TITLE:
An Examination of the Effects of Competitive Strategies on Customer Satisfaction in the Zambian Telecommunication Industry
AUTHORS:
Maximo Mutemba, Terence Malama
KEYWORDS:
Customer Satisfaction, Competitive Strategy, Focus Strategy, Cost Leadership Strategy, Differentiation Strategy
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Industrial and Business Management,
Vol.14 No.7,
July
31,
2024
ABSTRACT: This study assessed the effects of competitive strategies on customer satisfaction in the Zambian telecommunication industry, in particular the provision of mobile network services. It addressed the identified existing literature gap on the effects of competitive strategies on the Zambian telecommunication industry specifically. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Questionnaires were distributed among users of Telecommunications Services. A total of 397 questionnaires were distributed among undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Zambia (UNZA), Mulungushi University (MU) and Copperbelt University (CBU) from which population the sample size was calculated for the study. A total of 223 replies were acquired for data analysis representing 56% response rate. For the purposes of analysis, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used employing tools such as correlation and multiple regression analysis. Analysis of survey data reveals that the cost leadership strategy, the differentiation strategy, and the focus strategy all had a significant and positive effect on customer satisfaction. The implication of the results is that an increment in the levels of competitive strategies results in an increase in customer satisfaction levels. Based on these findings, this study recommends that firms operating in the Zambian telecommunication industry conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys, invest in innovation and product development to be more competitive and improve customer satisfaction levels.