What factors hamper innovation amongst SMEs in Kenya

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6149686
AutoresAbbey N Emmanuel (0000-0001-8404-2010, University of Ghana, autor de correspondencia), Emmanuel Adu-Danso (0000-0003-0712-0243, University of Ghana)
Año2022
Volumen13
Número2
Páginas411-440
Fecha de publicación2022-01-24
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaInnovation and Development (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2157-9318 • E-ISSN: 2157-930X
EditorialTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/2157930x.2022.2030890
OpenAlexW4207025224
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas68

While much of the evidence about innovation amongst SMEs in many developing countries have sought to examine the factors that enhance the propensity of a firm to innovate, far less effort has gone into assessing the factors that hamper it. This paper follows the latter literature to provide an explanation of firm innovation failure amongst SMEs in Kenya by focusing exclusively on external obstacles. By relying on the World Bank Enterprise Surveys and defining innovation as involving product and process innovation, we showed that factors such as political instability and infrastructure, measured as access to electricity, can be critical to firm innovation. We also found that the effects could be context-specific, as the results differ based on various firm characteristics, including firm type, sector, age and size. Our findings provide important policy implications about firm innovation in Kenya as well as the understanding that providing a more conducive business environment is not only critical to enhancing various firm activities but also enhancing innovation performance

Business · Context (archaeology · Developing country · Economic growth · Economics · Industrial organization · Process (computing · Product (mathematics · Product innovation · Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences · Firm Innovation and Growth · Innovation and Socioeconomic Development · Marketing