| dc.description.abstract | The motivation behind this study was the fact that in the face of the current high unemployment and economic hardships small businesses have remained a source of livelihood to citizens in Kenya. Indeed, it is the small business experience that has enabled many big companies to flourish. Studies have established that currently many school leavers have found micro and small businesses a major stepping stone to counter long periods wasted before job acquisition or any further training.
The study aimed at investigating the strategic marketing practices adopted by Micro and Small barber Enterprises in Masaba North District, Kenya. For the purposes of this study, the larger Nyamira County was considered, the study was a survey of strategic marketing practices adopted by Micro and Small barber Enterprises (MSEs) in Masaba North District, Kenya. The data for the study was collected using a structured questionnaire comprising of both open-ended and close-ended questions. The questionnaire was administered through personal interviews to respondents who were operators of Barber businesses in Masaba North district.
The study found that strategic marketing practices were adopted by Micro and Small Barber Enterprises on a small extent in respect to their services without any professional consideration but only through operational experience in the industry. This may have been due to lack of professional training on barber operators and the small nature of these businesses. This study recommended that the Government should put in place legislation aimed at training business entrepreneurs to gain some knowledge on strategic marketing practices in order to improve these small and medium enterprises in Kenya thus social economic developments.
It also established that for any barber to flourish in the business and to be competitive enough, they must have distinct product differentiation in order to remain relevant in the sub-sector. The study also established that there are a number of Micro and Small barber enterprises in Masaba North district who value Strategic marketing practices regardless the challenges of adopting them. It is recommended that the Government should put in place legislations aimed at providing favourable business environment to micro and small enterprises. Access to credit facilities, subsidized advertising costs, reduced taxes, improved infrastructure, internet connectivity and improved security, small business enterprises will flourish thus social economic developments in Kenya. | en |
