Influence of Trend Analysis on Organizational Performance of Food Processing Companies in Meru County

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of trend analysis on the organizational performance of food processing companies in Meru County. Descriptive research design was used on a target population of 78 food processing companies in Meru County. Notably, 97 directors, 121 operations managers, 99 quality assurance managers, 116 compliance managers, 132 marketing managers, and 121 risk managers. The respondents were sampled through a simple random method, and the sample size was determined through Slovin's formula. This led to 78 directors, 93 operations managers, 79 quality assurance managers, 90 compliance managers, 99 marketing managers, and 93 risk managers. Directors answered open- and closed-ended structured questionnaires, while the managers answered closed-ended questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted in 8 processing companies in Tharaka Nithi County. The study examined construct, criterion, and content validities. Internal consistency through Cronbach's alpha was examined as a measure of reliability testing. The information from the questionnaires was analyzed using SPSS software version 27. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and mean, were conducted. Thereafter, linear regression analysis were done. It was discovered that trend analysis had a positive influence on organizational performance. The processing companies were noted to have invested in training through on-the-job training, e-learning, and workshops for their staff on different methods of analyzing market trends. The management also took time to assess different products to note any abnormality, exposing the company to risk. However, the process of arriving at a strategic decision was rather long due to the insufficiency of market intelligence systems and poor training on resource allocation, hence depriving the company of a chance to capitalize on opportunities. The study recommends that there is a need to support the training programs on market trend analysis. This could be done by increasing funding, benchmarking, and boosting other necessary resources.