Influence of Porter’s Strategies on Competitive Advantage in Hospitals: A Case Study of Agakhan University Hospital Kenya

The research investigated the association between porter's generic strategies and competitive advantages at Agakhan university hospital. The research adopted descriptive research design at Aga khan hospital services division. The population was all Aga Khan Hospital service customers. The target population consisted of 160 employees and customers within Nairobi. Proportionate stratified sampling. The study adopted stratified questionnaires to collect needed data that were. The data collected was analyzed with the assistance of statistical package for social scientists. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used. The descriptive analysis involved averages, percentages, frequency distribution and standard deviation. The study also used correlation and regression to investigate the link among competitive strategies and building of competitive advantages. The use of table and figures was applied for better understanding of the information gathered. The study established that cost leadership influenced competitive advantage. The research also established that competitive advantage was influenced greatly by differentiation. Lastly, it was concluded that competitive advantage at the hospital was achieved through focus strategy where the hospital concentrated on provision of specialized health care services not provided by other private and public hospitals. The study suggests that hospital needs to identify areas where it can cut on costs to be a cost leader by offering its services at lower cost than its competitors offer. The study also recommends that the hospital to differentiate its products by offering wide range of services and packages for various clients. Finally, the study also recommends that the hospital should implement market focus strategy by offering specialized attention to specific specialties in various diseases.