Factors that influence location, operation and development of small scale industries in Bondo urban centre
Abstract
The rapidly increasing population and slow rate of
formal job creation have greatly accelarated growth of
"informal sector" whereby small-scale activities have
been located in various places. In almost all these
locations, informal activities have been incompatible
with the adjacent landuses. Whereas the informal
sector is a land-use as any other, the planners have
usually not included it in their plans. The result
is'that these informal activities have been termed
illegalo This has also affected the expansion of these
small-scale enterpriseso
The stud~, therefore, set out to determine factors
which influence location and development of small-scale
enterprises in Bondo Urban Centre which is characterized
mainly by administrative and commercial functions with
small scale-scale enterprises concentrated in the
central area. This entailed seeking direct opinions
of the small-scale entrepreneurs as to why they have
located in their respective sites •
. '
As a result, the study has come out with a summary
of the major research findings in view of the objectives.
These include .the fact that most entrepreneurs
-At.
concentrate largely on consumer/retail and produce goods
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(v i i.)
which have proven to be in demand; that etitrepreneurs
seek locations which guarantee them ready market for
their goods; and that capital is the most serious
constraint~"hich hinders the development of informal
enterprises.
These are,
I
therefore, some of the research findings
expected to help the planners in predicting areas
, "-
suitab~e for small-scale industrial enterprises and
then provide zones for the activities while planning urban
areas.
To stimulate" the development of small-scale enterprises
this study has recommended that the public sector agencies
assigned to promote small-scale industries should be
strengthened. The Government of Kenya should also
support the small-scale enterprises by promoting physical
infrastructure, extension services, training and improved marketing
Publisher
Department of planning