Is There a Moderated Mediation Model that Explains the Relationship Between Strategic Agility, Organizational Culture, Environmental Turbulence, and Organizational Performance? Evidence from Accredited Universities in Kenya

Accredited universities in Kenya are vital for quality education and research but face significant challenges that impact their performance. Issues such as strategic agility, organizational culture, and environmental turbulence contribute to difficulties in adapting to changes and maintaining effectiveness. Inadequate funding, outdated infrastructure, and regulatory constraints further exacerbate these challenges, affecting their ability to deliver high-quality education and remain competitive. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey research design to investigate the moderating influence of environmental turbulence on the indirect link between strategic agility and organizational performance through organizational culture. The cross-sectional dataset was obtained from 78 accredited universities in Kenya using a questionnaire. The ordinary least squares model employed revealed that environmental turbulence moderated the indirect relationship between strategic agility and organizational performance via organizational culture in a synergistic manner, hence affirming moderated mediation. These findings highlight the moderating and mediating role of environmental turbulence and organizational culture in the link between strategic agility and organizational performance, providing managerial and policy implications. In the future, researchers should do longitudinal studies to look at how dynamics change over time, comparative sector analyses to get a bigger picture, and more mediators and moderators to fully understand the proposed links.