Warehousing Automation Technologies and Operational Efficiency of Large Beverage Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi County, Kenya

Operational efficiency is critical for large beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi County as it directly impacts their ability to meet the country’s growing demand for beverages while maintaining competitive pricing and quality standards. However, large beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi County face significant challenges in achieving their performance. The general objective of the study is to assess the influence of warehousing automation technologies on operational efficiency in large beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to examine the influence of automated storage, retrieval systems, autonomous mobile robots and robotic picking systems on operational efficiency in large beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi County, Kenya. This study was guided by Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory, Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) Theory and Lean Management Theory. This study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population of this study was 130 registered large beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi County as per KAM Directory 2024. The study targeted management employees. In this study, the sampling frame was a list of all 130 registered large beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi. The Yamane formula was adopted to calculate the study sample size. Therefore, the study sample size was 264 respondents. This research used a questionnaire to collect primary data. Data from questionnaires were coded and analyzed using the latest Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software. The study used descriptive and inferential statistics for data analysis. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean (measure of dispersion), standard deviation, and percentages were used. Inferential data analysis was conducted by use of Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. The study results were presented through use of tables and figures. The study concludes that automated storage, retrieval systems, autonomous mobile robots and robotic picking systems has a positive and significant effect on operational efficiency in large beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi County, Kenya. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the management of large beverage manufacturing firms in Kenya should expand the deployment of these robots within their production and warehouse operations. By leveraging their capabilities in material handling, inventory movement, and order fulfillment, firms can significantly reduce manual labor, minimize human error, and speed up processes