Influence of Strategic Partnerships on The Performance of Private Hospitals in Kiambu County, Kenya
Abstract
Private hospitals in Kiambu County, Kenya, are pivotal to the region’s healthcare system, yet they face significant challenges, including escalating operational costs, intensifying competition, and a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. This study investigates the influence of strategic partnership practices on the performance of private hospitals in Kiambu County. Specifically, the study investigated the influence of alignment of organizational goals, vision, and mission, and operational efficiency of the from level three and four private hospitals private hospitals in Kiambu county. Institutional Theory, which emphasizes mimetic isomorphism—where organizations emulate the structures and practices of successful peers to enhance legitimacy and performance guided the study. A descriptive research design was adopted, and data was collected from 248 respondents, constituting corporate executives, human resource managers, finance officers, and information technology managers. Structured questionnaires with both open-ended and closed questions were used to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Descriptive statistics (percentages, means, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (multiple regression) was employed for quantitative analysis, while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Findings revealed that strategic partnerships significantly enhance hospital performance, with alignment of goals, vision, and mission showing the strongest influence, followed by operational efficiency. The study recommends that private hospitals cultivate strategic partnerships aligned with institutional objectives to improve efficiency, revenue growth, and staff productivity, offering valuable insights for hospital administrators and policymakers.
Key words: Strategic partnerships, Private hospitals, Kiambu County, Organizational performance, Alignment of goals, vision, and mission, Operational efficiency, Institutional Theory, Mimetic isomorphism, Healthcare performance, Efficiency, Revenue growth, Staff productivity, Resource sharing, Technology adoption, Stakeholder trust
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