This paper presents some empirical findings on fostering entrepreneurship through association, Sambut Self Help Group (SSHG) in Uasin Gishu in Kenya. Using a sample of fifty (n=50), the paper specifically hypothesizes, entrepreneurship among members of SSHG involves achievement need, autonomy, innovativeness, propensity for risk, locus of control, tolerance for ambiguity and confidence; association such as SSHG promote entrepreneurship among its members; and associations such as SSHG are only organizations which promote entrepreneurship. A regression analysis between the entrepreneurship promotion and seven characteristics of entrepreneurship is then carried out to statistically test the correlation. The results attributed to this study denote that entrepreneurship involves attributes such as achievement need, autonomy, innovativeness, propensity for risk, locus of control, tolerance for ambiguity and confidence); associations such as SSHG is to promote entrepreneurship among its members; and apart from associations such as SSHG, other groups foster entrepreneurship. Finally, the paper concludes by recommending that small associations should be given both financial and technical support to cater for their members effectively
Ayiemba, E.H.O., Otunga, R., Oketch, B.A.., Maina, S., Sabana, B., Aduda, K., & Bwisa, H., (2001). “Technology
Based Business Development Services in Kenya” A Benchmark Study of Three Projects. Occasional Paper Number 67. Research Monitoring and Evaluation (REME) Project. Nairobi: IDS University of Nairobi.
Beck, T., Asli Demirguc- Kunt, & Maksimovic, V., (2002). “Financial and Legal Constraints to Firm Growth:
Does Size Matter? ” World Bank Policy Research Paper 2784.
Beck, T., Asli Demirguc- Kunt, & Levine R., (2003). “SMEs, Growth, and Poverty: Cross- Country Evidence:
World Bank Policy Research Paper No. 01, 02, L11, L25.
Ben-Ari, T., Florian, V., & Mikulincer, M (1999). The Impact of Mortality Salience on Reckless Driving: A Test
of Terror Management Mechanisms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(1); 35-45.
Biggs, T., (2002). “Is Small Beautiful and Worthy of Subsidy? Literature Review.” Mimeo: IFC
Boone, C., de Brabander, B. & Van- Witteloostuijn, A., (1996). CEO Locus of Control and Small Firm
Performance: An Integrative Framework and Empirical Test. Journal of Management Studies, 33 (5),
667-699.
Boone, C., de Brabander, B., & Hellemans, J. (2000). Research Note: CEO Locus of Control and Small Firm
Performance. Organisation Studies. 21(3); 641-646.
Brown, C., Medoff, J., & Hamilton J., (1990). Employers: Large and Small. Cambridge, M.A.: Harvard
University Press.
Caird, S(1988). A Review of Methods of Measuring Enterprising Attributes. Durham. UK: Durham University
Business School.
Casson, M. (1982). The Entrepreneur: An Economic Theory. Otawa, NJ: Barnes and Noble
Clarke, G.R.G., Cull R. & Peria M.S.M., (2001). Does Foreign Bank Penetration Reduce Access to Credit in
Developing Countries? Evidence from Asking Borrowers. Washington DC. Development Research Group: The World Bank.
Chege, M., (1986). “The State and Labour in Independent Kenya” in East African Social Science Research
Review, Vol. II. No 1 OSSREA.
Cromie, S. (2000). Assessing Entrepreneurial Inclinations. European Journal of Work and Organisational
Psychology. 9 (1); 7-30.
Cunningham, J.B., & Lischeron, J. (1991). Defining Entrepreneurship. Journal of Small Business Management
29; 45-61.
De Carlo, J., & Lyons, P. (1979). A Comparison of Selected Personal Characteristics of Minority and Non
Minority Female Entrepreneurs. Journal of Small Business Management. 7(4).
De Soto, H., (1989). The Other Path: The invisible Revolution in the Third World. New York: Harper and Row.
Entrialgo, M., Fernandez, E. & Vazquez, C. (2000). Characteristics of Managers as Determinants of
Entrepreneurial Orientation: Some Spanish Evidence. Enterprise and Innovation Management Studies, 1 (2); 187-205.
Gelderen, M., Jansen, P. & Jonges, S., (2003). The Multiple Sources of Autonomy as a Start up Motive In: Scales-
Paper N200315 Erasmus University Rotterdam, Faculty of Business Administration.
Gilad, B. & Levine, P. (1986). A Behavioral Model of Entrepreneurial Supply. Journal of Small Business
Management, 24(4); 45-54.
Greene, W., (2000). Econometric Analysis 4 th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Grote, G.F. & James, L.R. (1991). Testing Behavioral Consistency and Coherence with the Situation Response
Measure of Achievement Motivation. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 26; 655-691.
Gurol, Y., & Atsan, N. (2006) Entrepreneurial Characteristics amongst University Students: Some Insights for
Entrepreneurship Education and Training in Turkey. Emerald Group Publishing, 48(1); 25-38.
ILO, (2002). Women and Men in the Informal Economy: A Statistical Picture. Geneva, Switzerland: Employment Sector, International Labour Office ISBN 92-2-113103-3.
Jonassen, D., & Grabowski, B.L., (1993). Handbook of Individual Differences, Learning and Instruction.
Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers Inc.
Kenya, Republic of, Sessional Paper No. 2 of 1992, on Small Enterprises and Jua Kali Development. Nairobi: The
Government Printers.
Kumar, K.B., Raghuram, G.R., & Luigi, Z., (2001). “What Determines Firms Size?” University of Chicago.
CRSP Working Paper No. 496.
Lee, J. (1997). The Motivation of Women Entrepreneurs in Singapore. International Journal of Entrepreneurial
Behaviour and Research, 3(2); 93-110.
Little, I.M.D., (1987). “Small Manufacturing Enterprises in Developing Countries. “World Bank Economic Review
1, 203-235.
Littunen, H. (2000). Entrepreneurship and the Characteristics of the Entrepreneurial Personality. International
Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 6(6); 295.
Liu, S., Luo, X. & Shi, Y. (2002). Integrating Customer Orientation, Corporate Entrepreneurship, and Learning
Orientation in Organisations in Transition: An Empirical Study. International Journal of Research in Marketing. 19; 367-382.
Lyon, D., Lumpkin, G.T. & Dess, G. G. (2000). Enhancing Entrepreneurial Orientation Research:
Operationalizing and Measuring a Key Strategic Decision Making Process. Journal of Management, 26(5); 1055-1085.
Morgeson, F., Johnson, M., Campion, M., Medsker, J. & Mumford, T. (2006) Understanding Reactions to Job Redesign: A Quasi Experimental Investigation of the Moderating Effect of Organisational Concept on Perceptions of Performance Behaviour. Personnel Psychology. 59 (2); 333-364.
Mc Clelland, D. C., (1961). The Achieving Society. New York: The Free Press.
Morris, M.H. & Kuratko, D.F. (2002). Corporate Entrepreneurship. New York: Harcott College Publisher.
Morris, M.H.& Trotter, J.D., (1990). Institutionalizing Entrepreneurship in a Large Company: A Case Study at
AT&T. Industrial Marketing Management, 19(2); 131-139.
Mueller, S. L. & Thomas, A.S., (2001). Culture and Entrepreneurial Potential: A Nine Country Study of Locus of
Control and Innovativeness. Journal of Business Venturing. 16 (1); 51-75.
Mugenda, O.M., & Mugenda, A.G., (1999). Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches.
Nairobi: Acts Press.
Pagano, P. & Schivardi, F., (2001). “Firm Size Distribution and Growth.” Bancad’Italia. Working Paper No. 394.
Robinson, P.B., Stimpson, D.V., Huefner, J.C. & Hunt, H.K. (1991). An Attitude Approach to the Prediction of
Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 15 (4); 13-32.
Rosenzweig, M.R., (1988). “Labour Markets in Low- Income Countries.” In Handbook of Development
Economics, Vol. 1, edited by Hollis B. Chenery and T.N.Srinivasan. Amsterdam: North Holland.
Rotter, J.B. (1966). Generalised Expectancies for Internal Versus External Control of Reinforcement.
Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80 (609).
Sagie, A. & Elizur, D. (1999). Achievement Motive and Entrepreneurial Orientation: A Structural Analysis.
Journal of Organisational Behaviour. 20(3); 375-388.
Schumpeter, J. (1951). Theory of Economic Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Singleton, Jr., Straits, B.C., Straits, M.M., & Allister, R.J., (1988). Approaches to Social Research.
New York: Oxford University Press.
Stevenson, L., & St- Onge, A. (2005). Support for Growth Oriented Women Entrepreneurs in Kenya. Geneva,
Switzerland: ILO.
World Bank, (2001). Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises: Key to Increasing Employment in Developing
Countries. Online: www.worldbank.org/development news/ Stories/html/ 101901.htm.
World Bank, (2002). SME: World Bank Group Review of Business Activities. Washington DC: World Bank.
World Bank, (2006). Doing Business in 2006: Creating Jobs. Washington, D.C.: World Bank and
International Finance Corporation.
Zahra, S.A. (1996). Governance, Ownership and Corporate Entrepreneurship: The Moderating Impact of Industry
Technological Opportunities. Academy of Management Journal. 39 (1712- 1735).
L., N. M. (2015). Fostering Entrepreneurship in Kenya: The Role of Association. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 5(3). 393-406.
Copyright: © 2015 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
