Influence of personal characteristics on the performance of women owned enterprises in open air markets. The case of Kathiani sub-county, Machakos county.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of personal characteristics on performance of women owned enterprises in open air markets; A survey of Kathiani subcounty. This study necessitated the fact that women owned enterprises contribute to the rapidly growing segment of the business population in Kenya creating a variety of new ventures and contributing to the development of a range of services and products. The study therefore was guided by the following objectives: To establish the influence of entrepreneurial training on performance of women owned enterprises; To establish the influence of use of technology on performance of women owned enterprises; To establish the influence of level of education on performance of women owned enterprises; and to establish the influence of entrepreneurial experience on performance of women owned enterprises in Kathiani Sub-county in Machakos County. This study was based on the theory of planned behavior. The research study employed the descriptive Survey Design to target 263 women owned enterprises in Kathiani Sub-County, Machakos County. Simple random sampling was used to get 78 women owned enterprises. Questionnaires were the data collection instruments. To establish reliability of research instruments, test retest technique was used to test the reliability of instruments was done using a pilot study in neighboring sub-county and then the Cronbach’s coefficient alpha model was used whose figure was 0.716. To establish Validity of the instruments, the study supervisor examined the content of the instruments and advised the researcher on the content validity. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of percentages, frequencies standard deviations and means. Linear regression model and Pearson correlation analysis was also used to analyze data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression and correlation and presented in tables. The results showed that entrepreneurial training and skills, use of technology, level of education and entrepreneurial experience had a significance influence on women owned enterprises. The study therefore recommends: the women entrepreneurs should engage in informal entrepreneurial education to help them get the prerequisite training to effectively perform better in entrepreneurial activities. The County Government of Machakos through the Department of Commerce should initiate the training programs and facilitate its implementation. Women owned enterprises should invest in technology to help improve their business performance in terms of sales growth, competitiveness and effective management of cash flows. Women owned enterprises should invest in internet, mobile phones and ICTs. Women owned enterprises should continually and effectively do good and profitable businesses to dispel any doubt on their competence based on their education. As noted earlier, the women entrepreneurs should take any opportunity to get additional education. Women entrepreneurs should continue to acquire the necessary experience that would be helpful in getting the knowledge and expertise of doing business to improve the business.