Food and Beverage Training and Entrepreneurial Engagement among Diploma Graduates from Tertiary Institutions in Nairobi City County, Kenya
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Date
2021
Authors
Binyanya, Benard
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Entrepreneurship is recognized as a beacon of business start-ups. It drives individuals
to realize their synergy, visualize and strategize / focus towards entrepreneurial path.
It is a vibrant process aimed at creating economic returns through innovations. This
study evaluated the effectiveness of skills acquired by Food and Beverage graduates
from tertiary institutions in entrepreneurial engagements. In particular, the study
investigated the direct effect of entrepreneurial training skills, internship exposure/job
market and educational institution as a social network on decisions towards
entrepreneurial engagements. Trainer’s demographics and pedagogy was used as the
intervening variable. Theory of entrepreneurial competences, Human capital theory,
Theory of Reasoned Action and Sociological theory were used to inform the study.
An explanatory research design was adopted. Apart from graduates, lecturers from
tertiary institutions that offer food and beverage courses also formed part of the
respondents. Specifically, 14 institutions from Nairobi County were targeted for the
study, which included two public universities, four private universities, three
government technical institutions and five private training colleges. Fishers formula
was used to derive the sample size from the population. Using purposive sampling
technique and self-administered questionnaires, qualitative and quantitative data was
collected. Descriptive and inferential procedures were used in data analysis. For
quantitative data, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used,
while for qualitative data, thematic analysis was used. Before testing the study
hypotheses, diagnostic checks were done to ensure the suitability of the collected data
in regression modeling. From the inferential analysis, the findings indicated that the
independent variables training skills and internship exposure/job market do not have
significant effects on entrepreneurial engagements with corresponding p-values 0.604
and 0.533, while educational institution had a significant effect with a p-value of 0.44.
Using a step-by-step analytical approach, trainer’s demographics and pedagogy was
found to act as an independent variable, not as an intervening variable. The study
concluded that training is rich in content and well linked, however with limited need
to plug gap of practical skills to reduce exam gurus oriented graduates. The study
concluded that lecturers play a critical role in motivating/mentoring graduates to get
involved in entrepreneurial activities through teaching methodology and nurturing of
talents. The study recommends that the educational institutions should develop
mentorship programs to nurture their graduates’ business engagement. Further, the
training institution should embrace studies that follows graduate to establish the
utilization of skills acquired during training. In addition, as a way of attracting more
students to the hospitality industry, improvements such as curriculum adjustments,
attachment/internship programs and social networking, should be considered by main
stakeholders in the hospitality industry.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for Requirements of the Award of the Degree of Master of Science in Hospitality Management in the School Of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Studies, Kenyatta University 2021
Keywords
Food and Beverage, Training and Entrepreneurial, Nairobi City County, Kenya