University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Factors affecting job creating and low job creating firms owned by women in Kenya

Gakure, Roselyn Wangui

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/20005

Description

Title
Factors affecting job creating and low job creating firms owned by women in Kenya
Author(s)
Gakure, Roselyn Wangui
Issue Date
1995
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Nelson, Robert E.
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Women's Studies
  • Education, Business
Language
eng
Abstract
  • The purpose of this study was to identify: constraints which inhibit the expansion of employment in job creating (over 4 employees) and low job creating (4 or less employees) firms owned by women in Kenya, the characteristics of women owned businesses and the strategies they use to promote growth of their businesses. One hundred women entrepreneurs in Nairobi (50 women operating job creating firms and 50 women entrepreneurs operating low job creating firms) were interviewed for this study. The study was exploratory and it was limited to women entrepreneurs in Nairobi.
  • The results indicated that both groups of women encountered socio-economic, socio-cultural and managerial constraints which impact the growth of their businesses as well as additional job creation. The main constraints were: lack of finance, multiple roles, lack of business skills and lack of confidence.
  • Seventy-five percent of the total group were married, 90% depended partially on the income acquired from their businesses, 71% owned traditional female businesses, and 67% lacked occupational experience. Most of the businesses were started with very low capital, and were organized as sole proprietorships.
  • There were significant differences at.05 between the job creating group and the low job creating group. Women in the job creating group were older, were in business longer, belonged to more business associations, and had more capital to start their businesses.
  • Although not significantly different, the job creating group used more business promotional strategies than the low job creating group. The main business strategies used to conduct business were advertising and personal contact; other strategies included: fashion shows and exhibitions, incentives, personal visits and employing marketing agents, selling quality products, pricing and stocking products which were not stocked by competitors.
  • The findings indicate that there is a need to address women's need for: credit, training programs in business management, marketing, access to both general and technical higher education and improving their self-confidence. Additionally, society should be more sensitive to the socio-economic role played by women in enhancing economic development.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/20005
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1995 Gakure, Roselyn Wangui

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