Influence Of Strategic Business Support Services On The Performance Of Women Owned Micro, Small And Medium Enterprises In Kisii County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The state of women in enterprise development, the starting and growing of individual enterprises

is a major concern among governments in most countries from the early days. The main

objective of the study was to investigate the influence of strategic business support services on

the performance of women owned micro, small and medium enterprises in Kisii County. The

general objective was addressed by five specific objectives that sought to establish the influence

of technology transfer, Access to credit, training and networking services on the performance of

women owned micro small and medium enterprises in Kisii county Kenya. Finally, the study

sought to establish the effect of internal business environment on the relationship between

strategic business support services and the performance of women-owned micro, small and

medium enterprises in Kisii County, Kenya. To achieve the above objectives, a total population

of 1000 small enterprises ran by women and a sample size of 288 enterprises. A descriptive

survey was employed to gather information. Primary data was collected from the indicated target

women enterprises using questionnaires. Descriptive statistical models comprising of

frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation were employed to analyze the

demographic data and the data addressing each of the specific objective. Additionally the

Multiple Linear Regression analysis model was employed to address all the five specific

objectives of the study. In regard to testing the null hypotheses of the study H01, H02, H03 and

H04 which stated that technology transfer, access to credit, training and networking services had

no influence of women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises in Kisii County, Kenya

respectively. The regression analysis results revealed that all the strategic business support

services (technology transfer, access to credit, training and networking services) significantly

accounted for the positive variability in the performance of women-owned micro, small and

medium enterprises in Kisii County, Kenya at 95% confidence level. The research rejected all

the null hypotheses (H01, H02, H03 and H04) which stated that technology transfer, access to

credit, training and networking services had no influence of women-owned micro, small and

medium enterprises in Kisii County, Kenya respectively. Since the p-values of each of the

strategic business support service were less than 0.05. In addition, the fifth (H05) null hypothesis

was developed to address the fifth objective. Based on the regression analysis findings the

researcher rejected the null hypothesis (H05) that the internal business environment has no

significant effect on the relationship between strategic business support services and the

performance of women-owned firms. This is because the p-values of the interaction between

internal business environment and all the strategic business support services (technology transfer,

access to credit, training and networking services) were less than 0.05. Thus, the researcher

conclude that internal business environment has a positive significant moderating effect on the

relationship between strategic business support services and the performance of women-owned

firms. The major setback of this study was the exclusive use of questionnaires to collect data.

Future studies should consider employing interview guides and secondary information in order to

come up with objective reliable findings on the influence of strategic business support services

on the performance of women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises. Future studies can

also consider determining the moderating effect of the external business environment on the

relationship between the strategic business support services and organizational performance in

women-owned or youth owned micro small and medium enterprises.