INFLUENCEOF STRATEGIC BUSINESS SUPPORTSERVICES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF WOMEN OWNED MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN KISIICOUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The state of women in enterprise development, the startingand growing of individual enterprises is a major concern among governments in most countries from the early days. The main objective of the study wasto investigatethe influence of strategic business supportservices on the performance of women ownedmicro, small and mediumenterprises in Kisii County. The general objective was addressed by five specific objectivesthat sought to establish the influenceof technology transfer, Access to credit, training and networking services on the performance of women owned micro small and medium enterprises in Kisii county Kenya. Finally, the study sought to establish the effect of internal business environment on the relationship between strategic business supportservices and the performance of women-owned micro, small and mediumenterprises inKisii County, Kenya.To achieve the above objectives, a total population of 1000 small enterprises ran by womenanda sample size of 288enterprises.A descriptive survey was employed to gather information. Primary data wascollected from the indicated target women enterprises using questionnaires. Descriptive statistical models comprising of frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation were employed to analyze the demographic data and the data addressing each of the specific objective. Additionallythe Multiple Linear Regression analysis model wasemployed to address all the five specific objectives of the study.In regard to testing the null hypotheses of the studyH01,H02,H03 andH04 which stated thattechnology transfer, access to credit, training and networking services had no influence of women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises in Kisii County, Kenya respectively. Theregression analysis results revealed that all the strategic business support services(technology transfer, access to credit, training and networking services) significantly accounted for the positive variability in the performance of women-owned micro, small and mediumenterprises in Kisii County, Kenyaat 95% confidence level.The research rejected all the null hypotheses(H01,H02,H03 andH04) which stated that technology transfer, access to credit, training and networking services had no influence of women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises in Kisii County, Kenya respectively. Sincethe p-values of each of the strategic business support service were less than 0.05. In addition, the fifth (H05) null hypothesis was developed to address the fifth objective. Based on the regression analysis findingsthe researcherrejected the null hypothesis (H05) that the internal business environment has no significant effect on the relationship between strategic business support services and the performance of women-owned firms. This is because the p-values of the interaction between internal businessenvironment and all the strategic business support services (technology transfer, access to credit, training and networking services) were less than 0.05. Thus, the researcher conclude that internal business environment has a positive significant moderating effect on the relationship between strategic business support services and the performance of women-owned firms.The major setback of this study was the exclusive use of questionnaires to collect data.Future studies should consider employing interview guides and secondary information in order to come up with objective reliable findings on the influenceof strategic business supportservices on the performance of women-ownedmicro, small and mediumenterprises. Future studies can also consider determining the moderating effect of the external business environment on the relationship between the strategic business support services and organizational performance in women-owned or youth owned micro small and medium enterprises.