13th Annual International Management Conference Proceeding

The training approach to small enterprise development has also been successfully used in other countries
such as India (Awasthi, 1989). In India, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute, established in 1983
has been conducting new enterprise creation (NEC) and business growth training (BGT) programmes for
small enterprise development with tremendous results. In his impact study, Awasthi found out that at least
75% of trainees in the new enterprise creation training programme started manufacturing enterprises, where
some were employing as many as 300 workers.
To support this viewpoint, Fluitman (1990) contends that training for work in the informal sector should
involve an organized transfer of skills to enable people start their own enterprises. He further suggests that a
carefully designed training programme should be based on needs, linked to opportunities for immediate
results and complimented with follow up services. He says that there is need for periodic evaluation to
determine whether those trained start their own enterprises or not and therefore important to find out
whether the training has been adequate and effective or not, as a basis for establishing and correcting
weaknesses, which may be associated with it.
2.0 Research Problem
The three training institutions had conducted a number of training programmes with a number of
entrepreneurs going through them. However, despite the wide participation in the training programmes, it
had not been determined whether the trainees made any significant improvements to their businesses or
introduced new business activities as a result of the training. In the absence of such a study, it was difficult to
make an objective judgment on the effectiveness of the training conducted. Sometimes it may be assumed
that the training has been effective based on the number of people trained without proof that the changes
made in the management and performance of their businesses are actually a result of skills acquired from the
training. Arising thereof, there was need to carry out an impact study of the training programmes: whether
business performance had improved and whether the performance improvements experienced were a result of
the training or other factors outside the training.
3.0 Research Objectives
The major objective of the study was to assess the impact of entrepreneurship training programmes on small
enterprise development and growth. The specific objectives of the study were to:
i Determine the trainees' perceptions on the usefulness of the skills acquired to the growth of their
businesses.
ii Determine significant business improvements made as a result of the training and those made as a result of
other factors
iii Identify other factors, besides training which affect small enterprise development.
iv Determine the adequacy of the skills provided to the improvement and growth of their businesses.
Research Methodology
This was a descriptive study involving a survey of the perceptions of the participants on the training and its
impact on performance of their businesses. The study covered trainees in Nairobi area who had undergone
training on business growth between 1993 and 1995. The sample for the study was 30 respondents drawn
from the total number of 72 respondents. The period 1993 to 1995 was selected because it gave a time
difference of at least two years since the training was conducted and this provided an adequate period within
which trainees were expected to have made significant improvements to their businesses as a result of the
training. Data was collected using a questionnaire administered through personal interviews at the
respondents’ business premises. Analysis and interpretation was done using simple statistical tools such as
means, frequencies and percentages presented through tables and charts.
4.0 Research Findings and Discussion
Composition and Age
Of the total 30 respondents interviewed, 57% were male while 43% were female, an indication that more
male entrepreneurs attend training programmes than female entrepreneurs. 17% of the respondents were
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