Mediating influence of niche policy in the relationship between entrepreneurs’ profile and women entrepreneurial activity in selected western Kenya Counties

Abstract

There has been little emphasis on public policy, research and popular media interest in women entrepreneurship, a situation that has left women entrepreneurs prone to both general and gender-specific barriers. The need for a women-specific policy, which was the basis of this study therefore cannot be over-emphasized. The study sought to assess the mediation influence of the niche entrepreneurship policy in the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ profile and their entrepreneurial activity as the broad objective. The specific objectives were to analyze: The contribution of women entrepreneurs’ profile to their entrepreneurial activity; the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ profile and the niche policy; the relationship between niche policy and the women’s entrepreneurial activity; the mediating influence of promotional efforts in the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ traits and the number of new venture start-ups they create and; the mediating influence of resource support in the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ motives and their ventures’ growth. The study design was a Cross-sectional Survey, guided by Motivational and Resource-based Theories. It adapted a Positivist Paradigm and used a Quantitative Multi-method approach. Structured questionnaires and document review were used to collect primary and secondary data respectively. Through multi-stage sampling, a sample of 375 women entrepreneurs participated in the study. The data was analyzed in two phases. Descriptive Analysis in phase one and Inferential Analysis in phase two. In phase two, correlation coefficient and coefficient of determination were the specific techniques used to assess the strength of the relationship between and among variables. Hypotheses testing results revealed there being significant direct and indirect relationships. For example, the correlation coefficient results for the first hypothesis (H01): There is a significant relationship between women entrepreneur’s traits and the number of new venture start-ups they create, were; R2=.9629, p= .00, meaning that 96% change in the rate of new start-ups initiated was directly attributed to promotional efforts. Also, the coefficient of determination results for the fourth hypothesis (H04): There is a significant mediating influence of promotional efforts in the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ traits and the number of new venture start-ups they create, were; k2=.1391, 95% BCa CI (.0811, .2041) and b=.0199, z=4.4065 and p=<.001, meant that 14% change in the rate of new start-ups initiated was caused by the mediation influence of promotional efforts in the relationship between women entrepreneurs’ traits and the number of the new venture start-ups they created. The study therefore concluded that niche policy programs mediate in the relationship between Western Kenya women entrepreneur’s profile and their entrepreneurial activity. The findings will help policy makers address women entrepreneurs’ unique entrepreneurial challenges. They are a prescriptive niche policy model that can be used to enhance women entrepreneurship and foster inclusive and therefore sustainable economic development in Kenya, and other developing countries. They also provide a useful research output to tertiary learning institutions for teaching-learning purposes and guiding other academic researches on women entrepreneurship.