March 2015 Vol. 3 No. 2

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Original Research Article

Assessing the role of standards in enhancing the competitiveness of locally manufactured products in Zambia

Sikombe Shem*, Lungu Eddie and Sikabbwele Kellys

Copperbelt University School of Business, Department of Operations and Supply Chain Management, P. O. Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia.

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: shemsikombe@gmail.com

Accepted March 25, 2015

Abstract

The research seeks to find the relationship between the main factors (price and quality) that are deemed to influence competition and standards. Both primary and secondary data are used to develop and test the hypotheses. The research finds that competition in Zambia is mainly influenced by price and quality. The revelations of the research also show that most of the firms do not compete favourably in the market. Further, it is found that the unfavourable competition experienced by the local firms was as a result of quality and cheap imported products. Moreover, all the hypotheses that are tested results in the rejection of the null hypothesis. This implies that there is indeed a relationship between standards and price and also standards quality. Despite these relationships it is found that there little use of standards among the manufacturing firms. The research also reveals that there is a strong relationship between competitiveness and quality and also competitiveness and price. Therefore, from the findings of the research, it is important that the Government help in the adoption and implementation of standards in order to boost the manufacturing sector’s competitiveness globally as it is an important sector for economic development.

Keywords: Competitive, Manufacturing, Quality and Price, Standards