Indigenous Entrepreneurship, Post-Conflict Reconstruction And Globalization Dynamics On Economic Development: A Case Of The Micro And Small Livestock Enterprises In Turkana County, Kenya

Abstract

Potential entrepreneurs are required to have an entrepreneurial mind-set that enables opportunity recognition and perceive entrepreneurial activities as both desirable and feasible. Micro and small livestock enterprises play an important economic and socio-cultural role amongst many Kenyan communities. It plays a key role in the agricultural sector being the main economic sector of the IGAD countries. The role of micro and small livestock enterprises in Turkana County is vital to post-conflict reconstruction and contributing to economic development. Livestock trade is key to Turkanas’ economic development and the presence of conflict and the influence of the international community cannot be underrated. The main objective of the study was to determine the contribution of indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises, post-conflict reconstruction and globalization dynamics to economic development in Turkana County. The specific objectives include; to determine the contribution of indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises to economic development in Turkana County, establish the influence of post-conflict reconstruction on the relationship between indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises and economic development in Turkana County, establish the influence of globalization dynamics on the relationship between indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises and economic development in Turkana County and determine the contribution of indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises, post- conflict reconstruction and globalization dynamics to economic development in Turkana County. The study was anchored on four main theories; endogenous growth, effectuation, entrepreneurial bricolage and institutional theories. The study adopted the positivist and phenomenology paradigms whereas a mixed method, a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches in research design was as well employed. The target population of study was all the micro and small livestock enterprises that are registered members of the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) in Turkana County; comprising of 598 livestock enterprises out of which a sample size of 339 MSEs was selected. Proportionate stratified random sampling as well as simple random sampling techniques were employed. Both secondary and primary data was collected for analysis. Primary data was obtained via semi- structured questionnaire and focus groups discussions. Also, the study purposively selected four firms from the survey method for case studies one each from Kakuma, Lokichoggio, Lokichar and Lodwar. Pilot was conducted and reliability and validity of the study instruments was evaluated. Descriptive and inferential analyses were done. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) a statistical test for significance, simple and multiple linear regression analyses were evaluated. Significance was tested at 5% level. The overall response rate was 78.2%. From the results, revealed that indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises had a positive and significant effect on economic development in Turkana County. Post-conflict reconstruction was found to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises and economic development in Turkana County. Globalization dynamics was also found to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises and economic development in Turkana County. Further, there was significant joint influence of indigenous entrepreneurship of micro and small livestock enterprises, post-conflict reconstruction and globalization dynamics on economic development in Turkana County (F=59.4, P=0.000). The study suggests to business associations, financial institutions, NGOs and development agencies and Turkana County government to facilitate and promote indigenous communities to pursue entrepreneurial activities to foster self-regeneration and economic development. National and County governments should legislate laws and policies to promote peace initiatives which support micro and small livestock enterprises in Turkana County. Lastly, the study suggests for the County government of Turkana to refocus on the decentralization policy perhaps integrate with indigenous entrepreneurship so that it can induce economic activity from outside business players.