A Dissertation Submitted to the Mzumbe University Dar es Salaam Campus College in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Masters of Business Administration in Corporate Management (MBA-CM) of Mzumbe University
Competitive strategies are widely used by different industries as a way to retain customers and improve the performance of the organization. The model on how the strategies are applied can differ among various intuitions depending on the level of innovation. The present study aims to examine the effects of competitive strategies on the banking industry performance in Tanzania taking CRDB Bank as the case study.
This study employed a case study design. The total number of sample size was 205 people, 200 CRDB customers were chosen randomly and 5 managers were chosen purposively as key informants of CRDB bank and assumed they provided accurate information. Both primary data and secondary data were gathered through questionnaires and interviews for key informants. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Quantitative data analysis was completed by means of software programs such as a statistical package for social science (IBM SPSS) to test the reliability and validity of the data collected.
The study revealed that banking performance had significance relationship on cost leadership whereby 49.5 per cent of customers said the bank charges lower interest tares, 42 per cent said that the bank has lower saving charges and 42 per cent said that the bank has lower withdrawing charges. Also on differentiation strategy, 44 per cent of customers said that the bank has customized products, 40.5 per cent said that the bank provides quality product features and 59.5 per cent comment that the bank uses advanced technology. Moreover, on focus strategy 48.5 per cent of customers said that the bank offers unique products, 42.5 per cent said that the bank focus knew segment and 53 per cent of customers said that the bank established tailor-made products. This implies that, if cost leadership, differentiation strategy and focus strategy had been upgraded, banking performance would have increased.
The study recommended that CRDB Bank Dar es Salaam needs to put more effort into improving competitive strategies such as cost leadership, differentiation strategy and focus strategy. This would help to improve banking performance at CRDB Bank and hence increase profitability level.