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 In the wake sustainability agendas that lead to green growth in the developing countries, the focus has been in the practice and accounting for Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) activities by both processing and manufacturing organizations. Organizations practice social responsibilities with the view of reaping long term returns or merely complying with regulations, information which is obtained from their annual reports via various media. These reports however, in the purvie...
Abstract Sustainable procurement isn’t simply about being “green” but it’s also about; socially and ethically responsible purchasing, minimizing environmental impact through the supply chain, delivering economically sound solutions and good business practice. Sustainable procurement is rising on the policy agenda for many countries but knowledge remains limited. In Kenya, the government has put in place a wide range of policy, institutional and legislative to govern all business acti...
Abstract This paper considered the effects of credit policy on profitability of manufacturing firms in Kenya. The study looked at the elements that constitute the credit policy; credit terms, collection efforts, credit period and credit standards. A descriptive research design was used to collect the data from the field and a stratified random sampling technique was used to come up with a sample of 81 manufacturing firms. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 81 manufacturing firms i...
Abstract Based on a panel data of 19 Sub Saharan countries for the years 1982-2000, this study explores the determinants of economic growth in the region. Given that economic growth is essentially seen as a dynamic phenomenon, the study employs the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to account for the factors that influence the growth of economies in the region. The study results indicate that physical capital formation, a vibrant export sector and human capital formation significantly cont...
Abstract By having an effective organizational information security culture where employees intuitively protect corporate information assets, SMEs could improve information security. Research has also identified information security awareness and training as important parts of information security and stated that increasing awareness of security issues is the most cost effective control that a firm can implement. SMEs have the capacity to achieve rapid economic growth. In Kenya they employ a...
Abstract Micro and Small Enterprises cut across all sectors of the economy, providing a prolific source of employment, income and government revenue and contributes to poverty reduction. The sector comprises 75% of all businesses in the country, employs more than 4.6 million people (30%) and accounts for 18.4% of the country’s GDP 2014. However, two-thirds of micro and small enterprises fail within the first few months of operation. Further, small and micro manufacturing industries due to ...
Abstract : In Less Developed Countries (LDCs), most graduates from higher institutions learning are absorbed in the informal sector and/or micro and small enterprises. Knowledge development through training, research and experiential learning may lead to creating or discovering new knowledge/technology or creating new value by applying knowledge/technology to societal or business challenges. While the Small Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs) do not have the capacity to develop knowledge throug...
Abstract This paper interrogates the constructivists learning environment, the constructivists learning activities and the use of the likert scale in assessing the effectiveness of teaching/learning creativity at the university level. The rapid growth in demand of university education, the rapid expansion and proliferation of both public and private universities and university colleges and the privately sponsored student programs necessitates that we continuously monitor and evaluate their p...
Abstract This paper explores the extent of use of collective efficiency among the wood enterprises in Kenya and its effect on the infrastructure planning and development. Small manufacturing enterprises are known to contribute to economic dynamism, entrepreneurship and industrial development in less developed countries. However, they are handicapped by lack of capacity to accumulate capital, develop infra- structure and acquire technologies necessary for competing in a liberalized global mar...
Abstract Developing countries are facing a formidable unemployment challenge due to a combined effect of slow economic growth and rapid increase in population. In Kenya, Economic Recovery Strategy (ERS) estimates that 500,000 jobs would be created annually with 88% of these generated by small and medium size enterprises. Yet, the attrition level is alarming. It has been shown that for every 100 new enterprises started in a year, 60 percent close down within the first year, and those that sur...
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...