Internationalization of Sme Oil Distributors in Kenya

Abstract

All international businesses operate within an international business arena. The internationalization process is a long and demanding process and it takes both resources and management models to succeed. Many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have started an internationalization process, which has stopped after some time, because they have not committed more resources to their operations due to lack of resources and knowledge or lack of distinctive management models of how to run the business on an international level. The research was conducted in all the 21 Oil distributing firms in Kenya. The objective of the study therefore was to establish the impact of internationalization of small and medium sector oil distributors in Kenya. Primary data was gathered using semi-structured questionnaires where the respondent was issued with the questionnaires. Secondary data was gathered from past published scholarly articles.Descriptive analysis was used.SPSS computer software was used for analysis to generate data. The study concludes that the level of entrepreneurial competence for entrepreneurs had been very useful in setting the strategies in the firm and that that most of their managers had been very optimistic in creating and running of new ventures of business and internationalization of our firms had been supported with the large network of their teams. The study recommends that the management of the firms should ensure that the number of employees in the firm is adequate. Further, the number of employees should be adequate to handle the role in operational productivity; as well as adequately be able to deliver effectively to the needs of the customers and handle the duties assigned. Further, competent employees should be hired who should be service-minded in delivery of quality services and should conduct themselves in a very professional manner. Further, the employees should be relevant and highly qualified. This would increase the overall operational productivity of the firms