Growing Women-Owned MSEs in Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: There is a growing discourse about a powerful untapped economic force in Africa, the women. The debate has triggered the formulation of female-specific entrepreneurship policy, which was the basis of this study. The study analyzed the mediating influence of the target policy in the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ profile and their MSE growth. Methodology: The study design was a Cross-sectional Survey, anchored on Resource-based Theory. It based on a Positivist Paradigm and applied a Quantitative Multi-method approach. Using multi-stage sampling, 375 adult female entrepreneurs participated in the study. Data was analyzed through inferential methods; correlation coefficient and coefficient of determination. Results: The results revealed there being direct and indirect relationships between and among variables. For example, the first step results showed significant mediating influence of resource support in the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ motives and their venture growth; b= .0784, BCa CI (.0443, .1207). Also, the R-squared (R-sq_med=.1075) means the model explained 11% of the mediation relationship. The Preacher and Kelley Kappa-squared, k 2 =.0829, 95% BCa CI (.0493, .1227), further showed there being a small but significant indirect relationship between entrepreneur’s traits and growth through resource support, meaning that there are other mediators other than entrepreneurs’ profile. This was further supported by the normal theory tests for indirect effect where b=.0784, z=3.8087 and p=<.001.