INFLUENCE OF MENTORSHIP ON PERFORMANCE OF TOP 100 SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN KENYA

Mercy Gichuki

College of Human Resource and Development,

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

P. O. Box 62000, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya

Corresponding Author email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr. Kepha Ombui

College of Human Resource and Development,

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

P. O. Box 62000, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya

CITATION: Gichuki, M., & Ombui, K. (2017). Influence of Mentorship On Performance of Top 100 Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya. International Journal of Arts and Entrepreneurship. Vol. 7 (4) pp 40 – 55.

ABSTRACT

Close to half a million small enterprises in Kenya die annually as the business environment in the country gets bumpy. A significant 46 per cent MSMEs collapse in their first year of establishment in Kenya. Scholars have argued that leadership plays a significant role on performance of organizations. This study therefore sought to establish the leadership characteristics of SMEs in Kenya and then link it to performance. The study focused on mentorship aspect of leadership. The study adopted descriptive survey design on top 100 SMEs in Kenya. A simple and systematic sampling was used to select 84 SMEs. Questionnaires were used to collect data which was analyzed through correlation and regression methods. A univariate regression model was used to establish the influence of mentorship on performance of SMEs. The findings showed that mentorship positively and significantly affect performance of SMEs in Kenya, indicating that increasing the frequency of mentorship practices like organization engaging in social counseling/mentorship with their employees, the organization engaging in emotional counseling with their employees and the organization engaging in performance counseling with their employees leads to a significant positive effect on performance of SMEs in Kenya. The study recommended that SMEs should also invest more resources in mentorship practices like engaging in social counseling/mentorship with their employees, emotional counselling and performance counselling with their employees since it positively influences performance.

Key Words: Mentorship, Performance, Small and Medium Enterprises

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