Purpose: The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of procurement practices by the county government in supporting SMES’ growth in Samburu CountyMethodologyThe research followed a descriptive design. The target population was be made up of 2,546 SME owners and 15 Government officers. The research used a sample of 255 SME owners and 15 government officials chosen using simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique respectively. The researcher collected data using questionnaires and schedules for interviews. The study undertook a pre-test study in Samburu County using 26 SME owners (10 percent of the study) that were not in the sampled size of the study. The 26 SME owners were selected by simple random method. The study also interviewed 3 county government officer’s secretaries in charge of SMEs in Samburu County selected by purposive sampling method. Measures were put in place for ensuring that pre-test study’s owners of SMEs were not included in the study in actual data collection. The main study was able to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Using descriptive analysis, the quality data obtained from open-ended questions was analyzed. Quantitative data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and means; and inferential statistics such as Pearson Correlation and Regression Processing, using SPSS Version 24.Results: There was a positive significant relationship between procurement practices and growth performance of SMEs. This implies that procurement practices support from the county government had a significant impact towards contribution on the growth of their businesses over the last three years. R value was .801 while R-square value was .642. This was explained that procurement practices predicted 64.2 percent of growth performance variable. Procurement practices had a β=0.098 and a p-value=0.001.Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study gathered from procurement practices variable that in Samburu county, the government had allowed an open access for SMEs to contract opportunities. SMEs owners however complained on limited efforts facilitated through county government to make sure that SMEs remained competitive as compared to other types of businesses. The study therefore recommended that providing access to contract would be more useful to SMEs owners if they had knowledge on how to place bids to stand a chance in winning the contracts hence more training was offered. There should be more public awareness on availability of these resources especially county government tenders. The study recommended also that county government should conduct more research on potential markets where SMEs owners can supply products to earn more profits.
Despite the fact that empirical research on performance and narrow market business level strategies have been widely conducted, there is no consensus on the effect of focused cost and focused differentiation on micro and small enterprises performance, necessitating this study to add to the body of knowledge. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of generic narrow marekt strategies on the performance of micro and small businesses, with a focus on salons and beauty spas in Nairobi, and more specifically to: determine the impact of focused cost leadership strategy and focused differentiation strategy on the performance of salons and beauty spas in Nairobi County The study employed a descriptive research design, with the 279 salons and beauty spas in Nairobi County serving as the study's target population and a sample size of 165 participants obtained. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, which was analysed quantitatively. The study concludes that at 5% level of significance; focused cost strategy has positive significantly moderate influence on performance of micro and small enterprises ,and focused differentiation strategy has moderate positive significant effect on performance of micro and small enterprises. The study recommends that micro and small enterprises should sustain expertise and ensures creativity as well as continuous improvement and devise mechanisms for crafting competitive affordable and attractive rate in addition to strategies for premium products in a niche narrow market.
This study sought to analyze the influence of intellectual capital on competitive advantage. The specific objectives were to determine the influence of innovation capital, human capital, on competitive advantage. The main challenge facing the intellectual capital in Kenya, is most organization putting more infancy on the intellectual capital of the management and unwillingness to change even though it can give the organization a better competitive edge in the already flooded market. The study employed descriptive research design and the target population consisted of 115 departmental heads in the insurance companies in Meru. The sample size was determined by calculating 50% of the number of departmental heads in each Insurance Company resulting to a sample size of 55 respondents. Primary data was collected using open ended and close ended questions. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data which was presented in the form of frequency tables and percentages. The output given from the findings indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between innovation capital, human capital and competitive advantage of insurance companies. It was recommended that: Understanding of customer is a key ingredient of intellectual capital to creating a solid relationship between an enterprise and its customers. Employees of insurance companies should possess technical, interpersonal, and conceptual skills to effectively plan, lead, organize and control the enterprise effectively leading to increased performance and consequently competitive advantage.
In the fast changing business environment, knowledge has become the mainstay of every organization in creating and sustaining competitive differentiation. This study investigates factors influencing knowledge management practices in financial institutions in Meru County. Business enterprises operate in environments characterized by increased need for knowledge to create and sustain competitive advantages. Organizations therefore, need to be cognizant of the factors that influence the success of knowledge management initiatives. There is increasing need for knowledge management as a strategy for creating and sustaining competitiveness. In order for financial institutions such as Sacco’s to succeed in highly dynamic business environment, it is critical that they embrace knowledge management practices in their operations. This study used a descriptive survey design. The target population was 44 human resource managers of the 44 SACCOs in Meru County which have been in existence for over two years in the year 2014. The study used census study methodology. The study used both primary and secondary data. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. Logistic regression was used to link the relationship between independent variables and dependent variable and to test the hypothesis.Descriptive data was presented in form of frequency tables, pie charts and percentages. The study concluded that knowledge management practices were significantly associated with successful performance. These findings provide some meaningful implications for practitioners and researchers that are interesting in knowledge management system design. The researcher recommends that: Management should understand the importance of knowledge management as a strategic asset which gives organizations sustainable competitive advantage.
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