RESOURCE SHARING AND FIRM COMPETITIVENESS OF SMES IN WAJIR COUNTY
Main Article Content
Abstract
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Wajir County, Kenya, continue to grapple with access to financial, technological, human, and market resources that hamper their competitiveness. This study examined the effects of resource sharing on firm competitiveness of SMEs in Wajir County. The research was descriptive in nature, guided by the Resource-Based View Theory. The main groups involved in the study were SME owners and managers from the manufacturing, retail trade, service provision, and agribusiness sectors. The sampling was done purposively to have a sample size of 229 respondents with the help of Kothari's formula, while stratified random sampling was done on the basis of proportionate. Data collection was carried out using structured questionnaires, and analysis of the data obtained was carried out using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression techniques. The obtained results indicated that there was a positive significant correlation between resource sharing and competitiveness of the SMEs (r = .756, p < .05). The results indicated that strategic alliances have a positive impact on accessing beneficial resources and consequently improve the competitiveness of SMEs. The study proposes reinforcing the structured resource-sharing processes and mechanisms of SMEs.
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References
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