Sustainabillty of business development services : gaps analysis of the Kenyan market

Simple item page
dc.creatorOtieno, Hellen
dc.creatorOlomi, Donath R.
dc.creatorKiraka, Ruth
dc.date07/03/2013
dc.dateWed, 3 Jul 2013
dc.dateWed, 3 Jul 2013 12:30:52
dc.dateWed, 3 Jul 2013 12:30:52
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-18T11:29:01Z
dc.date.available2015-03-18T11:29:01Z
dc.descriptionPublished paper.
dc.descriptionA key challenge in entrepreneurship and private sector development is the provision of sustainable Business Development Services (BDS). particularly for microand 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 fiil 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:xternal factors. The findings have both theoretical and practical implications. Success in the industry requires a high level of dedication, commitment and patience than is typicaliy 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 fiil 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 endeavours should take into account the specific demands of the industry and take a holistic view that encourages the right kind ofpeople to join the sector andfor the gaps to be addressed at alllevels.
dc.description.abstractA 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.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11071/3625
dc.languageeng
dc.rightsBy agreeing with and accepting this license, I (the author(s), copyright owner or nominated agent) agree to the conditions, as stated below, for deposit of the item (referred to as .the Work.) in the digital repository maintained by Strathmore University, or any other repository authorized for use by Strathmore University. Non-exclusive Rights Rights granted to the digital repository through this agreement are entirely non-exclusive. I understand that depositing the Work in the repository does not affect my rights to publish the Work elsewhere, either in present or future versions. I agree that Strathmore University may electronically store, copy or translate the Work to any approved medium or format for the purpose of future preservation and accessibility. Strathmore University is not under any obligation to reproduce or display the Work in the same formats or resolutions in which it was originally deposited. SU Digital Repository I understand that work deposited in the digital repository will be accessible to a wide variety of people and institutions, including automated agents and search engines via the World Wide Web. I understand that once the Work is deposited, metadata may be incorporated into public access catalogues. I agree as follows: 1.That I am the author or have the authority of the author/s to make this agreement and do hereby give Strathmore University the right to make the Work available in the way described above. 2.That I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the Work is original, and to the best of my knowledge, does not breach any laws including those relating to defamation, libel and copyright. 3.That I have, in instances where the intellectual property of other authors or copyright holders is included in the Work, gained explicit permission for the inclusion of that material in the Work, and in the electronic form of the Work as accessed through the open access digital repository, or that I have identified that material for which adequate permission has not been obtained and which will be inaccessible via the digital repository. 4.That Strathmore University does not hold any obligation to take legal action on behalf of the Depositor, or other rights holders, in the event of a breach of intellectual property rights, or any other right, in the material deposited. 5.That if, as a result of my having knowingly or recklessly given a false statement at points 1, 2 or 3 above, the University suffers loss, I will make good that loss and indemnify Strathmore University for all action, suits, proceedings, claims, demands and costs occasioned by the University in consequence of my false statement.
dc.subjectBusiness Development Services
dc.subjectBDS
dc.subjectBDSPs
dc.titleSustainabillty of business development services : gaps analysis of the Kenyan market
dc.typeArticle
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
sustainability of business development services.pdf
Size:
423.49 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Published paper
Download
Collections
SGS Scholarly Articles