EFFECT OF LEAN STOCK PRACTICE ON SUPPLY CHAIN LEVERAGE OF SUGAR MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN KENYA

Purpose of the Study: This research study assessed the effect of Lean stock practices on the supply chain leverage of sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya. Statement of the Problem: Existing evidence from other contexts indicates that Lean stock practices significantly and positively influence sustainable performance in state corporate firms. However, most public sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya are facing supply chain leverage challenges, with over 70% of these firms on the verge of collapse, and an additional 10% have completely shut down. This raises the question of whether Lean stock practices, as an aspect of inventory control mechanisms, could be the missing link undermining the supply chain leverage of sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya; a phenomenon this study aims to investigate. Methodology: A census survey was conducted on all 15 sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya, forming the unit of analysis. A sample size of 241 respondents, consisting of procurement officers, finance officers, production managers, and senior managers, was randomly obtained from the sugar manufacturing firms. Convenience sampling was then used to select officers and managers from these firms. Structured and semi-structured research questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the respondents, with questionnaires dropped and picked up later to improve the response rate. The qualitative and quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive