Effect Of Strategic Entrepreneurial Orientation On Growth Of Selected Kenyan Export Firms

Kenya adopted an export led growth of economic development following the paradigm shift in trade policy, from an inward to an outward approach documented in Sessional Paper No. 1 of 1986 on Economic Management for Renewed Growth. This policy orientation is further justified in Kenya Vision 2030 that foresees trade as a key contributor to economic growth target rate of 10% per year. Despite adoption of the policy, export firms still do not achieve optimal growth and competitive levels that is envisaged to facilitate industrial progress in Kenya. The foregoing motivated the undertaking of this study. This research thus sought to examine effects of strategic entrepreneurial orientation on growth of selected Kenyan export firms. The objectives of this study were: To examine the effect of innovation on growth of selected Kenyan export firms; to examine the effect of risk taking propensity on growth of selected Kenyan export firms; and to examine the effect of adoption of marketing mix on growth of selected Kenyan export firms; to examine the effect of networking on growth of selected Kenyan export firms. This study also sought to establish the moderating effect of political and regulatory framework on the effect of strategic entrepreneurial orientation on growth of selected Kenyan export firms. This study was based on entrepreneurship theories namely; Psychological, Economic and Discovery, and creation alternative theories of entrepreneurial action. The study applied the survey research design. The target population consisted of 770 export firms registered by Export Promotion Council. The sample for the study was identified by using purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. The sample frame was stratified into seven subsectors. The sample size was 169 export firms. Data was collected using structured questionnaire. The study adopted descriptive, inferential data analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling Methods. The study employed Bootstrap its confidence intervals results indicated an optimum confidence interval, hence considered to yield more accurate values than percentile. Most of the variables indicate a 100 (1-p) % confidence interval. Innovation split model yielded Ratio Index (20.013) p