Challenges affecting the growth of social enterprises in Nairobi county, Kenya
Abstract
The growth of social enterprises in Kenya has been constrained hence they have had
limited impact on both the business sectors and the society. Thus the purpose of the study
was to investigate challenges affecting the growth of social enterprises in Kenya with
reference to Nairobi County. Specific objects of the study included examining the
influence of financing, governance, strategy, entrepreneurial skills and regulation on the
growth of social enterprises in Kenya. The study used survey research design while the
target population was thirty six (36) respondents drawn from social enterprises in Nairobi
County. The study used census sampling technique which involved taking the entire
thirty six (36) respondents as a sample. The primary data for the study was collected
using the questionnaires. Quantitative data was analyzed using correlation and regression
statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 21.0), while
qualitative data was analyzed through content analysis. The study established that capital
affect the growth of social enterprises,operation strategy affect the growth of social
enterprise; entrepreneurial skill affect the growth of social enterprises; governance affects
the growth of social enterprise and that government regulations affect the growth of
social enterprises. The study recommends that social enterprises need to develop and
implement business growth strategies so as to be able to effectively cope with business
changes as they are easily affected even by smallest changes in the marketplace; to
establish governance structure that fits social enterprises and tailored to enterprise needs;
for management of social enterprises to leverage on social partners assistance,
opportunities for training of staff in requisite specialized competencies and for the
government to ensure a health trade-off between costs and benefits of regulation that
promote enterprise growth