Browsing by Author "Otieno, Hellen"
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- ItemBuilding sustainable business development services: empirical evidence from KenyaOtieno, HellenThe aim of this study was to explain sustainability of Business Development Services (BDS) in Kenya. The study was conducted through the use of Grounded Theory methodology on eleven BDS providers, two BDS facilitators and one donor agency and four small enterprise (SE) entrepreneurs. Data collection and analysis took 12 months spread between the months of May 2008 and August 2010. The study established that BDS Providers venture into business for different motives. The motives were classified into three as extrinsic, intrinsic and philanthropic motives. The study established that there are BDS Providers who venture into and sustain their businesses mainly for intrinsic and philanthropic motives. The study showed that while it is true that BDS Providers strive to recover costs and possibly make profits, this is not the major reason why some stay in business. The study showed that there are multiple conceptions of “sustainability” depending on providers’ strategic response; background characteristics; start-up motives; ability to identify and close gaps; situational forces; perception of the business and the meaning attached to business. These multiple conceptions of “sustainability” affect the way continuity is pursued and sustained. BDS becomes sustainable in the traditional economic sense of covering costs when the provider manages to identify and fill at least 9 specific demand and supply side gaps. The gaps relate to awareness, value, trust, quality, capacity, willingness to pay, appreciation, ability to pay and perception. BDS Providers identify and close the gaps in their market using a number of strategies. The strategies were client, product, price, simultaneous collaboration and competition, trial and error and diversification which differ by situational context. The study showed that filling some of the gaps requires collaboration among service providers. Filling other gaps require the action of the industry as a whole. The study further showed that perception of the providers is a major factor that influences how they do business and whether they stay in business. The study offers a number of theoretical contributions which have both theoretical and practical implications. First BDS philanthropy suggests that evaluation of performance and/or success should not be based purely on mercantile principles but should also combine the socio-cultural impact of the business. It also suggests that the measure of success should not be generalized across business sectors or within a business sector. Philanthropic motives may also justify spending public resources on such people because they have a mission to impact on others. Regarding perception, the study recommends that policy makers should take a deliberate effort to improve perception of potential opportunities in small-scale businesses.
- ItemBusiness development services (BDS)Otieno, Hellen; Kiraka, RuthWhile the role that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play in all economies is universally acknowledged, only a small segment of small businesses is capable of making full use of opportunities and coping effectively with threats without assistance. Smallness confers some inherent competitive disadvantages and same sort of external support is warranted in order for these enterprises to each their full potential (OECD, 2004). Services to promote and enhance MSME competitive performance accordingly constitute important policy instruments in many countries including advanced ones, such as the USA. However, programmes and institutions designed to support small enterprises have reached and assisted only a minority of them. This chapter examines the meaning, scope, role and the changing perspectives of business development services (BDS).
- PublicationDemand for prenatal health care in Lower Nyakach division, Nyando district.Otieno, HellenWomen play an important role in the production of goods and services in any economy. For maximum production, they need to be healthy. Maternal and child health is an essential and integral element of health care programme aimed at improving general health status of women since better maternal health helps to reduce the risk of death and disability in pregnancy and child birth. On the other hand, prenatal health care is an essential component of maternal and child heath care. Good prenatal heath care helps to reduce morbidity and mortality on women and children. However, there is low attendance of prenatal health care especially in the rural areas. However, there is low attendance of prenatal heath care especially in the rural areas. It is therefore necessary to understand factors that determine demand for prenatal health care in the rural areas. This study has investigated the determinants of prenatal health care services in Lower Nyakach Divisions of Nyando District. To meet the objectives of the study, primary data was collected and analysed using both econometric and descriptive methods. Econometric analysis involved estimation of a log linear model using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation technique. The empirical results showed that price of prenatal health care, waiting time, perceived quality, distance traveled and the duration of the pregnancy at which the first prenatal health care visit was made are significant determinants of demand for prenatal health care. Descriptive results showed that contrary to the beliefs that people are moving away from the traditional health care, women in the rural areas are still visiting both modern and traditional health care facilities. The results also showed that demand for prenatal visits late (between five and six months of pregnancy). Based on the empirical findings, the study recommends that health care planners should design and modify the hours of operation of certain facilities to reduce waiting time, since waiting was found to be a significant determinant of demand for prenatal health care; that prenatal health care services should be further subsidized. On the other hand, mobile clinics should be provided to reduce distance travelled to the health care facilities. Distance was found to negatively influence demand for prenatal health care and was also a significant determinant. The study also recommends that awareness campaigns for prenatal health care be intensified and also included in public education programmes and that when planning for health care services, the feelings and opinions of potential users should be taken into consideration. For example, health care providers can adapt some aspects of their services to satisfy the patients’ expectations.
- ItemMotives for starting and sustaining BDS : empirical evidence KenyaOtieno, Hellen; Olomi, Donath R.; Kiraka, RuthThe paper explains what motivates Business Development Services Providers (BDSPs) in Kenya to venture into and sustain their businesses. The study was done through the use of grounded theory methodology on eleven BDSPs in Kenya over twelve months between May 2008 and August 2010. The start-up motives were classified into three: extrinsic, intrinsic and philanthropic. Contrary to the dominant view that small business start-ups are driven principally by economic necessity, the study revealed that some BDSPs venture into and sustain their businesses mainly for intrinsic and philanthropic motives. These findings suggest that evaluation of sustainable BDS business should not be limited to the traditional economic theory of recovering costs but should take into account intrinsic and philanthropic rewards as well. The study enhances our understanding of “start-up motives” and “success” and in particular in the context of small firms. This knowledge is invaluable to scholars, teachers and policy makers involved in promoting small firms.
- PublicationNanga Slaughter House. Global Business Schools Network.Otieno, HellenOn 11th May 2005, the Muhu family, the owners of Nyongara Slaughter House had invited a senior consultant to help them resolve some of the conflicts that they had been facing at the slaughter house and to make suggestions towards the preparation of a family protocol. After several visits to the company and talking to the individual members of the family and some employees, the consultant came to the conclusion that some of the issues raised were purely business issues while others touched on the relationship between the members of the family with regards to the business. The board of directors was due to meet in two weeks time and the consultant would be expected to give his deliberations to them. He looked at the issues on his desk and wondered what he was going to tell them and how he was rationally going to support his recommendations.
- ItemSituational analysis of the BDS Market : empirical evidence from KenyaOtieno, Hellen; Olomi , Donath R.; Kiraka, RuthThe paper analyses the situational forces in the Business Development Services (BDS) market in Kenya showing how BDS Providers’ (BDSPs) strategically respond to the forces in their environment. The study was done through the use of grounded theory methodology on eleven BDSPs, four micro and small enterprises (MSEs) and two BDS facilitators in Kenya over twelve months between May 2008 and August 2010. The study established that BDSPs operate under weak regulatory framework which encourages unfair competition longside donor agencies who continue to give free and/or subsidized services. The study also revealed that BDS services are largely unappreciated by MSEs many of who are operating under serious resource constraints. In addition, some of the MSEs do not appreciate professionalism. BDSPs respond to the situational forces in their environments using a number of strategies which evolve over time namely: client, product, differentiation, price, self-regulation diversification, and a simultaneous competition and collaboration. The study revealed paradoxical relationship between donor agencies and BDSPs showing how on one hand, BDSPs perceive donor agencies negatively as distorting the market by compromising small scale entrepreneurs’ willingness to pay for services and on the other hand, benefiting from the donor support.
- ItemSituational forces in the BDS market and BDS providers’ strategic responses : empirical evidence from KenyaOtieno, Hellen; Olomi, Donath R.; Kiraka, RuthThe paper presents situational analysis of the BDS market in Kenya showing how BDS Providers (BDSPs) respond in each situational context. The study was done through the use of grounded theory on eleven BDSPs, four small-scale entrepreneurs and two BDS facilitators in Kenya over twelve months between May 2008 and August 2010. The study established that BDSPs operate under weak regulatory framework which encourages unfair competition alongside donor agencies some of which continue to give free and/or subsidized services. BDSPs respond to the situational contexts in their environments using client, product, price, focus, diversification, and simultaneous competition and collaboration strategies.
- ItemSt. Cleophas girls’ boarding secondary school : global business schools network.Otieno, HellenOn 1st June 2005, Mr. Eric Ndambuki, owner and Principal of St. Cleophas Girls’ Secondary School was at his desk. He realized that the ten-year lease agreement for the school building signed in the year 2001 was already halfway through. Yet he had not succeeded in making any savings to buy land and to build his own school to relocate the St. Cleophas as he had initially planned. He had hoped that he would save enough money in the first four years of operation to buy a piece of land adjacent to the school. He would then save for another four years. In the ninth year he had planned to start the construction so that in the tenth year, he would relocate St. Cleophas to a fully owned building. However, looking at the school’s current financial situation, he knew that had not happened. Even worse it would not happen unless he implemented some drastic changes in the financial aspects of his management. He wondered what action plans and financial management he could take.
- ItemSustainabillty of business development services : gaps analysis of the Kenyan marketOtieno, Hellen; Olomi, Donath R.; Kiraka, RuthA key challenge in entrepreneurship and private sector development is the provision of sustainable Business Development Services (BDS). particularly for micro and small enterprises. This study investigates how sustainability of BDS can be achieved, and how some providers manage to develop sustainable BDS and not others. using Grounded Theory. The .findings suggest that there are at least nine specific demand-and-supply-side gaps in the BDS market which providers need to identify and fill if they are to become sustainable. The gaps relate to awareness. value, trust, quality, capacity, unwillingness to pay, appreciation, inability to pay and perception. How providers identify and fill these gaps depends on their strategic orientation, which is in turn shaped by their capabilities, their motivation to sustain the business and e:external factors. The findings have both theoretical and practical implications. Success in the industry requires a high level of dedication, commitment and patience than is typically needed in other industries. It takes time and personal sacrifice to invest in building relationships and trust with clients and incremental learning and innovation to fill the gaps. Filling some of the gaps requires collaboration among service providers. Some others require the action of the industry as a whole. The implications for policy is that BDS development endeavors should take into account the specific demands of the industry and take a holistic view that encourages the right kind of people to join the sector and for the gaps to be addressed at all levels.