Competitive Strategies and Market Performance in the Mobile Telecom Industry of Uganda: A case of Airtel Uganda Ltd

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between competitive strategies and market performance in Uganda’s mobile telecom industry with a particular emphasis on Airtel Uganda Ltd. Specifically, the study examined how competitive advantage strategies, market mix strategies and internal company capabilities affect market performance of Airtel Uganda Ltd. The study focused on competitive strategies undertaken by mobile telecom companies with a special attention to Airtel Uganda Ltd through a conceptual framework and the extent to which those competitive advantage strategies (independent variables) determine the level of market performance (dependent variables) in the overall industry. Additionally, the literature review that was unbundled in chapter two was basically to avoid issues of duplication yet appreciating the role played by my predecessors in this area of research. The study was a cross sectional research design which used Questionnaires and interview guides to collect data. Whereas qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis, quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statics. The study found out that there was a strong relationship between competitive strategies like competitive advantage, marketing mix and internal company capability strategies adopted by Airtel Uganda Ltd on one hand and market performance on the other hand like Sales and asset turnovers and tax revenue output to government of Uganda. The study thus recommended that relaxation and slackening of effort on any new developments in superior branding, product introductions, and cost leadership should be avoided since the occurrence of such pause upends momentum and progress to the advantage of strong rivals. Vigilance over its innovations and other strategies conceived and implemented should not only be optimum but total. Once there is any rollout of new products and innovations, the agile marketing efforts should not only be torrential but also consistently steadfast without any pause. Where there is any deficit in skill and capability in the company, succession planning, good leadership, retraining, benchmarking of resource allocation and of any best practice from highly successful entities on the world map should be encouraged and galvanized.