THE ROLE NOF GENDER IN THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES. A CASE OF KILIBWONI DIVISION IN NANDI CENTRAL DIVISION IN NANDI CENTRAL DISTRICT KENYA

Abstract

Entrepreneurship development is increasingly becoming important in economic growth in many becoming important in economic growth in many countries. The majority of workers in the developing countries. The majority of workers in the developing World cluster in small and micro enterprises in the World cluster in small and micro enterprises in the private sectors. They may be on account workers in private sectors. They may be on account workers in services or employees in small and medium services or employees in small and medium--sized sized services or employees in small and medium services or employees in small and medium--sized sized firms in manufacturing. Entrepreneurship and firms in manufacturing. Entrepreneurship and investment influences the rate and linkages, which investment influences the rate and linkages, which develop in an economy, the labor demanded and the develop in an economy, the labor demanded and the human capital investment required meeting these human capital investment required meeting these labor demands. Rapid growth can contribute to labor demands. Rapid growth can contribute to poverty reduction. Although there are variations across countries, social Although there are variations across countries, social norms strongly influence men’s and women’s work norms strongly influence men’s and women’s work and working environments. Some tasks and jobs are and working environments. Some tasks and jobs are considered more appropriate for men or women and considered more appropriate for men or women and covert screening filters out applicants who defy these covert screening filters out applicants who defy these norms. These gender norms frequently underpin sex norms. These gender norms frequently underpin sex-segmented labor markets typically confine women segmented labor markets typically confine women segmented labor markets typically confine women segmented labor markets typically confine women workers to low workers to low--wage, low productivity employment wage, low productivity employment and can limit the responsiveness of labor to new and can limit the responsiveness of labor to new demands for high skilled workers. Sluggish labor demands for high skilled workers. Sluggish labor markets can impede adjustment, distort human capital markets can impede adjustment, distort human capital investment and inhibit a firm’s ability to switch to investment and inhibit a firm’s ability to switch to new activities and compete in a dynamics and new activities and compete in a dynamics and globalizing market. Development occurs within an institutional and economics environment that is similarly shaped by economics environment that is similarly shaped by customers, social norms, implicit and explicit codes customers, social norms, implicit and explicit codes and conduct. The study sought to establish the impact and conduct. The study sought to establish the impact of gender on micro of gender on micro--enterprises performance. The enterprises performance. The main objective was to establish the differences in the main objective was to establish the differences in the main objective was to establish the differences in the main objective was to establish the differences in the constraint facing female and male owned micro constraint facing female and male owned micro-enterprises respectively in Kilibwoni Division in enterprises respectively in Kilibwoni Division in Nandi central district. Data from a survey of 180 Nandi central district. Data from a survey of 180 micro micro--enterprises were used in the modified ordinary enterprises were used in the modified ordinary least square (OLS).