Abstract
Notable in strategic management research is a shift in emphasis from industry factors (i.e. Industrial organisation) as determinants of competitive strategies to internal factors like the resource based view. This study focuses on the influence that the organisation’s competencies have on a bancassurer’s competitive strategy. An interpretive study was adopted for this research and the data was gathered through structured self-administered questionnaires with closed ended questions from 77 management personnel. The population of the study consisted of all middle and senior managers employed by the bancassurer totaling 11 666. A sample of 88 middle and senior managers was selected from this population. Of the 88 managers selected, 77 of them managed to return the fully completed questionnaires representing a response rate of 87.50% of the sample. In addition to questionnaires, archived company records were also used. The data collected was analysed using frequency graphs and tables. The findings suggest that although all the organisation’s competencies identified affect the organisation’s competitive strategy in some way or the other, some competencies have a greater influence on the competitive strategy than others. In addition, the findings also revealed that the organisation’s competencies are not dynamic enough to sustain its competitive advantage in a constantly changing environment.
M.Com. (Business Management)