Leadership Capability and the Competitive Advantage of Deposit-Taking Savings and Credit Co-Operative Societies in Kenya

The study aimed to determine the impact of leadership capability on the competitive advantage of deposit-taking savings and credit co-operative societies (DT-SACCOs) in Kenya, employing a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The research targeted 3856 senior management staff from 176 DT-SACCOs, including top, middle, and low-level management. A scientifically guided sample of 900 respondents was selected using the Yamane formula, and data were collected via structured questionnaires. Analyzing the data with SPSS v25.0, the study found that leadership capability positively and significantly influences the competitive advantage of DT-SACCOs, highlighting the crucial role of effective leadership in driving strategic decision-making, fostering employee engagement, promoting innovation, and enhancing organizational competitiveness. The findings suggest that DT-SACCOs should invest in leadership development programs, implement robust succession planning, and conduct regular leadership assessments to ensure continuous leadership excellence and alignment with organizational goals, ultimately contributing to improved customer satisfaction and operational efficiency in the market. Keywords: Leadership Capability, Competitive Advantage, Return on Investment (ROI), Economic Value Added (EVA), Customer Satisfaction, Market Share, Brand Differentiation, Strategic Vision and Planning, Team cohesion / collaboration, Mentoring and coaching, Communication, Agility