THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING ON PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Matching entrepreneurship to performance strategy has long been a cornerstone of
entrepreneurship research. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of many
economies all over the world through creation of employment opportunities as well as wealth for
entrepreneurs. The general objective of this study was to determine the influence of
entrepreneurial training on performance of SMEs in the manufacturing sector in Nairobi County,
Kenya. The variables considered in this paper are entrepreneurial training conceptualized as an
independent variable and anchored on human capital theory and SMEs performance as the
dependent variable. The study adopted the positivist philosophy and a descriptive research design.
The population of the study comprised 504 SMEs in manufacturing sector in Nairobi County and
surveyed through a semi-structured questionnaire with the help of key informants in these firms.
The researcher used both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics to analyze the collected
data, specifically regression analysis for hypotheses testing. The study found a positive and
statistical influence of entrepreneurial training on performance of SMEs in manufacturing sector.
Managers must take cognizance of the fact that their main duty revolves around isolating the exact
needs of the market and deciding on the best training needs and thus, suitable and effectively
implemented entrepreneurial training are necessary to effectively guide the placement of existing
resources in pursuit of desired firm goals. The study recommends a comprehensive entrepreneurial
training framework for the future of the industry and suggests a similar research be conducted
based on other components of the production industry like construction as the unit of analysis.
Such a study would increase the empirical knowledge in the subject matter while also extending
the generalizability of the study findings.
Key Words: Entrepreneurial Training, Firm Performance, Manufacturing SMEs, Kenyan
perspective.