| dc.description.abstract | In Kenya as elsewhere in East Africa, regional industrial development planning has' been based on growth pole(s) and centre periphery strategies that tend to create a polarised space economy. Although industries are agents of regional development, they have continued to concentrate in the Kenya highlands' and a few of the places where returns to investments are high, creating an industrial landscape of varying socio-economic disparities.
In the light of the above, the present study examines and evaluates two aspects of industrial development planning in Western Province namely; a) government influence in regional location of industries, and b) regional industrial structure vis a vis i) equitable regional development, and, ii) regional resource transfer. This study attempts to provide an intuition;
i) as to whether the government has played a significant role in regional industrial location. ii) into the industries in Western Province in as they may have advanced inequitable regional development through their structure and;
iii) if the disproportionate regional resource extraction and transfer is due to the structure and patterning of regional industries.
The objectives are thus; a) To seek to establish the role of influence of the government on regional industrial location in Western Province. b) Attempt an examination and evaluation of the industrial structure of the development inducing industries (dii) and development supporting industries (dsi) in Western Province. The concern is; i) the assessment of the nature of products manufactured and their corresponding raw material sourcets), and ii) the investigation of benefits accrued to the region from the location of these industries.
The formulated hypotheses are thus; firstly, given that Kenya is a mixed economy, industrial location decision(s) are expected to be borne by both public and private investors. The influence of the government is expected to be minimal. The hypothesis stated in this respect is that 'the Kenyan government has had an insignificant influence on regional location and patterning of industries in Western Province'. Secondly, that, 'the structure of development inducing and development supporting industries has resulted in inequitable regional development in the Province'. Lastly, the hypothesis that 'biased resource extraction has led to imbalances in regional production of goods and services' is used to confirm the extent of regional resource extraction through regional industrial development. How appropriate regional industries are in promoting growth and development is determined by the nature of goods manufactured and their end users.
In testing the null hypotheses, the Inter Regional Trade Multiplier is employed in the
analysis of the importance of industries in the regional economy, the 'Regional Goods Produced'
is used in assessing the relevant industrial goods in regional development and the industries that
manufacture them and lastly the Common Factor Analysis is used in the evaluation of the extent of
government influence in regional location and patterning of industries.
This study establishes that though the government has attempted to Increase industrial growth through improved infrastructure and policy framework(s), its efforts have instead
reinforced polarisation of the space economy. The regional industrial structure is more
exploitative than beneficial first; to the raw material suppliers and secondly; to the growth of the
region where such industries operate. These industries are found to have weak development
impulses. The study concludes first; that although direct government influence has been minimal,
industries have favourably responded to government infrastructural development such as roads,
water, power and sites, thus, explaining the tendency to urban location. Secondly; that although
regional industries make profits, the suppliers of raw materials do not benefit as expected. More
industrial investment(s) is needed resource hinterlands. Establishment of many local raw material
using industries will provide a range of products that are currently imported, hence increase the
regional multiplier.
It is recommended that in order to achieve balanced regional development through
industrial growth and development, the government should be willing to deliberately pattern
industries based on (among others) their developmenf potential and the accompanying activity
radii. Industries with long, medium and short activity radii are' ideal for attaining effective spatial
development. Problems of regional resource development and their imbalanced exploitation lie in
policy rather than market failure. The government and its administrative institutions should take
the first and overall thrust in interpreting development policies and transforming the regional
economy in the wake of a liberalised economy in which it now operates.
It is noted that to achieve balanced regional industrial development painful choices have to
be made which apparently rest on the will of the government as expressed through its development
approaches and strategies at both the national and regionallevel(s). | en |
