AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF THE IMPORTATION OF SECOND HAND CLOTHES ON THE GROWTH OF TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF SPINNERS AND SPINNERS FIRM IN RUIRU COUNTY
Mary Wamucii Maina
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
ABSTRACT
This study endeavored to investigate the effects of importation of second-hand clothes on the growth of textile industry in Kenya. The theory of the firm states that, firms or corporations exist and make decisions in order to maximize profit. Besides, financial gains satisfaction of creation and self- sufficiency is amongst the key aspects motivating individuals to engage in business. The research relied on descriptive research design, being a scientific method involving observing and describing the behavior of a subject, without influencing it in any way, and it was the research design of choice for this study. The purpose was to observe subjects in a completely natural and unhampered environment. The study also applied the case study approach of Spinners and spinners firm in Ruiru County with 800 staff. The targeted population comprised of 51 textile firms within the textile industry in Kenya. Respondents comprised of 20 from top level management, 100 from middle level management, 680 from operation staff and only 30 customers chosen purposely. The findings were aimed at benefiting various stakeholders including, the top management to realize the weak areas of performance for improvement, enlighten the employees on the need to work as a team in achieving both individual and organizational goals, and also the researchers in the same field of study, acting as a resource material to facilitate the study. This study employed questionnaires as the main tool of data collection in order to target mainly primary data which were collected directly from the respondents and a systematic counterchecking of questionnaires after conclusion of the field work. The information was processed, coded and thereafter, tabulated by use of statistical tools and presented in form of visual and graphical aids, including charts and graphs. Qualitative information was presented in narrative. This enabled establishment of reliability levels, verification of data, editing to allow for effective quantitative analysis and subsequent tabulation of information or data easy to understand including charts, diagrams and tabular presentations. The results indicated strong believe by the respondents, that strain in the local textile industry resulted from imported second-hand clothes. On the same note respondents felt that in order to compete with imported second- hand clothes, the company would need to come up with products that would be affordable to the people of low income bracket. Following the data analysis of the study, it was concluded that the textile industry in Kenya was controlled by the cost of imported second- hand clothes, which are cheap and therefore drew customers from the relatively expensive locally manufactured clothes. Recommendations were proposed to the government to regulate the industry and also allow further research for deep insight into this subject.
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