Effect of Mobile Technology Usage on Competitiveness of Women Entrepreneurs in Kenya
Abstract
This study sought to determine the effect of mobile technology usage on competitiveness of women entrepreneurs in Rongai Sub-County, Kenya. This was occasioned by the need to determine the factors that might influence the outcome of small and medium enterprises due to the critical role that these sectors play in achieving macroeconomic goals of nations, especially in developing nations. Women entrepreneurs in this sector form a significant part of the business and by identifying technological innovations that would improve their performance; this would have a positive effect of the entrepreneurs at the micro level as well as the nation at large due to the provision of employment and improvement of the economic position of a country. The specific objectives of the study was to investigate the effect of mobile commerce, mobile marketing, mobile banking, mobile money and mobile communication usage; on the competitiveness of women entrepreneurs in Rongai Sub-County. The research was anchored on theory of planned behavior and technology-organization-environment Framework. The research adopted a mixed method research design wherein both quantitative and qualitative data was used in the same research. The target population was the 564 registered women entrepreneurs in Rongai Sub-County and the main data collection instrument was a questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive measures of mean and standard deviation, while to establish the nexus between the two variables a regression was applied determined. The results indicated that Mobile commerce, mobile marketing, mobile banking and mobile communication significantly influenced competitiveness of women entrepreneurs. However, mobile money did not have a significant effect on competitiveness of women entrepreneurs. The study concluded that mobile technologies play a vital role in increasing business competitiveness for women entrepreneurs. The study recommends that Governmental, support is needed to foster skills of entrepreneurship and regulate the costs of mobile phone operators in order to reduce prices of airtime and make more bandwidth available for broadband usage.
Keywords: Mobile Technology Usage, Competitiveness & Women Entrepreneurs.
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