Strategic Management Practices and Organization Performance in Kenya: A Systematic Literature Review

The purpose of this study was to critically review the existing literature by using the PRISMA framework on strategic management practices and organizational performance in Kenya to establish current knowledge on the subject. This review was guided by four research questions: (i) What are the recent trends in strategic management? (ii) What strategic management constructs used in the reviewed literature? (iii) What are the popular strategic management theories used in studies in Kenya (iv) What is the influence of strategic management practices on performance? Three databases were accessed: Google Scholar, Research Gate, and Science Direct. The findings reveal that the focal lens of the SM discipline continues to explore both the internal sphere and external factors with greater interest in external considerations using both conventional and unconventional tools. Firms need to integrate micro and macro aspects using a wide range of research methods and complex quantitative tools and techniques, thus producing other diverse SM dimensions. Current research on SM is focused on knowledge management, corporate governance and strategic leadership, strategic management processes, organizational structure and culture, technology, innovation and change management, quality management, strategic human resource management, and stakeholder management and communications strategy in a rapidly changing business environment. The findings also show that strategic management's consensual meaning and multidimensional constructs remain as diverse as its theories and concepts because its subject of interest overlaps with many other scientific fields. The most popular theories are resource-based view followed distantly by contingency theory, competitive advantage theory, stakeholder theory, agency and institutional theory among other theories. Research reveal positive significant impact of SM application and processes on organizational performance. However, contextually, the use of new emerging quantitative tools and decision matrices, improved theories, and behavioral strategies and entrepreneurial knowledge are yet to be explored. Future research should explore new theoretical perspectives using new methodologies and the application of quantitative tools to address emerging business conditions and incorporate a wider level of analysis utilizing metrics of internal, external, macro, and micro perspectives. Similar studies should consider thesis studies in their literature reviews and explore wider access to other relevant databases. Keywords: Strategic Management Practices, Strategic Management, Performance, Kenya CITATION: Gulaid, A. (2024). Strategic management practices and organization performance in Kenya: A systematic literature review. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 11 (1), 115 – 137. http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v11i2.2871