Moderating Role of Social Factors on the Effect of Integrated Marketing Communication on Performance of Fast Food Restaurants in Nairobi Central Business District, Kenya

Abstract

Universally Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) plays a pivotal role in providing adequate intrinsic information which impacts on overall performance of fast food restaurants. In this regard the study was designed to assess the moderating role of social factors on the effect of integrated marketing communications on the performance of fast food restaurants in Nairobi central business district. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to examine the role of public relations,social media networks, sales promotion and advertising on the performance of fast food restaurants in Nairobi CBD. To determine the moderating roleof social factors on the effect of intergraded marketing and communication on the performanceof fast food restaurants in Nairobi CBD. The study adopted an explanatory research design. The target population was 144 key informants which included 48 managers and 96 heads of departments sampled from all the 48 fast food restaurants in Nairobi CBD. Inthis study census sampling technique was adopted to arrive at the sample size which is 144 key informants. Data was collected by use of structured and unstructured questionnaires from the key informants. Collected data analyzed by use of both inferential and descriptive statistics using SPSS version 20. Result of multiple regressions revealed that social factors moderates the relationship between integrated marketing communication and the performance of fast food restaurants with F=60.279 at P=.000. Jointly the four constructs namely public relations, social media networks, sales promotion and advertisement with a moderator jointly explained 73.6 % (R2= 0.736) variation in performance of fast food restaurants. The β value for public relations (.233), social media networks (.232), sales promotion (.340), advertising (.295), were positive. Correlations between public relations, social media networks, sales promotion, and advertising r=.677** r= . 579** , r=.693** andr=.411**respectively. They were alsopositively and significantly related to performance of fast food restaurants where P<0.01. All these together led to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This implies that the management of fast food restaurants should pay high premiums in strategically formulating and implementing IMCs which can effectively galvanize high performance of fast food restaurants.