Factors Affecting Growth of Businesses owned by Persons living with Disabilities in Kitale town Tranzoia County, Kenya
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Date
2013-08-24
Authors
Tengecha, William C.
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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.