The role of economic responsibility in the competitiveness of soft drink manufacturers in Mogadishu, Somalia

This study investigated the role of economic responsibility in shaping the competitiveness of soft drink manufacturers in Mogadishu, Somalia. A mixed-methods research approach was adopted, guided by Stakeholder Theory. The target population comprised 2,200 individuals drawn from staff, managers, and supervisors across soft drink manufacturing firms in Mogadishu, as well as government and regulatory officials. A sample of 327 respondents was selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques, with an exceptional response rate of 97.9 percent achieved (320 respondents). Structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview guides were employed for data collection. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis through SPSS version 28, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. The descriptive findings revealed that soft drink manufacturers demonstrated consistently high levels of economic responsibility across all measured dimensions, with an average mean of 3.58 on a five-point scale. Fair wages and benefits recorded the highest mean (4.10), followed by local sourcing prioritization (4.01), community economic stability (3.76), investment in local businesses (3.71), consumer-conscious pricing (3.56), and job creation (3.55). The regression analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between economic responsibility and competitiveness (R = .669), with economic responsibility explaining 44.8 percent of the variance in competitiveness (R² = .448). The F-statistic of 57.606 (p = .000) confirmed the statistical significance of the model. The unstandardized coefficient (B = 1.299, t = 7.590, p = .000) led to the rejection of the null hypothesis, conclusively demonstrating that economic responsibility had a statistically significant positive effect on the competitiveness of soft drink manufacturing firms in Mogadishu. These findings provided robust empirical validation of Stakeholder Theory within the Somali context, confirming that organizations creating value for multiple stakeholders achieved superior competitive outcomes even in fragile, post-conflict environments characterized by institutional voids and operational challenges.