Strategic Marketing, a Technical Approach for Company Performance in The Telecommunications Industry in Rwanda

Abstract

Marketing strategies are one of the most essential tools for business growth and competitive advantage in the telecommunications industry. It is a key strategic factor contributing to market leadership and under all ways, has a greater contribution on building the market value. The main objective of this study was designed to examine the role of Strategic Marketing as a significant tool for performance of Telecommunication industry in Rwanda and to assess the moderating influence of legal and regulatory framework on the performance of Telecommunication industry in Rwanda. This study report applied descriptive survey design and utilized both qualitative and quantitative data. Hence the distribution of questionnaires and interview was subjected to the top and middle level management teams of both MTN and Airtel as an efficient mechanism of collecting data that helped the researcher to arrive at reliable findings. The study population included the 133 Top and middle level, managers of mobile phone operator companies in Rwanda which comprised of MTN and Airtel company Headquarter and different branches within Kigali City from which a sample size of 100 respondents were calculated using the slovens formula which is commonly used for calculating sample size in research. The data collection instruments were pre-tested using the Cronbach’s alpha and factor analysis of dimensions reductions to determine the validity and reliability of the tests. The data collected was analyzed and presented using tables, by help of the SPSS statistical Package for Social Science. The results on, reliability test, descriptive statistics, demographic information of respondents, correlation analysis, normality test, heteroskedasticity test, factor analysis and regression results were established on the variable of strategic marketing plus the intervening variable of the legal and regulatory framework. Notably, the correlation results revealed that Strategic Marketing is positively and significantly correlated with Performance of Telecommunication industry (r = 0.846**, ρ<.05). Moderating variables showed a positive and significant correlation with Performance of Telecommunication industry. As revealed, Legal & regulatory framework (r = 0.905**, ρ<.05) is positively associated with Performance of Telecommunication industry. The conclusion here was that the companies benefits tremendously when the strategic marketing practice was taken into account for the efficient performance of the telecommunication industry in Rwanda. Th research managerial recommendations emphasized the need for telecom policy makers Rwanda Utility and Regulatory Authority (RURA) to ensure a successful evolution towards competing markets, regulate and properly supervise the relations between the incumbent telecom companies and the new comers, who are known to depend on the incumbent’s services.