Factors influencing the growth of entrepreneurship among persons with disabilities in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is increasingly attracting significant attention globally as an appropriate intervention for improving the livelihoods owing to its potential for self-employment and economic growth. There are many persons with disabilities who are forced to venture into self-employment due to discrimination and different negative perceptions by employers in the labor market. The objective of the study was to establish factors influencing the growth of entrepreneurship among persons with disabilities in Nairobi City County. The study is anchored on three theories namely; entrepreneurial event model, social model of disability and planned behavior model. The study adopted descriptive, cross-sectional design.The target population of the study targeted 60 entrepreneurs with disabilities situated within the CBD in Nairobi City County. It was revealed that more male than female persons with disabilities engaged in small and medium enterprises in the study area. Persons with disabilities engaged in small and medium enterprises in this study were adequately schooled to handle their businesses effectively. It was also revealed that motivation of entrepreneurship by disabled people were due to willingness to bear the calculated risk of becoming an entrepreneur and the level of flexibility or freedom of running own business. Technology has enabled disabled entrepreneurs to understand the market dynamics. It was concluded that disabled entrepreneur in Nairobi City County depend on various factors to recognize business opportunities which include prior knowledge on the entrepreneurial cognition, social networks and entrepreneurial alertness. It was also concluded that motivation of entrepreneurship by disabled people were due to willingness to bear the calculated risk of becoming an entrepreneur and the level of flexibility or freedom of running my own business attracts disabled people. The study recommends that there is need for entrepreneurs with disabilities to see risks in business positively.