INFLUENCE OF DATA SCIENCE SKILLS ON PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY IN KENYA
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: The study aimed to examine how data science skills affected the performance of manufacturing firms among selected manufacturing firms in Nairobi, Kenya.
Statement of the Problem: The contribution of Kenya's manufacturing sector to GDP has declined from 13.8% in 2020 to 12.9% in 2021, falling short of the Vision 2030 target of 20%, with decreasing sales turnover.
Methodology: The study utilized a quantitative approach with a descriptive survey design, targeting 253 senior managers across various departments. A sample of 75 managers (30% of the population) was selected, and data was collected through structured questionnaires. Analysis involved descriptive statistics, with results presented in tables and charts.
Findings: The results indicated that data science skills have a significant positive effect on the performance of manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study found that technical skills accounted for 60.7% of the substantial variation in outcomes for these firms (R square = .607).
Conclusion: The study concluded that data science skills significantly enhance the performance of manufacturing companies in Nairobi City County, Kenya, emphasizing the need for investment in these skills and a data-driven culture.
Recommendations: The study recommended that firms invest in data science skills and cultivate a data-driven culture by equipping employees with the necessary tools and encouraging data-informed decision-making.
Key Words: Data Science Skills, Manufacturing Firms, Firm Performance, Nairobi City County, Kenya
References
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Robbins, S. P., Bergman, R., Stagg, I., & Coulter, M. (2014). Management. Pearson Australia.
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Wang, J., & Li, X. (2019). "The Impact of Data Science Skills on Business Performance: Evidence from Manufacturing Firms." Journal of Business Research, 94, 123-135.
Wang, L., & Luo, W. (2018). "Influence of Information Communication Technology Skills on Academic Performance: A Study of University Students." Journal of Higher Education Research, 25(4), 567-580.
Wang, R., Wijen, F., & Heugens, P. P. M. A. R. (2018). Government’s green grip: Multifaceted state influence on corporate environmental actions in China. Strategic Management Journal, 39(2), 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1002/SMJ.2714
Barasa, L., Vermeulen, P., Knoben, J., Kinyanjui, B., & Kimuyu, P. (2018). Innovation inputs and efficiency: manufacturing firms in Sub-Saharan Africa. European Journal of Innovation Management, 22(1), 59-83.
Bontis, N. (2018). Intellectual Capital: “An Exploratory Study that Develops Measure. Management decision, 36(2), 63-76.
Boxall, P. (2011). Human capital, HR strategy, and organizational effectiveness.
Brandt, M. J. (2019). Industrial production of sourdoughs for the baking branch – An overview. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 30(2), 3–7.
Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods. Oxford University Press.
Chen, H., & Zhang, L. (2020). "Data Science Skills and Financial Performance: Evidence from the Financial Services Sector." Journal of Financial Research, 47(3), 521-537.
Coulter, M. (2018). Management/Stephen Robbins, Rolf Bergman, Mary Coulter.
Dhar, V. (2013). Data science and prediction. Communications of the ACM, 56(12), 64-73.
Few, S. (2013). Show me the numbers: Designing tables and graphs to enlighten. Analytics Press.
Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. Sage.
Galvis, P. E., & Rodríguez, J. N. (2018). Big data analytics and business intelligence: Foundations and trends. Synthesis lectures on artificial intelligence and machine learning, 10(3), 1-202.
García-Sánchez, E., García-Morales, V. J., & Martín-Rojas, R. (2018). Influence of technological assets on organizational performance through absorptive capacity, organizational innovation and internal labour flexibility. Sustainability, 10(3), 770.
Gartenberg, C., Prat, A., & Serafeim, G. (2019). Corporate purpose and firm performance. Organization Science, 30(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1287/ORSC.2018.1230
Gure, A., & Karugu, J. (2018). Strategic management practices and performance of small and micro enterprises in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Academic Journal of Human Resource, 3(1), 1–26.
Hair, J. F., et al. (2019). Multivariate data analysis. Pearson.
Issack, I. A., & Muathe, S. M. A. (2017). Strategic Management Practices and Performance of Public Health Institutions in Mandera County, Kenya. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 5(12), 156–168. https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol5.iss12.880
Kabacoff, R. (2015). R in action: Data analysis and graphics with R. Manning Publications.
Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (2016). The balanced scorecard: Translating strategy into action. Harvard Business Press.
Kenya Association of Manufacturers, (2019). Policy and Sustainability Report 2019, KAM, Kenya. Retrieved from https://kam.co.ke/
Kim, H., & Shin, D. H. (2019). Email overload, manager's email workload, and email management strategies. Computers in Human Behavior, 90, 84-92.
KIPPRA, (2021). Kenya Economic Report 2021. Retrieved from https://kippra.or.ke/
Korir, C., Business, P. N.-I. J. of, & 2020, undefined. (2020). Job Satisfaction and Employee Performance at Finlays Kenya Limited in Kericho County, Kenya. Journals.Ijcab.Org, 2(2), 82–97. https://doi.org/10.35942/jbmed.v2i2.119
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques (2nd ed.). New Age International Publishers.
Li, X., & Li, Y. (2019). "The Impact of Data Analytics Capability on Firm Performance: Evidence from Chinese Firms." Journal of Business Research, 72, 1-10.
Liu, Y., & Wang, Q. (2018). "The Influence of Data Science Skills on Academic Performance: A Study of STEM Students." Journal of Higher Education Research, 26(2), 345-359.
Luo, C., Wang, Q., & Liu, X. (2017). Innovation Capabilities and Firm Performance: Does Environmental Uncertainty Matter? Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 122, 160-171.
Malykhin, O., Aristova, N. O., Kalinina, L., & Opaliuk, T. (2021). Developing Soft Skills among Potential Employees: A Theoretical Review on Best International Practices. Postmodern Openings, 12(2), 210-232.
McGuinness, S., Pouliakas, K., & Redmond, P. (2023). Skills-displacing technological change and its impact on jobs: challenging technological alarmism?. Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 32(3), 370-392.
Mugenda, O. M., & Mugenda, A. G. (1999). Research Methods Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Acts Press, Nairobi.
Nafukho, F. M., Hairston, N., & Brooks, K. (2004). Human capital theory: Implications for human resource development. Human Resource Development International, 7(4), 545-551.
Ngai, E. W. T., Kwok, R. K. M., & Han, J. (2015). Analytics in practice: Perspectives from Hong Kong. Decision Support Systems, 75, 58-66.
Nosratpour, M., Nazeri, A., & Soofifard, R. (2018). Study on the relationship between supply chain quality management practices and performance in the Iranian automotive industry. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 23(4), 492–523. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPQM.2018.090262
Okoth, M. A. (2019). Service quality and customer satisfaction in bakeries in Nairobi central business district (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Park, S., & Lee, K. (2017). "Data Science Skills and Organizational Performance: A Study in the Healthcare Sector." Healthcare Management Review, 42(4), 567-582.
Robbins, S. P., Bergman, R., Stagg, I., & Coulter, M. (2014). Management. Pearson Australia.
Samuel, T., Kiplangat, J., & Hillary, M. (2021). Micro, Small Medium Enterprises-Survey Report-2021 (Issue June).
Schultz, T. W. (1972). Human capital: Policy issues and research opportunities. In Economic Research: Retrospect and Prospect, Volume 6, Human Resources (pp. 1-84). NBER.
Teece, J. D. (2018). Dynamic capabilities as (workable) management systems theory 1. Journal of Management & Organization, 3(2018), 359–368. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2017.75
Tseng, H., Chou, C., & Juang, T. (2018). Building big data infrastructure: Challenges, strategies and best practices. Procedia Computer Science, 139, 170-177.
Wang, J., & Li, X. (2019). "The Impact of Data Science Skills on Business Performance: Evidence from Manufacturing Firms." Journal of Business Research, 94, 123-135.
Wang, L., & Luo, W. (2018). "Influence of Information Communication Technology Skills on Academic Performance: A Study of University Students." Journal of Higher Education Research, 25(4), 567-580.
Wang, R., Wijen, F., & Heugens, P. P. M. A. R. (2018). Government’s green grip: Multifaceted state influence on corporate environmental actions in China. Strategic Management Journal, 39(2), 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1002/SMJ.2714
Published
2024-07-05
How to Cite
Odongo , D. O., & Yatich, H. (2024). INFLUENCE OF DATA SCIENCE SKILLS ON PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY IN KENYA. African Journal of Emerging Issues, 6(12), 24-37. Retrieved from https://ajoeijournals.org/sys/index.php/ajoei/article/view/645
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