Abstract Small Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs) contribute to economic dynamism, entrepreneurship and have potentials to contribute to sustainable industrial development in less developed countries (LDCs). They are however handicapped since they lack the capacity to develop infrastructure and acquire technologies that give them a competitive advantage in the global market. This paper explores collective efficiency as a paradigm that could inform technology development in LDCs to enhance SMEs...
Abstract This paper interrogates industrial development in Kenya. It presents a discourse in support of modernizing local technologies and focusing on small manufacturing enterprises (Jua Kali) to anchor sustainable industrial development in Less Developed Countries. The trend in production and performance in Wood Industry in Kenya is used to demonstrate that relying on modern technology brought in by foreign Direct Investment does not always lead to sustainable development. The paper is inf...
Abstract The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution of income and livelihood strategies among the horticulture farming households in Nyeri District, Kenya through the estimation of the Gini Coefficient. The study used secondary data obtained from a National Household Survey carried out in 2007 by Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development. The estimated Gini coefficients indicated that there is variability in the distribution of incomes among the households in ...
Abstract Financial inclusion has been found to play a critical role in poverty and unemployment reduction through household investments. This has seen countries put concerted efforts towards enhancing financial inclusion with the main objective of reducing poverty and unemployment. Kenya has also put efforts and has seen notable levels of increase of financial inclusion. Majority of the citizens can now access wide range of financial services. Contrary to high levels of financial inclusion i...
Abstract The study employed a survey research design and a multinomial ordinal logistic regression analysis to establish users’ perception on the effectiveness of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in enhancing the performance of the accounting information system (AIS) through reliability, accuracy and timeliness of information generated. The target population comprised of 56 employees drawn from the selected seven public universities which had implemented ERP systems for at lea...
Abstract The governance of tea factories managed by Kenya Tea development Agency (KTDA) is by factory company directors who are elected by tea farmers (the shareholders). The major expectation from the directors by the farmers is high returns from the tea sales. Since tea industry in Kenya is a price taker, the directors cannot determine the price of the tea in the international market and are not able to meet the farmers’ expectations. To improve the returns, the directors can improve the...
Abstract Tax non-compliance reduces tax collection and the tax performance within a country. The Kenyan government has implemented various strategies to bring businesses in the informal sector into the tax bracket. However, available data shows that tax collections from the informal sector are above average but on a declining trend. The purpose of this paper is to determine influence of tax rates on tax compliance in the informal sector in Nyeri town. The study adopted a cross-sectional surv...
Abstract In the world today, it is nearly impossible to efficiently sell products or services without conducting market research. Increased competition has led businesses to demand more of market research to improve on performance. The market research strategies used considered the rapidly changing demands of the business competitive edge that may affect the performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in Kenya. This study aims at assessing the effect of product research in enhancing pe...
Abstract The fundamental purpose of this study was to assess the impact of Micro finance Institutions (MFIs) funding on the performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in rural Murang’a. Simple random sampling technique was employed in selecting the 50 SMEs that constituted the sample size of the research. Structured questionnaire was designed to facilitate the acquisition of relevant data which involves simple percentage graphical charts. Illustrations were tactically applied in da...
Abstract Financial inclusion is a poverty reduction tool and many economies have taken it up as a national agenda. To meet the expected levels of financial inclusion, governments have worked with financial intermediaries to reach the expected target group; the unbanked poor. As per financial intermediation theory, the role of financial intermediaries is to reduce information asymmetry in the financial system. To enhance financial inclusion, many countries and financial institutions have embr...
Abstract Working capital level determines whether a firm is aggressive or conservative in its operations. Aggressiveness in application of working capital management brings about improved financial performance but at the same time increases the level of risk. The paper looks at the influence of working level on performance in the industrial firms in Kenya.A sample was determined through stratified sampling method in order to include all different types of industries in Kenya. A questionnaire...
Abstract The study examined the effects of tax reforms on tax buoyancy and elasticity estimates. The specific objectives of the study were; to determine the effect of tax modernization programme and revenue administration reforms and modernization programme on tax buoyancy and tax elasticity. The study employed regression analysis and used annual time series data for the period 1963 to 2010. Secondary data from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya Revenue Authority, Central Bank of Ken...
Abstract This study aims at determining the influence of county cash management on household effects in Kenya. This is a qualitative research that has utilized both primary and secondary data from county governments and the National Treasury respectively. The sample has been developed from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics list of households in Kenya. The result indicates that effective cash management would enhance household welfare, leakages and lack of prioritization among others no...
Abstract The purpose of the study was to establish the role of customer orientation on customer loyalty in the hotel industry in Kenya. The study used the non-experimental cross-sectional survey design. A total of 147 hotels listed in the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers (KAHC) guide 2014 were studied. A census sampling technique was used. The respondents comprised of 147 customer relationship managers or equivalent. Semi structured questionnaires were used to collect primary ...
Abstract ixed assets form a significant portion of a company’s expenses and instrumental in shaping probable returns for organizations. Capital intensity for manufacturing companies is vital in informing cost management and investment decisions. Companies are given tax allowances on fixed assets in the form of wear and tear, investment and industrial building deduction which provide tax credits with consequential effects of increasing organizational after-tax returns. Manufacturing sector ...