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1707574.pdf},
      abstract = {The various challenges have been from such other major concerns like decreased voice revenues, changing regulatory regimes, and the fast pace of technological advancement, all of which call for strategic responses in order to keep competitiveness in the telecommunications industry in Kenya. The study sought to look at product development strategies as a source of competitive advantage by telecommunications firms in Kenya with the moderating influence of ICT regulatory policy. Key respondents in the industry were purposively selected for the study. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. The analysis was done in three steps that included descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and regression analysis. Findings indicate that product development strategies are a major competitive advantage for the telecommunications companies in Kenya. Furthermore, the regulatory ICT policy is among the main driving factors for that relationship. In a few cases, firms that developed products according to the regulations have benefited from better market positioning and more operational efficiency, which translate into their improved competitive advantage. This observation implies that taking regulatory compliance into account while devising innovation-led strategies will consolidate the market leadership of the telecommunications industry in this respect. The conclusion of the study is that product development must go hand in hand with ICT regulatory engagement for telecommunications firms in Kenya to compete. The above elaborates the strategic and compliance frameworks for the sector players and policy makers for innovation and sustainable development. This study focused exclusively on telecommunication firms, the future research should expand to include analysis of other related areas such as media and digital communications for better understanding of competitive advantage dynamics.},
      keywords = {Product Development, Competitive Advantage, Telecommunication Industry, ICT Regulatory Policy, Market Positioning, Innovation Strategies, Regulatory Compliance, Technological Advancements, Strategic Management, Kenya Telecom Sector.},
      month = {March},
  }