Factors Affecting Growth of Businesses owned by Persons living with Disabilities in Kitale town Tranzoia County, Kenya

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the term 'entrepreneurship' has received ever-increasing levels of media and government attention. The primary reason for such attention is the well-documented evidence of the positive relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth. It has therefore been in the best interests of a nation's economy for governments to engender an entrepreneurial culture that advances the development of indigenous enterprise, and the promotion of individual 'entrepreneurial heroes' within such a culture furthers such a goal. People with disabilities are estimated to comprise 5-7% of the total population in Kenya, and it is a major cause of poverty due to dependency. Individuals with disabilities are not only prone to poverty, but they are subject to prejudice, social isolation and discrimination. Formal education for most people with disabilities in Kenya is a challenge mainly because most of them are intimidated by their disability. However, according to Harper and Momm (1989), there are a number of positive factors which may make it easier, rather than harder, for some people with disabilities to survive in their own businesses. Indeed, they further argued that very often it is the psychological condition of people with disabilities that makes them particularly likely to persevere in self-employment and to do well. Therefore, to bridge this gap we sought to study the factors affecting business growth of businesses within persons living with disabilities in Kitale municipality. The specific objectives that guided this study was: To establish whether business training affect business growth of businesses owned by persons living with disabilities, to determine how technology influence business growth of businesses owned by persons living with disabilities, to establish the effect of government policies on the business growth of businesses owned by persons living with disabilities and to establish whether start-up capital influence business growth of businesses owned by persons living with disabilities. The study design was descriptive. The target population composed of 1150 entrepreneurs with disability. However, a sample size of 115 entrepreneurs with disability was selected. The sampling method to be used will be proportional simple random sampling method to select the respondents. Data was collected by administration of questionnaires designed based on the research objectives. The data collected was then be coded, entered, and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).Descriptive statistics this include frequencies, measures of central tendencies and dispersion and also inferential statistics especially regression was used to determine whether business training, technology used by entrepreneurs with disability, government policy, start up capital are factors that affects business growth. The result was presented in terms of tables, graph and charts for easier understanding and interpretation. Qualitative data was summarized and common themes captured and presented in frequency and distribution tables. The result of study indicated that majority of business owners have little business training levels, which were proportional to the low growth of their business. Embracing of technology posses a great challenge however many of the respondent acknowledge it a good thing to computerise the operations but are still operating manually.Further, respondent were not conversant with the government policy in place although it influence of growth were applied by the related institution that relate with this business owners. Respondent felt that startup capital will play an important role in growth of business because growth and expansion of the business. Therefore, we can conclude that business training, technology, government policy and startup capital affects business growth of businesses within persons living with disabilities in Kitale Municipality.